You may have grown up watching Sesame Street, but in Taiwan, many kids grew up watching the Taiwanese version of that: glove puppet theater, known as 布袋戲 in Mandarin, or “glove puppetry”.
Unlike many traditional arts, glove puppetry is still popular among young and old here, and it’s even the highlight of an annual international festival in Taiwan.
Taiwanese glove puppetry dates back to the 17th century, having originated in China’s Fujian Province. Settlers brought the art to Taiwan when they relocated here, and for some 400 years, Taiwan has kept the art alive.
Yunlin County is getting ready for its annual international puppet theater festival in October. Fans of puppetry can go to Huwei Township to see their favorite shows performed live.
Two of the best-known Taiwanese puppetry characters are Sú Iām-bûn (史豔文) and Sòo Huân-tsin (素還真), and here’s what they might look like in real life, with two cosplayers dressed up as the characters.
Taiwan’s glove puppet shows are often broadcast on local television, and are a lively affair, with flashing lights, loud sound effects and dramatic music in the background.
Yunlin County Magistrate Chang Li-shan says a number of puppet theater groups will be performing at the festival, which runs from October 1 to 11.