Hand puppetry, also known as "glove puppetry," is a traditional art form popular in Southern Fujian. Its origins can be traced back to historical records such as Records of Forgotten Tales (Jin Dynasty), Hua Shu (The Book of Transformation, Five Dynasties period), and Records of the First Day of the New Year (Southern Song Dynasty). It flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties and is recognized as a rare genre within the treasure trove of human artistic heritage.
In 2006, Jinjiang Hand Puppetry was listed by the State Council in the "First Batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection List." In 2012, the "Puppet Talent Training Program" was included by UNESCO in the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices for Intangible Cultural Heritage, making it one of only ten global best practices and filling a gap in China's representation in this field. The Jinjiang Hand Puppet Art Protection and Inheritance Centre is entrusted with the significant responsibility of preserving and transmitting this art.
Since the beginning of the new century, the Centre has performed dozens of times in Beijing, presenting shows for national leaders, and has toured numerous countries and regions across the world. It has been acclaimed by international audiences as a "treasure of Eastern art."
The Centre’s productions have been widely acclaimed, garnering numerous prestigious awards:
· The large-scale puppet mythological drama Five-Mile Rainbow – awarded the 9th Wenhua Award by the Ministry of Culture.
· The large-scale puppet mythological drama Fairy of Qingyuan – Silver Award at the 2nd National Puppet and Shadow Play Competition.
· The hand puppet play The Marriage of Puppets – Outstanding Program Award at the 3rd National Ethnic Minority Arts Performance Festival.
· The large-scale multimedia animated puppet show Little Radish’s Blossom of Hope – Outstanding Performance Award at the 7th National Children’s Theatre Excellence Showcase, and a nomination for the 4th Cultural Innovation Award from the Ministry of Culture.
· The large-scale hand puppet play Love Story of Longshan – Second Prize for Best Production at the 26th Fujian Provincial Theatre Festival.
· The large-scale newly adapted traditional glove puppet play A Change of Clothes for the Kingdom – Production Award at the 8th Fujian Art Festival and the 28th Fujian Provincial Theatre Festival; recognized as Best Production by experts at the 6th Puppet and Shadow Play Excellence Showcase; and Outstanding Organization Award at the 3rd Nanchong International Puppet Art Week.
· The Center received the Organization Award at the 16th Fujian Provincial Theatre Narcissus Awards. The short integrity-themed puppet play Bao Zheng Refuses the Gift of an Inkstone was selected for the 2024 National Art Fund (General Projects) funding program.
· the large-scale newly adapted legendary puppet play The Flight of a Crane was honored with one of the Outstanding Production Awards (the highest honor) at the 9th Fujian Art Festival and the 29th Fujian Provincial Theatre Festival. The play was selected for the 2025 National Art Fund (General Projects) funding program – Large-Scale Stage Play and Creative Works Project – and the 2025 Fujian Provincial Stage Art and Fine Arts Excellence Project, making it the only puppet play in the province selected for both programs in 2025. It was also chosen as an official selection at the 19th China Theatre Festival, where it received the "Outstanding Production" honor. This marks the first time a puppet play from China has been selected in the festival's history, filling the long-standing gap of no puppet play inclusions. It was the only puppet play among the 31 official selections and the only selected work from Fujian. It also represented the debut of a Jinjiang production on this stage. Additionally, it was successfully selected for the "Exhibition of Outstanding Works of Integrity Culture in the New Era", organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism starting July 1, 2025, making it the only selected work from Quanzhou, Fujian.
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