Puppet show (Jieyang Tiezhi puppet show)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Puppet Show (Jieyang Tiezhi puppet show)

Applicant: Jieyang City, Guangdong Province

Item No.: 236

Project No.: Ⅳ - 92

Time of publication: 2011 (the third batch)

Category: Traditional Drama

Region: Guangdong Province

Type: Extension Project

Applicant: Jieyang City, Guangdong Province

Protection unit: Jieyang Mass Art Museum

Brief introduction of puppet show (Jieyang Tiezhi puppet show)

Applicant: Jieyang City, Guangdong Province

Tiezhi puppet (paper shadow play) has been introduced into eastern Guangdong for about 700 years. It is a wonderful work of drama art in Chaoshan area. Before the late Qing Dynasty, the paper shadow play was called "bamboo window paper shadow". It was carved into various figures with cow leather and decorated in color. During the performance, an oil lamp was built in the stage and a bamboo frame was installed on the table. It was pasted with transparent white paper as the place of projection, so it was called "bamboo window paper shadow". By the end of the Qing Dynasty, the puppet show had been changed from the shadow show to the form show, i.e. the cowhide was carved into the shape of a puppet, and three iron wires were put on the back and hands for manipulation. The embroidered screen was hung in front of the stage to form a puppet play, which was still commonly known as paper shadow play, monkey play or round body play. Puppet opera is subordinate to the local opera, and the local is Chaoyin class. From the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, Jieyang Tiezhi puppet show was very popular, with nearly 30 classes in Yuhu.

When the Chaoyin troupe implemented the child actor system, many famous Chaoyang opera artists came from the paper film troupe. From 1950s to 1970s, paper shadow play was once regarded as "four old" and disappeared. After the reform and opening up in 1978, the paper shadow play has a performance market, which has become an important part of China's cultural heritage and has high research value.