Male Bunraku theatre puppet (part a) wearing a long heavy robe. He has a removable head (part b) and separate sword (part c). The body has an internal wooden, bamboo and paper frame, with cords and rods throughout to control arm and hand movement. There are stuffed cloth bundles around the arms, legs and stomach for added dimension. The character is wearing a long-sleeved, front-closing under-robe, coloured dark orange with elaborate white embroidery across its entire surface. Motifs consist of circular dragons with curvilinear and floral lines in between. Overtop, the puppet is wearing a short-sleeved, vest-like robe. The shoulders and lower half are pleated. Coloured dark purple with a dark grey meander pattern background. Throughout there are embroidered circular dragons divided by rows of flowers; designs in white, dark orange and dark green. Matching belt tied around waist. White wooden hands extend past the sleeves. The head (part b) consists of a beige square-like face, long beige neck and styled black hair. He has a wide nose, large light grey eyes, and wide slanted eyebrows. A pointed diagonal red line is painted across both eyes, lips are done in a matching red. He has a light blue beard and moustache. Hair is pulled into a top knot, with a paper bow secured behind. Head is attached to a wooden rod with a handgrip. Multiple cords, with toggles, run through the grip and into the head, to control eye, eyebrow, mouth and neck movement. Maker's mark stamped onto base of head and along back of handgrip. The short curved sword (part c) is sheathed. It has a black hilt with a bronze-coloured metal pommel and guard. The sheath is black with a bronze-coloured metal cap. The sheath’s grip is dark brown and has light brown flowers painted across it. Brown, grey and white striped cord tied around the blade, to attach it to the puppet’s belt.

Mushroom-shaped, bark cloth pubic cover. Consists of a bamboo cylinder, wrapped in bark cloth and secured with plant fibre, and circular head. Cylinder extends from back of cover. Structure of head formed with an inner strip of bamboo. Front is painted white. Cylinder is visible from front, in centre, and painted red, with a matching dotted line bordering it.

Mouth organ (sompoton) made of bamboo pipes inserted into a dried gourd, sealed together with bees wax. Pipes are bundled together, with plant fibre ties, in two rows of four. Pipes in top row are all the same height, length of bottom pipes vary. Small holes along sides of pipes on outer edges. Gourd mouth piece has a circular body and long, thin neck that extends to the side.

Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Dan (lady), with separate headband and headdress. Head and hands of puppet (part a) are carved from wood. Components painted pink beige. The puppet’s body is formed by a reed cage. Character has a pointed nose, moveable eyes and large ears. Eyes are black-rimmed, eyebrows are painted black and thin. She has black hair pulled into a top bun and low ponytail. The ponytail is secured with an orange tulle-like tie. Between the bun and ponytail is a light blue band with sequins. She has one pink earring. The character is wearing a front opening jacket, secured with ties, with extended sleeves that drape down. Opening is trimmed on either side with sparkly silver ribbon. Cuffs are trimmed by a white ribbon with pink and green floral motifs embroidered on them. Curvilinear motifs across sleeves, done in dark green sequins. Character has a matching collar, that secures at the front, with dark pink fringe all along the bottom edge and a wavy yellow ribbon along the top. Overtop, the character is wearing another collar. The second collar is red, secures at the back and has yellow fringe along the bottom edge. The neckline is trimmed with a blue wavy ribbon and the surface is covered in floral motifs. Designs are done in dark green, silver and gold sequins. Character has a pink belt, over the jacket, covered in floral motifs. Designs done in dark green, gold and red sequins. Bottom part of puppet is covered by a decorated overskirt and a long, plain pink underskirt, with a back slit. The overskirt is made up of four thin front panels and one large back panel. All have yellow fringe along the bottom edges and ribbon trim. The front panels are trimmed with a wavy green ribbon, the back a striped red, yellow and blue one. All panels covered in floral motifs done in dark green, red and silver sequins, and curvilinear motifs done in gold sequins. Puppet is operated by three rods- one large bamboo rod attached to the reed cage, and two more, made of bamboo and metal, attached to each hand. Eyes are operated by a wooden rod, with a metal attachment, inside of the central bamboo rod. Headband (part b) is brown with white floral embroidery across it. Band secured at the back with long neon orange-pink ties. Headdress (part c) is semi-circular and rests on top of the puppet’s head. It is made of cardboard, with a metal frame, covered in pink fabric. Along the top and sides are numerous protruding wires, covered in green fabric and circular and flower shaped sequins. In between the wires, on the fabric surface of the headdress, are floral motifs done in sequins. All edges of headdress are bordered with sequins. Sequins are pink, silver, light blue, light green and gold. There are two red ties on either end of the headdress.

Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Wu Sheng (martial male). Head, torso and hands are carved from wood. Components painted pink beige. Character has a small nose, moveable eyes and large ears. The mouth is painted red, eyebrows are painted black and have sharp spikes in the middle. Back of head and area around ears are painted black, imitating hair. He is wearing a dark blue cap with metal buttons along the bottom edge. Long black strands of hair are attached to the top of the cap. The character is wearing an orange robe, with one large panel on the front, three back panels and two side panels. There is a tie on the front panel at the left shoulder, ties in the middle of each side panel, and ties on the side of the left and right back panels. Character is wearing a matching collar and there are added panels overtop of the shoulders and on the front panel, below the waist. Additional panel on the front is bordered white-pink fringe. The collar, side panels and additional front panel are trimmed with wavy black ribbons. The large front panel is trimmed with red, green and gold, the back panels are untrimmed. Cuffs have a black border with red and silver flowers and phoenixes(?) embroidered on them. Curvilinear, floral and geometric motifs painted across entire surface of robe and collar in silver, green and light blue glitter. Centre of front panel has a dragon(?) design, made of pink fabric with a yellow nose, red tongue and two white fangs. The interior of the dragon is bordered with a wavy light blue ribbon. Silver and gold curvilinear designs are painted across its face. The entire section with the dragon(?) motif is bordered with the same ribbon used to border the cuffs. The top half of the robe back is made of yellow fabric, with characters printed in red, and has a ribbed yellow patch in the centre. Character is wearing a dark blue undergarment. Puppet is operated by three bamboo rods- one large rod attached to his torso, and two more attached to each hand. Back of puppet’s head has been cut out and re-attached.

Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Wu Sheng (martial male). Head, torso and hands are carved from wood. Components painted pink beige. Character has a small nose, moveable eyes and large ears. The mouth is painted bright red and frowning, eyebrows are painted black and have sharp spikes in the middle. Back of head and area around ears painted black, imitating hair. He is wearing a dark grey-green cap with metal buttons along the bottom edge. Long black strands of hair are attached to the top of the cap. The character is wearing a light blue robe, with one large panel in the front, three back panels and two side panels. The front panel has a tie at the left shoulder, and there are ties on either side on the back where side panels meet back panels. Character is wearing a matching collar and there are added panels overtop of the shoulders and on the front panel, below the waist. Additional panel on the front is bordered with pink fringe. All panels and the collar are trimmed with red, green and gold. Cuffs have a black border with red and silver flowers and phoenixes(?) embroidered on them. Curvilinear motifs painted across entire surface of robe and collar in silver glitter. Centre of front panel has a dragon motif, painted in green and gold glitter, with silver clouds and red curvilinear designs. The top half of the robe back is made of green fabric and has a plain yellow patch in the centre. Character is wearing a dark blue undergarment. Puppet is operated by three bamboo rods- one large rod attached to his torso, and two more are attached to each hand. Eyes are operated by a wooden rod, with metal attachment, inside of the central bamboo rod. Back of puppet’s head was cut out and re-attached.

Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Dan (lady), with separate headdress. Head and hands of puppet (part a) are carved from wood. Components painted pink. The puppet’s body is formed by a reed cage. Character has a long nose, moveable eyes and large ears. The eyebrows are painted black and the eyes are black-rimmed. She has black hair pulled back into a bun with a red string and yellow tulle-like tie. The tie has flower shaped sequins and beads along the edges. She also has a pink headband made of ribbons, fabric flowers and flower shaped buttons. The character is wearing a yellow jacket, with extended sleeves that drape down. The jacket has centre slit on the back, secured with ties, and is belted at the waist. The belt is made of paper with bands of red, silver ribbons and a white and red scalloped ribbon. Hanging from the belt are three panels. The ribbon used on the belt also borders the cuffs and panel edges. There are curvilinear motifs, done in pink and silver sequins, across the entire surface of the jacket and panels. Fringe along the bottom edges of all panels. Overtop, the character is wearing a pink collar with a back opening, secured with ties. The collar has fringe along its bottom edge and is trimmed with a blue, red and yellow ribbon. There are floral motifs, done in large gold beads and gold and silver sequins, across its surface. Puppet is operated by three bamboo rods- one large rod attached to the reed cage, and two more attached to each hand. Eyes are operated by a wooden rod, with a metal attachment, inside of the central bamboo rod. Back of puppet’s head has been cut out. Headdress (part b) made of cardboard, with a metal frame, covered in yellow and light green fabric. Headdress consists of a cap and backboard. The backboard is square-like and has a scalloped top edge. It is covered in silver sequins on the front, with wavy pink and green borders. The back is light green, with a wavy pink border, and has a crown-like protrusion in the centre. It is yellow and has gold curvilinear motifs across it. There are two pompons atop the centre of the backboard, done in orange and purple. For the cap component, there are curvilinear attachments on either side. The entire surface is covered in sequins and beads. Sequins are silver, blue, pink and red, and the beads are all silver. Numerous protruding, curled wires with large silver and white beads, across the top of the cap. Two red tassels hang down from either side of the cap. Interior of headdress is painted silver. There are two plain ties on the back of the headdress.

Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Xiao Sheng (young male), with separate headdress. Head and hands of puppet (part a) are carved from wood. Components painted pink beige. Character has a wide nose, moveable eyes and large ears. The mouth is painted red, eyebrows are painted black and have sharp spikes in the middle. Back of head and area around ears painted black, imitating hair. He is wearing a dark blue cap with metal buttons along the bottom edge. Long, dark brown-black strands of hair attached to the top of the cap. The character is wearing a light green robe, with extended gauze-like sleeves that drape down. The robe has a left side opening, secured with ties and metal buttons, and a small right side slit. Opening and neckline trimmed with a wavy pink ribbon. Robe is covered in large floral motifs, done in sequins. Flowers are done in dark pink and silver, the vines and leaves are done in shades of blue. Plain red undergarment beneath the robe. Puppet is operated by three bamboo rods- one large rod attached to his head, and two more attached to each hand. Eyes are operated by a wooden rod inside of the central bamboo rod. Back of puppet’s head has been cut out and re-attached. Headdress (part b) is rectangular folded cardboard, covered in green fabric and shaped by a metal frame, with a rounded top piece. The sides of the top piece flare out from the rectangular cap. Edges of top piece trimmed with animal hair(?). All interior edges of headdress, the rounded top and folded rectangle, are bordered with yellow wavy ribbons. Bottom edge of folded rectangle bordered by a dark blue band. Entire surface of headdress covered with curvilinear and floral motifs, done in sequins and beads. Sequins are red and silver, and beads are silver, dark blue and red. Two strips of cloth hang from the back, bottom edge, of the headdress. Strips are blue and decorated with orange geometric motifs and green lizards. Tips of strips made from cardboard, covered in green fabric. Plain ties on back of headdress, for securing it to the puppet’s head.

Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Xu Wen (bearded male), with separate beard. Head, hands and torso of puppet (part a) are carved from wood. Components painted pink beige. Character has a wide nose, large ears and moveable eyes and mouth. The mouth is painted red with white teeth. Eyes are black-rimmed, eyebrows are painted white with spikes in the middle. The back of the head and area around the ears are painted black, imitating hair. He is wearing a dark blue cap, with metal buttons along the bottom edge. The character is wearing a yellow robe, with extended sleeves that drape down. The robe has a left side opening, secured with ties, and a small right side slit. The sides of the robe have pink panels. Curvilinear and linear motifs across robe, done in silver, dark pink and dark green sequins. Cuffs trimmed with a wavy blue ribbon. Dragon design on centre front and centre back of robe, done in dark green and silver sequins with white beaded eyes. Character has a matching collar, that secures at the front, with white animal hair(?) along bottom edge. Collar trimmed with wavy blue and dark green ribbons. Character has an off-white undergarment beneath robe. Characters printed in red across interior of undergarment. Puppet is operated by three bamboo rods- one large rod attached to his torso, and two more attached to each hand. Back of puppet’s head has been cut out. Beard (part b) consists of long black fibre attached to a wire covered with string. Shaped to fit over ears and below mouth of puppet.

Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Xiao Chou (clown). Head, and hands are carved from wood. Components painted pink beige. Character has a wide nose, large ears and moveable eyes and mouth. Lips and nose painted red, eyes are black rimmed. Ovals with cross-hatching, done in red, under eyes and connected with a thin line across the bridge of the nose. Eyebrows are thin and black, area around ears and back of head painted black, imitating hair. He is wearing a dark blue cap with metal buttons along the bottom edge. The character is wearing a pink robe, with a left side opening, bordered in white and secured with ties and metal buttons, and a small right side slit. Cuffs have pink and white ribbon trim, with square cut-outs throughout. Bottom edge of robe is bordered with white band. Robe has white floral motifs embroidered throughout. Plaid undergarment beneath robe. Puppet is operated by two bamboo rods- one large rod attached to head, and one attached to the puppet’s right hand. Rod for left hand is missing. Back of puppet’s head has been cut out.