Huayin Shadow Puppetry: A Traditional Opera Art of Light and Shadow

The shadow puppetry in the city of Huayin, Shaanxi province, is also known as lamp shadow play.

With a history of over 2,000 years, the traditional folk art form now is also a national intangible cultural heritage.

Shadow puppetry is a kind of opera that projects the shadows of silhouettes made of animal hide onto a white cloth screen.

It is a synthesis of painting, paper carving, drama and opera and regarded as the earliest cinema in China.

“In Weinan, cowhide used for making shadow puppets will be first smoothened thousands of times and processed into sheets as thin as paper. Then they will undergo the processes of carving, coloring and ironing before being assembled into vivid characters that have flexible joints,” said shadow puppet craftsman Zhang Shimin.

To promote the traditional art among the post-00s generation, Zhang in his 70s also joined his granddaughter to produce shadow puppet plays starring popular cartoon characters, which received likes from nearly 100,000 young audiences on China’s video sites.

“I hope more people will like shadow puppetry and youngsters are willing to pay attention to and learn about it. That will help us carry forward this intangible cultural heritage,” said Zhang.

Senior craftsman Zhang Shimin is making a shadow puppet Photo: Liu Jiachen

A shadow puppet is being carved out of leather Photo: Liu Jiachen

A foreign student tries to control a shadow puppet Photo: Liu Jiachen

Foreign students learn shadow puppetry skills Photo: Liu Jiachen

Zhang Shimin during a shadow puppet performance Photo: Liu Jiachen

A comedic shadow puppet show is being staged Photo: Liu Jiachen