Hou once worked in a local troupe performing a dialect-based opera.
His life's path changed after he paid a visit to Wu Haitang, an elderly master of shadow puppetry. Hou found Wu living in a dilapidated cave dwelling. The precious shadow puppets Wu had collected throughout his life were stored in a broken box, covered in a thick layer of dust.
The sight made Hou question whether the art that had shaped his childhood had lost its place in modern society.
Unwilling to accept that fate, Hou immediately apprenticed himself to Wu, starting with the most basic techniques of puppet manipulation.
And so, a former opera performer became a shadow puppeteer behind the screen.
In addition to preserving traditional scripts and techniques, Hou has also been trying to create new productions.
