Leather Silhouette and Shadow Play

This folk art is widely spread, which uses the folk handiworks: leather silhouette figure and highlighting background. It is said that shadow play originated in the Han Dynasty and became flourished in the Song Dynasty. Its popularity culminated in the Yuan Dynasty and spread to Persia.
In the Ming and Qing Dynasties it was divided into many sects and spread to Java, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma and Japan, etc. Of the sects in the Qing Dynasty,Luanzhou shadow play is the most famous.While in performance, a curtain is hung against which a lamp or candle is lit. Behind the curtain the performer manipulate the silhouettes to act, accompanied by singing,reading lines and playing musical instruments. Some shadow play troupes are made up of singers, drum players and their assistants. The roles of the play are characterized into painted face, male, female, and comic role.