Chinese Shadow Puppetry Is Embracing Its Innovation中國皮影戲正迎來創(chuàng)新

Chinese shadow puppetry， a combination of light， shadow， drawing and singing， traces its origins to the Western Han Dynasty （206 BC—AD 8）. It evolved and peaked through the subsequent dynasties， and even spread as far as Europe and Western Asia during the Yuan Dynasty （1206—1368）.

中國皮影戲集光、影、畫、唱于一體，起源于西漢（公元前206年—公元8年）。它在隨后的朝代中不斷發(fā)展并達(dá)到頂峰，在元朝（1206年—1368年）時(shí)期甚至傳播到了歐洲和西亞。

Listed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2011， the traditional puppetry art now faces the challenges posed by contemporary entertainment.

這門中國傳統(tǒng)的皮影藝術(shù)于2011年被聯(lián)合國教科文組織列入《人類非物質(zhì)文化遺產(chǎn)代表名錄》，如今面臨著當(dāng)代娛樂帶來的挑戰(zhàn)。

Lu Baogang， a national-level inheritor of Beijing shadow puppetry art， and other inheritors of the art form are looking for new ways to revive the age-old art by exploring new avenues， attracting attention and appreciation for their relentless quest for renewal.

北京皮影戲的國家級(jí)傳承人路寶鋼和其他皮影戲傳承人正在通過探索新的途徑，尋找新的方法來復(fù)興這門古老的藝術(shù)。他們對創(chuàng)新的不懈追求引起了人們的關(guān)注。

Over the years， the audience number for Chinese shadow puppetry shows has declined. For artists of Lu’s generation， finding new ways to innovate has become vital.

多年來，中國皮影戲的觀眾人數(shù)有所下降。對于路寶鋼這一代藝術(shù)家來說，尋求創(chuàng)新變得至關(guān)重要。

Lu has long been aware that traditional shadow puppetry does not enjoy great success in the marketplace， being less popular than other art forms. This realization is what prompted his company to explore inter-theater fusion.

路寶鋼早就意識(shí)到，傳統(tǒng)皮影戲在市場上反響不大，不像其他藝術(shù)形式那么受歡迎。正是這種認(rèn)識(shí)促使他的公司去探索影院間的融合。

“This fusion involves combining shadow puppetry with other theatrical genres such as spoken theater， musical comedy and puppet theater. This goal is to address certain limitations of our art， such as its flat， two-dimensional presentation，” Lu told ChinAfrica magazine.

“這種融合包括將皮影戲與其他戲劇類型相結(jié)合，如口語戲劇、音樂喜劇和木偶劇。這樣做的目的是解決我們皮影藝術(shù)的某些局限性，比如平面的二維呈現(xiàn)方式?！甭穼氫撛诮邮堋吨蟹恰冯s志采訪時(shí)表示。

While the specific two-dimensional nature of shadow puppetry is a strength， it can also be a weakness in terms of visual impact. Artists are seeking to remedy this by integrating more visually dynamic theatrical forms on stage， moving beyond the traditional backdrop of a simple curtain， he added.

雖然皮影戲獨(dú)特的二維性質(zhì)是一個(gè)優(yōu)勢，但就視覺沖擊方面而言，它也是一個(gè)弱點(diǎn)。他補(bǔ)充道，藝術(shù)家們正在尋求通過在舞臺(tái)上融入更多動(dòng)態(tài)視覺的戲劇形式來解決這個(gè)問題，而不僅僅是改變傳統(tǒng)的簡單幕布背景。

Lu’s troupe has produced two highly praised plays： In 2019， The Legend of the Shadows was created， followed by The Shadow Box’s Fantastic Journey in 2023. Both productions combine shadow puppetry with a range of techniques and forms of expression， including human shadows， paper silhouettes， and shadow landscapes." They also explore innovative concepts in set design， musical accompaniment and staging.

路寶鋼劇團(tuán)制作了兩部廣受好評(píng)的戲劇作品：2019年創(chuàng)作了《影戲傳奇》，之后又在2023年創(chuàng)作了《影箱奇旅》。這兩部作品都將皮影戲與一系列技藝和表現(xiàn)形式相結(jié)合，包括人影、紙的剪影和影子景觀。他們還在布景設(shè)計(jì)、音樂伴奏和舞臺(tái)等方面探索創(chuàng)新。

“Our objective with these two plays was， and is， to attract a younger audience，” Lu noted while highlighting the positive reception the shows have received.

“我們制作這兩部劇的目的是吸引更年輕的觀眾。過去是，現(xiàn)在也是?！甭穼氫撜f，同時(shí)他也強(qiáng)調(diào)了兩部劇所獲得的積極反響。

Other shadow puppetry troupes across the country are also embracing innovation. For example， Wang Haiyan， a representative inheritor of shadow play in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province， is incorporating elements from cartoons and video games into her contemporary puppet designs. Wang was inspired by a cartoon festival she visited with her son a few years ago， motivating her to create new shadow puppets that combine traditional craftsmanship with modern influences.

全國各地的其他皮影戲劇團(tuán)也在擁抱創(chuàng)新。例如，中國西北陜西省皮影戲的代表傳承人汪海燕正在將卡通和電子游戲的元素融入她現(xiàn)在的“影人”設(shè)計(jì)中。幾年前，她和兒子一起參觀了一個(gè)卡通節(jié)，這激發(fā)了她的靈感，促使她將傳統(tǒng)工藝和現(xiàn)代影響相融合，創(chuàng)作出新型的影人形象。

Wang has also actively pursued “cross-sector” cooperation with different industries， including clothing， automotive and fashion brands. This approach provides opportunities for the art form to reach new audiences and stay relevant in a swiftly changing cultural landscape.

汪海燕還積極尋求與不同行業(yè)的“跨部門”合作，包括服裝、汽車和時(shí)尚品牌。這種方法為皮影戲這門藝術(shù)形式提供了接觸新觀眾的機(jī)會(huì)，并使其能在瞬息萬變的文化環(huán)境中保持相關(guān)性。

Word Bank

trace /tre?s/ v. 追溯；追究

revive /r?'va?v/ v. （使）復(fù)蘇；使復(fù)興

relentless /r?'lentl?s/ adj. 不停的；持續(xù)強(qiáng)烈的

remedy /'rem?di/ v. 改正；糾正

incorporate /?n'k??p?re?t/ v. 將……包括在內(nèi)；包含；吸收