Wulian Shadow Puppetry: Guarding Light and Shadow with Craftsmanship, Sustaining the Legacy with Commitment

海报新闻记者 王鹏 日照报道

Wulian shadow puppetry is a county-level intangible cultural heritage item in Wulian County, Rizhao City, Shandong Province,China，with a history of over 150 years.Wang Han's ancestors were guardians of this craft, and she is the fifth-generation inheritor of this craft. She has always remained committed to the craftsmanship of shadow puppetry passed down through five generations, and, as a representative inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, she is ready to shoulder the responsibility of our times.

To make a shadow puppet, we first draw the design and then begin carving. Every cut-out pattern on the figure is hand-carved by us. Once the carving is finished, we paint it and spray it with oil; after that, we assemble it, stitch it, and attach the control rods. Only then is a shadow puppet figure truly complete.

Shadow puppetry has endured for two thousand years without being lost, and it has a charm all its own. Our generation has an even greater responsibility to carry shadow puppetry forward and pass it on even better.

五莲皮影戏是中国山东省日照市五莲县县级非物质文化遗产代表性项目，已走过一百五十余载岁月。王涵的祖辈便是这门手艺的守护者，她是第五代传承人。她始终坚守着五代相传的皮影匠心，也愿以一名非遗代表性传承人的担当，扛起属于这个时代的责任。

制作皮影，先从画稿起笔，再落刀雕刻。影人身上每一处镂空，皆由我们手工雕琢而成。刻毕，便上色、喷油；而后组装、缝缀、装杆。至此，一个影人才算真正完成。

皮影戏历经两千载春秋，未曾失传，自有其独特魅力。我们这代人更有责任，让皮影戏更好地传承下去。