A 50-minute drive northwest of downtown Beijing, a village pops up. It houses a shadow puppetry troupe and a theater, Beijing Long Zaitian Shadow Puppetry Theater, far from the urban crowds, but renowned nonetheless.

Shadow puppetry, dating back 2,000 years, is seen as the prequel to film and animation in China. In 2011, the art landed a spot on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

Besides performances created by light and shadow, inheritors must master a varied skillset as the plays combine painting, carving, opera and literature. But due to low revenue and a niche market, few young people are willing to learn shadow puppetry.

This particular troupe, however, stands out from the crowd: average performer age is only 25. Moreover, of the 300 performers it has trained over the years, many are under 1.4m in height.

In 2006, Wang Xi, inheritor of Beijing Western-School Shadow Puppetry established the troupe in Beijing, and the first four very short persons joined her two years later. After a four-month training, they picked up basic performance skills and started working in the theater. They get free accommodation and meals.

Life in the yard is all about shadow puppetry, but that doesn't bother the members. Wang Changliang told Beijing Review they are happy as they don't have to care about other people's attitudes—as opposed to the regular workplace.

Immersed in folk art, they vamp up traditional performances by adopting elements of stage drama to interact with audiences. The troupe also upgraded its costumes, props and improved lighting and sound effects, making it easier for young people to understand. Their efforts have paid off. More and more people are traveling to the village to enjoy a spot of tradition.

The COVID-19 outbreak has dealt a heavy blow to the performance industry and forced entertainers to seek new channels for promotion. The troup now produces quick plays and releases them across short-video platforms. They also started crafting more solid products by integrating elements of modern life.

In 2021, the team created Winter Olympics-themed shadow puppets, which contained elements of traditional dress, featuring auspicious patterns such as phoenixes and peonies. The puppets were gifted to foreign athletes during the Games. The troupe also staged various plays introducing ice and snow sports through fairy tales, which catered to the public’s budding taste for winter sports.

"We are lucky to have these people. They have been devoted to the inheritance of shadow puppetry for over a decade," Wang Xi told Beijing Review.

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon

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