1995-09, Chinese Shadow Play《中国皮影》

Stamp Title: Chinese Shadow Play
Scott No: 2571, 2572, 2573, 2574
Serial number: 1995-9
Values in set: 4
(4-1), Leather-silhouette Figure in Donglu, Shanxi, 20 fen, 31*52mm
(4-2), Leather-silhouette Figure in Luan county, Hebei, 40 fen, 31*52mm
(4-3), Leather-silhouette Figure in Xiaoyi, Shanxi, 50 fen, 31*52mm
(4-4), Leather-silhouette Figure in Dayi, Sichuan, 50 fen, 31*52mm
Date of issue: June 8, 1995
Designers: Wang Huming; Yan Bingwu
Size: 31*52mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 40
Printing process: offset

The Chinese shadow play is a kind of puppet show as well as an ancient Chinese play. It is said that the play stated in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), becoming popular in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and spreading across the country in the Late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The “figures” on performance are made of donkey skin, oxhide and sheep skin. After tanning and flattening, the skins will be carved, colored, ironed flat and bound into different shapes, which are controlled and played on the screen by artists through lights. Accompanied with music and singing, they become very interesting artistic images, which can “tell stories of hundreds of dynasties” and directed millions of soldiers by hands”. The Chinese shadow play has close ties with other Chinese arts. It is a flat carving art, which is similar to the folk paper-cutting. From the modeling of figures, stage property, horses and carts and buildings of the shadow play, it is similar to the figures of local operas. The figure of a shadow play can be carved only from the front side. And the modeling of the shadow play stesses on empty instead of solid, forming a contrast between the empty and solid and projecting the image.

The shadow play spreads widely among the Chinese and is different from place to place, habits and aesthetic standards. The shadow play can be classified into Donglu and Xilu in Shanxi and Sichuan, Longdong and Longxi in Gansu, and Dingcheng and Xicheng in Beijing.

1995年特种邮票《中国皮影》
国家邮政局1995年6月8日发行《中国皮影》特种邮票1套4枚。
（4-1）T 陕西东路皮影人物 20 分 5025.75万枚
（4-2）T 河北滦县皮影人物 40 分 2617.75万枚
（4-3）T 山西孝义皮影人物 50 分 3001.75万枚
（4-4）T 四川大邑皮影人物 50 分 3005.75万枚

志号名称：1995-9T
版别：胶印
整版枚数：40 枚
邮票规格：31 × 52毫米
齿孔度数：12度
设计者：王虎鸣、阎炳武
印制机构：辽宁省沈阳邮电印刷厂

皮影是中国民间皮影戏所用的和一种皮制人物形象。它既是舞台演出用具，又是精美的民间工艺品。相传皮影戏始于汉而兴于宋。

皮影最初以素纸制作，后采用羊皮或驴皮雕形，并施以彩绘，故称皮影。演出时对灯光照射皮影，使其映在影幕上，表演出各种动作。由于皮影的手、腿等关节以线连缀，故活动自如，表演起来形象优美。