一匹布，一盏灯，一个影人儿，一副唱腔，便能调动千军万马，演绎人间万事，这就是皮影戏，中国出现最早的戏曲剧种之一，距今已有2000多年的历史。350多年前，王氏家族的王元胜创立了王皮影，后经王文坤改造革新，集“土”“广”“渭”等皮影之长处，吸众家“雕”“剪”“绘”“刻”等技艺之精要，融川北风情民俗之意趣，传承至国家级非遗代表性传承人王彪这里，已经是第七代。回顾王皮影的传承，方能见文化传承中的热心与齐力。

With just a piece of cloth, a lamp, a shadow figure, and a melodic voice, massed forces can be mobilized and an extensive narrative can be brought to life. This is achieved through shadow puppetry, one of China’s earliest forms of opera, boasting a history spanning over 2,000 years. Over 350 years ago, Wang’s Shadow Puppetry was established by Wang Yuansheng, a member of the Wang family, and then reformed and innovated by Wang Wenkun. After years of evolution, Wang’s Shadow Puppetry not only amalgamates the strengths of Northern Sichuan Shadow Puppetry, Shaanxi Weinan Shadow Puppetry, and Weiyuan Shadow Puppetry, but also takes the essential techniques of "carving","cutting", "painting", and "engraving"from various shadow puppetry categories, incorporating northern Sichuan’s folk culture and customs. Wang Biao, a national representative inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, serves as the seventh-generation inheritor of Wang’s Shadow Puppetry. Reflecting on the legacy of Wang's Shadow Puppetry, one can witness the enthusiasm and unity in cultural inheritance.

薄薄的皮影背后，是整整32道必不可少的工序。王皮影在吸收了多个皮影流派的长处之外，又保留了本地的特色。不同于陕西皮影和唐山皮影，川北王皮影人物的额头、鼻子、下颌都非常圆润饱满，和现代人的长相极为接近，这在全中国的皮影中都是独一无二的。在雕刻方式上，王皮影也兼融了两种传统雕刻方式，既可以皮动刀不动，也能够刀动皮不动。

There are 32 essential procedures behind these thin puppets. Wang'sShadow Puppetry not only assimilates the strengths of various regional shadow puppetry traditions,but also preserves local characteristics. Different from Shaanxi Shadow Puppetry and Tangshan Shadow Puppetry, the characters in Wang’s Shadow Puppetry from northern Sichuan feature a plump forehead, nose, and jaw, resembling the appearance of modern people. This characteristic sets it apart within the realm of Chinese shadow puppetry. In terms of puppet carving, Wang's Shadow Puppetry combines two traditional carving methods, achieving the effect of either removing the knife while the cowhide remains stationary or removing the cowhide while the knife is still.

在王彪看来，皮影戏就是给人“带来悲，带来欢”的艺术，讲究的就是一个“装谁像谁，似我非我”的艺术境界。在他的一生中，从外出打工，偶然重拾皮影，到遇见四川著名收藏家赵树同，让皮影“活”了起来，再到放弃在成都已成气候的事业，回到家乡阆中创立“四川川北皮影艺术团”宣传皮影，这些喜怒哀乐，也均与皮影相关。

In Wang Biao's opinion, shadow puppetry is an art form that "brings people sorrows and joys", pursuing an artistic realm of "transcending the boundaries of the original image". Throughout his life, Wang Biao initially ventured out as a migrant and occasionally picked up the craft of shadow puppetry. Afterwards, Wang Biao encountered Zhao Shutong, a renowned collector in Sichuan, who inspired him to breathe life into shadow puppetry.Later, Wang quit his decent career in Chengdu and establishedthe "Northern Sichuan Shadow Puppetry Troupe"in Langzhong to promoteshadow puppetry.Wang found that his life hadbeen tightly connected toshadow puppetry.