Sichuan Giant Puppet Troupe’s secrets: dolls are like people here

Theatrical magic and the prose of life, acting talent and the skill of human hands are closely intertwined at Sichuan Giant Puppet Troupe in Nanchong

A chiselled figure — a golden doll with a floating ribbon – is greeting theatre-lovers in front of the building, cordially inviting them to attend a spectacular show, which will definitely amaze with its fairy, costumes, and magic. The audience will no doubt appreciate all these, but – on entering the theatre – visitors are welcomed by huge pandas (created thanks to the synthesis of ancient and modern technologies) and unique puppet exhibits. Some of the latter are old and truly valuable, so they are no longer used during performances, but are carefully stored behind glass for future generations.

The theatre of life-size puppets in Northern Sichuan is more than 300 years old, and it is one of the rarest in the world. The cane-made dolls here are almost as tall as people: up to 1.6 m! They are striking in their naturalness – greatly resembling living people thanks to their skilfully chiselled and painted faces and colourful costumes. During a spectacular show, it is difficult for the audience to distinguish between real persons and puppets when they all come on stage.

A beautiful doll dancing with ten-metre silk ribbons is one of the most amazing performances. Its complex graceful movements make the audience's hearts sink more than once, but the doll’s silks never get tangled, and its graceful movements are akin to elegant ballet grand pas.

The Sichuan Giant Puppet Troupe is bright and whimsical, rich in colours and images. The dolls here dance and sing, fight and arrange romantic dates under the shade of flowering trees, light candles and drink tea, play musical instruments and even draw complex hieroglyphs!

Moreover, the artistes hold the dolls, which are constantly in motion, quite high, though they themselves often also need to sing – and this creates a wonderful combination of power and art. Such a result is possible only thanks to many years of diligent training. Interestingly, many of the secrets of creating and managing puppets are kept by families and passed from one generation to another.    

The plots are usually based on ancient fairy tales, legends and real historical events. However, modern scripts also enjoy popularity.

The Sichuan Giant Puppet Troupe has represented the province at many major international and national art events, where it was awarded. In 2006, the life-size dolls from Northern Sichuan were included in the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Do you want to know how a miracle is born? Of course, the Chinese masters do not openly share all their secrets, but some stages of creating a puppet have been revealed – and they are stunning.

First of all, the image of a future doll is drawn. Earlier, it was done on paper, but modern technologies and tablets now help artists in their work.

The head is, of course, the key element. Some time ago, it was made of wood, but it was decided to make dolls less heavy (though even modern puppets weigh a lot) somewhere in the 1970s. As the theatre’s workshop masters assert, only eco-friendly materials are used. After a series of precise and confident movements, not just a face is being formed – but a new, truly unique personality.

The doll then needs to be dried out – to later be painted and dressed. It takes about two weeks or even more to compete the work.

When asked which doll is the most beloved and the most valuable, all masters just shake their heads and smile: all the puppets are dear for them, since they keep a piece of hearts and souls of those who made them.

It’s true: the dolls here are like people, each is unique, has its own character, charm, and busy life. This theatre has no major or minor roles, and each character is an important part of the enchanting magic, which everyone would wish to plunge into once and again.

Do you want to feel the magic? Then head to Nanchong!