On December 4th, the 4th Nanchong International Puppet Art Week commenced. Thirty-one puppet art troupes from 20 countries and regions around the globe gathered to present a cross-border artistic feast of puppet and shadow play.

Street Performances

At the opening ceremony, nearly 700 puppeteers from home and abroad, alongside local performance groups, presented a vibrant parade, officially launched the art week. Local specialty performances such as the Fanshan Jiaozhi, Shunqing Waist Drum, and Shunqing Red Fan dances took the stage one after another. Artists from the Nanchong Acrobatic Troupe and the Sichuan Opera Troupe skillfully blended the thrill of acrobatics with the unique charm of Sichuan Opera, showcasing the profound depth of local culture.

Subsequently, over 300 puppet artists made a grand finale appearance. From the classic interpretations by the Dagestan National Puppet Theater to the masterful heritage presented by the Sichuan Grand Puppet Theater, artists wielded their agile puppets, sparking cross-border artistic resonance right on the streets.

Premiere Night

At the evening, the opening major production, the puppet play ‘A Puppet's Journey to the Peach Blossom Spring,’ premiered at the Nanchong Grand Theatre, bringing the atmosphere to a climax. Comprising six acts, the play masterfully blends the traditional techniques of Northern Sichuan Grand Puppetry with modern stage design and lighting. On stage, the puppets seemed imbued with life, skillfully demonstrating techniques like "lifting, pulling, pushing, and hooking," and performed alongside dancers to depict the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures.

Premiere Night

It is particularly noteworthy that the majority of the over 130 performers involved are from the Puppetry Inheritance and Production Class of Nanchong Vocational and Technical College, reflecting the achievements of Nanchong's integration of arts and education.

According to reports, during the art week, over 70 performances will be staged successively in Nanchong's theaters, squares, campuses, and ancient towns. The ancient art of puppetry, using its universal visual language, is interpreting in Nanchong the profound concept of ‘appreciating one's own beauty and that of others, and achieving shared beauty.’