A festival celebrating the artistry of masks takes place in southwest China’s Guizhou province, on August 5, 2016. [Photo: gywb.cn]

A festival celebrating the artistry of masks has taken place in southwest China's Guizhou Province.

Artists and folk culture experts from China, as well as countries that include France, Italy and Russia, attended the opening for the Anshun Tunpu Mask Festival on Friday.

Some 5,000 masks were on display, representing various cultures around the globe.

Visitors were given an opportunity to design and paint their own masks, in addition to being treated to a number of stage performances.

Qin Fa-zhong, a local artist, says the festival has helped to promote the local drama and mask culture.

"The event has effectively introduced our local culture and the art of masks to the rest of the world. The performance we just saw has integrated cultural elements from various parts of China and the world. The festival is providing a platform for the world to learn about Anshun and the Tunpu culture."

The Tunpu people, who reside around the city of Anshun, are descendants of garrison troops sent by a Ming Dynasty emperor around 600 years ago.

They are now a distinctive group of ethnic Han Chinese, who still follow the cultural customs of the Ming Dynasty in terms of language, costumes, residential buildings and recreational activities.