Shadow Play, one of exquisite folk dramas in the East, enjoys great popularity in such countries and areas as China, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Iran, Turkey, Arabia and Egypt. Shadow Play of China which is usually called "the home of shadow play", with the longest history, the most charming images and the most marvellous techniques in performance, has exerted great influences on the world culture.

The Chinese shadow play, has three branches:
§ hand shadow play
§ paper shadow play
§ and leather shadow play.

First appeared in the Tang and Five Dynasties Period and flourished in the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, it has a history of more than 1,000 years. As a comprehensive folk art which blends painting, sculpture, music, singing, and performance, shadow play is an operreta for peasants which has developed side by side with full scale drama (human drama) for men of letters. It is an important component of the traditional culture of China, for it is inseparable linked to the life, custom and belief of the Chinese peasants.

European version of the Chinese shadow-puppet show, so called "ombres chinoises" (French: "Chinese shadows"), was introduced into Europe in the mid-18th century by returning travelers. It was soon adopted by French and English showmen. Using silhouettes cast by solid cardboard figures instead of the coloured transparencies popular in China, the ombres chinoises usually featured short, amusing fables. Although most shadow theatres had closed by the 1860s, ombres chinoises were played in London until the end of the 19th century. The technique was revived between 1887 and 1897 at Le Chat-Noir, a Montmartre café, by painters, writers, and musicians who presented satirical pieces.