Leather Silhouette Opera in Changli
(Translator:Gao Jie, Proofreader: You Jianmin)
Leather silhouette opera in Changli, the traditional drama form of intangible heritage project was proclaimed by the State Council on May 23, 2011 to be included in the Third National Intangible Cultural Heritage List. On June 8, 2009 it was added to the Third Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage List by the People's Government of Hebei Province. And on January 21, 2009, it was announced by the People’s Government of Qinhuangdao Municipality as one of the First City-level Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
Changli leather silhouette opera, also known as Changli shadow play, with Changli dialect as its basis, is one of Chinese local operas performed to the accompaniment of wooden clappers with a unique feature as well as distinguished by its singing skills. It is characterized by “throttling”, that is, when singing, actors will pinch their vocal cords tightly with their fingers, so that the voice and tone can be not only soft and charming, but also with a more broad range.
In December 2010, Changli Xiangdong Leather Silhouette Opera Troupe participated in the third “Golden Lion Award” National Puppet & Shadow Play Competition and won the bronze prize, the Leather Silhouette Controlling Award and the Best Leather Silhouette Production Award. In 2012, they won the Best Heritage Award in the 21st International Puppet Federation Congress & International Puppet Festival. In August 2015, they attended the fourth “Golden Lion Award” National Shadow Play Exhibition and won the Excellent Inheritance Award. In 2017, they took part in the Second Nanchong International Puppet Art Week and won the Inheritance Award and the Best Performance Award.