Shadow play show
A series of activities for shadow play from Türkiye and China's Lufeng kicked off at the Guangzhou Library on April 20, including performances, workshops, and an exhibition.
The opening ceremony of "An Enchanting Karagöz Adventure in Guangdong: Shadow Tales from Türkiye and Lufeng" was held on the same day.
Karagöz Shadow Puppetry
Fang Jiazhong, Curator of the Guangzhou Library, introduced that through the artistic form called shadow play, people brought stories to life on screens, which used to be passed down orally from storytellers to storytellers. "In the past, shadow play was an important way for ordinary people to acquire knowledge and experience aesthetics," he added.
Chinese Shadow Puppetry
Both Karagöz and Chinese Shadow Puppetry have been included in UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Kaan Başkurt, Consul General of Türkiye in Guangzhou, said, "Turkish and Chinese people have had contact for thousands of years. I have seen so many similarities between the shadow plays of the two countries. The coming together of Turkish and Chinese cultures unites us in the spirit of friendship and shared cultural heritage."
On the day of the event, a team from the Turkish State Theater showed a shadow play of Karagöz, performing the well-known folk tale—Magic Lamp. This performance was the first public performance of the Turkish State Theater in Chinese mainland.
As the only state-owned professional shadow puppet theater troupe in Guangdong Province, Lufeng Shadow Puppet Theater Troupe presented a performance with a Chinese style, titled "Roasters Fight". The stage design of the play also showcased the art of Chinese ink painting.
A shadow play workshop was held, where participants were divided into groups and, under the guidance of shadow play masters, completed the drawing, coloring, cutting, and piecing together of unique Turkish and Lufeng's shadow puppets.
The exhibition of shadow play cultures in Türkiye and China's Lufeng is open on the 8th floor of the Guangzhou Library until May 20 (closed on Wednesdays).
The event was jointly organized by the Guangzhou Library and the Consulate General of the Republic of Türkiye in Guangzhou.
Reporter丨Nina
Editor丨Steven, Will, James
Photos provided to GDToday
