The shadow puppet theatre, a pillar of Taiwanese folk arts, was born in ancient psychiatry and has of late been the object of increasing international attention.
The Chinese name for the shadow theatre is "Leather Shadow Opera." The "leather" refers to the material from which the puppets are made.
The origins of shadow puppets can be traced as far back as the Han Dynasty, some 1800 years ago. When Emperor Wu's favorite consort, Lady Li, died, the passionate monarch fell seriously ill; he was confined to bed and could neither eat nor sleep.
A compassionate Taoist priest from Shangtung Province named Li Shao-weng promised to summon back the spirit of the dead Lady. The priest was seated behind a gauze screen while the Emperor was placed on the other side with instructions not to approach the screen. A dim candle was lit and a girl who resembled the deceased was brought into the room, her shadow cast onto the screen. The old Emperor was overjoyed and quickly recuperated.
Out of this primitive psychotherapy, the art of shadow puppetry was born; it is this same principle that is used in the shadow puppet theaters.
The performance as seen by the audience. (File photo)
The folk art was brought to southern Taiwan from Chaochou in Kwangtung province some two hundred years ago, and later became an indispensable part of rural festivities. The shadow puppets are made from cow, mule or sheep leather tanned to extreme thinness. After being soaked in Tung oil until they become translucent, they are painted in brilliant colors. Each individual part is cut out separately, joined with brass clips, and moved with wires or strings concealed behind the figure.
As in Peking opera, the characters in shadow puppet plays are roughly divided into two categories - good and evil. To animate the puppets convincingly, the manipulators must have nimble fingers, sonorous voices, and above all patience and perseverance. According to an old master's estimate, it takes at least three to four years for a puppeteer to perform solo, and a lifetime to fully grasp the abstruse art of shadow puppet theater.
Shadow puppets are manipulated by using sticks and threads to control the movements of the leather figures; the rays of a lamp cast the shadows on a white screen. The puppets never appear directly before the screen.
The puppets are articulated at the wrists, elbows, waist and knees. They are manipulated with three sticks: one at each wrist and a third at the back between the shoulders. The heads of the puppets, which are inserted between the shoulders, are interchangeable. By substituting one head for another, the puppeteer can easily multiply the number of characters in his repertoire.
In the 1970s the shadow theatre received international exposure. Chang Te-cheng, head of the East China Shadow Opera Troupe of Tashe in southern Taiwan, is the fifth generation of Taiwan's hereditary puppet theatre tradition. He has devoted most of his time and energy to renovating the shadow puppet theater, carving the figures so that two eyes and most of the faces are showing, and adding colors, up-to-date furniture, animals, birds and sometimes even airplanes and artillery. He also departed from tradition by presenting the plays on television or on bandstands. He and his group toured the United States in 1973 for three months of performances.
Loving detail graces each leather puppet. (File photo)
Following that milestone, shadow puppet fans from abroad have gone all the way to Tashe to see Chang. He has now arranged for more overseas appearances.
At the Hong Kong Arts Festival last year, Chang and the East China troupe were a big hit. They have been invited back a second time for this year's festival.
Dr. Jurgen Klunder, president of West Germany's Puppet Academy, has visited Tashe twice and has invited Chang to West Germany to perform for one or two months. Chang will go this May. If all goes well in Germany, he plans to extend his tour to other European countries. Later on, perhaps, he and his East China troupe will be able to take their magic art to all parts of the world.