Starting on July 17, the "Shadow Puppetry in China" exhibition will officially open at the Guangdong Museum, presenting over 300 pieces of shadow puppets from 20 provinces across the country. It will be the first comprehensive exhibition showcasing shadow puppets nationwide in the South China region.

The “Shadow Puppetry in China” Exhibition at the Guangdong Museum 

What is Chinese shadow puppetry?

Piyingxi, or Chinese shadow puppetry, is a form of theater performed using silhouette figures made from leather, paper, or plastic. Accompanied by music and singing, performers manipulate these figures using rods to create the illusion of moving images on a semitransparent cloth screen that is illuminated from behind. This traditional art can be traced back 2,000 years and has evolved from Jianzhi (Chinese paper cutting), which shares similar carving skills. In 2010, Chinese shadow puppetry was added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Chinese shadow play evolved from Chinese paper cutting. 

What to see in the exhibition?

The exhibition will be displayed in four chapters with different subjects: Traces of shadow puppetry, Classic plays on the stage, Stories behind the shadow puppetry, and Endless shadow puppetry.

Guangdong shadow puppetry 

With carefully selected exhibits of shadow puppets, the historical stories and regional features of shadow play are unveiled in the first chapter. Following the classic plays in the second chapter, the third part presents the preparation of the play, including the tools for making shadow puppets, instruments, and scripts. In the last chapter of the exhibition, the development and innovation of shadow puppetry since the 20th century will be showcased.

A script of Chinese shadow play. 

"We organized this exhibition to show the audience the 'past and present' of the development of shadow puppetry. Visitors can see shadow puppets from ancient times to modern days and their different theatrical presentations. We hope to spark interest in shadow puppetry and encourage visitors to think about how it should be inherited and developed. We hope they can have their own understanding and ideas," said Chen Daina, curator of the Guangdong Museum.

Shadow puppetry from Hebei and Inner Mongolia 

Besides domestic treasures, global cultural exchanges in shadow puppetry are also highlighted by the exhibition. As the origin of global puppetry, Asia has influenced shadow puppetry around the world with its major centers including China, India, and Indonesia. Chinese shadow puppetry mainly spread abroad during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and the Qing Dynasty (1616-1911) via land and sea routes. On the one hand, it's said that Chinese shadow play spread to the Middle East, including Persia, Arabia, and Turkey, through the Mongolian army as their entertainment during the Yuan Dynasty. On the other hand, Chinese shadow puppetry went to Southeast Asia, Egypt, and other places through the Maritime Silk Road, starting from Quanzhou and Zhangzhou in Fujian Province.

Shadow puppetry from Thailand 

Particularly, Turkish shadow puppetry has absorbed Chinese elements, such as creation methods, performance styles, music, and movements. Except for dressing in traditional Ottoman costumes, the image of Karagoza, a famous character in Turkish shadow play, closely resembles the "Big Brother" character from Luanzhou's shadow play. In April this year, the Turkish Trabzon State Theatre team joined hands with the Lufeng Shadow Puppet Troupe from Guangdong bringing a cultural feast at the Guangzhou Library. The two troupes performed three shadow puppet shows, engaging in a "heritage dialogue" that spanned 5,950 kilometers. It was the first public performance of the Turkish State Theatre in mainland China and the first time performing on the same stage with a Chinese troupe.

The character of Karagoza in Turkish shadow puppetry and “Big Brother” in Luanzhou shadow puppetry 

If you want to visit:

Venue: 3rd floor of the Guangdong Museum

Time: From July 17 to December 1

Public transportation: Take the APM line and get off at the Guangzhou Opera House or take Line 5 and get off at Zhujiang New Town (珠江新城) and then walk for about 10 minutes