Chinese Shadow Puppetry Is Embracing Its Innovation中国皮影戏正迎来创新
Chinese shadow puppetry， a combination of light， shadow， drawing and singing， traces its origins to the Western Han Dynasty （206 BC—AD 8）. It evolved and peaked through the subsequent dynasties， and even spread as far as Europe and Western Asia during the Yuan Dynasty （1206—1368）.
中国皮影戏集光、影、画、唱于一体，起源于西汉（公元前206年—公元8年）。它在随后的朝代中不断发展并达到顶峰，在元朝（1206年—1368年）时期甚至传播到了欧洲和西亚。
Listed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2011， the traditional puppetry art now faces the challenges posed by contemporary entertainment.
这门中国传统的皮影艺术于2011年被联合国教科文组织列入《人类非物质文化遗产代表名录》，如今面临着当代娱乐带来的挑战。
Lu Baogang， a national-level inheritor of Beijing shadow puppetry art， and other inheritors of the art form are looking for new ways to revive the age-old art by exploring new avenues， attracting attention and appreciation for their relentless quest for renewal.
北京皮影戏的国家级传承人路宝钢和其他皮影戏传承人正在通过探索新的途径，寻找新的方法来复兴这门古老的艺术。他们对创新的不懈追求引起了人们的关注。
Over the years， the audience number for Chinese shadow puppetry shows has declined. For artists of Lu’s generation， finding new ways to innovate has become vital.
多年来，中国皮影戏的观众人数有所下降。对于路宝钢这一代艺术家来说，寻求创新变得至关重要。
Lu has long been aware that traditional shadow puppetry does not enjoy great success in the marketplace， being less popular than other art forms. This realization is what prompted his company to explore inter-theater fusion.
路宝钢早就意识到，传统皮影戏在市场上反响不大，不像其他艺术形式那么受欢迎。正是这种认识促使他的公司去探索影院间的融合。
“This fusion involves combining shadow puppetry with other theatrical genres such as spoken theater， musical comedy and puppet theater. This goal is to address certain limitations of our art， such as its flat， two-dimensional presentation，” Lu told ChinAfrica magazine.
“这种融合包括将皮影戏与其他戏剧类型相结合，如口语戏剧、音乐喜剧和木偶剧。这样做的目的是解决我们皮影艺术的某些局限性，比如平面的二维呈现方式。”路宝钢在接受《中非》杂志采访时表示。
While the specific two-dimensional nature of shadow puppetry is a strength， it can also be a weakness in terms of visual impact. Artists are seeking to remedy this by integrating more visually dynamic theatrical forms on stage， moving beyond the traditional backdrop of a simple curtain， he added.
虽然皮影戏独特的二维性质是一个优势，但就视觉冲击方面而言，它也是一个弱点。他补充道，艺术家们正在寻求通过在舞台上融入更多动态视觉的戏剧形式来解决这个问题，而不仅仅是改变传统的简单幕布背景。
Lu’s troupe has produced two highly praised plays： In 2019， The Legend of the Shadows was created， followed by The Shadow Box’s Fantastic Journey in 2023. Both productions combine shadow puppetry with a range of techniques and forms of expression， including human shadows， paper silhouettes， and shadow landscapes. They also explore innovative concepts in set design， musical accompaniment and staging.
路宝钢剧团制作了两部广受好评的戏剧作品：2019年创作了《影戏传奇》，之后又在2023年创作了《影箱奇旅》。这两部作品都将皮影戏与一系列技艺和表现形式相结合，包括人影、纸的剪影和影子景观。他们还在布景设计、音乐伴奏和舞台等方面探索创新。
“Our objective with these two plays was， and is， to attract a younger audience，” Lu noted while highlighting the positive reception the shows have received.
“我们制作这两部剧的目的是吸引更年轻的观众。过去是，现在也是。”路宝钢说，同时他也强调了两部剧所获得的积极反响。
Other shadow puppetry troupes across the country are also embracing innovation. For example， Wang Haiyan， a representative inheritor of shadow play in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province， is incorporating elements from cartoons and video games into her contemporary puppet designs. Wang was inspired by a cartoon festival she visited with her son a few years ago， motivating her to create new shadow puppets that combine traditional craftsmanship with modern influences.
全国各地的其他皮影戏剧团也在拥抱创新。例如，中国西北陕西省皮影戏的代表传承人汪海燕正在将卡通和电子游戏的元素融入她现在的“影人”设计中。几年前，她和儿子一起参观了一个卡通节，这激发了她的灵感，促使她将传统工艺和现代影响相融合，创作出新型的影人形象。
Wang has also actively pursued “cross-sector” cooperation with different industries， including clothing， automotive and fashion brands. This approach provides opportunities for the art form to reach new audiences and stay relevant in a swiftly changing cultural landscape.
汪海燕还积极寻求与不同行业的“跨部门”合作，包括服装、汽车和时尚品牌。这种方法为皮影戏这门艺术形式提供了接触新观众的机会，并使其能在瞬息万变的文化环境中保持相关性。
Word Bank
trace /treɪs/ v. 追溯；追究
revive /rɪ'vaɪv/ v. （使）复苏；使复兴
relentless /rɪ'lentləs/ adj. 不停的；持续强烈的
remedy /'remədi/ v. 改正；纠正
incorporate /ɪn'kɔːpəreɪt/ v. 将……包括在内；包含；吸收