Chinese Shadow Puppet Generator

About shadow puppets

Chinese shadow puppetry (piyingxi) uses translucent dyed leather figures manipulated behind a lit cloth screen. The silhouette is carved with hollow lines, then assembled from separate pieces joined at the shoulders, elbows, waist and knees so the limbs can move. This generator draws a printable silhouette in that vocabulary: a translucent body colour, carved line details and optional joint pins. It is a craft and teaching aid, not a reproduction of any particular troupe’s figure.

Tip: print the SVG on thick paper or acetate, cut along the outer line, then join the arms and legs with small rivets or thread.