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Civilization Object No. 010
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Chinese Shadow Puppetry

皮影戏

Ancient storytelling art using carved leather puppets and light, combining craftsmanship, music, and oral tradition for over 2,000 years.

dna Heritage DNA
history Origin

Han Dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE)

category Domain

traditional drama

verified Level

UNESCO Intangible Heritage

pin_drop Region

Northwest China

pulse Status

endangered

Chinese shadow puppetry is a form of storytelling using intricately carved leather puppets projected onto a translucent screen. Performers manipulate the puppets behind the screen while singing and playing instruments. Dating back over 2,000 years to the Han Dynasty, it combines craftsmanship (puppet carving), performing art, and oral literature. Each region has developed distinct styles of carving and performance.

auto_stories

Stories & Legends

Shadow Puppetry: Light, Leather, and Legend

historical

The world's first animated cinema, centuries before film.

hub Knowledge Graph

Relationship Constellation

This heritage item connects to 11 entities across the atlas — masters, places, festivals, and stories.

pin_drop Xi'an location pin_drop Beijing location person Shadow Puppetry media person Han Dynasty dynasty auto_stories Shadow Puppetry: Light, Leather, and Legend story person Guanzhong region person North China region person Shadow Puppetry media person Tibetan Opera (Ache Lhamo) ich person Shadow Puppet Carving Craft ich
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Continue the Journey

Explore more heritage items across the atlas.

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Peking Opera

China's most celebrated opera form, blending music, dance, acrobatics, and elaborate costumed performance into a spectacular theatrical art.
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Tibetan Opera (Ache Lhamo)

A sacred Tibetan performing art blending masked dance, Buddhist chanting, and colorful costumes — performed for centuries on the high plateau.