A shadow puppet show of The Monkey King Thrice Defeats the Skeleton Demon, adapted from the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, was displayed in a crowded square in Houma, North China’s Shanxi province, on the evening on July 4.

With exquisite skills and artistry of folk artists, the shadow play presented a visual feast to local people, a highlight of cultural activities in summer.

As an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment, shadow puppetry uses flat figures (shadow puppets) to create cut-out figures that are held between a source of light and a translucent screen.

Various spectacular effects can be achieved by moving both the puppets and the light source. A talented puppeteer can make the figures walk, dance, fight, nod and laugh on stage.

Shadow puppets, or piying, stage the shadow play The Monkey King Thrice Defeats the Skeleton Demon, adapted from the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. [Photo/ Shanxinews.com]

Folk artists operate puppets behind the screen. [Photo/ Shanxinews.com]