Water Puppetry

Water Puppetry (Vietnamese: Múa rối nước), originating from the Red River Delta of Vietnam in the tenth century, is a unique and culturally rich art. It emerged as a form of entertainment and worship, allowing farmers to connect with the spirits believed to control various aspects of their lives.

Water puppetry utilizes the medium of water as a stage, with puppeteers controlling wooden puppets using long bamboo rods and hidden string mechanisms beneath the water's surface. Performances take place in a chest-deep pool of water, and the puppets, weighing up to 15 kg, create the illusion of movement over the water. Traditional Vietnamese orchestra music and Cheo singers provide accompaniment, while the performers skillfully manipulate the puppets to tell stories through a series of short scenes.

Water puppetry is a physically demanding art form that requires years of practice to master. Its combination of sculpture, architecture, painting, music, and literature creates a captivating and immersive experience for both locals and tourists. Today, the Thang Long Puppet Theatre in Hanoi is a renowned venue for enjoying this captivating art form.

a traditional stage performance originating in the northern countryside of Vietnam, encompasses the essence of folk ballads and proverbs

a traditional Vietnamese theatrical form that combines songs, dances, and dramatic actions, characterized by stylized gestures and the use of rhyme and storytelling techniques

a captivating form of modern folk opera that originated in Southern Vietnam in the early 20th century and gained popularity during the 1930s as a theatre form embraced by the middle class during the French colonial era

a genre of Vietnamese folk music originating from Bac Ninh province, is characterized by alternating groups of female and male singers engaging in musical challenges and responses