China’s culture primed to captivate world

Grace Hung, founder of PMG, introduces small shadow puppets that are based on much larger piyingxi shadow puppets. These small shadow puppets are designed to allow children to play with them and “become the character.”    Zach Mills

At the 20th China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair (ICIF), the Pacific Media Group (PMG) introduced attendees to a charming shadow puppet show that is best described as a unique fusion of traditional Chinese culture and modern storytelling.

The shadow puppet show is based on the popular cartoon series “Gigantosaurus,” which is a CGI-animated preschool series based on the book “Gigantosaurus” by Johnny Duddle. The main themes of “Gigantosaurus” revolve around friendship, teamwork, and adventure, teaching children valuable lessons on cooperation and communication across different cultures.

Its first three seasons were a co-production between PMG and French animation studio Cyber Group Studios, and the forthcoming fourth season, which will be released later this year, is a co-production between France and China. The series has been broadcast in over 50 countries and reaches millions of viewers worldwide. The series premiered on the Disney Channel, Netflix, and CCTV in China. “Gigantosaurus” has won several awards including the 2019 Pulcinella Award for Best TV Series, the Common Sense Award, and the National Parenting Product Award.

PMG is currently preparing for a shadow puppet show that will involve cultural cross-over with their exiting IP — the company has partnered with Wang’s Shadow, a Chinese animation group that specializes in piyingxi. By retaining the original story structure and characters but harnessing the ancient Chinese art form of leather shadow puppets, known as piyingxi, PMG has created a blend of the old and new.

Piyingxi, an art form that dates to the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220), involves manipulating intricately carved leather figures to create shadows on a screen and is accompanied by music and dialogue to narrate the stories. This traditional Chinese performance art was recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011, highlighting its cultural significance and artistic value. Piyingxi, with its delicate craftsmanship and vibrant storytelling, is an ideal medium for PMG’s creative adaptation.

The concept of merging Piyingxi with PMG’s international cartoon IP, including “Gigantosaurus,” originated from Grace Hung, PMG’s founder, and her team. They sought to explore traditional Chinese art forms and find innovative ways to integrate them with the company’s globally renowned intellectual property (IP). Hung and her team identified Piyingxi as the best vehicle for sharing Chinese intangible cultural heritage with the international audience of “Gigantosaurus” and marketing their IP in China.

Hung told Shenzhen Daily that she believes that this strategy of “glocalization” — blending global appeal with local traditions — will be commercially viable and that Chinese culture is primed for global recognition and appreciation.

In addition to bringing PMG to the ICIF for the second time this year, Hung also represented the Shenzhen Youth Chamber of Commerce at the fair. The chamber aims to create a supportive community for second- and third-generation returning Chinese professionals, fostering a network of professional and cultural exchange. While focused on the dynamic city of Shenzhen, the chamber recently opened a new branch in Hong Kong to strengthen collaborations between the two cities, contributing to broader efforts to enhance integration and cooperation within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.