As a major technological trend in the future, virtual reality technology should undertake the inheritance and development of intangible cultural heritage in the tide. Taking an actual development project as an example, this paper discusses the specific application of virtual reality technology to shadow play, one of the intangible cultural heritage cultures. At the same time, taking shadow play as a starting point, this paper establishes an intangible cultural heritage library based on virtual reality technology, combines traditional culture with new culture, and contributes to the development of Chinese culture.