Exhibition: January 25May 11, 2014

East-West Center Gallery, Honolulu, Hawaii

A World of Chinese Puppets

The East-West Center Arts Program presents

FROM THE LIN LIU-HSIN MUSEUM,TAIWAN

Guest Curator: Dr. Robin Ruizendaal, Lin Liu-Hsin Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
Installation: Lynne Najita & Dr. Michael Schuster
Artists-in-residence: Taiyuan Puppet Theatre Company

TAIWANESE GLOVE PUPPETS TAIYUAN PUPPET THEATRE COMPANY

Chinese puppet performances

traditionally take place in countryside
temple festivals. In the midst of
exploding firecrackers, burning
incense, and stalls filled with wonderful food, the puppets of the gods
appear on stage with the deafening
sound of gongs and drums. They
bless the community and exorcise
evil, and follow with a puppet theatre
performance that is like a tableau
vivant of Chinese culture with all its

heroes, its villains and beauties, its

devils and demons.
Since its first appearance over
2,000 years ago, Chinese puppet
theatre has developed into many
genres: rod puppets, string puppets,
glove puppets, shadow puppets,
water puppets and gunpowder puppets
(although the latter two are no longer
performed). All these genres developed
to a high level in the urban centers
and countryside of China in the 11th

century. The descriptions of the night

life at the time were almost as lively
as that of any modern day metropolis,
with puppet shows as one of the
main forms of entertainment.
After 1949, puppet theatre
companies in the Peoples Republic
of China became nationalized and
performances were no longer part of
the then-banned religious celebrations.
After the Open Door policy in the late
1970s, puppet theatre was again

performed as part of religious celebrations across the countryside. However,

the arrival of the era of mass media
proved to be detrimental to the live
puppet theatre performances, and
companies slowly started to disband
in the 1990s. Yet, there are still several
thousand puppet theatre companies
performing in China and government
support of this heritage is on the rise.
The Chinese Shadow and Puppet
Theatre Museum is planned to open
in Chengdu in 2014.
In Taiwan, puppet theatre developed
more or less freely during the 20th
century, and a distinct Taiwanese
puppet style developed, named
Golden Rays Puppet Theatre. Even
more spectacular is the development
of television puppet theatre. Taiwan now
has a 24-hour puppet theatre channel,
and the largest puppet film studio in the
world can be found in southern Taiwan.
The government actively supports
puppet theatre companies and there
are still over 300 companies active on
the island. In a public opinion poll by the
Ministry of Information in 2006, puppet
theatre was selected as the most
representative symbol of Taiwan.
This exhibition brings together for
the first time representative objects
from the different puppet theatre
traditions of China and Taiwan.
Focusing on the traditional
puppet theatre, the exhibition
includes over one hundred unique
puppets, stages, scripts and
instruments, covering a period of over
300 years. As such, this is the most
complete exhibition of Chinese
puppet theatre ever
presented in the
U.S. All objects
were provided by
the Lin Liu-Hsin
Puppet Theatre Museum
in Taipei, which currently has the
most complete collection of
Asian theatre puppets in the
world. Founded by Dr. Paul
Lin, this private museum
houses a puppet
theatre and the
Taiyuan Puppet
Theatre Company.

String Puppet Theatre

or Marionette Theatre

Shadow Theatre

CLOWN STRING PUPPET FROM FUJIAN, LATE 1970s

The roots of this original form of art

remain lost in time, but sources indicate
that shadow theatre started near the
beginning of the first millennium in both
India and China. From the 10th century
there are ample historical sources on
numerous shadow theatre companies,
their plays, and performers in China.
No matter where shadow theatre
was performed, its way of performance
was always the same:
a white cloth, lamp, and set of
puppets would bring to life the
histories of kings, gods, and
common people.
The puppets used in
shadow plays are made of
leather. The process of shadow
puppet making is quite onerous, from selecting the
hides, to drawing the
figure, carving, and
then coloring it.

19th CENTURY SHADOW PUPPET OF THE

GOD OF THUNDER, SICHUAN PROVINCE

In China, the oldest forms of puppets

were used to exorcize evil and to protect
people from death and disease.
Suspended from strings, marionettes
representing deities were used to
perform these tasks. Later, marionette
theatre developed into a more theatrical
genre with secular stories. The Chinese
word for marionette, kuilei, appears in
sources almost 2,000 years ago. Man
in the hands of fate, like a puppet on a
string is a metaphor that often occurs
in literature, as in the beautiful 8th
century poem attributed to the Chinese
emperor Tan Minghuang: An old man
carved out of wood, moved by strings /
like in real life, with chicken skin and hair
white as a crane / one moment and the
play is over, what remains is loneliness /
resembling human life as in a dream.
At present, there are still numerous
string puppet companies in China. The
performance is often still part of religious
ritual, and is included in festivities such
as celebrating birth, the building of a
new house, and weddings.

Rod Puppet Theatre

Rod puppet theatre is mentioned in early

10th century sources and has been
popular all over China, from the far north
to the south. There are many different
styles of rod puppetry, depending on the
ROD PUPPET CHARACTER FROM GUANGDONG PROVINCE, EARLY 1980s

Glove Puppet Theatre

IRON STICK PUPPET FROM CHAOZHOU, 1970s

region. In one hand, the puppeteer

holds a rod connected to the puppets
head, while the other hand holds two
thinner rods that are linked to the
puppets arms. Like all other forms of
Chinese puppet theatre, rod puppets
also had a role in religious festivities
by performing propitious scenes that
blessed the gods and the community.

THE MOST UNIQUE FORM

OF CHINESE PUPPET THEATRE:

Iron-stick puppets

Iron-stick puppet theatre (tiezhi kuilei)

is a style from the Guangdong and Fujian
provinces of China. Iron-stick puppet
theatre companies can also be found in
the areas where practitioners migrated
to: Hong Kong, Singapore and Penang.
The puppet is manipulated with
one steel stick fixed to the back of the
puppet, while two smaller sticks are
attached to the hands. Of the puppet
theatre genres in China, these are the
only puppets with heads made of clay.
These unique clay heads are quite fragile.
The traditional stage is made of
pieces of beautifully embroidered cloth
that hide two or three performers.
The performance is accompanied by
a number of musicians and singers.
The whole show is a smaller form of the
Chaozhou opera performed by actors.
In the past, audiences would sometimes
also sit behind the stage, just to hear
the music and the singing.

Glove puppet theatre sources are scarce

and it is assumed that the genre developed
in the 16th century in Fujian province
in southern China. What glove puppet
theatre lacks in ancient history, it makes
up for in its elaborate performance style
and beautifully carved stage. Although
they are the smallest of the Chinese
puppets, glove puppets can make
intricate movements and perform
acrobatics. The puppets themselves
are little sculptures, dressed in exquisite
costumes made of silk.
Two puppeteers perform the glove
puppet theatre: one master and one
assistant. All the voices are performed by
the master. The performance is accompanied by an orchestra of four musicians.
This style of puppet theatre became one
of the most popular forms of theatre in
Taiwan after the 17th century.

GLOVE PUPPET THEATRE IN TAIWAN:

Tradition and Modernity

In the late 17th century Taiwan became
part of the Chinese empire. From this
period onward, glove puppet, shadow
puppet, and marionette companies
established themselves in Taiwan, as
artists from mainland China migrated
to the island. Glove puppet theatre
became the most prevalent form, with
hundreds of companies performing.
In 1895, Taiwan officially became a
Japanese colony. Taiwanese puppeteers
GOLDEN RAY GLOVE PUPPET CHARACTER FROM TAIWAN, 1980s

EARLY 20th CENTURY GLOVE PUPPET, FUJIAN PROVINCE

could still perform freely until the end

of the 1930s, when Japanese colonial
government policy forbade the performance of Taiwanese puppet theatre. After
occupation ended in 1945, traditional
glove puppet performances were allowed
once again, and continue into the
present day.

PUPPET THEATRE GOING WILD:

Golden Rays Puppet Theatre

The Golden Rays glove puppet theatre
was formerly considered a vulgar form
of art that did not follow tradition, while
in fact it is one of the most representative
forms of the Taiwanese performing arts.
Its music, stories, stage and puppets are
all original Taiwanese creations. In the
late 1940s, the Taiwanese entertainment
market rapidly changed with the influx
of movies, cartoons, comic strips, etc.
These new forms of entertainment were
happily embraced by the people, and
puppet theatre companies were quick
to react with new creations. This new
puppet style soon caught on, and was
brought to television, where it became
amazingly popular. Golden Rays puppet
theatre is the ultimate post-modern form
of theatre, incorporating anything that
might possibly be entertaining to an
audience, including live explosions, laser
shows, striptease, and any type of music
that might fit the mood of the play.

The East-West Center promotes better relations

and understanding among the people and nations
of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through
cooperative study, research, and dialogue. Established
by the U.S. Congress in 1960, the Center serves as
a resource for information and analysis on critical
issues of common concern, bringing people together
to exchange views, build expertise, and develop
policy options. The Center is an independent, public,
nonprofit organization with funding from the
U.S. government, and additional support provided
by private agencies, individuals, foundations,
corporations, and governments in the region.
The East-West Center Arts Program
has for 35 years enriched the community through
concerts, lectures, symposia, and exhibitions
focusing on traditional arts of the region, and
through cultural and educational tours by artists
who are skilled in bridging cultures.
EWC Arts Team: Karen Knudsen, director,
External Affairs; William Feltz, arts program
manager; Michael Schuster, Ph.D., curator;
Eric Chang, arts program coordinator; Joseph
Cassidy, arts student assistant.
Mahalo: Kim Siebert, Shih-An Lai, Shih-Neng
Chang, Yen-Chih Lin, Shan-Shan Wu, Ching-Wei
Huang, Lin Liu-Hsin Puppet Theatre Museum,
Taiyuan Puppet Theatre Company, Bruce J.D.
Linghu, Benjamin Chi, V.C. Chu, John Lee, Jessica
Lee, Taipei Economic & Cultural OfficeHonolulu &
Los Angeles, Fred Lau, UHM Center for Chinese
Studies, Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak, UHM Dept.
of Theatre & Dance, Kennedy & Preiss Graphic
Design, Leilani Ng, Colorprints Inc, Lynne Najita,
Derek Ferrar, Shayne Hasegawa, Phyllis Tabusa,
Lucy Kamealoha, Deanna OBrien, Michelle Ngo,
Noreen Tanouye, Timothy Neely, Yining Lin, Jason
Li, Tina Tom, Roxanne Tunoa, Marie Ebesu, Ella Lum,
Linda Kawasaki, Jo-Ann Kok, Reynold Balintec, EWC
Facilities Management, Marshal Kingsbury, Cathy
Hirano, Kathleen Clarke, EWC Imin Center.

This project is generously sponsored by

the Taiwan Ministry of Culture, Taiwan
AcademyLos Angeles, Taipei Economic
& Cultural OfficeHonolulu & Los Angeles,
and Aston Hotels and Resorts.
All photos courtesy of Lin Liu-Hsin Museum.
EWC Arts Programs are supported by the Hawaii Pacific
Rim Society, Jhamandas Watumull Fund, Sidney Stern
Memorial Trust, Friends of Hawaii Charities, Jackie
Chan Foundation USA, Sumi Makey, Richard H. Cox,
EWC Arts Ohana members, and other generous donors.

http://arts.EastWestCenter.org

TAIWANESE GLOVE PUPPETS TAIYUAN PUPPET THEATRE COMPANY

Special Events
In the EWC Gallery with free admission, unless otherwise noted.
Saturday, January 25, 2:00-3:00 p.m.;
second show 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Performance: A Sea of Puppets
traditional Taiwanese puppets and
live music at EWC Imin Center.
Admission: $5-10
Note: The EWC Gallery is open from
12:00-4:00 p.m. this day
Sunday, January 26, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Exhibition Gala Opening including
reception and tours with visiting
curator Dr. Robin Ruizendaal from the
Lin LiuHsin Museum, Taipei, Taiwan.
Sunday, January 26, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Performance: A Sea of Puppets
traditional Taiwanese puppets and
live music at EWC Imin Center.
Admission: $5-10
Sunday, February 2, 2:00-2:45 p.m.
Performance demonstration:
Introducing Jingju Music by
visiting Chinese theatre masters
Lu Genzhang, Zhang Ling, and
Zhang Xigui, with explanation by
Prof. Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak,
UHM Dept. of Theatre and Dance.

Sunday, March 2, 2:00-3:00 p.m.

Illustrated talk: Presenting Journey
to the East: A Multi-Cultural Puppet
Performance by Layla Schuster,
education specialist and Dr. Michael
Schuster, EWC Gallery curator.
Sunday, March 16, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Illustrated talk: The Creation of a
National Theatre Form: A History
of Jingju by Yining Lin, UHM Theatre
doctoral student. (Jingju is popularly
known as Chinese Opera.)
Sunday, April 27, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Illustrated talk: Sticks, String and
U-Tube: Contemporary Applications
for Multi-Cultural Puppetry at
Honolulu Theatre for Youth by
Honolulu Theatre for Youth artistic
director Eric Johnson and resident
designer Chesley Cannon.
Sunday, May 11, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Illustrated talk: Popular Theatre in
the Wilds of China: A Community
Outreach Program to the Nosu Yi
in Central China by Mark Branner,
Assistant Professor, UHM Dept. of
Theatre and Dance.

East-West Center Gallery | Honolulu, Hawaii

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