So, why is the Chinese Shadow Puppetry such a big deal? Well, this art form is an important part of the Chinese culture, and the thing that makes it stand out from other things and professions of today is the fact that the relevant skills needed for puppeteering are passed down families, in the troupes, and also from the master to the pupil such that there is always a group of people that run the puppeteering shows exclusively. The level of skill and experience differ as well, and some plays feature professionals, while others are mostly made of amateurs. The main musical instruments used include flutes, drums, horns, and gongs. The smaller plays are often seen in religious rituals and small entertainment events/ needs like funerals and weddings, among others. Some have smaller troupes, though, and these often have 2-5 performers. In most cases, however, shadow plays and shows are performances that feature large troupes of between 7 and 9 performers. The master puppeteers are also skilled in carving out the puppets, which is no mean feat given the fact that some of these puppets have between 12 and 24 movable joints. These techniques include falsetto, improvisational singing, as well as the simultaneous manipulation of multiple puppets at the same time while also playing several musical instruments at the same time. To do all that, these artists have great skills, and they have also mastered the special techniques needed for the best performances. It’s interesting to note that despite the Shadow Plays being practiced for many years, most of the artists for Shadow Play are elderly, but they can still perform well, showing off dozens of the traditional Chinese plays that are either transmitted by word of mouth or available in written form. The silhouettes that make up the show are manipulated by skilled puppeteers by the use of rods, resulting in the figures giving off an illusion of moving images moving on the translucent screen made of cloth and is illuminated from the back. And to make the performances more lively, the shows are accompanied by singing and music. This type of theatre performance features acting with colorful silhouettes and figurines that are made of paper or leather. The result of the shadows cast is colorful, and this is what results in the most colorful and animated screen performances. Throughout China, the shadow puppets used are semi-transparent leather plates with semi-transparent dyes applied to them, resulting in shadows that are cast on the screen. Chinese shadow puppetry, also called Shadow Play or palace performance, can be defined as one of the remarkable theatrical art performances common in China, involving the use of the shadows of puppets that are cast on a large screen.
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