Shadow play (Hehuang shadow play)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Shadow Play (Hehuang shadow play)

Declaration area or unit: Qinghai Province

Project No.: 235

Project No.: Ⅳ - 91

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: Traditional Drama

Region: Qinghai Province

Type: Extension Project

Declaration area or unit: Qinghai Province

Protection unit: cultural center of Datong Hui and Tu Autonomous County

Brief introduction of shadow play (Hehuang shadow play)

Declaration area or unit: Qinghai Province

Hehuang shadow play, also known as "Qinghai shadow play", is locally known as "shadow" or "shadow children". It is mainly spread in the eastern part of Qinghai Province. There are also a small number of shadow play troupes in the Han nationality inhabited areas of Ethnic Minority Autonomous Prefecture.

Hehuang shadow play has a history of more than 200 years, and has formed some inherent characteristics in the long-term development process. It has an independent and mature system of banqiang tune, and special string music and percussion music. Its singing music can not be used in other local operas. Hehuang shadow puppet figure design is unique, rich and lifelike image, it is composed of 11 parts, mainly divided into two parts: Shaozi (head) and body, Shaozi and headdress together, body limbs and clothing together. Hehuang shadow play has few scripts, and its performance depends on the oral inheritance of artists. In this process, a set of special memory methods has gradually formed, and most artists have the ability of improvisation. The Shadow Puppet Troupe is composed of five people, one of whom controls the roles of Sheng, Dan, Jing and Chou, and also acts as a rapper. The other four are musicians who are responsible for all the music accompaniment in the civil and military arena.

After the 1990s, Hehuang shadow play gradually declined, the number of troupes decreased sharply, less than one fifth of the original, and the activity space also retreated from the central area to the remote mountainous area. At present, Hehuang shadow play, a valuable folk art, is on the verge of extinction, which is in urgent need of rescue.