A man has a big head and a square face, broad forehead and a tall strong body without being too masculine.
The figures all have a large head and a small body. A shadow puppet takes as many as 24 procedures and more than 3000 cuts. The flowery color, the elegant sculpting and smooth lines make shadow puppets not only props but also artwork. The faces and the costumes of puppets are vivid and humorous. To overcome the limit imposed when only the profile of puppets can be seen, shadow puppets use exaggeration and heavy dramatization. The operator plays five puppets at the same time, each of which has three threads. In one drama, as a maid sits in front of a mirror, her reflection matches her actions. For example, a puppet can smoke and breathe out a smoke ring with operator’s help. The scene is simple and primitive it is the consummate performance that attracts the audience. Shadow puppet looks similar to paper-cut except that their joints are connected by thread so that they can be operated freely. The stage for shadow puppet is a white cloth screen on which the shadows of flat puppets are projected. These ancient musical instruments enhance this ancient folk art.
The singer also plays several of the over 20 kinds of musical instruments in a puppet show. This singer assumes all the roles in the puppet show, which of course is very difficult. One operates the puppets, one plays a horn, a suo-na horn, and a yu-kin, the Mandolin of the east, one plays banhu fiddle, one is in charge of percussion instruments, and one sings. Nicknamed the business of the five, a shadow puppet troupe is made up of five people. One mouth tells stories of thousands of years a pair of hands operates millions of soldiers. Shadow puppetry wins the heart of an audience by its lingering music, exquisite sculpture, brisk color and lively performance. That's why their Chinese name is piying, which means shadows of hides. They were first made of paper sculpture, later from the hides of donkeys or oxen. Shadow puppets are used in Chinese shadow play. This story recorded in the official history book is believed to be the origin of shadow puppetry. The emperor was delighted and took to it from then on. As night fell, he invited the emperor to watch a rear-illuminated puppet show behind a curtain. He made a cotton puppet of the concubine and painted it. Inspired by this scene, the minister hit upon an idea. One day, a minister happened to see children playing with dolls where the shadows on the floor were vivid. It spreads knowledge, promotes cultural values and entertains the community, especially the youth.More than 2000 years ago, a favorite concubine of Wu Emperor of the Han Dynasty died of illness the emperor missed her so much that he lost his desire to reign.
Chinese shadow puppetry also passes on information such as cultural history, social beliefs, oral traditions and local customs. The relevant skills are handed down in families, in troupes, and from master to pupil. Some puppeteers are professional, while others are amateurs performing during slack farming seasons. Shadow plays are performed by large troupes with seven to nine performers and smaller troupes of only two to five, primarily for entertainment or religious rituals, weddings and funerals and other special occasions. Many puppeteers also carve the puppets, which can have between twelve and twenty-four moveable joints. They master special techniques such as improvisational singing, falsetto, simultaneous manipulation of several puppets, and the ability to play various musical instruments. Many elder shadow puppetry artists can perform dozens of traditional plays, which are orally transmitted or found in written form. Manipulated by puppeteers using rods, the figures create the illusion of moving images on a translucent cloth screen illuminated from behind. © China Puppet and Shadow Art Society, 2009Ĭhinese shadow puppetry is a form of theatre acted by colourful silhouette figures made from leather or paper, accompanied by music and singing.
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