With a history of more than 600 years, Taishan Shadow Puppetry was listed in the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage projects. It has distinctive Shandong characteristics in music style, language and character. The most amazing thing is that while shadow puppetry in other places usually requires a troupe, Taishan Shadow Puppetry must be performed by one person, who operates eight instruments, controls the puppeteers and sings at the same time.

Fan Zhengan, the inheritor of Taishan Shadow Puppetry, is the only person in China who has still mastered this unique skill.

Fan Zhengan has always been active on the stage and maintained inexhaustible creative energy although he is nearly 80 years old. “I gave it a new content in the old way, and as The Times move on, I have to have something new,” he said. Fan made two shadow puppeteers for the 2022 Winter Olympics, which will be held in Beijing. He said that he was motivated by the athletes’ mentality and would perform as much as possible during the Games.