Author: Cheng Guimin (Member of China Photographers Association, Consultant of Hebei Photographers Association)
Chinese shadow puppetry is an art form that integrates light and shadow, art, sculpture, music, singing, and performance. Behind the white curtain illuminated by the light, the shadow puppet artist performs with animal skins, cardboard, plastic plates, etc. carved into characters or animals, accompanied by music, singing voice, storyline and other forms. The repertoire and singing voice of shadow puppetry are mostly influenced by local operas, and are manipulated and sung by artists while singing, which is wonderful and extraordinary.
The performance manipulation of shadow puppetry has changed from one or two people in the past to more than a dozen people now, and the scenes are becoming more and more spectacular, bringing extraordinary visual art enjoyment to the audience. Cheng Guimin photography
The shadow puppets of traditional shadow puppetry are made of donkey skin, cowhide and other materials, and are painted, carved and colored through the steps of foaming, scraping and pulling. Cheng Guimin photography
In many places, on harvest and festive days, shadow puppet theatres also perform shadow puppet plays during the day. Cheng Guimin photography
With the change of the times, shadow puppetry has entered hotels and restaurants, and people can enjoy shadow puppet performances while eating. Cheng Guimin photography
In the long history of more than a thousand years, shadow puppetry has gradually spread throughout most of China, forming dozens of categories with different regions and different characteristics. With the sea and land exchanges along the Silk Road, Chinese shadow puppetry has been introduced to Japan, Arabia, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and other countries and regions. Legend has it that in the 18th century, the great German poet Goethe also used Chinese shadow puppetry to celebrate his birthday.
The history of Chinese shadow puppetry has a long history, and its light source was first used oil lamps and gas lamps, and later switched to electric lamps. Since then, with the change of the times, the props and performance forms of shadow puppetry have also undergone many changes and developments, such as the fireworks that imitate the fire cooking, and the mirror in a subtle way, which is particularly close to life. The shadow window curtain has developed from a small six feet in the past to ten meters today; Performance manipulation changed from one or two people to more than a dozen people; The lighting has also evolved from a few lights in the past to the current array of lights.
The shadow puppet play "Liu Hulan" uses new techniques such as smoking to create a realistic cooking fireworks effect. Cheng Guimin photography
Nowadays, shadow puppetry has its own division of labor, some people are only responsible for manipulating the filmmakers, and several others play different roles and are responsible for singing. Cheng Guimin photography
Since the reform and opening up, Chinese shadow puppetry has gradually gone global, and many foreign friends have experienced and learned shadow puppetry. Cheng Guimin photography
The shadow puppet dance "Pretty Sunset" took to the stage of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala. Cheng Guimin photography
The French artist Rodin once said: "The source of art lies in the inner truth, your form, your color, must convey emotions." "As a photographer born in a family of dramatic arts, it is my unshirkable duty to protect and promote Chinese shadow puppet plays inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. For more than 20 years, I have been paying attention to and photographing Chinese shadow puppetry, running theaters, going to mines, going to rural areas, visiting carving artists and old shadow puppet artists and collectors from all over the country, and taking tens of thousands of photos one after another.
After successive generations of shadow puppet artists, shadow puppetry has become a form of art performance with great national characteristics and local flavor in China. Because it conforms to the aesthetic taste of the people, it is deeply loved by the public. Chinese shadow puppets often express cultural history, folk customs and other contents, tell Chinese stories, display Chinese wisdom, carry forward the Chinese spirit, highlight China's strength, and make important contributions to promoting and disseminating Chinese culture and international cultural exchanges.
Guangming Daily (2022-09-18 11th edition)
Source: Guangming Network - Guangming Daily