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​Design Characteristics



As the shadow puppet aesthetic in China with the longest history, Northern Central style is characterized by its unparalleled intricacy in design and cutting mastery.  The puppets’ profiles are denoted by the pointy nose, the tall and rounded forehead and the size and placement of the mouth.  These puppets are around 12-14” tall and are most commonly made out of cowhide.



To read an artist's profile from this region, go to our Profiles pages for a story on Wangyan Master Cutter or click here.