Legend has it that more than 2,000 years ago, Emperor Wudi (156-87 B.C.) of the Western Han Dynasty was very depressed with the death of his favorite concubine, Lady Li. To help him get over his sadness, Minister Li Shaoweng made a puppet out of cotton and silk in the likeness of the lady and projected its shadow on a curtain for the emperor to see. The show brought the emperor some consolation. He somehow believed the shadow was his lover's spirit.
Today, this is thought to be the beginning of the shadow show puppetry. Illuminated puppet figures manipulated by three to five artists using a transparent white cloth screen now form an artistic combination of opera, music, fine art and special craftsmanship.

An elaborate process goes into creating the puppets. Sheep or donkey skin is employed with the hair removed. The skin is cleaned and treated chemically to become thin enough to be translucent. It is then coated with tung oil and dried. Various dramatic figures are carved. The trunk, head and limbs of a puppet are separately carved, with thread used to join the parts so the puppets can simulate human movement. The puppets are painted various colors to show off their various qualities -- kind or wicked, beautiful or ugly.
During performances, "actors" are held close to a white curtain with their colored shadows cast on it by a strong light from behind. Moved by guiding sticks, the puppets play roles with musical accompaniment. Parts are played and sung by operators. The plays can be quite dramatic and, when it comes to fairy tales or kungfu stories, the "actors" may be made to ride on clouds or perform unusual feats, to the great enjoyment of the audience, especially children.

Shadow plays typical traditional entertainment and have survived and thrived over the centuries. They are also one of the earliest arts introduced by China into the West.

The shadow shows became quite popular as early as the Song Dynasty (960-1279) when holidays were marked by the presentation of many shadow plays. During the Ming (1368-1644), there were 40 to 50 shadow show troupes in the city of Beijing alone.

In the 13th century, the shadow shows became regular recreation in the barracks of Mongolian troops. They were spread by the conquering Mongols to distant lands like Persia, Arabia and Turkey. Later, the art was introduced to Southeastern Asian countries, too.

Shadow puppets began to spread to Europe in the mid-18th century, when French missionaries to China took them back to France in 1767 and put on performances in Paris and Marseilles, causing quite a stir. In time, the so-called ombres chinoises, with local modifications and embellishments, became the ombres Francaises and took root in the country.

As present, more than 20 countries are known to have shadow show troupes.

A puppet figure requires five bamboo-sticks to operate. So the performer is usually highly sought-after, since he or she must not only have the ability to operate a puppet and sing and talk, but also be able to play a percussion instrument by foot.

Longdong Shadow Plays

Shadow plays are a folk art, and the Longdong shadow plays originated in rural areas of northwest China's Gansu, Shannxi and Ningxia provinces.

Such art was popular between 14th and 19th Century, which is the Ming and Qing Dynasty in China. Figures used in the play look pretty and charming and carving technique requires great skills.

The material used for Longdong shadow plays is ox skin, which is durable and soft with just the right thickness. People first clean and dry the skin, after drawing and carving the material. Then, then they put it in water to add color and take it out to iron it, which is the most difficult yet important step. Lastly, the skin is dried and bound together before it can be used in performances.

The two figures in the picture are the supreme deity of Taoism and the Lao-tzu by Taoists. Craft of the Lao-tzu by Taoists are complicated and the figure can be moved flexibly. The main colors used are red, yellow, black and green. Yet the figure can display more subtle colors with complicated patterns.

The supreme deity of Taoism has long and thin eyes, small mouth and steep bridge of the nose, giving people an impression that he is mild and generous. The Lao-tzu by Taoists has round eyes, flat nose and pointed forehead, looking energetic and vital.

Shadow plays emphasize performing. By moving every part of the body to inspiring strains of songs, the whole play displays strong local characteristics.

Shadow plays in the Gansu province produce long lists of plays. The picture depicts a story in the Sui and Tang dynasty. The figures and stage props are carefully carved so that one can't help thinking the play must be interesting. Bright colors are used for decoration and different parts of the body are properly organized for performing skillfully.

Shaanxi Shadow Plays

The shadow plays in northwest China's Shaanxi province keep the form of story telling. It is the predecessor of the many existing local operas and stands out for its elaborate and colorful engravings plus the exquisite performing skills.

Simple figures and exquisite handicraft are its two features. People draw lines to depict the general figure. Most part of the figures is pierced, with the non-pierced part serving as complements to each other. For different parts -- the figure, stage props and background -- different patterns are used. The play looks beautiful for each detailed part and general design. They look elaborate without too much complexity, or, simple without being empty.

Shadow Plays in Hua County of Shaanxi

Hua County shadow plays usually involved five people. Among them, the most important is "qian sheng." He or she sings for all the characters and plays a drum as well yu-kin (a traditional Chinese musical instrument). Others including "qian shou," who operates the figures; "zuo cao," " shang dang" and "xia dang." Those three characters are in charge of playing other musical instruments.

The Hua County's shadow plays are the oldest artistic variety in the world and were reputed as the "Father of Chinese Drama" as well the beginning of the world's shadow plays, and is renowned for both its ancient qualities and its perfect performance standards.

In the picture shown, the main figure is eye catching both in color and decoration.

Shanxi Shadow Plays

Shadow plays in north China's Shanxi province are similar to those in Shaanxi in terms of artistic features and craftwork skills. People draw lines to decorate the tiny parts since they are difficult for knives to pierce. The colors used are mostly bright red, green and apricot, and are produced by artisans themselves. They are known for lasting for a long time.

In the southern part of Shanxi Province, various traditional patterns appear on the figures and stage props, including patterns such as luck, wealth and longevity, five people winning, and eight fairies offering congratulations for longevity. Also many figures, which often appear in architecture, can be seen on the dress of the figure, including patterns such as the d character seen in Buddhism, and others for wealth and longevity.

The picture shows a lady who is applying make up in front of a mirror. When played, it requires people to have the ability to display two figures in a harmonious way, a person both inside and outside the mirror. The desk, chair and case are well decorated and the dress, desk and chair are carefully designed.