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ABOVE
AChinesepuppetKueilei xi(Chinese puppet theatre) has
an ancient past, which peaked in the Song
Dynasty(9 6 0–1279).
he rod puppets are typically larger-than-
hand puppets or shadow igures. Beneath their
costumes, the puppets have partial bodies,
or none at all, and are supported by a large,
central wooden pole. More sophisticated
dolls have coiled springs between the head
and shoulder crossbar, which permit simple
movements of the head.
String puppetry has been known since the
Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). Traditional
marionetes, about 60cm high, required at
least eight strings for control of the head, body
and limbs. Mechanisms embedded in the
puppet’s head also allowed for movement of
the ive sensory organs when necessary.
China
GOING BACK A LONG WAYIn Hong Kong, traditional puppetry was
popular during the 1970s and early 1980s.
Consisting mainly of rod, string, glove and
shadow, the art form uses a singing style
based mainly on Cantonese opera, folk, or
instrumental or vocal music, or both. All
dialogues are in Cantonese.
he rod puppet troupe Hon Wah Nin
Cantonese Puppets Art Troupe, which
disbanded ater the veteran puppeteer Mai
Shaotang’s death in 1987, and Wang Xiqing’s
wire puppet troupe, Xin Shun Xiang Puppet
Troupe, were among very few groups that were
able to perform in the demandingshengong xi
(Chinese theatrical plays).Hong Kong
IN A SINGING STYLE[In Taiwan] The mot
valuable glove puppets
can run to many hundreds
to thousands of dollars,
depending on how many
moveable parts the
puppet’s face has