It is recognized that the world shadow puppet plays originated in China, with Chinese shadow puppet play as the earliest, best and most varied.

On 27 November 2011, UNESCO announced that Chinese shadow puppet play was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Shadow puppetry is a folk drama in which characters are silhouetted using animal skin or cardboard, illuminated by light, and presented in the form of storytelling. It is the world's earliest active video art of using human voice acting. The history of this ancient art form in China can be traced back over two thousand years to the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C. -8A.D.).

It is said that after the death of Li, the beloved consort of Emperor Wu of Han, he fell into a stupor of sorrow in which all he did was mourn and cry all day long. To remedy the situation, one of his ministers cut a piece of fine cloth into the image of Li and illuminated it from behind with lamps and candles to project its shadow onto a curtain. Emperor Wu was greatly pleased with the display and the art gradually evolved into what is done as Shadow puppetry.

Chinese shadow puppet play integrates art modeling, literary scripts, singing and performance skills. As it develops, it has formed a relatively complete art system and distinctive national characteristics and got high aesthetic achievements.

It is also closely related to people's production and life, changes of seasons, beliefs and customs. At the same time, as a form of folk culture and folk entertainment. It reflects Chinese people's unique aesthetics, thoughts, emotions and cultural life.

The Song Dynasty (960-1279) was the most prosperous period of shadow puppet art, and by the Southern Song Dynasty (1127- 1279), shadow puppet play had emerged as a profession and developed greatly. It continued to be prosperous in Yuan (1271-1368),Ming(1368-1644) and Qing(1636-1912) dynasties and formed its own unique style.

There are many types of shadow puppet play with different shapes, music for voices and performance styles, showing colorful artistic characteristics.

Shadow puppet plays are widely spread in almost all provinces and regions in China, such as

Luanzhou, Zhuozhou and Handan shadow puppet plays in Hebei Province
Yuxi, Luoshan and Tongbai shadow puppet plays in Henan Province
Haining shadow puppet play in Zhejiang Province
Xiaoyi shadow puppet play with paper curtain and Jinxi shadow puppet play in Shanxi Province Tengchong and Longdong shadow puppet plays in Yunnan Province
Mianyang,Yunmeng and Huanggang shadow puppet plays in Hubei Province.
Shadow puppet plays with moving lanterns, white bamboo paper curtain and transparent boxes in Guangdong Province.