苏说文化之陕西皮影（英文版）

陕西皮影

Shaanxi Shadow Show

皮影戏，世界上最古老的民间传统艺术之一，它是手工艺术与戏剧的完美结合。

Shadow Show is one the oldest traditional folk arts in the world. It is a perfect combination of handicraft and drama.

皮影戏，唱腔板式齐备，表现形式丰富多样，“一张牛皮道尽喜怒哀乐，半边人脸收尽忠奸贤恶”。它在民间广为流传，被誉为“中华一绝”。“一口叙说千古事，双手对舞百万兵”，这是对皮影戏的最高评价。

The show has its own complete singing patterns and rich and diverse forms of expression. "All facial expressions, sadness or sorrow, are carved out of cowhide, and all characters, uprightness or treachery, are vivified by a halved face". It is well received by Chinese people and has earned the reputation of "a unique art of China". One mouth tells stories of thousands of years; a pair of hands operates millions of soldiers. This is the highest evaluation of shadow show.

陕西皮影色彩鲜艳浓厚，主要采用红、黄、蓝、青、黑五种纯色。皮影雕刻采用独特的推皮走刀。所谓推皮走刀，即皮动刀不动，靠左手推动牛皮完成雕刻。刀功讲究完美，一刀就能刻出人物的喜怒哀乐。台上，皮影是一位活灵活现的“演员”，台下，皮影是一件精美绝伦的艺术品。它玲珑剔透，制作精美，带着浓郁的地方特色，深受大众喜爱。

Shaanxi shadow puppet is colored blazingly and gaily. Five main colors are employed, red, yellow, blue, green and black. In the production process, a unique carving skill is used, called pushing leather holding cutter, that is, the leather cutter must be held still while the leather is pushed by the left hand to complete the carving. At a single cutting stroke, various facial expressions are showed vividly and perfectly. On the stage, shadow puppet is a lively actor, while, off the stage, it is a fine handicraft. Carved finely and exquisitely, and featuring distinctive regional characteristics, it has been deeply loved by the public.

常言道：世界皮影看中国，中国皮影看陕西，陕西皮影看华县，这足以表明华县皮影艺术界重要地位。华县皮影以其悠久的历史、精制的造型、逼真形象、艳丽的色彩、浓郁的乡土气息，从众多皮影戏中脱颖而出，堪称艺术精品，皮影界的活化石。

As a saying goes, to appreciate good shadow puppet, go to China, better, Shaanxi, and the best, Huaxian, which shows the important position of Huaxian Shadow Puppet in the art field. For its long history, exquisite design, vivid image, voluptuous color and enriched native breath, Huaxian Shadow Show is known as a fine craftwork and living fossil of shadow puppet, standing out from many other shadow shows.