Chinese shadow puppetry, or shadow play, is one of the most ancient art forms to make use of light and shadow, originating thousands of years before its much more popular successor, film.

On January 1, the China National Arts and Crafts Museum, also known as the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, raised the curtain on an exhibition of shadow puppetry from the northwestern province of Shaanxi, showcasing more than 200 exhibits and artifacts on this longstanding art.

Chinese shadow puppetry is a type of theater produced using translucent colored puppets that cast colorful shadows onto a backlit opaque screen. Manipulated by puppeteers using rods, the puppets, made of either leather or paper, create the illusion of moving images to tell stories, which are accompanied by music and song.

The history of the art can be traced back to the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.-A.D. 220), with Shaanxi considered one of its birthplaces. Widely distributed across China, especially in rural areas, its many genres vary according to the different culture of each location. Generally, each variation is a combination of art forms involving painting, carving, music, opera performance and storytelling.

Nowadays, as art and entertainment have become more diverse, shadow puppetry has long lost its glory. However, artists and enthusiasts harboring a deep affinity for this ballet of light and shadow have found new ways to help it survive.

In 2011, Chinese shadow puppetry was added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List, injecting new vitality into the traditional art form. 

(Text and photos by Wei Yao)

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson

Comments to weiyao@cicgamericas.com