As darkness descends upon Chenqiyuan Village in northwest China, the spotlight shines on Jing Tingyou, 83, as his nightly spectacle commences.

Jing, a skilled shadow puppet master, takes center stage behind a white curtain, skillfully maneuvering shadow puppets with synchronized movements to enchanting melodies, bringing historical tales and folklore to life through his virtuoso performances.

Having dedicated over six decades to the art of shadow puppetry, Jing has become a seasoned expert in his field. He sets up his stage within a cave house, a type of earth shelter dwelling, located in Huanxian County of landlocked Gansu Province.

On the left side of the puppetry master sits his younger brother Jing Tingxiao, 73, who accompanies him on a four-stringed instrument.

They hail from Huanxian, the birthplace of Daoqing shadow plays, an important branch of Chinese shadow puppetry.

Chinese shadow play is an art form integrating performance, singing, art, sculpture and music. The art of Daoqing shadow plays was included in the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2006.

Currently, Huanxian County is home to more than 40 shadow puppet troupes, over 300 performers and more than 60 sculptors, according to Wu Cunjun, a staff member of the county's intangible cultural heritage protection center.

The Jing family troupe, to which Jing Tingyou and Jing Tingxiao belonged, was established in 1903. It is one of the most prestigious shadow puppet troupes in Huanxian.

The Jing brothers have witnessed the ebb and flow of this traditional art form.

"I have learned more than 100 shadow plays from a demanding teacher, who required us to be proficient in various skills from performing to singing," recalled Jing Tingxiao, who is now the head of the troupe.

During its heyday in the 1960s, Daoqing shadow puppetry attracted lots of enthusiasts. Performers often walked a donkey carrying the shadow puppet props, wandering about the streets for performance day in and day out.

"When I was young, I always performed more than seven hours a day," said the elder brother. "The sight of numerous enamored fans revitalized me, erasing any trace of tiredness I had."

The two masters have dedicated most part of their life to shadow puppetry. Jing Tingxiao, in particular, has ventured onto stages in Germany and the Netherlands, introducing the captivating allure of Chinese traditional art to audiences abroad.

For years, shadow plays were welcomed by audiences of all ages in rural China, and were staged for every major occasion. However, with films and television series gradually becoming major sources of entertainment in the late 1980s, the art's popularity waned and many performers moved on to other jobs.

But Jing Tingxiao and Jing Tingyou stuck with the art form.

"It takes more than 10 years for a green hand to become a shadow puppetry performer," Jing Tingxiao said. "The art form demands a significant investment of time, yet offers relatively modest financial compensation."

Like many other custodians of cultural heritage, he encountered the challenge of finding suitable individuals to whom he could pass down the tradition.

However, a turnaround came in recent years after Huanxian County launched a string of projects to boost the shadow puppetry industry, such as adapting and innovating shadow plays.

Jing Tingxiao was delighted to witness the inclusion of Daoqing shadow puppet plays in numerous schools across Qingyang City in Gansu. This development not only ensures the preservation of the art form but also offers additional financial support for shadow play artists.

At the College of Art in Longdong University, Daoqing shadow puppetry has been adopted as a main course. Jing Dengkun, a 57-year-old performer from the Jing family troupe, is a part-time teacher at the university, offering eight shadow puppetry classes a week to the students.

"Through learning and practicing, many young people have taken a liking to the Daoqing puppet shows," he said. "The ancient intangible cultural heritage is unleashing new vitality." 

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