Water Puppets, Hanoi, Vietnam

Vietnam Water Puppets began in the Red River Delta in the tenth century, with the oldest troupes in Nguyen Xa commune, Dong Hung district, Thai Binh province. This unique art form reportedly appeared during the 15th century, when artists who were also farmers gathered to perform and unwind after the harvest. Therefore, the cultural traits of the inhabitants in this area are firmly embedded in water puppetry. Many Red River Delta towns still practice the ritual because Vietnam ancients believed ghosts ruled over all elements of their lives, from the kitchen to the rice terraces. That is why the farmers in this area created entertainment and worship to appease these spirits.

Farmers who spend their days in flooded rice fields came up with the idea for water puppetry. They eventually realized that water was an excellent medium for puppetry since it not only masked the puppeteers' rod and string apparatus but also created stimulating effects such as waves and splashes.

Areas of importance to depict below, and A number of performances can be performed in sequence in one: The "Four rural occupations" group: fisherman, woodcutter, plowman, and herdsman The "Five occupations" group: scholar, peasant, worker, trader, and soldier The "Farming" group: plowing, harrowing, hoeing, rice transplanting, and tending animals.