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Shadows from Yesterday to Tomorrow

Shadow plays originated during the Han Dynasty (206 BC–AD 220) and prevailed in the Tang (AD 618–907) and Song (AD 960–1279) dynasties, but the art form's most impressive works were those associated with the fictional Monk Xuanzang, who was accompanied by the Monkey King on the monk's legendary Journey to the West in search of Buddhist sutras unavailable in China.

After the monk found the Buddhist sutras, he made drawings to illustrate the concepts contained in the sutras so the illiterate could understand them. This form then developed into cut-outs made of paper whose forms were projected onto a white paper using a candle for backlighting. Over time, people began making the figures of other materials, including cattle hides.

Today, shadow plays are still widely seen in many provinces in China, especially in Sichuan and Shaanxi, but they are also seen in Beijing, even though there are fewer practitioners of the craft.

So Beijing This Month was fortunate to visit with Lu Lianda and to hear this story.

Lu, 77, devoted more than half a century of his life to the art of shadow play. He used to be a vice-president of the Beijing Shadow Play Troupe, but now works as a factory doorkeeper.

In Lu's boyhood, shadow plays were the most popular entertainment available during celebrations and festivals. He soon developed an interest in this folk art and learned to make puppets and produce plays on his own. After he entered elementary school, he joined the school’s shadow-play community. When he was in the fourth grade, he won the favour of shadow-play master Lu Jingda (circa 1914–1989).

Lu Jianda was the top shadow-play master in China. He deeply researched the principles of shadow play and often performed in overseas countries as China's folk art envoy. He taught Lu Lianda for two decades.

Lu Lianda is a master of performance, but is also a master of design and choreography. When the SARS epidemic broke out, he choreographed a play about how the doctors and nurses cared for stricken patients.

Shadow play is an art involving the full play of opera theory, musical instruments, dubbing, sculpture, painting and keen observation. Lu Lianda now hopes to spread keep this art before as many audiences and practitioners as possible.