One shadow play actor can tell thousands of years of stories,īoth hands can operate millions of soldiers. There is even an iconic old ballad from the Shaan Xi Province that describes what shadow play is: They spread the popularity of shadow play entertainment to distant countries such as Persia (Iran), Arabia, and Turkey. The Mongols swept across the continent and conquered Asia. By the time of the Ming Dynasty, there were 40 to 50 shadow play troupes in Beijing alone.Īt the end of the 13th century, during the reign of the Yuan Dynasty, puppet shows became a form of entertainment and pastime for Mongolian troops at night in their barracks. This love story is recorded in the book titled, “The History of the Han Dynasty."ĭuring the Song Dynasty, shadow plays became particularly popular. Making ShadowĪfter seeing the shadow play, Emperor Wu and his heart began to recover. Using an oil lamp, they made her shadow move, bringing her back to life. Her beauty was complemented by painted clothes. Her joints were animated using eleven separate pieces of leather. To please His Highness, they came up with an idea to reshape the concubine with donkey skin. And he instead ordered his court officials to bring his beloved back to life. Shadow play has a history of over 2,000 years and first originated in the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD). It is said that after the death of one of Emperor Wu's concubines, he was heartbroken and devastated. Other local instruments are also used depending on the region in which they are played. The music used is mainly composed of various stringed instruments as well as drums, flutes, gongs, and horns. Made by wise Chinese artists, their handicrafts are well known especially in the northern cities of China. Shadow puppetry is the product of a very traditional and well-known art form. These transparent puppets come to life beautifully in the light against simple backgrounds and landscapes. The joints are made of light threading for flexible movement. Talented Chinese artists carve intricate outlines of patterns on selected materials. The shadow puppets used are usually made of transparent plastic or the leather of buffaloes and donkeys. Opera, storytelling, fine arts, and history come together as one in the shadow plays. It is accompanied by fanciful music and combines the rich cultural history of China's songs and words. The storytelling, usually a blend of Chinese history and culture and celebrated by children and adults. Meanwhile, he manipulates leather character puppets and light sources behind the screen. Human performers sing the tunes and words of the story. It is a dramatic form of storytelling in which silhouettes made of animal leather are projected onto a white screen. Shadow puppetry has been called the forerunner of modern cinema.
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