Chinanews, Hangzhou, August 23 – According to a report by Zhejiang Daily, Haining Shadow Play, an intangible cultural heritage of Zhejiang Province, might sink into oblivion in the near future, for not many young people are willing to inherit this art from old artists.“Now there are only 5 in our troupe, two in their 80s, one 76, one 61 and our only apprentice, who is 20. I don’t think the 5 of us will be able to pass this art on to later generations,” said Xu Ernan, a shadow play artist. “It will be a shame if the shadow theater is lost after it has been name a national intangible cultural heritage.”The history of Haining Shadow Play began in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127—1279), and it has many routines in its repertoire. In the 1940s and 1950s, there were 20-plus shadow play troupes in Haining. In 1956, Zhejiang Provincial Shadow Theater was founded, when the art reached its prime.Now it’s time to do something to save the shadow play, before it is too late.