From an early age, we are amazed by those who, with magical skill, manage to bring incredible stories to life using their hands and a light, projecting shadow puppets onto a white wall. And we decided to tell you the story of this art that lives only thanks to light play, the kind we love so much.

Shadow puppets, as the name suggests, originated over 2000 years ago in China or Indonesia (the true geographical origin is unknown) and were a theatrical show that came to life on traveling carts that journeyed through villages. The Chinese shadow puppet theater entertained children and adults who, through a white screen, could admire a story told through shadows. The images appeared larger than they actually were, thanks to a powerful light source and the artist's distance from the screen.

At the time, the shadows were projected in the theater with the aid of wooden figures representing finely crafted puppets, almost resembling lace. The lighting was provided by candles and oil lamps: lights and actors were positioned behind the projection screen so that the audience would not directly see the performance.

This type of theater arrived in Europe only in the 18th century and, especially in recent years, many things have changed thanks to modern technologies.

Electricity has favored the use of light bulbs, brighter than candles and oil lamps, which can project the scene larger and with greater intensity, as well as with a more stable light. However, it has also caused a bit of that magical atmosphere that characterized the game to be lost.

This beloved and appreciated art form can also be made at home, to entertain children. The ideal environment to stage this activity is a dark room, and all you will need is a bare wall and an adjustable table lamp. The light must be precisely positioned to perfectly illuminate the wall, at a distance of at least one meter. The hands, in turn, must be exactly in front of the light source, still one meter from the wall. The closer the hands are to the lamp, the larger the created shadows will be.

A fun game that can bring together family or friends, perhaps for a different kind of evening than usual, or as entertainment for a children's birthday party.