INTERNATIONAL: The Big Skin Shadow Theater has a very long history. It’s also known as Sbek Thom shadow theatre or 'Big Skin' and it is a kind of shadow art that uses leather carvings to portray a story.

The Sbek Thom is a Khmer shadow theatre featuring twometre high, non-articulated puppets made of leather openwork. Dating from before the Angkorian period, the Sbek Thom, along with the Royal Ballet and mask theatre, is considered sacred. Dedicated to the divinities, performances could only take place on specific occasions three or four times a year, such as the Khmer New Year, the King’s birthday or the veneration of famous people. After the fall of Angkor in the fifteenth century, the shadow theatre evolved beyond a ritualistic activity to become an artistic form, while retaining its ceremonial dimension.

In order to contribute to the preservation and promotion of the national culture, the large-scale shadow art troupe of Wat Reachbo, Siem Reap City, plans to perform this large-scale art show to the public at the Angkor Commemoration Ceremony in mid-December.

The Supreme Advisory Council, Chief of Staff and Chief Priest of Wat Reachbon, Siem Reap City, Preah Moha Vimal Dhamma Pin Sem Serey Sovanno has shared that there is no specific document to prove that only the story of Ramayana Reamker is the source of Brahmanism. He also states that the Big Skin has originated in Siem Reap province and has demonstrated the courage of fighting to defeat all kinds of evil.

After Cambodia has escaped the flames of war, the instruments used by the Big Skin Shadow Theater were almost completely lost, but due to the loving spirit of preserving the ancestral heritage left behind they will carry on. To be able to show the next generation of Cambodian children and to preserve the tradition as to not perish and so he decided to strive to re-create the large-scale shadow film group from 1987 to the present and have the performances for Cambodian children. Only a very few Cambodians of this generation knew much about the art of large-scale shadow puppetry, so as to contribute to the national cultural show on 14-16 December 2021. The big skin and comedy of Wat Reachbo, which the APSARA Authority has organized to commemorate Angkor.

On the 14th of December, the Apsara Authority celebrates the ancestral remembrance of the King, the sage, the scholar who built all the temples, and these are to be remembered as Cambodian heritage, which the Royal Government has included in the World Heritage.

Please also be informed that the art of big skin theater has a very long history and age in the territory of the Kingdom of Cambodia is universally recognized and valued as a great human resource and is included in the World Heritage List. UNESCO's 2005 Intangible and Intangible Heritage of Humanity is also a priceless national pride.