- Title: CHINA: China's dwarfs find home in traditional shadow puppetry
- Date: 15th January 2013
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (RECENT) (REUTERS) SHADOW PUPPETS MOVING BEHIND THE SCREEN TROUPE COACH INSTRUCTING SHADOW PUPPETS MOVING SHADOW PUPPETS BEING MOVED FROM BEHIND SCREEN SHADOW PUPPETS MOVING TROUPE MEMBERS MOVING SHADOW PUPPETS BEHIND THE SCREEN SHADOW PUPPETS TROUPE MEMBER SINGING SHADOW PUPPETS MOVING VARIOUS OF SHADOW PUPPETS TROUPE COACH INSTRUCTING MEMBERS SHADOW PUPPET MOVING VARIOUS OF TROUPE COACH INSTRUCTING MEMBERS SHADOW PLAY PUPPETS MOVING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) TROUPE COACH LIU LIXIN SAYING: "Deep down, (these) people feel they are inferior and humble. When they come to this troupe, we tell them this platform we offer is a (stable) job and source of income. This group of people are now very happy, harmonious, and united to work together here as shadow puppet actors, so they work with more and more energy." SHADOW PUPPETS TROUPE MEMBERS PRACTISING SHADOW PUPPETS TROUPE MEMBER PLAYING CHINESE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT VARIOUS OF SHADOW PUPPETS PUPPETS MOVING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 25-YEAR-OLD SHADOW PUPPETRY TROUPE MEMBER LU DEFENG SAYING: "We're short, so it's difficult for us to find a job. It's not suitable for us, even when we can find a job, as we are not tall enough and strong enough, and as what my family would say, we have no (physical) strength. We heard performing shadow puppets requires little (physical) strength." VARIOUS OF SHADOW PLAY TROUPE MEMBERS WALKING ON THE STREET VARIOUS OF SHADOW PLAY TROUPE MEMBERS HAVING LUNCH IN THEIR DORMITORY VARIOUS OF COMPUTER SCREEN SHOWING CAR ON WEB PAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 22-YEAR-OLD SHADOW PUPPETRY TROUPE MEMBER WU CHUNXIAO SAYING: "I felt like I was all alone, very lonely. I felt like there was only me on the planet. Then I came here, just like a little sheep that's found its flock. Now I feel very happy to live and work (with everyone) together everyday." CHILDREN WALKING INTO THEATRE SHADOW PLAY PUPPETS MOVING CHILDREN WATCHING THE PLAY VARIOUS OF SHADOW PLAY PUPPETS MOVING VARIOUS OF CHILDREN WATCHING THE PLAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) TEACHER AT BEIJING INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL ROGER HAWKE SAYING: "We would tell students that no matter how someone looks, or no matter who they are, we treat everyone respectfully as equals and it doesn't matter about anything else. That's one of the things we will make sure that we, you know, ensure that all of the students understand that." VARIOUS OF SHADOW PUPPETRY TROUPE MEMBERS PERFORMING BEHIND THE SCREEN
- Embargoed: 30th January 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- City:
- Country: China
- Topics: Arts
- Reuters ID: LVADHT11V531DRTB661679S29BJT
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: A group of dwarfs in China has found home in the traditional art of shadow puppetry, manipulating cut-out characters behind a translucent screen, portraying myths and fairytales set against a soundtrack of traditional Chinese music.
No longer having to worry about unemployment and endure discrimination in their hometowns, 58 of them are working at a private shadow play troupe, named "the Dragon in the Sky", in Beijing.
Performers need to be relatively short to manipulate cut-out characters held up in front of an oil lamp that projects their shadows onto a paper screen.
The troupe, founded in 2008, only recruits dwarves. The troupe master said he recruits them from across the country and offers them a stable career path.
"Deep down, (these) people feel they are inferior and humble. When they come to this troupe, we tell them this platform we offer is a (stable) job and source of income. This group of people are now very happy, harmonious, and united to work together here as shadow play actors, so they work with more and more energy," said 66-year-old coach Liu Lixin.
They have an average height of 1.26m (4ft 2in), and can be difficult for them to make a living in the country's competitive job market.
"We're short, so it's difficult for us to find a job. It's not suitable for us, even when we can find a job, as we are not tall enough and strong enough, and as what my family would say, we have no (physical) strength. We heard performing shadow puppets requires little (physical) strength," said 25-year-old Lu Defeng.
Up until now, no official census on the number of dwarves in China has been conducted, and many of the dwarves say this lack of government recognition and assistance makes their lives even more challenging.
The members all live in dormitories provided by the troupe for free.
Making around 2,000 RMB ($321 USD) per month on average and having their food also paid for, some could even afford a computer, a dream they never thought would come true.
Some of them even started to make plans to buy a car in the future.
Twenty-two-year-old Wu Chunxiao said he finally felt he belonged after joining his peers three years ago.
"I felt like I was all alone, very lonely. I felt like there was only me on the planet. Then I came here, just like a little sheep that's found its flock. Now I feel very happy to live and work (with everyone) together everyday," said Wu.
The troupe makes money by putting on performances at various commercial and cultural events.
It takes much practice to learn how to match the movements of the puppets with music and narration, as well as to coordinate with other performers. But when all goes well, the puppets move across the screen like real people.
A teacher at Beijing International School Roger Hawke, who brought his students to watch the show, said it was important people learn to treat others with respect.
"We would tell students that no matter how someone looks, or no matter who they are, we treat everyone respectfully as equals and it doesn't matter about anything else. That's one of the things we will make sure that we, you know, ensure that all of the students understand that," he said.
The troupe said they planned to help more dwarves in the future by hiring them as puppeteers. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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