Chinese Shadow Puppetry中國皮影戲

一塊幕布、一點光源、兩張方桌、五人戲班。幕布上，幾張皮影在皮影藝人的操控下，演繹人間悲喜以及傳說。皮影戲是中國古老而精妙的民間傳統藝術，也是中國傳統文化的“活化石”。

Chinese shadow puppetry， also known as “lamp shadow play”， isan ancient and 1）exquisite traditional folk art form and renowned forits unique imagery and storytelling. The principles of curtain shadingand performance forms adopted by Chinese shadow puppetryplayed a significant role in the invention and development of modernmovies. In 2011， Chinese shadow puppetry was listed as UNESCO’sRepresentative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The history of Chinese shadow puppetry in China can be tracedback over two thousand years. It originated in the northern part ofChina， particularly in the province of Shaanxi， and later spread widelyacross the country. It was often performed at temple fairs， weddingceremonies， funeral ceremonies， and other special occasions. Peoplebelieved that the performance of Chinese shadow puppetry woulddrive out evil spirits and bring them good fortune.

It is said that Chinese shadow puppetry first appeared in theWestern Han Dynasty. When Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty’sbeloved 2）concubine， Li， passed away， he was deeply saddened andneglected his governmental duties. One day， Shaoweng encountereda child playing with a doll， and its shadow was reflected on the ground，appearing lifelike. Inspired， Shaoweng cut out Li’simage from cotton and silk， painted it， andattached wooden poles to its hands andfeet. At night， a square curtain was setup， and lights and candles were lit.Emperor Wu of the Han Dynastywas respectfully invited to watchthe performance. He was delightedand became fond of it. This lovestory， recorded in the Hanshu，is considered the earliest origin ofChinese shadow puppetry.

The main objects of Chinese shadow puppetry are theshadow puppets themselves， which are intricately carvedout of leather. Initially， shadow puppets were made frompaper sculptures and later from hides. These puppets arethen projected onto a screen using light， creating vivid andlifelike images. This is why shadow puppetry is called piyingin Chinese. Each puppet is 3）meticulously crafted， depictingvarious characters. By hanging these puppets behind ascreen and 4）illuminating them with light， performers bring thecharacters to life through their 5）manipulations and techniques.Chinese shadow puppetry is often accompanied by music andsinging， enhancing its dramatic and artistic appeal. Over time，this art form has been improved and developed.

The stories performed in Chinese shadow puppetry 6）encompass a widerange of content， includingmythology， legends， history，and folk tales. These storiesoften carry profound cultural connotationsand moral messages， conveying wisdomand values through their narratives.Thus， Chinese shadow puppetry notonly entertains the audience but alsoinspires their thinking.

For centuries， Chinese shadowpuppetry has provided the people with countless joyfulmoments， showcasing a rich variety of stories and culturalconnotations. By appreciating and understanding Chineseshadow puppetry， we can gain a deeper understanding oftraditional Chinese art and cultural heritage.

1） exquisite adj. 精美的

2） concubine n. 妃子

3） meticulously adv. 細致地；一絲不茍地

4） illuminate v. 點亮；照明

5） manipulation n. 操作

6） encompass v. 圍繞；包含

中國皮影戲，又稱“燈影戲”，是一種古老而精妙的傳統民間藝術，以其獨特的影像和故事聞名于世。中國皮影戲所用的幕影原理及表演形式，對近代電影的發明和發展起到了重要的作用。2011 年，中國皮影戲入選聯合國教科文組織《人類非物質文化遺產代表作名錄》。

中國皮影戲的歷史可追溯到兩千多年前。它起源于中國北方，尤其是陜西地區，后來在全國范圍內廣泛流傳開來。中國皮影戲經常出現在廟會、婚禮、葬禮以及其他特殊場合。人們認為皮影戲能驅邪并給他們帶來好運。

相傳，中國皮影戲最早出現于西漢。漢武帝愛妃李夫人故去，他陷入悲傷中，終日不理朝政。紹翁一日出門，路遇孩童手拿布娃娃玩耍，影子倒映于地栩栩如生。紹翁心中一動，用棉帛、絲綢裁成李夫人的形象，涂上色彩，并在手腳處裝上木桿。入夜圍方帷，張燈燭，紹翁恭請漢武帝端坐帳中觀看。漢武帝看后喜笑顏開，就此愛上皮影戲。這個載入《漢書》的愛情故事，被認為是中國皮影戲最早的起源。

中國皮影戲表演的主要道具是由傳統的皮革雕刻而成的影偶。影偶剛開始用紙雕，后來用獸皮制作。人們利用燈光將這些影偶投射在幕布上，創造出生動逼真的形象。這就是為什么漢語稱之為“皮影”。每個皮影都經過精細剪裁，描繪了各種各樣的角色。將這些皮影懸掛在幕布后面，并使用燈光照射，皮影藝人通過手法和技巧，使角色栩栩如生地展現在觀眾面前。中國皮影戲通常伴隨著音樂和歌唱，增加了戲劇性和藝術感。隨著時間的推移，這一藝術形式得到了改進和發展。

中國皮影戲的故事內容豐富多樣，涵蓋了神話、傳說、歷史和民間故事等。這些故事常常具有深厚的文化內涵和道德寓意，在講述中傳遞著智慧和價值觀。因此，中國皮影戲不僅能給觀眾帶來歡樂，還能夠給觀眾以啟迪。

千百年來，中國皮影戲給祖祖輩輩的人帶來了許多歡樂的時光，展現了豐富多樣的故事和文化內涵。通過欣賞和了解中國皮影戲，我們可以更好地理解中國的傳統藝術和文化遺產。