Excerpts from Chinese Popular Legends
19 - 25/5/2007
Lou Kau Mansion
20
Tradition is preserved in Tangshan’s
leather-silhouette shows, also known as “donkey skin silhouette shows”, as the
shadow puppets are carved from this animal’s hide. The ancient art dates back to
the Wanli period of the Ming dynasty and reached the peak of its popularity at
the end of the Qing dynasty. It was revived on stages across the country in the
beginning of the Republic period.
This well known Chinese folk art has over 400
years of existence, and the Tangshan Chinese Shadow Puppet Theatre Troupe,
established in 1943, is well known for giving new life to its large and varied
repertoire and appealing to today’s audiences.
Duration: approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, no
interval
With surtitles in Chinese, Portuguese and English