Under the stage lights in Shihezi, a leather shadow puppet slowly raised an arm, swaying gracefully to the rhythm of melodies unique to the city in northern Xinjiang.
Its movements were inspired by traditional Uygur dance. The music came from local performers playing classic Uygur instruments such as the dutar and rawap. Yet the figure dancing behind the screen belonged to Beijing’s centuries-old shadow puppet tradition.
For the performers, it was an opportunity to explore how intangible cultural heritage can travel across regions, connect with new traditions and continue to evolve.
The performance was created for the 2026 Xinjiang is a Nice Place intangible cultural heritage showcase, which opened on July 30 in Shihezi.
