The Nuo Dance (Shaowu Nuo Dance), commonly known as "Dancing Monks" or "Dancing Baman", is a ritual originating from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) performed by ancient people to drive away plagues and evil spirits. It has been passed down for thousands of years and is mainly found in Shaowu city in northern Fujian. It is now listed as one of the first batch of national-level intangible cultural heritage representative projects in the traditional dance category.

The Shaowu Nuo Dance is a surviving form of the original Nuo dance from Central China. Unlike other traditional dances, during the Nuo dance there is no storyline or singing involved. Instead, it retains the primitive imagery of ancient sacrificial dances through its masks, costumes, and dance movements.

The Shaowu Nuo Dance focuses on driving away plagues and evil spirits, as well as praying for blessings and disaster relief. Dancers wear masks, with a red cloth attached to the back of their heads, and move from village to village performing dance movements.

Each village has its own deity that is worshipped during the Nuo dance, and the timing and form of the dance depend on the deity being worshipped. As a result, local people do not refer to the dance as "Nuo Dance" but use specific names like "Dancing Monks" or "Dancing Baman" to directly address the dance.

It has also integrated folk beliefs from ancient Chu and Yue cultures, making it a valuable academic reference for studying the history, culture, religion, folklore, and arts of the region.