INTRODUCTION
Shadow play, also known as shadow puppetry, is an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment in China which uses shadow puppets to create cut-out figures held between a source of light and a translucent screen or scrim. The performance is usually accompanied by local music of percussion and strings. The flat articulated figures and scenes are hide (or paper) products hand carved and painted by folk artists. A talented puppeteer can make the figures appear to walk, dance, fight, nod and laugh. The audience is amused by the fast moving figures and constantly shifting scenes projected onto the white screen. The shadow play used to be very popular with the Chinese people in an age without film, television or other electronic devices.

Zhenjiang, a peaceful historical city situated in Jiangsu province, China, south of the Yangtse River, is known as a romantic city with many love stories. One of the four famous Chinese legends–The Legend of White Snake just happened in Zhenjiang and Hangzhou. The shadow play of The Legend of White Snake tells the love story of a snake-turned-lady in white and a young man called Xu Xian. In the story she brought the water in the Yangtse River to overflow Jinshan Temple where her husband was imprisoned by the evil monk Fa Hai. The beautiful yet miserable love story features both the art of shadow play and the folk literature in Zhenjiang. Through watching the performance, international students will appreciate both the Chinese art of shadow play and learn about the folk story about Lady White originated in a city topping the list of China’s intangible cultural heritages. Moreover, the combination of dramatic performance and literary creation embedded in the shadow play of China will exhibit the unique historical culture of Zhenjiang. Last but least, students will be arranged to manipulate the puppets themselves and learn to speak Chinese through dialogues with the Chinese natives.

With all the above mentioned activities, this project is intended to acquaint international students with the colorful Chinese folk culture and arts, to help them enjoy themselves by hand making Chinese folk art products, and to better understand the traditional Chinese culture.

HIGHLIGHTS
1. A panoramic interactive cultural experience
The program will offer English lectures on and shadow play shows of The Legend of White Snake, in which the students will be exposed to typical Chinese cultural elements, including Chinese Kung Fu, traditional folk cultures, craftsmanship, cuisine, calligraphy, painting and musical instruments. Great masters in all these fields will be invited to demonstrate their crafts and teach students in a whole variety of enchanting ways.

2. Visits and tours throughout the program
A host of love-story visits and tourist activities will be arranged in a well-planned and rewarding schedule. All the spots are carefully chosen and feature the most typical Chinese landscape including mountains and rivers, such as Jinshan Temple, the capturing tourist attractions in Zhenjiang, Hangzhou, one of the seven ancient Chinese capital cities.
A host of love-story-themed visits and tourist activities will be arranged into a well-planned and rewarding schedule. All the tourist destinations are carefully chosen to feature the marvelous Chinese landscapes, including Jinshan Temple, one of the most engaging tourist attractions in Zhenjiang, and Hangzhou, one of the seven ancient Chinese capital cities, to name just a few.

3. Top priority for students’ security
Well-furnished on-campus housing will be offered; all the activities will be organized in a centralized manner and all the tours and visits will be superintended by teachers.

TIME
From April to November, in groups

PARTICIPANTS
All international students interested in shadow play, Chinese folk legend and the Chinese culture

GROUP SIZE
10-30 persons each group

Fee
2000 CNY per person.
PROGRAM SCHEDULES(7 DAYS)

Ps: The schedule is subject to change.