The Hannya (般若) mask is a mask used in Japanese Noh theater, representing a jealous female demon or serpent. It possesses two sharp bull-like horns, metallic eyes, and a leering mouth split from ear to ear.[1]
The Hannya mask is used in many noh and kyōgen Japanese plays, as well as in Shinto ritual kagura dances.[5]
The Hannya mask portrays the souls of women who have become demons due
to obsession or jealousy. Plays in which a person may wear the hannya
mask include Aoi no Ue and Dōjōji;
its use in these two plays, two of the most famous of the Noh
repertoire, and its distinctive and frightening appearance make it one
of the most recognizable Noh masks.
The Hannya mask is said to be demonic and dangerous but also sorrowful
and tormented, displaying the complexity of human emotions. When the
actor looks straight ahead, the mask appears frightening and angry; when
tilted slightly down, the face of the demon appears to be sorrowful, as
though crying.[citation needed] The oldest hannya mask is dated 1558.[citation needed]
The name hannya (般若) is a Sino-Japanese word for prajna
or wisdom. One tradition states that this name was given to this mask
because it was the name of an artist monk Hannya-bô（般若坊） who is said to
have perfected its creation.[2][3] Another explanation is that Perfection of Wisdom sutras and their variations were considered to be particularly effective against female demons.[citation needed] An alternate explanation is that the artist would need a great deal of wisdom in order to create this mask.[4]
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