In our country folk, shadow art has a long history. There began in the Han, Xing Yu Tang, Song Sheng said. Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, shadow while undergoing a sink and float, rise and decline of the development process. But this shadow play performances, through the unremitting efforts of several generations of artists shadow, then more and more mature, it tends to complete. With the continuous expansion of China's foreign trade, shadow art gradually spread overseas. In the early thirteenth century, shadow puppetry first pass Ru Nanya, and court of Persia during other countries, 18th century, French priest living. Arrow was the Chinese movie to Europe, the German writer Goethe also become lovers Chinese shadow play, in 1781, he hosted two shadow show, so, "Chinese shadow play is the originator of European cinema," the statement as insufficient surprising.

- Beijing West to send shadow art -

Flyover West to send Shadow Art Beijing folk art is a shining pearl in the treasure house. The vast shadow artists in the production of long-term social and artistic practice, skillfully carved and painted with the principles of light and shadow, singing art combined with the effect of light skins (leather, animal skin, Mapi, sheep, etc.) carved into the shadow mapping characters on the video screen, do a variety of actions by armed actors operating pole filmmakers, accompanied by music, singing opera staged one kind of art form all kinds of allusions and stories, also known as the "movie", "lights in people" or "earth movie."

Beijing West were first called shadow "Zhuozhou large shadow" or "pitched shadow" Humiliation two years passed from northern Henan Kaifeng (now Kaifeng), located in Zhuozhou; Wu Chen Ming Dynasty Masanori three years, Beijing held "Acrobats Assembly speech "Zhuozhou large shadow Beijing to participate in the show, and has already spread capital of the movie" clapper Buddha "combine two into one, becoming Zhuozhou large shadow, then to sing" Yiyang "it is also called" pitched shadow. " Guangxu years later, due to the intervention of Pihuang, singing with the "Beijing Beijing word rhyme" feature, formation of regional "Beijing Xicheng faction shadow", referred to Beijing West were shadow puppets, the main activities in the area to the west of Tiananmen axis.

Beijing Deshun Shadow Drama Society, founded in twenty-one years of the Qing dynasty, later renamed the Beijing Shadow Play Troupe. Liu Jilin in 1956 to enter the Beijing Shadow drama, thanks to Beijing West were famous shadow puppet artist of King Road (the road is the fifth generation descendant of the family shadow) and the famous puppeteers Yan Dian Chen as a teacher, to become the successor of the West faction shadow, after the troupe as a screenwriter, director, art form, and shadow play troupe participated in the show, until his retirement. During the in-service training for the troupe dozen apprentices.

Beijing West to send Shadow Art heritage road home is five generations, Jiaqing first year (1796) started in movie career that Luther to set up a "shadow troupe Cheung Shun" Fu-Yuan set up a "shadow Fushun troupe"; Road cases have established "shadow Deshun troupe"; Zi King of the road there were Quebec, through the Road King, King of the Road, Road King Ping, Lu Jing An Deshun brother's shadow troupe of five people, as well as in the (Beijing shadow Play troupe ) King of the road work Zi Bao Gang, who inherited the family business from generation to generation, perseverance, excellence, deliberate pursuit. Especially from "Deshun shadow troupe" period after the liberation, King of the road to the representative of a generation, they include the Code, singing, playing, playing, all kinds of art design, carving art of shadow play of these, such as: performance shadow people need lifelike way. To achieve this, a number of shadow play repertoire Beijing West were even more vivid highlights some aspects of performance, such as in the performing shadow people look in the mirror, blink, go-between, and cry when the ignition smoke and other techniques, the tears are exaggerated shadow , so that the audience can see the shadow of people drop by drop tears running down his cheeks. The traditional technique of expression still in use. West to send bridge shadow of tune and singing has its own characteristics, just as the shadow from West to send the drama itself. Shaanxi "Wan Wan cavity" and the impact of Hebei "Hehe cavity" Inheritance by. After long-term artistic practice, but also absorbed the essence of drama in opera, Peking Opera, acrobatics and so enrich themselves, formed a singing form of a unique style, from the tone, to sentence the plate has its own characteristics, formed a Beijing art features West to send Gao Kang singing and shadow tactful combination of such features is closer to Beijing people are familiar with the music and language, and loved by the audience. In the shadow character modeling, design and production, the more prominent Beijing style style, artists filmmakers in the shape of beauty and ugliness, thick and pale colors are viewing emotion from the audience to study the production of the program directly flyover West were shadow people. It is understood that a large shadow over the character modeling is bodiless evolved from classical Chinese paintings, fine brushwork figure painting, folk paper-cutting, such as: shadow figure Hebei region, rustic style, a strong local flavor. Shaanxi shadow figure elegant, Gu Pu colors, while Beijing West to send shadow character design is more prominent in shaping the emotion and demeanor of the person, a unified focus on the characters and dress, wear clothing crown of rationality. Elegant without losing its rustic Gu Pu without losing the color bright. The famous Beijing Road, Mr. King of the shadow artists pioneered the Peking Opera dissolve into his works, the Beijing Shadow Play modeling more unique artistic style, called on behalf of Beijing shadow shape. Therefore, the formation of Beijing and a peak period of the West to send Shadow Art According to "Beijing Chronicle" records "Peking House Temple street, there is a road home video troupe," that is guiding home video troupe. From the Qing Dynasty, King of the Road, five brothers in the market is located in the central position bridge of "Friends of the Villa Opera House", has a long-running West to send the characteristics of the "shadow." 1960 bridge Osmanthus Garden theater rebuilt, moved here flyover movie, the original theater venue venues for the Xuanwu shadow puppet group.

The main features of Beijing West to send Shadow: 1, moving light. Shadow play performances substantially unrestricted theater and stage conditions, may optionally be a place to set up the stage show, the use of stage props is not complicated, moreover can be simple or complex, is one of the most lightweight of China's "dramatic art." 2, multi-skill actor. Shadow puppet performance of "tight seven people, eight people busy, said nine people corpuscles." Artists are a big play multiple roles. The performance, the shadow side of human manipulation of children while also dubbing, singing, playing two different tones, three roles, is a fine tradition of shadow art performances. 3, less expensive. Setting for shadow play rehearsals, the filmmakers children and other production materials, utilizing waste into treasure. As in the city, in addition to buy ready-made leather, the grassy paperboard, chemical plate, a plastic plate or a thicker sheet can be used in place of white leather children who make the movie, scenery and props. The degree of cost reduction of shadow play, is the general theater performances can not be compared. 4, reflect the reality fast. Shadow not only good at the performance of traditional magical story, but also a timely manner the real life story of a typical window onto the film. As reflected in a very touching stories, the stories of the day can be collated, to work writing the script, but that is needed to make filmmakers, props. Lines according to the present may be unfamiliar chant. In two or three days time, you can put just happened deeds reproduced to the audience. Shadow play rehearsal faster than other theater rehearsal period is much faster. 5, is constantly changing. Although the plane is a shadow play art, but the art of shadow puppetry unique to highly exaggerated, humorous, magical, often changing other operas can not have, such as: "Conquers" "The Emperor's New Clothes", "turtle and the crane "and other operas. You can break through the limitations of the stage, to show a variety of storylines air, land and water. People describe shadow puppet show was "a Chen Shu eternal things, both hands on the dance million soldiers" and "raise his flag for the wind Yan as rain, dust-free sweep the nine temple."

- Beijing West to send shadow art -

After the founding of new China, the party and the government in a timely manner to save and foster the art of shadow puppetry, shadow play troupe have been established in Heilongjiang, Tangshan shadow play troupe and Xuanwu shadow play troupe. Xuanwu shadow play troupe of veteran artists Road King of comrades, it was sent at the beginning of the liberation of the Central Academy of Fine Arts were government studies. His bold innovation to create, on the basis of inheriting the traditional art of shadow play West were on the absorption of the Beijing Opera facial makeup styling, hand painting, sculpture shadow of the many fine works of art. His works not only by colleagues praise, and some sold abroad, by the praise of international friends. Flyover West to send shadow down the road home for generations of unremitting efforts, shadow art from concert to sculpture, from performance to the system landscape has unique skills, summed up the "play movie" in artistic practice, "playing the children's" " Ma playing the film "and" set props "such as performance skills formulas, these tips are sent west shadow of valuable experience accumulated over the years. Theater legend even Weng Hong, commented: "The road's five generations, generation after generation according to legend, Keshao JI QIU, also lifetimes legend Lai Road, home of the classes, to pass today."

In 1966, the "Cultural Revolution" completely destroyed the bridge of arts organizations, in addition to two cinemas can continue to show, other theatrical performances were banned. Leaving only a literary unit Beijing Acrobatic Troupe, other troupes were disbanded, Xuanwu shadow play troupe also disbanded the list. After crushing the Gang of Four in 1979, the party and the government care and attention of civil protection and development of cultural arts groups, Xuanwu shadow play troupe get restored, renamed the Beijing Shadow Play Troupe. In Xuanwu District Committee, District Government guidance and support, artists Beijing Shadow Art of inherited predecessors retained the excellent Shadow Art features the West to send this ancient folk art shadow has been restored and developed in Beijing Shadow Play performance techniques, including aspects of lighting, scenery, and other decorative effects and character modeling tends to improve. Shadow play performance level reached a new artistic realm. As China's prestige in the world increasing, Beijing Shadow Play this ancient art is more and more international friends attention. Here, Beijing Shadow Play Troupe, has as a friendly envoy of the Chinese people, respectively, to France, Italy, Japan and other countries tour. As Beijing's culture has contributed to prosperity.

Now Beijing Shadow Play Troupe plagued troupe in terms of heritage work and no successor etc., in accordance with the requirements "Xuanwu District folk culture protection measures", Xuanwu District Culture Commission will actively work to make the bridge west of the old school shadow folk art protection and development.

Beijing West to send Shadow Featured calf or horse hide, animal skin as raw materials, carved into filmmakers. Beijing West were filmmakers, imposing, all wearing costume, carved, vivid; the choice of mineral pigment used in color, the shadow of the Gu Pu form, wonderful color; Yan Jun shadow theater this structure, in field units; melodious singing movie , elegant euphemism; superb acting delicate way. Martial arts wonderful and moving, exaggerated special effects, vivid image.

Shadow play art is part of traditional Chinese culture, it is also part of Chinese folk art. Due to a long history, spread widely, Art prominent features, it has a rich culture, historical connotations. Therefore, strengthening Chinese shadow play of research and heritage, research and development of Chinese traditional culture, Chinese folk art, Chinese folk literature, Chinese opera and many other aspects, with unparalleled great value.