Shadow Puppet Item Number: 3338/5 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Shadow puppet head (ran or jing, bearded man character; Yang saga). Flat head made from semi-translucent cut, punched and painted hide. His face is red, he has lying silkworm eyebrows, a red phoenix eye, and a five-strand beard. The headdress has a cloth section which extends upwards, with another section extending down the back with alternating red and green diagonal stripes. The top is adorned with many small pompoms and one large green pompom. A long neck acts as a tab to insert into the collar of a body.

History Of Use

The Chinese shadow figure body 3338/1 (pt a) is designed for interchangeable heads (3338/2-7). Each head represents one of the five common archetypes of the Yang saga: female protagonist, male protagonist, warrior (painted face), bearded man, and clown. This example is the bearded man character.

Iconographic Meaning

The character's facial features denote much bravery. This character is similar to Guan Yu, a god of war.

Specific Techniques

The cowhide is scraped extremely thin, which together with their jointed limbs, makes these puppets highly flexible when they perform high kicks, jumps, and flips. When performing, their distinctive designs and vibrant colours are visible on the glowing screen, enhancing the magical effects of the characters in motion.

Item History

What

Name
Shadow Puppet
Identification Number
3338/5
Type of Item
puppet
Material
cow skin, watercolour paint and lacquer
Overall
height 36.0 cm, width 17.7 cm, depth 0.2 cm

Who

Culture
Chinese
Creator
Lu Family (Maker)
Previous Owner
Lu Family
Received from
Lu Family (Seller) and Museum of Anthropology Exhibitions Budget (Funding source)

Where

Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
Made in
Tangshan, Hebei, China

When

Creation Date
during 2018
Ownership Date
before December 21, 2018
Acquisition Date
on December 21, 2018

Other

Condition
excellent
Accession Number
3338/0005