Seven veteran artists’ perseverance of giving the traditional “Shadow Plan” shows in Huazhou, Weinan

On January 11, seven old artists on shadow play took a photo in the cultural park of shadow play in Huazhou.

A performance group of shadow play is active in a cultural park of Huazhou District of Weinan of Shaanxi Province, with seven members of average ages at almost 70 years old. Several bamboo poles, two hands, one mouth and a set of gong and drum support all figures and plots, conveying the charm of folk recreational activities ever all the rage.

Huazhou is one of the important sources of shadow art of Chinese operas. In 2006, shadow play of Huazhou was included in the first batch of state-level intangible cultural heritage protection by the State Council, obtaining support from all industries.

In May 2015, Yingyuan Cultural Development Co., Ltd. was founded in Huazhou, and such seven folk old artists on shadow art as Liu Hua and Lv Chongde, etc. were recruited into the shadow cultural park, who concentrated on gathering, settling and playing traditional shadow plays and displayed the unique charm of Huazhou shadow play. Their performance plays included modern drama and self-made new program except abundant historical traditional drama. Currently, seven old men had played over 400 public performances, with audiences of more than 60 thousand person-time.

“Light and shadow shake in eyes, lingering song through ears.” Their own charms of dream and shadow play support old men’s perseverance and love for shadow play. Seven old men protect our common cultural treasure with exquisite shadow play.

On January 11, an old man, named Wei Xingbao of 75 years old was operating shadow play in the cultural park for shadow play of Huazhou, who was honored as “the first shadow player in the east of Guanzhong”. “Shadow player” is the main profession in shadow play, and the plays are controlled by ten figures of the shadow player, such as Generals and Ministers, gifted scholars and beautiful ladies, hordes of troops and horses and review soldiers in battlefield, whether their operation in place directly affecting the quality of performance.

On January 11, the old artist showed the skills of shadow play for children in the cultural park for shadow play of Huazhou after the performance.

On January 11, the inheritor of intangible cultural heritage of Shaanxi Province, Lv Chongde of 73 years old performed for audiences behind the scenes in cultural park for shadow play of Huazhou. Lv Chongde learnt after the famous shadow play artist, Pan Jingle at 20 years old, starting his career for shadow play up to half century. In the opera troupe, Lv Chongde acted as the musician, “no matter how hard life is and how many there are plays, I never abandon performance”, he said.

On January 11, children were watching the shadow play in the cultural park for shadow play of Huazhou.

On January 11, shadow play artists were performing shadow play for audiences in the cultural park for shadow play of Huazhou.

On January 10, shadow play artists were performing shadow play for audiences in the cultural park for shadow play of Huazhou.

On January 11, Liu Hua of 73 years old was performing shadow play for audiences in the cultural park for shadow play of Huazhou. Liu Hua is the head of the troupe, who started learning shadow art at 15 years old, named “living dictionary” of shadow play by local people, and became the inheritor of intangible cultural heritage of shadow play in 2008.

On January 11, a shadow player was showing shadow puppet in the cultural park for shadow play of Huazhou. “Shadow player” is the main profession in shadow play, and the plays are controlled by ten figures of the shadow player, such as Generals and Ministers, gifted scholars and beautiful ladies, hordes of troops and horses and review soldiers in battlefield, whether their operation in place directly affecting the quality of performance.

On January 10, old shadow artists were performing military shadow play for audiences in the cultural park for shadow play of Huazhou. Sword fighting in military play was shown fully in their performances.