French youth gain insights into Taishan Shadow Puppetry

[Video/WeChat account: taianribao]

A group of young French gained insights into the history of Taishan Shadow Puppetry, a national intangible cultural heritage (ICH) item, at the ICH training center in Tai'an, Shandong province on April 13.

Under the guidance of Fan Weiguo, a seventh-generation inheritor of the art form, the students also watched Taishan Shadow Puppetry shows, exploring the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture.

Taishan Shadow Puppetry boasts over 600 years of history and is an ancient folk art form in Tai'an.

The students developed a keen interest in the art form after watching the shows, so they also tried their hands at making some shadow puppets themselves and putting on a show under the guidance of experienced performers.

"For me, this is a very important experience. The process of making shadow puppets is quite complicated, and performing is even more so," said one of the French students.

The visit not only gave French teachers and students a better understanding of Chinese culture, but also built helped to strengthen the friendship between China and France, said Zhang Ruojun, a Chinese teacher at the China Cultural Center in Paris.

The French visitors came to Tai'an to participate in the Mount Tai Cultural Experience Camp, which commenced on April 12. They are also scheduled to learn Mandarin, enjoy the beautiful landscapes, and delve into traditional Chinese medicine, Zhang said.

Watch the video to see more!