Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Sheng (male), with separate headdress. Head and hands of puppet (part a) are carved from wood. Head and right hand painted pink beige. Character has a long nose, large ears, moveable eyes and painted designs on his face. The mouth is bright red, eyes are black-rimmed with red eyelashes. There are curvilinear motifs across his forehead and a comma shaped marking on the chin. His cheeks are covered by large semi-circles, that stretch from his nostrils to the sides of his face. All painted designs are done in red. The area around the ears and back of the head are painted black, imitating hair. Character is wearing a plaid cap, with metal buttons along the bottom edge, and secured at the back with a tie. Character is wearing a yellow robe, with extended sleeves that drape down. The robe has a left side opening, bordered in white and secured with ties, with a small right side slit. Collar bordered with a wavy green ribbon. Cuffs have a white ribbon trim, bordered in dark green, with red curvilinear motifs embroidered on them. Curvilinear and linear motifs across robe, done in dark green sequins and sparkly silver and pink ribbons. There is a light pink ribbon, with dark pink and green floral designs embroidered on it, two thirds of the way down the front and back of the robe. Large dragon design on centre front of robe, embroidered in stiff silver, pink, red and yellow thread. Character has a front opening red robe underneath the outer yellow robe. All edges are bordered with pale pink bands. Below that, character is wearing a plaid undergarment. Puppet is operated by three bamboo rods- one large rod attached to his head, and two more attached to each hand. Back of puppet’s head has been cut out. Headdress (part b) made of cardboard, with a metal frame, covered in black fabric. Headdress consists of a square cap, that fits over the head, and a rectangle that attaches to the back. All edges of the square and rectangle are trimmed with a wavy green ribbon. Square cap has silver curvilinear attachments along the top and sides. The surfaces are entirely covered in sequins and beads. Sequins are silver, light blue, dark green, dark pink and light pink, and the beads are all silver. Numerous protruding, curled wires, with large silver, white and pink beads and pompoms, are along the top of the curvilinear attachments. Two yellow tassels hang down from either side of the cap. Rectangle at back of headdress has two wing-like attachments along the bottom edge. Wings are thin and trimmed with wavy green ribbon. 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 Wu Sheng (marital male), with separate headdress. Head, torso and hands of puppet (part a) are carved from wood. Head and torso painted pink beige. Character has a wide nose, large ears and moveable eyes and mouth. The mouth is painted bright red with white teeth. Eyes are black-rimmed, eyebrows are painted black with sharp spikes in the middle. Back of head and area around ears painted black, imitating hair. He is wearing a plaid 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 sleeveless blue robe, with a front centre opening, secured with metal buttons, and two side slits. Yellow wavy ribbon trims arm holes and bottom edge, pink wavy ribbon trims collar. Curvilinear and geometric motifs around collar, arm holes and centre opening are done in silver and pink sequins. There are circular characters on either side of the front opening, and one on the centre back, done in gold sequins. The character is wearing a full sleeved plaid undergarment, matching the cap, beneath the robe. Puppet is operated by three bamboo rods- one large rod attached to torso, and two more attached to each hand. Eyes and mouth 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 made of cardboard, with a metal frame, and is covered in painted fabric. Headdress consists of a tiara-like headband and cap. The tiara-like section has two tiers. The back tier is covered in green painted fabric, has a gently scalloped top edge trimmed with a wavy pink ribbon, and curvilinear attachments on either side. One yellow tassel hangs from the left curvilinear attachment. Paper, covered in written characters, attached to tassel. The front tier is covered in pink painted fabric and has triangular protrusions along the top edge, trimmed with a wavy dark pink ribbon. Both tiers are covered in sequins, beads and metal attachments. Sequins are coloured silver, dark blue, green, gold and red. Beads are coloured white and silver. Numerous protruding, curled wires with large light and dark pink pompons, are across the top of the front and back tiers. Cap portion of headdress is covered in light blue fabric with triangular protrusions all along the top edge. Painted green paper trims edges of protrusions. Same wire and pompom decorations are attached to the tips of the triangular protrusions. Back of cap has a green painted fabric covered section, trimmed with a wavy gold ribbon. Below it is a semi-circular attachment, covered in green fabric. It has a wavy black ribbon trim, red sequins and large silver buttons. The inner rim of the headdress is covered in red fabric, there are two plain ties on either end.

Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Xiao Dan (young girl), with separate 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 small nose and large ears. The mouth is painted red, eyes are black-rimmed. Eyebrows are thin and black, and there is black paint along the back of the head and sides of the face, imitating hair. She has thick black hair in a low ponytail, secured with a pink tie. The character is wearing a green robe, with extended sleeves that drape down. The robe has three panels on the front, one panel on the back and a pink undergarment. Overtop, the character is wearing a matching green collar. The robe has a front opening, the collar has a back opening, the undergarment is open at the back. The collar has gold fringe along its bottom edge and is trimmed with wavy pink and gold borders. There are curvilinear motifs, done in pink and red sequins, across its surface. The robe is belted at the waist. The belt is made of paper and covered in ribbons, done in silver, white and red scallops and a pink floral. Belt ties at the back. The same scalloped ribbon borders the panel edges on the front of the robe, the same pink floral ribbon borders the cuffs. There are curvilinear motifs, done in pink, red and large silver sequins, across the entire front surface. Diamond-shaped pink rhinestones on left and right panels of robe. The back panel is undecorated. It has a pink and yellow border, and the edges have pink and dark green fringe. Puppet is operated by three bamboo rods- one large rod attached to reed cage, and two more attached to each hand. Back of puppet’s head has been cut out. Headdress (part b) consists of a metal frame with rubber(?), covered in black fabric. A peacock is at the top centre. Its head is made of metal and covered in thick white string, the feathers are made of cardboard covered in red fabric. Peacock is decorated with silver and blue sequins with purple pompons along the top of the feathers. Main band of headdress has a green wavy border and floral motifs done in embroidery, beads and metal, tulle-like material and sequins. Flowers are coloured orange, white, yellow-green, pink, purple, green, gold and blue. There are two ties on either end of the headdress.

Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Lao Sheng (old male), with a separate beard and headdress. Head and hands of puppet (part a) are carved from wood. Head and torso painted pink beige. Character has a long nose and ears. The mouth is painted dark red, eyes are black-rimmed. Eyebrows are black, streaked with silver, and there is black paint around the head, imitating hair. The character is wearing a green 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 geometric motifs across robe, done in silver, dark pink-purple, red and yellow sequins. Dragon(?) design in dark pink-purple and silver sequins on both front and back centre of robe. Plaid undergarment beneath robe. Character has a matching collar, that secures at the front, with white animal hair(?) along bottom edge. Collar has wavy ribbon borders done in white and light pink. There are curvilinear motifs in silver and dark pink-purple throughout. The puppet's head is hollow. Rim of hollow opening is unpainted. Puppet is operated by three bamboo rods- one large rod attached to his head, and two more are attached to each hand. Beard (part b) consists of long white fibre attached to a wire covered with string. Shaped to fit over ears and below mouth of puppet. Headdress (part c) is made of cardboard, with a metal frame, and is covered in light blue fabric. Headdress consists of a cap and backboard. The backboard is semi-circular, has green and yellow wavy ribbon borders and floral motifs done in silver and dark pink-purple sequins. The reverse of the backboard curves outwards, shaped by metal mesh, and has a floral motif done in silver and light blue sequins. Below is a solid band of light blue fabric with a curvilinear motif done in silver sequins. The cap component of the headdress, at the front, is shaped with metal mesh and has a large floral motif overtop of it. Motif done in gold glitter paint and silver and light blue sequins, with a green rhinestone at the centre. The bottom edge of the cap has a wavy green ribbon border and a band of silver sequins with yellow beads. There are two wing-like attachments at the back of the headdress. They are light blue, have no centre and the edges are lined with metal beads. Interior of headdress is painted silver. There are two red ties on either side of the headdress.

Paper mache Day of the Dead mask. Humanoid male with sunken eyes, a wide nose, and rounded face. Black curl painted along top edge of mask, in centre of forehead and in between thin eyebrows. Curl imitates hair. Black fuzzy fabric glued to sides of face and above mouth, imitating sideburns and chevron moustache. Face is painted pink beige, and nostrils and lips are red-pink. Eyes are blue, with black trim around them and their irises. Four gold-coloured teeth glued to top lip. Holes in mask for eyes, nose and mouth. Eye holes are oval-like and in between the painted eyes and eyebrows. Holes drilled into either side of mask, with an elastic cord knotted through. Inscription written inside mask.

Paper mache Day of the Dead mask. Humanoid male with sunken eyes, a wide nose, rosy cheeks, and rounded face. Multiple black curls painted along top edge of mask, in centre of forehead and in between bushy eyebrows. Curls are imitating hair. Black fuzzy fabric glued to sides of face and above mouth, imitating sideburns and handlebar moustache. Black dot painted on chin. Face is painted pink beige, and nostrils and lips are red-pink. Eyes are light blue, with black trim around them and their irises. Long eyelashes are done in black. Four gold-coloured teeth glued to top lip. Holes in mask for eyes, nose and mouth. Eye holes are oval-like and in between the painted eyes and eyebrows. Holes drilled into either side of mask, with an elastic cord knotted through. Inscription written inside mask.

Day of the Dead figure. Figure depicts a skeleton playing a brown guitar. Its clothes are painted on, and consist of a black shirt, pants and shoes, and white neck decoration. White dots are painted up the length of both pant legs. The skeleton is wearing a black sombrero with a wide brim and pointed cap, as well as a red sash over its left shoulder. The skeleton is standing on a thin, red, rectangular base. Its head is attached to its body via a thin metal rod.

Day of the Dead figure. Figure depicts a skeleton playing a yellow guitar. Its clothes are painted on, and consist of a black shirt, pants and shoes, and white neck decoration. Seven white dots are painted up the length of both pant legs. The skeleton is wearing a black sombrero with a wide brim and pointed cap, as well as a red sash over its left shoulder. The skeleton is standing on a thin, red, rectangular base. Its head is attached to its body via a thin metal rod.

Day of the Dead figure. Figure depicts a skeleton playing a slightly curved, gold wind instrument. Its clothes are painted on, and consist of a black shirt, pants and shoes, and white neck decoration. White dots are painted up the length of both pant legs. The skeleton is wearing a black sombrero with a wide brim and pointed cap, as well as a red sash over its left shoulder. The skeleton is standing on a thin, red, rectangular base. Its head is attached to its body via a thin metal rod.

Day of the Dead figure. Figure depicts a skeleton playing a violin. Its clothes are painted on, and consist of a black shirt, pants and shoes, and white neck decoration. White dots are painted up the length of both pant legs, and two have merged on the skeleton's left leg to form an houglass shape. The skeleton is wearing a black sombrero with a wide brim and pointed cap, as well as a red sash over its left shoulder. The skeleton is standing on a thin, red, rectangular base. Its head is attached to its body via a thin metal rod.