Shadow Puppetry

A carving knife carves out the traditional Chinese folk art; a shadow puppet plays out the vicissitudes of life and the warmth of history. On the historic land of Yunmeng in Hubei, shadow puppetry, with its unique charm, travels through time and space, narrating folk tales and passing on the cultural essence of the Chinese nation.

The origin of shadow puppetry

Yunmeng Shadow Puppetry originated in the mid-Qing Dynasty in Yunmeng, Hubei Province. It is an important branch of shadow puppetry and one of the national intangible cultural heritage items. In the process of its transmission, Yunmeng Shadow Puppetry has developed a unique style of performance and craftsmanship.

In 2009, Yunmeng Shadow Puppetry was listed in the second batch of provincial intangible cultural heritage by the People's Government of Hubei Province. On May 23, 2011, Shadow Puppetry (Yunmeng Shadow Puppetry) was approved by the State Council of the People's Republic of China to be included in the third batch of national intangible cultural heritage.

The making of shadow puppetry

Skin Selection: Choose high-quality animal hides and fish skins, such as sheep, cow, donkey, carp, and black carp skin. Select young, black-haired hides, remove the hair or scales, clean them thoroughly, and then dry them for later use. Different regions and schools may have different requirements for skin selection.

Skin Preparation: Depending on the different craft requirements, different methods are used to process the skin, such as soaking, scraping, stretching, and drying. It usually requires multiple scraping and soaking processes until the skin reaches a certain thickness and transparency.

Drafting: When making shadow puppets, there are specialized design sketches called "pattern templates," which are often passed down from generation to generation. Drafting is an important step in the production of shadow puppets and requires designing according to the script and the requirements of the character roles.

Engraving: Trace the draft onto the prepared leather board, and then use various tools such as carving knives and scissors to engrave the patterns and character images. This step requires care and skill to ensure that the shadow puppet images are lifelike and vivid.

Coloring: Apply colors to the surface of the shadow puppet, usually using brushes or other tools. This step requires selecting appropriate paints and techniques to ensure the colors are bright and resistant to fading.

Ironing: Use an iron to flatten the colored shadow puppet, making the surface smooth and even.

Assembly: Sew multiple parts together with thread, and attach control rods for manipulation. This step requires selecting suitable thread and smooth control rods to ensure flexible and aesthetically pleasing manipulation of the shadow puppet.

Yunmeng Shadow Puppetry, with its unique singing styles and performance forms, narrates historical stories and folklore, transporting audiences as if they were traveling through time and immersing themselves in the scenarios of the stories. To attract more audiences, artists continuously incorporate new elements and enrich the performance content, making shadow puppetry more aligned with modern aesthetics. Amid the rapid development of modern society, it still maintains a vibrant vitality, constantly inheriting and innovating, becoming a bridge connecting the past and the future.