Quanzhou Marionette Performance from China

World Artists Experiences (WAE), in partnership with the Embassy of China and the Quanzhou Municipal Government, presents Quanzhou Marionette Performance, Sunday, October 29, 2023 at 4:30 pm. This event features three marionette performers from the Quanzhou Marionette Arts Center. Each have performed throughout the world and have won international recognition and awards. This event is free and open for all ages.
Quanzhou marionette, historically known as “string puppet”, originated from the Qin and Han Dynasties (221 BC - 220 AD) and became widely popular in Quanzhou and the surrounding areas in the late Tang Dynasty and Five Dynasties (907-960). Its rich falsetto singing and playing techniques of “pressed foot drums” and other rare musical instruments form a unique musical genre called “puppet melody.” The traditional plays of Quanzhou marionette have preserved the folk beliefs and customs in Minnan (Southern Fujian) dialect speaking regions; the grammar, words, expressions and pronunciation of the ancient “Heluo Language” and the Minnan dialect; and the southern opera, music, and performing style of the Song and Yuan Dynasties. Over the past thousand years, Quanzhou marionette shows have become part of people’s life rites and rituals in regions where Minnan dialect is spoken. Since the Ming Dynasty, it has spread to Taiwan and Chinese settlements in Southeast Asia, setting an example for cultural exchange.
World Artists Experiences is a 501 c 3 organization that fosters transnational and cross-cultural understanding by bridging people and cultures across continents and through shared artistic experiences. More information is available on the WAE website, www.worldartists.org or by email at wae@comcast.net. Donations are appreciated.