Shadow play (皮影戏), one of prevailing puppet show in Chinese Han folk, is an ancient native performance which uses silhouette figures made from animal skin or paperboard to tell stories. These silhouette figures act with isolation of bright cloth under the irradiation of candle or burning alcohol. Artists behind the white cloth sing and tell stories cooperating percussion instruments and stringed instruments as they operate these silhouette figures by hands. It is the symbole of Chinese culture.

Based on the historical records, the shadow play has a long history which dated from Warring State, flourished in Han Dynasty and Song Dynasty, spread to West Asia and Europe in Yuan Dynasty. It is a popular recreational entertainment for both child and adults in many countries around the world. On 20^th, May, shadow play was approved as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage by the State Council. On 27^th, November, 2011, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization put shadow play into Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.