Puppets can string us along

Shadow puppetry is a form of theater in which colorful silhouette figures made from leather or paper are accompanied by music and singing. The ancient art form was inscribed in 2011 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

"In our hometown, shadow puppetry shows, which are on the provincial list of intangible cultural heritage, combine the local dialect and folk music. My father loves the art form, which faces a challenge from contemporary entertainment. He founded the HanFeizi Shadow Puppet Theatre under his penname of Han Feizi," says Han Chi, whose younger brother, Han Xing, performs in the theater company. Han Xing is also performing in Star Fish.

"Thanks to my father and the senior shadow puppet players in the theater, I learned all about the history and making of puppet shows. I want to make puppet shows appeal to contemporary audiences, by combining them with different theatrical elements, such as dance and visual effects," says Han Chi, who is now the director of the HanFeizi Shadow Puppet Theatre.

Contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn