Chu Luong, Vice-Director of Thang Long Water Puppetry Theater and an experienced puppet designer, said that it is the best material for making the puppets. The puppet’s designs are strongly influenced by Vietnamese temple art, so they are carved and colored with the same aesthetic features characteristics of the characterized for statues of human and mascots in Buddhist temples.įairy's dance (Photo by: thanglongwaterpuppet)Īll puppets are made of fig wood. They can also be dancers performing trance rituals with candles in their hands, hoping for the Mother Goddess to dispel the darkness and enlighten people’s minds. Since its traditional content revolves around the daily life of Vietnamese farmers and popular spiritual elements, the characters can be a cheerful husband and wife trying to protect their ducks from a cunning fox, or 2 dragons playing ball, spouting fire and water. Vietnamese water puppetry's stage (Photo: hanoicitybreaks) They also feature common aspects of Vietnamese spiritual life, for example, illustrating the trance ritual, the dances of the dragon, lion, phoenix, and the fairy.” They focus on the daily life of farmers, as they work in the paddy fields, herd ducks, catch frogs, and race boats. “Water puppet plays avoid complicated themes and emotions. Nguyễn Hoàng Tuấn, Director of Thang Long Water Puppetry Theater, said the themes of the show are simple and familiar to Vietnamese people. From the beginning to the end, audiences can only see the puppets and a small folk orchestra that performs live, not the puppeteers stand behind a curtained backdrop in a waist-deep pool. VOV’s Ha Ngan has the story.Ī Vietnamese water puppetry show means puppets performing on a shimmering water stage accompanied by music and singing.
In today’s show, let’s take a closer look at the making of water puppets and discover how they are controlled.
Puppeteers cleverly manipulate wooden puppets on a special stage covered in water. A guide book says “Not watching a performance of water puppetry means not visiting Vietnam yet.” A water puppetry performance provides great fun and excitement for their audiences. There are some places you can enjoy the water puppet performances such as Thang Long Water Puppet Theater, and Dao Thuc village (Dong Anh district, Hanoi).(VOVworld) - Vietnamese water puppetry is a unique folk art, believed to be more than 1000 years old. The topics of performances focus on the daily routine of countryside people, folk stories and history told between generations with the aim to create a relaxing space for farmers and entertain them after a hardworking day. Each water puppet is hand-carved and given five layers of lacquer paint to protect the puppets from the water and to add vital colors to the performance. Puppets are normally made from fig wood that is light and endurable in order to easily emerge on the water. On the stage, the wooden puppets are controlled by people behind through string systems under the water with folk songs playing in the background. Water surface is used to be stage, called puppetry house (thủy đình), curtains covering behind stage, and surroundings decorated with flags, fans, elephants, gates and so on. Water puppetry has many distinct characteristics from others. The performances are often shown in village festivals, rice harvests, Tet Lunar Year, and other special events of the year. Therefore, it can be said that water puppetry appeared from 11th to 12th century when Buddhism started developing strongly in Vietnam under the Ly dynasty, related to the farmers’ natural conditions and their daily life. Water puppetry is associated with wet rice cultivation in Northern plains and Buddhism introduction into Vietnam. The tradition of water puppetry was established and become one of the unique folk arts thanks to the ancient people with their creativity and imagination.
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