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Cultural Context

Used in puppet theatre performances.

Narrative

Transcription of legible characters reads: line 1; xiang xin pu; line 2; (too faint) zhong zhang lo. The first line appears to give the locality and the second line, the name of the puppet troupe (G. Johnson).

Description

Costumed cloth hand puppet with carved and painted wooden head, hands and feet. Represents character of Bearded male (aggressive, with Daoist headgear and magical powers), Golden Rays style. Varnished two-toned pink face with black, white and red details. Gold crown with green and red, hair painted black with green/yellow detail, black hair beard attached in channel at chin, some missing on right side, two moustache tuffs. Body (part a) is undyed cotton flaps, attached around head, with attached pink hands with holes through sideways, partially stuffed with paper, stuffed grey cotton legs, white and green soled black boots. Pasted and stitched white silk robe (part b) with yellow and orange silk borders trimmed in pink, blue and whitish fur. Rows of silver, pink, and green sequins cover white silk. Red and silver foil wrapped thread, sequins on yellow silk, gold wrapped thread edging orange silk, with plastic sequin flowers and tin edged mirrors. Back and front centre, dragon-like figure, stuffed, covered in gold foil wrapped thread and trimmed in pink fur. Orange silk strip inside front side edge. Costume detachable, string tie at neck. Missing sequins, mirrors, torn at back where sleeves meet centre. Faint purple characters inside front bottom of costume at left, at back inside bottom centre and on back puppet flap.

Iconographic Meaning

Puppet. Strong features and beard suggest a powerful, older man. Crown suggests royalty. Costume: gold dragon signifies a monarch.

History Of Use

Chinese hand puppet theatre continues to be an active form of popular entertainment in Taiwan. In general, it has a long (over 2,000 years) history which reached a peak of activity during the Qing Dynasty. By then Fukinese hand puppet theatre had reached Taiwan and by 1900, five hundred troupes were touring the island, playing during seasonal festivals, religious celebrations, birthdays, weddings and banquets. Traditionally, 7 men made up a troupe, 2 to manipulate the puppets and speak the roles, and 5 musicians to provide accompaniment and sound effects. Plots are adapted from novels, fairy and folk tales, history and from supernatural events. Short comic scenes opened the presentation, followed by long plays. By 1900, in Taiwan, puppet theatre began taking on distinctive Taiwanese traits, and after the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War, Fukinese puppets were no longer imported. Puppets became larger (closer to 50 cm) and less finely carved. Costumes are patterned on Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) dress, and the iconographic style often follows Chinese opera.