The fifth of the Seven Masks draws its inspiration from the folk traditions that Crowley may have encountered whilst in China's remote, south-western province: Yunnan, 'South of the Clouds'

It was not the 'Forbidden City' of Lhasa or the Forbidden City in Beijing that Crowley visited in 1906. In fact, China's ancient civilisation barely extended beyond Yunnan's walled cities and towns. The province had only been formally incorporated into the Chinese imperial state in the 17^th century and had relatively recently gone through the convulsions of an uprising by its large Muslim population led by a charismatic figure who had attempt to establish an Islamic sultanate in Yunnan.

The population of Yunnan was in fact a patchwork of ethnically diverse groups, from the Tibetans in the West to head-hunting hill-tribes in the south, each with distinct dress, language, beliefs and customs. This was the land of 'undreamed-of tribes of men, strangely tatooed and dressed, with aweful customs and mysterious rites' that Crowley had imagined and meet during his 'walk across China'.

The period during which Crowley was in Yunnan included several celebrations, among them the New Year and important spring festivals. These occasions were marked by different groups with their own ceremonies. Among the Tibetans, no celebration would be complete without a performance of Ache Lhamo, a traditional folk opera.

With ancient roots in pre-Buddhist shamanic practices, Lhamo emerged as a distinct form during the 14^th century and spread with the Tibetans into Yunnan during the 19^th century.  The distinctive mask worn by Lhamo performers is called a wenba.  The wenba mask is very different from the cham masks worn in Buddhist religious 'dances' which are heavily influenced by Indian and Chinese forms. Made from felt, fleece and silk, the flat, kite-like wenba mask is decorated with gilt ornaments, cowrie shells and often has fur trimmings. The colour of the mask identifies the role of the wearer - yellow, for example, indicated a lama or spiritual being.

The characteristic features of the wenba mask are its ovoid shape with pointed chin and simplified, almost abstract features. These are reduced to slits for eyes with high, arched brows, a distinctive long, narrow nose and simple mouth opening. Many also have highly stylised headdresses shaped like flat diadems of brocade silk. No other object within the body of traditional Tibetan art so closely resembles the face of 'Lam'.

Contemporary Tibetan Lhamo performers