Wang Lu, director of the foreign affairs department of China Art Institute, said the shadow play is in serious danger of vanishing. "The process seems very easy, but nobody can do it well unless they have studied the art diligently and practiced for more than five years." He starts with the cap and then the face, first the eyebrows then the eyes and nose, then on to the garment and finally the hair and other details. Hu explained the technique of engraving, which is the key point in the whole process. Hu described the whole process in detail: Processing the leather, drawing an outline on the leather, engraving the leather, coloring the leather, ironing the leather, oiling the leather, and finally, sewing into shape and joining it to an iron shaft. Many people are curious about how these beautiful shadow play puppets are made. In his spare time Hu always fiddles with his box of shadow play puppets. They will certainly never know the happiness such plays can bring such a pity. With the shadow play disappearing people are sure to forget the art. The shadow play puppets are elegant antiques, which provide enjoyment and are worthy of collection. The shadow puppets not only act in the play, but can also be used as personal toys and as wall or window decorations. Many villagers will gather to enjoy the show. Some pay for the company to perform for a night while others pay for a couple of weeks. During festivals, bountiful harvests or marriages, villagers always invite shadow play companies to come and perform. In rural areas, there are a lot of shadow play companies, both big and small. No matter where they are, in halls, squares, courtyards, or even rooms, so long as the cast can set up the screen and turn on the light box, they can act. The equipment is portable, giving shadow plays the advantages of mobility. After the performance is over they can then put all their things into a big box and move on to the next destination. A theatrical cast, composed of six or seven actors and a box of shadow play puppets, can perform more than 30 plays. But his two daughters didn't want to learn the craft either.Īccording to Hu, the shadow play actor operates the puppets from behind a screen and sings with music. Although an old rule requires a father to pass on traditional skills to their sons, and not their daughters, Hu had little option but to pin his hopes on his two daughters. He had hoped to pass on his skills to his son, but his son never cared much for the art and showed little interest in learning it. Hu said that he has a son and two daughters. However, few of these marionettes have appeared on stage in recent years, as Hu now looks upon them as cherished rarities and is loathed to use them. Hu has made all of these puppets since the 1980s. Hu Changyou has a large box containing lots of well-preserved puppets, including the Monkey King and the Pig Monk, which are famous characters in an ancient Chinese folk tale Journey to the West. Now he's one of two living shadow play masters in the Pinggu District. After years of practicing and manufacturing the puppets and plays Hu has built up a good reputation through out the Pinggu District. He learned the skills from his father when he was very young. This 66-year-old man has attained the patrimonial skills of creating shadow puppets. In the Huzhang Village of Beijing's Pinggu District lives an old shadow play craftsman and actor, named Hu Changyou. The older generation of artists has almost disappeared and the new generation displays little interest in acquiring the skills of the craft. Now this traditional art form is facing the threat of extinction. For hundreds of years shadow plays have brought so much happiness and laughter to the people of Beijing. Traditional Beijing shadow puppets are made from donkey hide, the local people call it lupiying (donkey hide shadow play). Shadow plays are a traditional form of Chinese folk art. Beijing Shadow Plays on the Verge of Extinction
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