"From a distance, it looks lit by lights, but close to it, it looks like a temple. People inside and horses shout, and people laugh outside." In Tangshan area of Hebei Province, there is such a riddle. Friends familiar with shadow play all know that this riddle vividly depicts shadow play: dim lights and graceful figures. The small silhouette, by that pair of skillful hands, in the square inch between the interpretation of life.

Shadow play, also known as "light shadow play", is an ancient traditional Chinese folk art with a history of more than 2000 years. It is a kind of silhouette made of animal skin or cardboard. Under the illumination of light source, it is performed with a piece of bright cloth. It integrates painting, paper cutting, rap and opera, and is known as the "living fossil" of traditional Chinese culture.

Tangshan Shadow play, with the music characteristics of the language and rhyme of luanzhou and leting in Tangshan area, is one of the most influential types of shadow play in China and is a national intangible cultural heritage.

"The Musical Singing of Tangshan Shadow Puppet Opera absorbs the authentic laoshanger dialect, and even the folk songs, such as the peddling sound of minor tunes, are infiltrated into it. Therefore, the tune is graceful and the regional characteristics are strong." Li Jianzhang said, Tangshan Shadow Puppet, props are made of donkey skin, so it is also called "donkey shadow". "After soaking the donkey skin in cold water for three to four days, remove the hair on the outside and the oily meat inside. Polish it with a scraping tool for thousands of times, and make it as thin as paper before carving and coloring."

Time: August 6, 2020

Source:http://www.xinhuanet.com/culture/2020-08/06/c_1126330217.htm