Tangshan has a classic story | lights and shadows

According to Tangshan Cultural Tourism:

When people understand the mystery of the light and shadow, the white curtains unfold one after another in the night in rural China. Animal skin-carved actors project colorful and delicate human figures, and local bands play and sing local tunes for dubbing and scoring. Toiling people sat in front of the white screen and watched a series of historical dramas, mythological dramas and family ethics dramas produced by this open-air theater.

In the era when television was not yet popular, shadow puppet plays that could both "watch animation" and "listen to opera" were really a great spiritual enjoyment in a barren life. The number of its audience and the wide distribution can be imagined.

Ma Tangshan shadow puppet

During the agricultural leisure season, people use shadow puppetry to entertain the body and mind and comfort the hard work. In folk activities, people use shadow puppetry to reward gods for ancestor worship and pray for blessings.

The difference in regional culture and aesthetic habits makes shadow puppetry show different faces in different places. The materials of carved shadow puppets are cowhide, donkey skin, sheepskin, pig skin and so on, and the shadow puppet shape is simple and elegant, some are exquisite and gorgeous, and the music singing voice is also thick and bold and beautiful.

Similarly, generations of engravers have created stylized modeling language based on life experience. Facial features, headdresses, clothing, these elements are combined according to the law, you can create thousands of characters.

Top: Tangshan shadow puppet "sheng" (specifically referring to xiaosheng)

Bottom: Tangshan shadow puppet "small" (Danjiao)

Tangshan shadow puppet "big" (similar to the "net" in the opera)

Above the little shadow man, men and women, old and young, rich and poor, good and evil, loyal and adulterous, at a glance.

People uphold the simple principle of "the loyal ones carve the right appearance, and the adulterers carve the ugly shape", through the beauty and ugliness of the characters to show good and evil, only from the visual level clearly convey the attitude of yearning for justice and despising evil, and the viewer naturally understands it.

Tangshan shadow puppet "ugly"

Tangshan shadow puppet "hair" (old student)

Shadow puppet scripts everywhere are often adapted from historical interpretations, myths and legends, public case novels and fables, and each performance is actually an export and strengthening of culture and values. People have gained a certain amount of historical and cultural knowledge from it, and they have also summarized and reflected on the principles and codes of behavior for people in the world.

As farmers, they should bear hardships and stand hard work, and be diligent and thrifty in running their families.

For businessmen, we must be fair and honest, and Tong Sou is not deceived.

Those who are officials must be upright and honest, and ask for the people's lives.

……

Source: China Handicraft Network