Quanzhou string puppetry, an ancient art form originating from the historical and cultural city of Quanzhou, has been known as the “suspended silk puppet” since ancient times, also known as “silk opera”, and affectionately referred to as “Jiali” among the people. As a unique theatrical treasure in the Minnan language region, it has undergone hundreds of years of precipitation and development, forming a rigorous and complete performance system, accumulating more than 700 traditional plays, and carrying profound cultural heritage.
What is particularly unique is that among the many puppet shows in the country, Quanzhou puppetry stands out and retains its own unique musical genre – “Puppet Tune”. This is not only an important symbol of its artistic identity, but also a shining pearl in cultural heritage. To this day, it still fully inherits the melodies and tunes of nearly 300 musical instruments, as well as the unique charm of traditional instruments such as the Nan Gu (also known as the foot pressing drum) and the Zheng Gong.
The production process of Quanzhou string puppets is exquisite and unparalleled, with lifelike puppet images. Especially in the carving and powder painting art of the puppet head, it showcases the extraordinary creativity and skills of the craftsmen. Each stroke reveals a unique craftsmanship, retaining the classical style of carving and painting from the Tang and Song dynasties, while incorporating more exaggeration and deformation techniques in the inheritance of the new era, making the puppet image distinctive and highly expressive, becoming a well-known folk craft masterpiece at home and abroad.
In terms of performance skills, Quanzhou string puppets are even more challenging. Each puppet is usually tied with more than sixteen or even more than thirty fine threads, which are like the veins of life, controlling every subtle movement of the puppet. Such a complex control system undoubtedly places extremely high demands on performers, making the technical performance difficulty of Quanzhou puppetry top-notch nationwide and even globally, showcasing the ultimate fusion of human intelligence and artistic creativity.
