An oil lamp, a white cloth, a few shadow figures — when the drums sound, the play begins. Zhuanghe shadow puppetry, an art practised here for over a century, carves its figures from donkey or cow hide; performers hold one figure to the screen and move its rods while singing in local melodies. Troupes once toured villages for festivals and weddings. Now listed as intangible heritage, masters pass on the craft of carving and manipulation in schools, so the old tunes never fade.