Chinese Shadow Leather Puppet Handcrafted Folk Art - 100% Shaanxi Original

~ Featuring ~
* 100% Original Shaanxi Shadow Puppet, All Hand Crafted by Shaanxi Artist *
* Made from Good Quality Ox Leather for Better Durability and Color Preservation *
* Traditional Folk Art Originated 2000 Years Ago; Wide Range of Characters to Choose *

As some may call it the precursor of modern cinema, Chinese shadow play originated from Shaanxi Province during the Han Dynasty some 2000 years ago. The overall artistic impact of the play is produced by the lighting, the screen, the music, the singing and of course the operation of the puppets. Shaanxi Puppet is made of ox or donkey leather. For a detailed piece, it involves as much as 20 different procedures, taking up few days in hand crafting one.

In 2011, Chinese government aligned with United Nation UNESCO heritage policy, accredited Chinese Shadow Play as World Intangible Cultural Heritage, recognizing its contribution on cultural diversity and human creativity, and safeguarding this human treasure to be kept alive.

“Chinese shadow puppets are rather different from their Indonesian and Turkish relatives. They are very delicate items, normally made from donkey skin and decorated with cut-out designs and translucent dyes. They are usually so thin that the colors as well as the outline are displayed on the screen. Unlike both Javanese and Turkish shadow theatre there was a very wide range of Chinese characters to perform in many different plays, whether military, religious or simple folk tales!” Bill Douglas Centre, History of Cinema and Popular Culture, UK

Item #: SXXAPY119
Measurements: Vertical Length 15 cm
Material: Ox Leather

* IT IS ORIGINALLY HAND CRAFTED BY SHAANXI ARTIST, NOT A REPRODUCTION *