Shadow Play fan from Armenia: A stage for cultural exchange
"I was fascinated when I first watched the Shadow Play in Xi'an. Its unique charm around light and shadow makes me want to explore more." said Aleta from Armenia. She uses Shadow Play to interpret Chinese myths and fairy tales, and she already has fans from various countries who are always eager to see her updated works.
It has been three years since Aleta came to China. Talking about why she lives in Xi'an now, Aleta said that Xi'an is a famous ancient city in China, and as a modern city, it still preserves a lot of ancient culture. She just loves the culture and history here.
"Love at first sight" with Shadow Play
Aleta first watched the Shadow Play at a theater in Yongxing Fang of Xi'an, where staff invited her to look closely at the shadow puppets. "I fell in love with this traditional Chinese performing art the first time I saw it, and stories were presented on-site with the beautiful light and shadow." Aleta said it was "love at first sight" for her with Shadow Play.
"I love Chinese folklore and fairy tales, which are always interesting. For a long time, I want to find ways to interpret stories and share them with friends around the world who have the same interests as me. I want to connect with them in a unique way. That's when I happened to learn about Shadow Play."
Start to make the shadow puppets by herself
Aleta is making the shadow puppets
Shadow puppets made by Aleta
Shadow puppets made by Aleta
Shadow puppets made by Aleta
Since getting to know Shadow Play, Aleta has been watching a lot of related videos and live performances to learn more about this art form. "With a large box, a large piece of white paper, and a lamp as the light source, my first Shadow Play stage, though slightly rough, was built." Even today, she still finds that experience pretty enjoyable.
While making the Shadow Play, Aleta continuously studies traditional Chinese culture, capturing the meaning of each cultural symbol and its applicable scenarios so that she can interpret them more accurately and vividly.
Bring the charm of Shadow Play to more people
Initially, Aleta presented Shadow Play to children. Gradually, via sharing her works online, Aleta gained a large number of fans of Shadow Play across ages and countries. "After watching 'The Monster Nian', my friends in Armenia 'complained' about the short length of the video, and they want to watch more. Their feedback largely motivated me to continue making Shadow Play." Aleta said.
Earlier this year, an Armenian television company contacted Aleta and broadcasted her Shadow Play show on TV. This way, from Aleta's works, the local audience started to feel the charm of Shadow Play.
"Recently, I have been working on a shadow puppet show about ancient Chinese poetry. In the future, I want to keep enhancing my Chinese language learning, and to interpret myths and fairy tales from Armenia via Shadow Play, sharing them with my Chinese friends." Aleta said that she will continue to make Shadow Play, study and learn more about related knowledge, and use them to set up a unique "stage" for cultural exchange.
