Socialist Republic of Vietnam

By Huu Ngoc

Viet Nam’s water puppetry has captivated audiences around the world, but it may lose some of its charm and relevance when performed in Paris, New York, Stockholm, Tokyo and other major metropolises that lack the natural surroundings.

The ideal setting should be a traditional Vietnamese village. A motley crowd of spectators stands or sits on the ground around three sides of a rectangular pond in front of a pagoda or communal house. On the fourth side is a freshly assembled portable bamboo-and-wood construction called a Thuy Dinh (pavilion on water) which houses the buong tro (puppeteers’ chamber) and serves as the backdrop. On the roof are displayed four Chinese ideograms that spell out Quoc Trung Huu Thanh (In The Country There Are Saints). The buong tro is laid upon stakes planted in the muddy ground. It is from here that the players, half-submerged in water, manipulate the puppets by means of a complex system of rods, threads and cords.

The show is introduced by a popular clown by the name of Teu. "Teu’s what I’m called," the chubby puppet announces. "Of heavenly origin, I was exiled to Earth for having stolen a Peach of Immortality. As things are complicated and disgusting in the world of mortals, I have to trudge in mud as best I can to make the puppets move." Just as he finishes, firecrackers explode and pennants unfurl as two rows of puppets break the surface of the water to the accompaniment of cymbals and drums. Scenes depicting everyday activities as well as historical episodes follow one another at a fast pace, to the thrill of the spellbound spectators.

This unique art form was likely originally a variation of rain and fertility rites when first created in the 12th century in low-lying parts of the rice-growing delta of the Hong (Red) River. Later, it became a form of entertainment common during spring festivals and solidly rooted in rural life.

Water puppetry can be traced back to some fifteen villages only, the oldest claiming as their patron saint Tu Dao Hanh, a Buddhist monk ascribed with magical powers who lived in the 12th century. At Chua Thay (The Master’s Pagoda) west of Ha Noi, a group of three statues represent his three existences as monk, king and Buddha. One of the statues has articulated limbs. Historically, the existence of water puppetry was first mentioned on a stele erected at Doi Son Pagoda in Ha Nam Province in 1121.

In the old days, troupes rarely ventured from their villages and would guard jealously their secrets. Over the past decade, however, this traditional art form has realized its full development. Two theatres specializing in the craft opened in Ha Noi and a dozen village troupes have been revived.

The revival is due mainly to national interest in the preservation and development of traditional folklore. The Swedish-Vietnamese Fund for Cultural Development has provided three grants over ten years to the thirteen villages that specialize in water puppetry. More recently, the Ford Foundation has contributed to the training of young puppeteers. In 2002, the two foundations joined the Ethnography Museum in Ha Noi in organizing regular shows by village artists.

Viet Nam News, June 19, 2005