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(or dialect) groups in the 1980s. The rest in Singapore, the Hokkien string puppet in the head compartment and the rest of of my research material was collected can have up to 19 strings, depending on the the fingers below the head to control the through painstaking fieldwork and personal needs and type of performance. puppet’s movements. The puppeteer is interviews with puppeteers since then. The Hokkien community also has hidden behind the stage set and manipu- Finding the puppeteers, establishing another puppet type known as glove pup- lates the puppet on the stage with only contact, meeting up with them and getting pet (potehi in Hokkien). The glove puppet, his or her arms exposed. Older glove them to disclose closely guarded secrets as the term suggests, is controlled by puppets tend to be smaller, ranging from Chinese of the trade was a mammoth task. To my inserting the hand into the interior of the 25 to 35 cm in length. Newer puppets can surprise, I discovered a wide variety of pup- puppet, with the index finger embedded go up to 40 cm. petry art forms in Singapore, all originating from different parts of southern China. (Facing page) A white-faced villain (白奸) glove puppet, c.1950s. The colour white usually represents a villainous or crafty personality. Photo by Caroline Chia. Puppet Types of Chinese Puppetry (Below) Hainanese rod puppet troupe San Chun Long's performance at the Yan Kit Village Chinese Temple in November 2015. The rods are partially obscured from view by the puppet’s costume. Photo by Jace Tan, Traditional puppet art forms include Haina- National Heritage Board Puppetry Documentation Project 2015/2016. nese rod puppetry (zhangtou mu’ou, 杖头 (Bottom) A Hokkien string puppet performance by Xin Cai Yun (now disbanded) at Serangoon North on 10 April 2010. Photo by Caroline Chia. 木偶) from Hainan island, Hokkien glove puppetry (budaixi, 布袋戏) and string Theatre puppetry (tixian mu’ou, 提线木偶) from southern Fujian, Henghua string pup- Rekindling a Glorious Past petry from Putian and Xianyou in eastern Fujian, Teochew iron-stick puppetry from Chaozhou, and Waijiang string puppetry performed by the Hakka community.1 The opera performances are staged in regional languages (or dialects), which unfortunately make it difficult for the average Singaporean youth to understand and appreciate. Due to the success of the Speak Mandarin Campaign launched by the Chinese puppetry is a tradition that government in 1979, the majority of young Chinese people schooled in modern Singa- is slowly losing ground in Singapore. pore have become unfamiliar with dialects, Caroline Chia tells us why this art which critics say has brought along with it an erosion of indigenous Chinese cultures form should be preserved. and traditions.2 Appreciating Chinese puppet theatre was also a challenge for me but I was for- tunate enough to have learnt Teochew and Hokkien from my parents and grandparents. I also picked up some basic Henghua during my 10-week stay in Putian, China, in 2013. Tossing a puppet into the air to perform a was a popular form of street entertainment junction, I realised that the bundles were somersault, the puppeteer sings at the top for children and the working class. actually miniature puppets garbed in tra- Manipulating a Marionette of his melodious voice, accompanied by the ditional Chinese opera costumes. high-pitched clapping of cymbals and the The Search Begins Since young, I have been exposed to The art of manipulating a puppet takes tresounding striking of drums backstage. Chaozhou, or Teochew opera (Chaoju, 潮剧), years to master but I will briefly explain Unfortunately, the response to this unusual I have always been interested in the forgot- as performances were often staged in the how the different types of puppets are street-side performance at a temple in the ten and unknown, and thus my exploration Jalan Besar neighbourhood where I grew controlled. A Hainanese rod puppet mea- heartlands of Singapore is met with either of Chinese puppetry in Singapore began in up. My maternal grandmother, who hailed sures between 60 and 70 cm and weighs furrowed eyebrows or blank looks, or 2007 – the same year I first encountered from Swatow (now Shantou), a city in the approximately 2 to 3 kg. Each puppet com- young people hurrying past an unwelcome these puppets. While travelling on a bus Chinese province of Guangdong, was an prises a centralised rod connected to the obstruction, their eyes averted or glued to in Tampines one day, I spied through the avid fan of Teochew opera and often regaled head and two thinner rods at the base for their mobile phones. Such a scene would window a small makeshift stage with what her grandchildren with stories from the the puppeteer to manipulate. have been unthinkable half a century ago looked like moving bundles of colourful operas she used to watch as a young girl. The height of the Henghua string when Chinese puppet theatre in Singapore cloth. When the bus stopped at the traffic The cloth puppets left an indelible puppet varies between 80 cm and 1 m. The impression on me and I began to search puppeteer, whilst in a standing position, for information on Chinese puppetry. There manipulates the puppet using the 12 strings Caroline Chia researches on the theatrical forms of the Chinese diaspora in Singapore, was very little material to go by but thank- attached to it. Additional strings can be China, Taiwan and Australia. She is the author of Development of Cantonese Opera in fully, I was able to embark on my initial added to create more intricate and complex Singapore (2013) and co-author of Potehi: Glove Puppet Theatre in Southeast Asia and study by using oral history interviews from movements. Its southern counterpart, the Taiwan (2015). She has worked with the National Heritage Board to document puppetry the National Archives of Singapore. Its Oral Hokkien string puppet, ranges from 60 to art forms in Singapore, and organised the first traditional glove puppetry workshop in History Centre had interviewed a number of 90 cm in height, and has an average of 12 November 2016. Visit her blog at: http://marionettetheatre.blogspot.sg. puppet masters from the different regional strings. According to veteran puppeteers

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Originating from Chaozhou, the aver- specific community who share a common play offering thanksgiving to the deities” Children enjoying a Chinese street puppet show, c. late 1960s. John C Young Collection, courtesy of National age height of the Teochew iron-stick puppet language and cultural kinship. This means (choushenxi, 酬神戏). This suggests that Archives of Singapore. puppet tales is approximately 35 cm whereas older ones that one would not usually expect audiences puppet performances are usually staged were shorter at about 25 cm. The puppet from one dialect group, for example the in temples to celebrate the feast days of Regardless of regional differences, head is made of clay or papier-mâché. Teochews, to watch a Hainanese puppet deities. Puppet theatre is closely associ- the storylines of most Chinese puppet There are three iron sticks attached to the show because of the language barrier. As ated with temples, and invariably, the shows in Singapore are based on Chi- puppet: one to support it and the other two migrant races, differences in language and few troupes that exist today rely on these nese classics set in imperial China, with wooden handles for manipulation. The cultural practices as well as feudal ties to religious institutions for survival. Apart such as A Family of Three Scholars puppeteer sits on a low stool and controls ancestral villages in China were barriers to from temple venues, puppet shows in the (一门三进士) for the Hokkien and the puppet from above. social interaction in the Chinese community past were occasionally held in the homes Teochew communities, Scholar Zhang Although puppet theatre has its roots in the early days of Singapore’s founding. of wealthy businessmen, specially commis- Wenxiu (张文秀) for the Hainanese, in different parts of China and there are vari- sioned to perform for an elder’s birthday and Scholar Wang Zhaorong (王兆荣) ations of the form distinct to each region, it The Transmission of Puppet Theatre or during occasions such as weddings and for the Henghua. The show is always is surprising how these various types have anniversaries. preceded by a ritual during which the been able to coexist and complement one The various puppet types discussed in this In colonial Singapore, temples puppets, which represent celestial another in a small geographical space like article belong to what is known as “tradi- served as social institutions that provided beings such as the Eight Immortals, Singapore. Each puppet type is unique to a tional temple theatre”, or more simply, “a both longtime Chinese settlers and new express thanksgivings to the deity migrants with a sense of spiritual conso- whose feast day is being celebrated. lation when they were far removed from This ritual is important because A string puppet show in Chinatown, 1963. The script is placed in such a way that the puppeteer can read it while manipulating the puppet. Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore. their hometowns in China. Regardless of it allows the sponsors to convey whether they were settlers or migrants, thanksgiving to the deity and in many Chinese immigrants regarded China return, seek the deity’s blessings. as the motherland to which they would After the prelude, the performance return as soon as they had earned enough. takes place. Many stories revolve In the 19th century, travelling by sea around the theme of a scholar – a was a risky venture, with many dying of highly respected figure in imperial pestilence or illness during the perilous China – and the various challenges sea journey before they could arrive at their he encounters before excelling in destination. Those who survived the ordeal them to others in the same trade. Temples ended up in Singapore in 1939. It was the imperial examinations. would express their thanksgiving to the and clan associations, or huiguan (会馆), only in 1947 that Foo Tiang Soon (符祥春, There are also stories that deities, including Mazu, popularly known established in various parts of Southeast 1904–1994?), a renowned musician and depict fictional characters from as Goddess of the Sea. The veneration of Asia also invited puppeteers from the same co-proprietor of San Chun Long, bought Journey to the West (西游记) and Mazu led to the construction of some early hometown or region in China, and assisted the puppets and established the troupe. Records of the Strange (聊斋志异), temples by different dialect groups. For them in the process of emigration. From these examples, we can see that or martial arts characters from example, the Hokkiens established Thian According to oral history records, traditional Chinese puppetry relied heav- Romance of the Three Kingdoms Hock Keng temple at Telok Ayer Street the earliest Hokkien glove puppet troupe ily on compatriot and kinship ties, and that (三国演义) but most have a happy in 1840, while the Teochew community in Singapore was Xin Quan Sheng (新 Singapore was an important nexus in the ending, often marked by a reunion erected the Wak Hai Cheng temple in 1826. 泉胜), which was established in 1895. transmission of these regional traditions. of family members and/or lovers, On the feast day of Mazu, puppet perfor- However, little is known about the troupe that befits the feast day celebrations. mances would be staged in these temples, except that its name was associated with Travelling Theatre a tradition that continues to this day. a box used to store puppets, which was Compatriot ties were essential for the purchased by a carver named Huang The spread of traditional Chinese pup- invited to perform in Malaya, including Chinese sojourner, many of whom were Renshui (黄壬水). A native of Jinmen petry from China to Southeast Asia in the at an amusement park established by penniless men who arrived in Singapore in with his ancestral village in Nan’an, late 19th and early 20th centuries was the Shaw Brothers in Kuala Lumpur. the second half of the 19th century to work southern Fujian, Huang travelled with a partly due to the high demand for pup- According to puppeteer Long Hian Keng as indentured labour, among whom were glove puppet troupe to Siam (Thailand) pet performances in the region. Puppet (龙兴京), a ticketed performance took adventurous spirits looking to make their in 1890. Not long after, he married a troupes, whether already established place in Kuala Lumpur during the 1950s fortune overseas. As it was unimaginable local woman there. When Huang’s eldest back in China or just set up in Singapore, that was very popular with children. As for a person to venture overseas without brother Bingchen passed away in 1907, proved very popular with overseas Chinese there was no Hainanese puppet troupe in first establishing a social network, these Huang relocated to Singapore to take communities in Malaya, Indonesia, Siam Malaysia in the 1970s, San Chun Long was young men often obtained assistance from over his shop, Say Tian Kok (西天国), (Thailand) and Burma (Myanmar). When often invited to stage shows in Hainanese their fellow villagers, whether it was to which specialised in making deity effigies. no local puppet performers were avail- temples and clan associations in Ipoh, borrow money or to seek an introduction Occasionally, Huang also performed as able, a troupe from China or Singapore Penang and Sabah. to relatives living overseas. a puppeteer.3 would travel to these countries to perform, The Teochew puppet troupe, Lao Sai The transmission of puppet theatre Another example of how the puppet where they would stay for weeks or even Bao Feng (老赛宝丰), too, was popular, likewise depended on such compatriot ties trade took root in Southeast Asia was months at a time. These performances especially among Teochew communities between China and Singapore as well as the Hainanese rod puppet troupe, San were mostly sponsored by wealthy Chinese in parts of Southeast Asia. In 1976, its other parts of Southeast Asia. Established Chun Long (三春隆). In 1921, a Hainanese businessmen who yearned for the familiar leader Tay Lee Huat (郑利发) travelled puppet masters who had settled in Sin- puppeteer by the name of Xie Yinlin (谢殷 entertainment of their hometowns. Puppet with his troupe to Tawau, in Sabah, for a gapore for instance, could take on a son, 林) was believed to be the first to bring troupes would also hold performances at performance that was well-received by the younger brother, nephew, or a neighbour rod puppets from Wenchang, Hainan, to temples during the feast days of deities. local Teochew community. Tay claimed that from the same hometown in China, or at Southeast Asia. The rod puppets, possibly Foo Tiang Soon, the co-founder of Lao Sai Bao Feng was the first Teochew least those who spoke the same regional carved by Xie himself, were first brought Hainanese puppet troupe San Chun Long, puppet troupe to have performed in Tawau language, as apprentices, or introduce from Wenchang to Siam, and eventually recalled that his troupe was frequently and Sandakan.

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ing the feast days of deities worshipped at remained in good shape as a result of care- of performances and ageing puppeteers, these sintua, and during such celebrations, ful safeguarding by the puppet troupes. Zhou is adamant about safeguarding this tents with a makeshift puppet stage are When I visited San Chun Long troupe in heritage for as long as he can. usually erected. These instances dem- late 2015, I noticed that the brightly painted Today, traditional Chinese puppet onstrate how religious institutions have faces of the rod puppets appeared more theatre is in danger of being obliterated made adjustments to ensure the survival vibrant compared with the ones I saw in from the cultural landscape. The inability of puppet theatre. some photos in 2012. On further probing, of young Singaporeans to speak dialects I discovered that the puppets had been and the lack of interest in an archaic form Rediscovering Our Heritage repainted in China in 2014. of theatre are some of the biggest chal- When these puppets were sent to lenges that face existing puppet troupes. There have also been efforts by local pup- Hainan for a new coat of paint, Lin Hongwu Many puppet masters despair over the pet masters to conserve and preserve the (林鸿吾), 92, a native of Hainan, was reported decline of this once-glorious trade and puppetry art form in Singapore. I pored to be very surprised when he saw them. the rapidly shrinking audiences who through a number of Henghua opera To the elderly man, it was a joyous “reun- appreciate such entertainment. There is scripts and discovered that they are gener- ion” of sorts. Lin remembered seeing little motivation for troupes to innovate ally longer and more complete, compared similar puppets in Hainan when he was and keep up with the times. with the more condensed scripts found younger. Unfortunately, those puppets Through my continued contact with in China. For example, Beidouxi (北斗戏), were destroyed during the Cultural Revo- the puppeteers, many have expressed their the Northern Dipper Play, a form which lution years between 1966 and 1976.4 With interest in performing outside the confines expresses thanksgiving to the gods for possibly the only known collection of old of the temple and to educate the public protecting the children of the sponsors, is rod puppets in Hainan destroyed, this on this traditional art form. There have performed for two hours in Singapore but last surviving collection of traditional rod been opportunities for puppet troupes to the one I watched in Putian lasted for only puppets in Singapore has become all the perform at new platforms but the scope is 20 minutes using a more simplified script. more valuable. These nearly century-old limited.5 More support, monetary or oth- The Sin Hoe Ping troupe still performs puppets could very well be the oldest erwise, is needed to keep puppet theatre the Northern Dipper Play upon request. examples around. going in modern-day Singapore, but unless Singapore’s warm and humid climate The conservation efforts by mem- young Singaporeans can be convinced is not conducive for the conservation of bers of San Chun Long, particularly the that traditional Chinese puppet theatre puppet artefacts and paraphernalia, espe- current troupe leader, 49-year-old Zhou is not “uncool” and old-fashioned, there cially since there is a lack of know-how Jingwen (周经文), who is passionate about is imminent danger of losing yet another A Hokkien glove puppet performance by Shuang Neng Feng troupe at Jiu Xuan Temple on 30 March 2010. Photo by Caroline Chia. in protecting these items. Although many preserving the puppets and the traditions part of our rich heritage. precious artefacts have been ­damaged due his elders left him, is highly commendable. In Singapore, local puppet troupes the troupes included De Yue Lou (得月 devotees from other dialect groups. The to poor conservation practices, some have Despite the sharp decline in the number have also received praise from their 楼), Shuang Sai Le (双赛乐), Feng Huang chairman of the temple, Koh Chee Gong, respective communities. Lee Chye Ee Ting (凤凰亭), Xin De Yue (新得月), and is not a Hainanese, but a Cantonese. To 和平 Chua, C.H. (Interviewer). (1988, January 19). Oral history (李载饴, 1919–1991), the troupe leader of He Ping ( ). The He Ping troupe was ensure their continued survival, temples Notes References interview with Ng Yew Kian [Transcript of Recording the Hokkien troupe Jit Guat Sin (日月星), the predecessor of Sin Hoe Ping (新和 have welcomed devotees from other dia- 1 The term “Henghua” is a transliteration of “Xinghua” Books No. 000874/04/01, pp. 3–8]. Retrieved from National recalled the occasional douxi (斗戏), or 平), currently the last existing Henghua lect communities. as Putian city and Xianyou county were previously Kraus, R. C. (2012). The cultural revolution: A very short Archives of Singapore website. “competitive show”, between his troupe puppet troupe in Singapore. Another aspect that is distinct to administered under the Xinghua area. introduction. New York: Oxford University Press. (Call Chua, C.H. (Interviewer). (1988, May 28). Oral history 2 The Speak Mandarin Campaign was launched by no.: 951.056 KRA) and Lao Chuan Ann (老泉安), another Singapore is the proliferation of sintua interview with Tay Lee Huat [Transcript of Recording then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on 7 September 《 华 人 、华 语 、华 文 》[Mandarin: The Chinese connection]. No. 000893/09/01, pp. 5–6]. Retrieved from National 神坛 well-known Hokkien troupe back then. On Cross-cultural Influences (or shentan, , translated as “house- 1979 with the objective of improving communication (2000). 新加坡: 推广华语理事会. (Call no.: RSING Archives of Singapore website. one memorable occasion, the two troupes hold shrine”) and spirit mediums known and understanding among Chinese Singaporeans, Chinese 306.4495957 MAN) Chua, S. B. (Interviewer). (1988, June 6). Oral history were invited to pit their skills to prove who Although Chinese puppetry originated as tangki (or jitong, 乩童), with the latter and to create a Mandarin-speaking environment interview with Lee Chye Ee [Transcript of Recording were the more accomplished puppeteers. from China, the different regional forms sometimes involving devotees from dif- conducive to the successful implementation of the Book chapter No. 000936/10/03, pp. 24–26]. Retrieved from National bilingual education programme. Chia, C. (2015). Potehi in Singapore, survival and change. In Archives of Singapore website. Both troupes gave their best, which have adapted in various ways so that we ferent dialect groups as well as some 3 It is not possible to ascertain if Huang Renshui K. Fushiki & R. Ruizendaal (Eds.), Potehi: Glove puppet Wang, Z. C. (Interviewer). (1988, January 16). Oral history included singing, complex manipulation can now proudly claim a puppetry tradi- non-Chinese. When a spirit medium performed as a puppeteer with the Xin Quan Sheng theatre in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. Taiwan: Taiyuan interview with Foo Tiang Soon [Transcript of Recording techniques and story presentation. Lao tion that is uniquely multicultural and goes into a trance, the deity is believed troupe or with another troupe. Publishing. (Not available in NLB holdings.) No. 000875/03/01, pp. 23–24, 27]. Retrieved from Chuan Ann performed Li Shiming Roam- Singaporean, tempered with mutual re- to have possessed the medium, endowing 4 The Cultural Revolution in China – also known National Archives of Singapore website. as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution – Journal article ing the Underworld (李世民游地府), and to spect for each dialect group’s culture and the latter with powers to heal the sick. Wang, Z. C. (Interviewer). (1987, December 15). Oral history launched by Mao Zedong, then chairman of the Ruizendaal, R. (1990). A discovery in Fujian province: interview with Long Hian Keng [Transcript of Recording No. make the performance more realistic, the traditions. Although the various puppet The devotees usually consult the spirit Communist Party, began in May 1966 and lasted Iron-stick puppet theatre. CHIME: Newsletter of the 000859/06/02, p. 18]. Retrieved from National Archives of troupe used various props to portray the theatre forms still cater mainly to their mediums on matters relating to health, until his death in 1976. This revolution mainly European Foundation for Chinese Music Research, 2, Singapore website. 18 levels of hell. Jit Guat Sin performed own communities and temples, some finance or spirituality, and occasionally the targeted the arts and popular beliefs. See Kraus, 28-42. (Not available in NLB holdings.) Huang Feihu Retaliating Against the Five significant changes have taken place. future. These spirit mediums sometimes R. C. (2012). The cultural revolution: A very short Personal interviews introduction. New York: Oxford University Press. Unpublished theses Chia, C. (Interviewer). (2015, November 26). Personal Hurdles (黄飞虎反五关) with a splendid In November 2015, for instance, hand out sweets, red-dyed eggs and other (Call no.: 951.056 KRA) Teh, S. H. (2004). 《新加坡海南杖头木偶－三春隆木偶班个 interview with Zhou Jingwen. display of acrobatic skills that showcased San Chun Long was invited to perform “auspicious” food items that are believed 5 In 2014, for instance, I recommended Pang Tong 案研究》 [Hainanese rod puppet in Singapore – A case Chia, C. (Interviewer). (2015, November 28). Personal the puppeteers’ consummate control of at the Yan Kit Village Chinese Temple in to bestow blessings on whomever receives Teng from the Tien Heng Kang troupe (新兴港琼南 study of San Chun Long puppet troupe]. Honours thesis, interview with Zhou Jingwen. the marionettes. Such competitive shows celebration of Shui Wei Sheng Niang’s them. Despite the advances made by 剧社) to Artsolute, a social group that works with National University of Singapore. Chia, C. (Interviewer). (2016, April 29). Personal interview youths to participate in community development Chia, C. (2016). The interaction of oral and literate practices were common in the 1950s. (水尾圣娘, literally translated as “God- modern medicine, this form of alterna- with Tan Siew Keow. and cultural exchange programmes through in Singaporean Chinese temple theatre. Doctoral Chia, C. (Interviewer). (2016, November 27). Personal Although the Henghua community dess of the Lower Stream”) feast day. tive healing is still sought after by some the arts. At the time, Artsolute was looking for thesis, University of Melbourne. interview with Tina Quek Tina. was a minority group, its dominance of the Founded by the Hainanese community in Singaporeans. a puppeteer in traditional Chinese puppetry Li, Z. (Interviewer). (2015, June 8). Personal interview with Chinese puppetry art scene in Singapore 1939, the temple was originally located In a way, the existence of spirit medi- for a cultural exchange trip to Brunei. In 2016, I Oral history interviews Goh Swee Theng. in the mid-20th century was evidenced in a Hainanese enclave known as Yan Kit ums and sintua have partly contributed introduced the Teochew puppet and opera troupe Chiang, C. (Interviewer). (1982, February 17). Oral history Sin Ee Lye Heng to Lepark, organiser of “Getai Soul interview with Ng Yew Kian [Transcript of Recording No. by the large numbers of puppet troupes village across the road from its current to the survival of puppet theatre. Puppet 2016”, Singapore’s first soul music festival. The 000158/10/04, p. 43]. Retrieved from National Archives of that emerged during its peak. Some of location. Today, the temple is visited by troupes are often invited to perform dur- two-day event was held at Pearl’s Hill. Singapore website.

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