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How are shadow plays performed in Shaanxi?
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Shaanxi
The dramatic karst formations and quiet rivers of Shaanxi province offer a serene contrast to the ancient cityscape of Xi'an.
In Shaanxi, shadow plays are performed using local leather puppets. These performances follow the traditional Chinese shadow play technique, where flat, translucent figures are manipulated by puppeteers between a bright light source and a screen.123
The puppets are crafted from translucent leather and colored with transparent dyes, allowing them to cast colored shadows onto the screen for the audience seated on the opposite side. While shadow theatre has a long history in China—with legends dating its origins to approximately 100 BCE and historical records confirming its popularity in professional theatre districts during the Song dynasty—it remains a cherished part of Shaanxi's cultural life today.31