Theater of Shadows

From April 10 to April 30, 2014, the State Historical Museum of the Kyrgyz Republic will host an exhibition of folk art, customs, and traditions of Shaanxi Province (China) titled "Shadow Theater." This is the first exhibition of its kind not only in Kyrgyzstan but also in Central Asia.

The exhibition will feature performances such as "A Date in the Garden," "Hunting for the Green Snake," "General Guan Yu in the Tent," "Three Visits to the Hut," "Solemn Worship of Buddha," as well as leather dolls and paintings from the "Shadow Theater."

Shadow theater is one of the forms of dramatic art in China. It became popular in the early Song Dynasty (960-1279), when festivals were celebrated with performances of many plays. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), there were between 40 and 50 shadow shows in the city of Beijing. In the 13th century, shadow theater became the main form of entertainment in the barracks of Mongolian troops. It spread to distant lands conquered by the Mongols, including Persia, Arabia, and Turkey. Later, it was introduced to Southeast Asia. Shadow theater began to spread in Europe in the mid-18th century when French missionaries in China brought its ideas to France, and in 1767, they created performances in Paris and Marseille.

Date: April 10 to April 30, 2014
City: Bishkek
Exhibition of the Xi'an Museum of China in Bishkek
Venue: State Historical Museum of the Kyrgyz Republic
Address: Bishkek, Ala-Too Square
Phone: +996 312 62-60-97