DIY Chinese Shadow Puppet Colouring Kit (Real Cowhide)

Chinese shadow puppetry was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2011.

This kit lets you make your own. The pieces are real cowhide, already carved with the outline and pattern by a shadow-puppet workshop in Weinan, Shaanxi. You colour them in, join the parts, and attach the rods, and the figure is ready to perform behind a lit sheet.

In the kit:
• 2 semi-finished cowhide figures, each about 30 cm tall when assembled. Default: Monkey King (孙悟空) and Guan Yu (关公)
• Operating rods
• An English story and colouring guide card (added by us)

Want different characters? Write them in the order notes. Choose from Monkey King, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Liu Bei, Sha Wujing, Zhu Bajie and Tang Seng, subject to availability.

Paints are not included, because liquids can't go in an international small parcel. Colour with permanent or alcohol markers, or acrylic paints you have at home.

Not a toy for young children. Recommended for ages 8+ with adult help; contains small parts.

A good family or homeschool activity for Chinese New Year (6 February 2027).

The photos show a bagged semi-finished figure as supplied (uncoloured), and finished puppets as an example of what coloured pieces can look like.

Lead time: ships in about 3–5 days, then about 2–3 weeks international shipping.

Price includes estimated postage to the US/EU. Sent from China as a small international packet.