Development of the art
The Chinese shadow show became popular as early as the Song Dynasty (960-1279), when holidays were marked by the presentation of shadow plays. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), there were 40 to 50 shadow show troupes in the city of Beijing alone.
In the 13th century the shadow show became a regular recreation in the barracks of Mongolian troops. It was spread by the conquering Mongols to distant countries like Persia, Arabia and Turkey. Later, it was also introduced to Southeast Asian countries.
In the mid-18th century, shadow puppetry spread to Europe, as French missionaries who had returned from China put on performances in Paris and Marseilles.
At present, more than 20 countries are known to have shadow show troupes.
Increasing value
Compared to five or six years ago, the price for shadow puppets has increased by five to ten times as much. At a recent exhibition held at the Shanghai Art Gallery, a piece of Pi Ying modeled on the famous ancient painting "Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival" had an estimated value of 8 million yuan ($1.25 million).
In recent years, people have begun collecting more cultural relics like Pi Ying. It's a safe bet that in years to come, the price of the puppets will climb even higher.
