Xi'an Zhouzhi County is located in Qinchuan hinterland, is the Xi'an area, east longitude 108 ° 12 'north latitude and 34 ° 06', north near the Wei River, south Qinling, things and Hu County, Mei County border, 78 kilometers away from Xi'an area . Zhouzhi County jurisdiction over 9 towns, 13 townships, 379 administrative villages. The county population of 630,000, with a total area of ​​2968 square kilometers.

"Weeks Shadow" is a joy Guangji Town Village folk theater, Zhouzhi County Guangji Town joy village, seven kilometers from Zhouzhi County, east of the town of Ma Zhao, Yu Xiang Luo south border, west of Pine Township, north soil four Zhunxiang, Hou Village. Guangji Town joy village, located on the northern foot of the Qinling alluvial fan, low-lying South High North, the land is fertile, highly conducive to the growth of crops and trees, wheat, corn, Rhesus monkey peach, apricot, peach, flowers, nursery stock is here the main industries. Guangji Town joy village culture is very deep, rich and colorful folk art, particularly folk drama "Shadow weeks" occupies an important position.

"Weeks Shadow" is the folk art of joy in the village of Guangji Town Zhouzhi County Zhouzhi County Guangji Town joy village, seven kilometers from Zhouzhi County, east of the town of Ma Zhao, Yu Xiang Luo south border, west of Pine Township, Northern soil four Zhunxiang, Hou Village. Guangji Town joy village, cultural heritage is very deep, rich and colorful folk art. In particular, traditional folk theater --- weeks shadow, between Zhou Zhimin plays an important role in the art.

"Shadow weeks", nearly a hundred years of history. After cooked good leather, portray good use, with special tools carved into various theatrical figures, birds, fish and insects, birds and beasts, and then coated with a variety of colors. It can be manipulated by hand and neck is mounted on a chiral character from small bamboo sticks. When acting, do a screen with a piece of white cloth in front of the stage (exactly like a movie screen, the same), the operator (hand sign) after sitting on the screen, the shadow stick to the screen, lit by a lamp behind the screen, the operator can begin show, the viewer sitting in front of the camera, you can enjoy the shadow of a glance.

Shadow war of 4--6 people, the locals call it "four busy," where behind the scenes everyone is operating with three to five instruments, dazzling, but it was busy in order. The most important in this shadow play in a "pre-sound" Sheng, Dan, net, ugly, he was a man by the end of the concert, singing bass drum side also seems to be the band's commander. Then "hand signed" shadow responsible for operating, performing a variety of actions, millions of soldiers by his hands full of dance, one hundred horses ran by his hands and cries, cut the Monkey, elusive, flirting, crowing dog You must look at the level called "hand sign" acting level. Sitting in the back of people called "sit trough" also called "fight back" responsible gong strike cymbals, playing opera and other musical instruments. In addition there is "upside" is responsible for pulling two strings, piano, play the suona, "downside" main board quackish trombone and pull "hand signed" with the work.

"Shadow weeks" are weeks more distinctive areas of traditional folk drama in recent years, he has been active in the Guanzhong area, by all walks of life concept note. 2007 Professor of Waseda in Japan and went to watch the second study, gave high praise, and a number of media reports, some work has also been back to Japan collection. At present, mining, salvage and protection of this project, there is a certain role in the promotion of regional folk art weeks. "Weeks Shadow" has been at the endangered status, mining, rescue, protection is urgent.

Shadow weeks since the dynasty, after nearly a century of development, the formation of the following basic features:

1, the use of an important means of symbolic shadow folk art form, and it will literary language, symbolic action language, language modeling done in perfect harmony.

2, Yiyidangshi, less is more is typical of shadow image formed.

3, on the performance skills, good performance mythology powerful, mood-elevating effects, creatively develop performance skills of shadow play.

4, "weeks shadow" of the Performing Arts Language: accumulated a wealth of performance skills. It created a special artistic language, which greatly enriched the expressive art of shadow play of the shadow art adds charm.

Historical origins weeks of shadow play

"Shadow weeks" from the Qing dynasty, twenty-five years (1894) founded by the shadow class tailpiece cavity old artist Liu Mazi, has been nearly a hundred years of history. Liu Mazi, who Liquan, 1909 shadow collar class, old age continues sung by three disciples Hou (on Meng village) foreman. Tailpiece chamber mainly popular in western Shaanxi. Its repertoire is very rich, the existing manuscripts have more than two hundred forty this. Singing its features: hearty and lively, warm, hyperactivity, cheerful man with a northwest unrestrained optimism heroic qualities. Shadow larger body shape (filmmakers height 17 inches) and more filmmakers Babel nose, design patterns Jian Ming generous, more extensive production techniques, magnificent color.

After the liberation (1956) was officially established "folk drama", it is mainly engaged in folk art performances. Hou old folk artist's acting a must. He sang tailpiece chamber profound skill, his voice loud and clear, vigorous, called the "golden voice" of his playing sign flexible, swords, really kill a real cut, stirrup in hiding, Spellbound Aura, vivid, lifelike. Then the shadow multiprocessor ride in horse inside the car, tied to the four corners of the stick, seats around the thatch roof, do proscenium screen with a white cloth. There was a jingle is a true portrayal of the year: seven long eight short (wood), five pull a rope, a roll of four seats, nine large panels, lift a cart, take a hoe do not you tube (actor he made himself station).

In 1960, the West joy shadow once paralyzed, and later in actively promoting Secretary drum Ma Chao, the shadow squad and re-established them, and by the Zhu investigation old artist Du three old and new artists on the same stage in the Northwest, learn from each other, exchange, acting has been greatly improved, shadow class performance at the old folk artist Hou leader normal. Hou old folk artist before his death, more than fifty plays after the Cultural Revolution destroyed the only, dedicated to shadow classes, and passed on to Du three continue foreman. A few years later, Du three horses passed on to effect far foreman.

In 1985 the town was incorporated weeks shadow government, head of the "shadow group Guangji cultural town," Zhu Yanbin, Yi Chuan II, in the shadow art than four decades, enjoyed local fame, called the "weeks Shadow Man" shadow group official named "shadow weeks." After a long ups and downs, gone through hardships, they retain this folk art, and Yuyan booming. The regiment existing cast and crew ten, can perform more than 100 plays, its modern drama "Snowy Forest" "enemies of blood and tears" and so loved by the masses. In order to meet the development trend of modern culture, cartoons, animation and other four or five new plays are intense preparation.

Zhouzhi shadow-related appliances and products

Shadow production of materials: kraft cooked good, various pigments, a small bamboo sticks, small hoop, and other special knife.

Production process: portrayed on kraft cooked good characters, props, scenery used, then special tools engraving and then coated with a variety of colors, mounted in two hands check characters, referred to as "hand stick", on a neck root, called "term stick" is connected between the hoop with a small hand to sign the child and shadow, a shadow of such production process is complete.

The main value of weeks of shadow play

Shadow weeks between Zhou Zhimin plays an important role in the art, the area is weeks more distinctive folk art. 2004 "Shadow weeks" to participate in the Shaanxi folk art exhibition, attention all walks of life. Japanese friends and a professor at Waseda twice to the West Village to observe the inspection of joy, and bring back shadow collection, a number of media reports. Mining, rescue and protection of their "Shadow weeks' worth of its three main points:

1, historical value. "Shadow weeks" from the Qing dynasty, twenty-five years of development has been nearly a hundred years of history, mining, rescue, protect it, the study of Qing history and culture has an important historical significance.

2, academic value. "Shadow weeks," the historical heritage, history, basic characteristics, in other areas it is rare. Excavation, Zhou Zhimin protection among its arts have a certain role in promoting.

3, social value, because the "Shadow weeks' use of the symbol of an important means of folk art form, and it will literary language, symbolic action language, language modeling done in perfect harmony. For the construction of spiritual civilization week to the region, enrich the cultural life, building a harmonious society of great significance.