Shadow Puppetry

Shadow Puppetry is a form of traditional Chinese folk art that uses colored leather or paper silhouette figures that perform to music and song. During the performance, puppeteers manipulate the figures using wooden rods to create an effect of moving images on a translucent cloth screen that is illuminated from behind, creating a unique artistic effect.

Shadow Puppetry dates back to the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - A.D. 25). It flourished during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), matured and gained popularity during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), and spread to Western Asia and Europe during the Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368). By the Qing Dynasty (1616-1911) it had become a popular art form throughout the country. Over time, it evolved into different artistic schools. Shadow Puppetry retained its popularity before the advent of film and television.

Shadow Puppetry draws on the techniques and styles of silk paintings, portrait stones, and portrait bricks of the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.- A.D. 220), as well as temple murals from

the Tang and Song dynasties. During the performance, the puppeteer manipulates the puppet's movements against the screen, bringing to life various complex scenes on the screen with remarkable vividness. At the same time, the puppeteer sings the story using popular local melodies, accompanied by percussion and stringed instruments, resulting in an interesting and entertaining performance. Some of the most popular Shadow puppetry plays include the Legend of the White Snake, Female Generals of the Yang Family, and Journey to the West.

Shadow Puppetry passes on culture, folk beliefs, oral traditions and local customs. It spreads knowledge and promotes cultural exchange. Chinese Shadow Puppetry has been included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This form of folk art has a global following, with foreign admirers referring to it as "Chinese shadow", "Eastern magical art", and "Ancestor of cinema".

皮影戲

皮影戲，就是以皮制或紙制的彩色影偶形象，伴隨音樂和演唱進行表演的一種戲劇形式，是中國民間傳統藝術。皮影戲藝人在幕后用木桿操控影偶，通過光線照射在半透明的幕布上創造出動態的形象，具有獨特的藝術效果。

皮影戲始于西漢時期，興于唐代，在宋代成熟和盛行，元代傳至西亞和歐洲，到清代呈現全國流行的繁榮局面。在電影電視沒有普及的時代，皮影戲深受中國各地民眾歡迎， 在長期演化過程中形成了不同的藝術流派。

皮影的藝術創意汲取了中國漢代帛畫、畫像石、畫像磚和唐、宋寺院壁畫的手法與風格。表演時，藝人一邊緊貼幕布操控影偶肢體活動，真切地表現各種復雜的場景，一邊用當地流行的曲調唱出故事內容，同時配以打擊樂和弦樂，聲情并茂、動人心弦。皮影戲常見劇目有《白蛇傳》《楊家將》《西游記》等。

皮影戲傳遞文化歷史、社會信仰、口頭傳統和當地風俗等信息，在知識傳播和文化交流中發揮積極作用，入選人類非物質文化遺產代表作名錄。這種源于中國的民間藝術形式，吸引了許多國外戲迷，被稱為神奇的“中國影子”“東方魔術般的藝術”“電影的鼻祖”。