BBC Bitesize – KS2 Primary Mandarin Curriculum – Make a Chinese shadow puppet show

What is shadow puppetry?

Shadow puppetry ( pí yǐng xì) is a theatre art using silhouetted puppets for storytelling. Puppet shows often feature music ( yīn yuè) and singing ( chàng gē).

The puppets are made from leather or paper and can have as many as twenty four ( èr shí sì) moving joints.

Puppet shows are used for entertainment at traditional Chinese weddings and other special occasions.

You will need:

Card, safety scissors, pens, pencils, box, glue, tape, greaseproof paper, sticks, torch.

an A4 sheet of thin card ( kǎ piàn)
a pair of safety scissors ( jiǎn dāo)
coloured pens ( shuǐ cǎi bǐ) or pencils ( qiān bǐ)
a cardboard box
glue ( jiāo shuǐ) or tape ( jiāo dài)
a sheet of white tissue paper or greaseproof paper
several sticks – lollipop sticks will work well
a torch ( shǒu diàn tǒng)

Instructions

Print out ( dǎ yìn) the template onto an A4 sheet of thin card.
Carefully cut out the puppet figures along the dotted lines.
Colour in the puppets and attach each to a stick using tape or glue.
Carefully cut a large hole in the front of the box. Tape the white tissue paper or greaseproof paper behind the hole.
You can then decorate ( zhuāng shì) your stage ( wǔ tái).
Put the torch behind the paper and direct your own shadow puppet production.

If you don’t have a printer, why not try drawing your own puppet figures?

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Image caption,
Step 1
Print out (打印 dǎ yìn) the template onto an A4 sheet of thin card.
Image caption,
Step 2
Carefully cut out the puppet figures along the dotted lines.
Image caption,
Step 3
Colour in the puppets and attach each to a stick using tape or glue.
Image caption,
Step 4
Carefully cut a large hole in the front of the box. Tape the white tissue paper or greaseproof paper behind the hole.
Image caption,
Step 5
You can then decorate (装饰 zhuāng shì) your stage (舞台 wǔ tái).
Image caption,
Step 6
Put the torch behind the paper and direct your own shadow puppet production.