Among those masks collected by Peng is an impressive piece of his won — a mask resembling a Tang Dynasty (618-907) general. "I've named it Ancient Nuo Greeting Guests," he said. "This piece took more than two months to sculpt and complete."

Made in 2008 for the Shanghai World Expo, the mask features two dragons playing with a ball and surrounded by Nuo dancers, all carved from a single piece of wood.

"Camphor wood is the main material used to make Nuo masks. It is chosen for its insect-repelling properties and symbolizes 'welcoming wealth'," Peng said.

Making a Nuo mask is no easy job. It involves seven key stages: selection, measurement, initial carving, detail carving, final carving, polishing and painting.

"The most intricate step is carving. It's a delicate job. Carving the round bead in a dragon's mouth can take several days," he added.

"Traditional Nuo masks can be quite intimidating. I've adopted a more rounded carving style to appeal to younger audiences."

At the 2010 Poyang Lake Ecological Festival held in Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi, Peng's Nuo masks were a huge success, selling out immediately, and even the masks he created on the spot were preordered by customers.

Since then, his Nuo masks have gained popularity in cities such as Guangzhou in Guangdong province, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Beijing, and have even been exported to the United States and Japan.

"At that time, I made over 100,000 yuan ($14,000) a year. One of my masks, Zhong Kui Eating the Ghost, was sold to a painter in Beijing for 20,000 yuan," Peng said.

He has been honored as one of the first Nuo Mask Carving Heritage Inheritors at the Nuo cultural heritage protection base, recognized as a Folk Craft Artist in Pingxiang, and awarded the title of highly skilled talent in the city's Xiangdong district.

Peng believes that ancient skills can only be inherited by passing them on to younger generations. So far, he has trained 30 apprentices.

"If my skills in making masks are lost, my life will have been wasted. So, I will pass them on to my apprentices and my sons, hoping they will continue the tradition," he said.

Some of his apprentices have established their own Nuo mask studios, while others are continuing their education under Peng's mentorship. As the demand for Nuo masks grows, he is embracing a larger volume of orders. For him, handmade production can no longer meet the increasing market demand.

"I hope that in the future, with the help of factories, we can increase production and allow more people to discover and appreciate Nuo masks."

Wu Chenrui contributed to this story.

[email protected]