Shadow puppetry feast in Gansu

A Chinese shadow puppetry show was staged in Huining, Gansu province, last week.

Shadow puppetry was popular during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and Song Dynasty (960-1279) in many parts of the country. It is listed as one of the intangible cultural heritages in Gansu.

Shadow puppets were first made of paper and later from the hides of donkeys or oxen. That's why their Chinese name is pi ying, which means shadows of hides.