Shadow puppetry, piying in Chinese, is one of the oldest theatrical forms in the country, and Shaanxi is one of its heartlands. The figures are cut from donkey or ox hide, painted in translucent colours, and manipulated behind a lit cotton screen by rods attached to the head, hands and body. A singer narrates the story, accompanied by percussion and a two-stringed fiddle, and the whole thing is performed in a space not much bigger than a double bed.
Where to see it
Most visitors see shadow puppetry in the courtyard houses of the Muslim Quarter, where small family-run theatres stage twenty to thirty minute shows several times a day for a modest ticket price. Gao's Grand Courtyard, a preserved Ming merchant's house, is the best known of these and also stages rod-puppet shows and occasional opera. Larger theatres and dinner venues on the Tang-dynasty show circuit include a shadow-puppet segment, though the format there is shorter and more theatrical.
What to watch for
The skill is in the hands. A single performer may operate two or three figures at once, and the puppets can walk, fight, bow, pour wine and ride horses. Look at the top edge of the screen, where the rods disappear, and you can see how the joints are worked. Traditional Shaanxi stories draw on history and folk tales, and comedy is common, with the puppets addressing the audience directly. Even without understanding the words, the timing is clear.
The puppets themselves
Old shadow figures are collected as folk art, and you can buy modern ones in the craft shops of the Muslim Quarter and around the Bell Tower. Quality varies enormously: cheap tourist pieces are printed plastic, while genuine handmade figures are cut, dyed and varnished in several stages and cost considerably more. A small framed figure makes a light, unusual souvenir. Ask to see the back of the piece - real hide is translucent and slightly uneven, with visible tool marks.
Practical notes
Shows are short, so they combine easily with a meal or a walk in the Muslim Quarter. Tickets in the courtyard venues are inexpensive and rarely need booking outside public holidays, but they can sell out on weekends. Photography without flash is usually welcome. Shows are held in the afternoon and early evening; ask at the ticket window on the day for the current times.
