Chinese Image Artistry Shadow Play (Pi Ying) -

English and Chinese Text. The interior of the book, including all the inlaid artwork, is in excellent condition. The cover has light shelf-wear at the corner tips and there is a small crack/indent on the top edge of the front board where it has been bumped. This book has 8 thick cardboard pages which consists of one or two paragraphs of information on the left page and on the right page a laid-in example of a Chinese woman shadow puppet (each wearing a different headdress). The front of the book opens at the middle (like a double door) and is held closed by magnets. Quick glimpses into the topics of the Origin of Chinese Shadow Play, Vitality, Charms of Rhythm, and Technique of Operation are provided. Since ox leather is the main material normally used to create the puppets in Chinese Shadow Play, the laid-in designs might be leather (if not, then they might be a soft plastic). Each design is glued to the page and covered by a clear plastic shield. Shadow play presents a performance from behind a white curtain by moving flat puppets with sticks. Illuminated by lights, colorful puppets and dramatic scenes can be seen by audience members sitting in front of the curtain. The puppets and scenes in the shadow play are carved and painted by folk artists who use leather as their raw material. That is why it is called Pi Ying (literal meaning: leather-silhouette).. Hardcover. Very Good. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall.