The craftsmanship of the Wuju Opera kuimao, or Wuju Opera helmet making, emerged during the development of the local traditional opera. 

Kuimao can be divided into two categories -- the hard and the soft. A hard kuimao is called kuitou, or hard helmet, while the soft one is called ruanjin. A ruanjin is made of satin, coarse cloth and grass linen and includes types of baxian jin, gongzi jin, heye jin, fang jin, yuanwai jin, pi jin, mafu jin, suanming jin, luomao, qingzhan, and hongmao.

A kuitou is made of hand-made trimmed paper, which is stuck together layer by layer. Then the eight-layer or nine-layer paper plate is dried and cut into shape for carving and decorated with ornaments, such as foil, kingfisher feathers and velvet balls.

Raw handmade paint is used in the interior of the kuitou to keep it free of moisture.

The craftsmanship of kuitou making is exquisite. The plate should be hard and firm, handy and artistic. Kuitou in different shapes match with different costumes and add charm to the characters in Wuju Opera. 

In theatrical performances, the identity, personality, age and gender of each character are reflected by the different costumes and helmets they wear. Kuitou craftsmanship is handed down from generation to generation, and has not changed much in the past few hundred years as they are made according to a fixed tradition. 

Craftsmen should mold and dry the mask with mud, cover it with bamboo paper, then remove the paper after drying. When they finish stitching, drawing and painting, a kuitou is completed.

The technique is complicated but kuitou is appealing to viewers. It is deemed an artwork in itself.