Chen Yue-Yi (陳悅宜), Director of the National Center for Traditional Arts

The liveliness on fingertips branches from the traditional arts of the land.
As a child, the most enjoyable memories are of sitting on a bench and watching the puppets on the stage. Every vivid move and gesture of a puppet is interwoven through the rhythm of puppeteers' fingertips, blending human artistry with the life of the puppet together. This liveliness on fingertips originates from the blossoming of our ancestors' life and the sublimation of artistic creations. It bears the mark of the profound tradition of the land.
The joint production by Taiwan and Japan, The Puppet Show — Splitting the Mountain (劈山救母)
, combined traditional Taiwanese glove puppetry and Japanese marionette puppetry. The two distinctly different puppetry techniques share the same artistic pursuit and embody the best of cultural exchange. I genuinely hope to see more interaction and brainstorming between Taiwanese and Japanese traditional arts in the future, and that the two sides can expand and develop concrete co-creative performances, rooting the foundation of cultural exchange.


From the Curator, Lin Yu-Ping (林于竝)

Each traditional art form is rooted in the soil where it was born and is closely related to the local culture. Its musical sound, linguistic prosody, colour sense and physical rhythm are intimately intertwined to form a unique expression. Traditional glove puppetry is one of Taiwan's most popular traditional performances and can be seen everywhere. The lively spoken narratives and boisterous music form a shared memory for the Taiwanese.
The 387-year-old Youkiza (結城座) has been a favourite of the people since the Edo period. From the perspective of how the puppets are manipulated, the musical styles and the breathing of the puppeteers, it is indeed challenging for the Taipei Puppet Theater, using glove puppets, and Youkiza, using marionettes, to perform together on the same stage. And yet, the two have a common denominator, "popularity". They are loved by the people, they are part of people's lives, they reflect the changes of the times, and they embrace the new. In this sense, popular art is the most universal of all. Through the performances of the Taipei Puppet Theater and Youkiza, what is exchanged on stage is the sensibility of life from Taiwan and Japan.


From the Troupe Director, Lin Yung-Chih (林永志)

The Taipei Puppet Theater is one of the "Taiwan Top" arts groups, with the mission of preserving the traditional art of puppetry, improving performance quality, and creating an international stage for Taiwanese puppetry. We are committed to using traditional Taiwanese culture as the foundation and try to collaborate with artists and designers from different fields, with a cross-border perspective, to create more new traditional culture exclusive to Taiwan.
In 2020, we were honoured, under the recommendation of Prof. Lin Yu-Ping (林于竝), to participate in the Ministry of Culture's "Taiwan NOW" cultural exchange Programme. It is a transnational project of Taiwan and Japan, through which we met Mr Satou Makoto (佐藤信). He is one of the leading directors of the first generation of post-war Japan, founder of the tent theatre, Black Tent Theater (劇団黒テント), and current artistic director of Za-Koenji Public Theatre (座・高円寺) in Suginami. We also had the opportunity to meet the Youkiza (結城座), a traditional Japanese marionette troupe founded during the Edo period and has spanned some three and a half centuries (designated as an Intangible Cultural Property of Japan). This is the first time we attempted an international co-creation between Taiwan and Japan, allowing traditional Taiwanese art to break through the language and cultural barriers and face contemporary international audiences with our innovative and cross-cultural performances. It is a fusion of traditional Taiwanese glove puppetry and Japanese marionette puppetry. What we are doing is an experimental creation combining the traditional performing arts of the two cultures.
Despite the delay due to the global covid-19 pandemic, the collaboration has still been highly valued and anticipated. We have remained in close contact via video calls during the time, culminating in presenting our production as the pandemic subsided this year (2022). The collaboration opened with Youkiza's The Fire Watchtower (火の見櫓の段from Greengrocer Oshichi (八百屋お七). The leader of the troupe, Mr Yuuki Magosaburo (結城孫三郎), lamented the decline of traditional Japanese culture as a puppeteer. After meeting the young lead puppeteer Wu Sheng-Chieh (吳聲杰) of Taipei Puppet Theater and watching Splitting the Mountain (劈山救母), he rekindled his reflection and passion for traditional arts. Only by passing it on from generation to generation can the beauty live on!
In addition to demonstrating the diversity of Taiwan's traditional performing arts and promoting Taiwan's cultural soft power to the world, the collaboration has left both sides with deep and fond memories. These are the sparks ignited by the interaction and brainstorming between us. May our friendship last, and we truly hope to see more cultural and artistic exchanges between Taiwan and Japan.


From the Lead Puppeteer, Wu Sheng-Chieh (吳聲杰)

It was an honour to be the lead puppeteer in this show. The cross-country collaboration with Director Satou Makoto and Youkiza was very meaningful. We performed with Taiwanese glove puppets, and Youkiza used their traditional marionettes; the combination of traditional arts from the two countries with two puppet theatres has brought a splendid spark. Although we spoke different languages, there was no gap in our communication. We were able to learn from each other's strengths and exchange ideas. This is what makes art so wonderful and fascinating.

During the rehearsals and discussions, I could feel that Japan attaches great importance to preserving traditional culture. Taiwan has also been actively involved in preserving and promoting traditional arts, hoping to pass them down and maintain them well, and to enable more groups and artists to take to the international stage. I feel deeply blessed to have been born in this era when the traditional arts of my country can flourish in the international arena.
In this collaboration project, we present Lotus Lantern (寶蓮燈), an eye-catching, imaginative and Chinese-culture-infused story.
The son of a goddess and a mortal, Chen Hsiang, was condemned by Heaven for opening the forbidden Book of Heaven to save his mother. Punished by the Thunder God and the Lightning God, he transformed from a white-faced to a black-faced man, but he also gained superpower because of the transformation. In the battle with his uncle, God Erh-Lang, he kept bringing on his magic weapons.
It was a battle of magic, wisdom, and courage. The characters in this play have vivid and distinctive personalities, the plot is exciting, and the backstage band is a perfect match. Through the excellent interpretation of traditional puppetry, we hope that, by using this classic play to collaborate with Japan, we did break the language barrier with the fantastic performing art and bring the Japanese audience a different kind of visual feast. 

 

On Monday morning, 29 Aug., we headed to the Taiwan Cultural Centre of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan to rehearse the press conference. This signified that we were getting closer to performing Splitting the Mountain (劈山救母) and that we were about to present the final result of this tour. For three years, due to the pandemic, rehearsals for this programme have only been possible online, by video calls. It was only at the end of June that the director (also the music designer) and the lead puppeteer went to Japan for the first time to rehearse the show despite all the difficulties. Since 15 Aug., we have been rehearsing intensively, in addition to promotional activities. All the efforts are aimed at presenting the best result.

The Taiwan Cultural Centre of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan has also invited us to hold a special exhibition, "The Liveliness on Fingertips - Exhibition on the Origin of Taiwanese Glove Puppetry", from 29 Aug. to 13 Oct. Starting from 9 Sep., a film adapted from a traditional Taiwanese folk tale, performed with light and visual effects, will be shown every Friday at 15:00: The Daring Lying Lantern Monkey (白賊燈猴天借膽).

The puppet show, Splitting the Mountain (劈山救母), was directed by Mr Satou Makoto (佐藤信), the artistic director of Za-Koenji Public Theatre (座・高円寺). This is a fusion of traditional Taiwanese glove puppetry and Japanese marionette puppetry, allowing Taiwanese traditional arts to break through the language and cultural barriers and face contemporary international audiences with our experimental creation combining traditional performing arts of the two cultures.

At the press conference, the Taiwanese and Japanese puppets performed together on the same stage, amazing the audience and the guests. There was a great turnout of journalists, who were eager to interview the director and the lead puppeteer after the conference. Hearing about the show's success at the box office made us feel more confident and motivated to do our best. We look forward to seeing you all at the theatre on 3 ~ 4 September!

                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    
                    

We left early in the morning on 5 Sep. Looking back over the past twenty days, we have accomplished many impossible tasks. Because of the pandemic, we had to communicate by video calls for three years about various matters, publicity, readings, and rehearsals.
Although we'd been working on all the invitations, we were unsure if we would be able to make the trip, so we had to keep our fingers crossed, be ready, and be flexible.

We then passed the first hurdle, the visa applications (although some were still not completed in time), and the second hurdle, PCR tests (some of our members did not get the desired results and eventually could not make the trip). It was not until we really got on the plane and arrived in Japan that we passed the third hurdle. During our stay, hearing the news of the surging cases in Japan, we reminded each other to take care with trepidation. But the only thing on everyone's mind was to complete all the tasks, not only for the troupe but also for Taiwan.


After all the promotional activities (workshops, lectures, performances), we arrived at the day of the press conference with excitement that words cannot describe.
We finally completed all the activities of this tour and were inundated with positive feedback and invitations.
We have won the hearts of Japanese audiences with our skills, and we now have Japanese fans! Being pleased, we are still aware that there is still much to be improved and fixed.

We must think more actively about strengthening the Japanese market while the iron is hot.

As the plane landed at Songshan Airport, we knew the trip was officially over. It was the end of the tour, but the beginning of the friendships made throughout the journey.

After undergoing a series of COVID-19 tests and procedures at the airport, we reluctantly said goodbye to each other and left with our luggage to quarantine. It was only at the end of the 3-day quarantine that we were really relieved to have passed the fourth hurdle and returned home safely.

Clearing all the hurdles, we've become much more experienced and braver to move forward. We want to thank all the officers and instructors who have supported us on this tour; we could not have done it without your help. In the future, the troupe will continue to march forward with the love of all of you!We left early in the morning on 5 Sep. Looking back over the past twenty days, we have accomplished many impossible tasks. Because of the pandemic, we had to communicate by video calls for three years about various matters, publicity, readings, and rehearsals.

Although we'd been working on all the invitations, we were unsure if we would be able to make the trip, so we had to keep our fingers crossed, be ready, and be flexible. We then passed the first hurdle, the visa applications (although some were still not completed in time), and the second hurdle, PCR tests (some of our members did not get the desired results and eventually could not make the trip). It was not until we really got on the plane and arrived in Japan that we passed the third hurdle. During our stay, hearing the news of the surging cases in Japan, we reminded each other to take care with trepidation.
But the only thing on everyone's mind was to complete all the tasks, not only for the troupe but also for Taiwan.


After all the promotional activities (workshops, lectures, performances), we arrived at the day of the press conference with excitement that words cannot describe. We finally completed all the activities of this tour and were inundated with positive feedback and invitations.

We have won the hearts of Japanese audiences with our skills, and we now have Japanese fans! Being pleased, we are still aware that there is still much to be improved and fixed. We must think more actively about strengthening the Japanese market while the iron is hot.

As the plane landed at Songshan Airport, we knew the trip was officially over.

It was the end of the tour, but the beginning of the friendships made throughout the journey.
After undergoing a series of COVID-19 tests and procedures at the airport, we reluctantly said goodbye to each other and left with our luggage to quarantine.

It was only at the end of the 3-day quarantine that we were really relieved to have passed the fourth hurdle and returned home safely. Clearing all the hurdles, we've become much more experienced and braver to move forward. We want to thank all the officers and instructors who have supported us on this tour; we could not have done it without your help. In the future, the troupe will continue to march forward with the love of all of you!

2022/09/10


Afterword

The first day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, 9 Sep., was also the premiere of The Daring Lying Lantern Monkey in the exhibition at the Taiwan Cultural Centre in Tokyo. We had already heard people asking about the date and time of the premiere before that. Many enthusiastic people attended the screening, and we had left some small souvenirs to thank them for coming all the way.

We also heard about Mayor Moshimoto's speech at the 10th Marugoto Taiwan Fair on 10 Sep., organised by the Suginami Association for Cultural Exchange (Chairperson: Inoue Yasutaka, 井上泰孝
) and co-organised by the Suginami District Office. In the speech, she mentioned that she was amazed and touched by the first performance of our troupe's creative collaboration with the Japanese marionette puppet troupe, Youkiza, in Za-Koenji Public Theatre of Suginami. The puppets really came to life with the lively music. After the opening ceremony, the Mayor and Ambassador Hsieh strolled around the stalls. When they saw our hands-on experience area, they even picked up the puppets and acted as puppeteers!

We just completed our first three days of the quarantine and are ready to start our new work and projects; it is still very inspiring to hear about these follow-ups. Performing arts is one of the easiest things to become ingrained in people's hearts. We are honoured to be able to take the first step towards cultural diplomacy. We hope to take the opportunity to build on our success, consolidate the market and continue to make great strides forward.