Puppet show in western Fujian (Shanghang) is one of the three major operas in western Fujian, along with Han opera and folk opera in western Fujian. It is also one of the operas with local characteristics in Fujian Province. Shanghang is known as the "hometown of puppets", and Baisha Township in Shanghang is the birthplace of puppets in western Fujian (Shanghang) in China. According to relevant records, in the early Ming Dynasty, Lai Fakui, a farmer from Zhangkeng, Baisha Township, Shanghang, Li Fazuo, Li Fayou, Wen Faming, and other farmers from Tangfeng, Baisha, went to Hangzhou to learn the art of Gaoqiang puppet show. After completing their studies, they returned to Shanghang and brought back a set of 18 puppets (commonly known as the Eighteen Arhats). The ancestors of the Liang family in Shuizhuyang Village, Baisha Township, migrated from Qiantang County, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, and brought puppet show to Shanghang. "Tian Gong" is the ancestor and god of puppet show respected by puppet show artists of all generations, and "Tian Gong Hall" is the place where puppet show artists offer sacrifices to their ancestors. "Tian Gong Hall" was built in Shuizhuyang, Baisha Township. Historically, there was a "Tian Gong Association", and the income from the association fields was used as activity funds. After puppetry was introduced to Baisha, it gradually spread and developed in various townships of the county. During the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1875-1908), there were more than 120 puppetry troupes in the county, with hundreds of puppetry practitioners. According to the records of the "Symposium of Old Puppetry Artists" held in 1983, there were 90 troupes (whose names or owners were known) (see "A List of Puppetry Troupes in Shanghang County" for details). In the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, there were still 56 troupes maintaining activities. Shanghang puppetry was not only popular in the county, but also gradually spread to various counties (districts) in Longyan City, as well as the border areas of Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangxi, and even some areas in Zhejiang, Hunan, Taiwan and other provinces. According to relevant records: In 1865, Cao Ruwen, a native of Tufang, Changting, went to Baisha to learn puppetry. After completing his studies, he returned to his hometown and established a puppetry (Gaoqiang) troupe. Since then, puppetry has been available in Changting. In 1850, Zhang Zhaodeng, a native of Kanshi, Yongding, went to Shanghang to learn puppetry. After completing his studies, he returned to his hometown and established the (Mingfengtang) troupe. Since then, puppetry has been available in Yongding. In 1898, Li Ruyi, an artist from Tangfeng, Baisha, became sworn brothers with Xu Xiangqiu from Laiyuan Township, Liancheng County. He adopted his second son Li Jinling as Xu's son, changed his name to Xu Chuanhua, and moved to Laiyuan. Chuanhua established the (Laofuxingtang) troupe. Since then, puppetry has been available in Liancheng. In 1918, Zhang Pinrong, the son of Yongding puppetry artist Zhang Longcai, moved to Baisha, Silla, and moved the (Laorongshuntang) troupe to Baisha, Silla to teach. Since then, puppetry began to appear in Silla. In 1883, Baisha artist Li Jiafu led the (Jiaqingtang) troupe to perform in Shicheng, Jiangxi, and later settled in Shicheng. Puppetry was introduced to Shicheng County, Jiangxi Province. In the 50th year of Emperor Kangxi's reign in the Qing Dynasty (1694), Liu Songsheng, a native of Tianbei Village in Laisuli, moved to Xiushui County, Jiangxi, and then moved to Changshou Street, Pingjiang, Hunan. A puppetry artist named Zhang from Shanghang followed Liu to escape famine. After arriving in Changshou, Zhang made a living by performing puppetry. Since then, puppetry began to appear in Hunan. During the Republic of China period, Gong Guiyu, the owner of the Huangtan (Guilantang) troupe in this county, married into Dapu, Guangdong, and renamed the troupe (Xinjinlan). After more than 500 years of development, Shanghang puppetry has developed into a relatively complete art system and has also produced generations of performing artists. In August 1954, Longyan District selected Qiu Bishu, Li Zhenchuan, Liu Jincong, Li Xiangxian from Shanghang, plus Xu Chuanhua, Xu Huoyan from Liancheng, Cao Rufeng from Changting, and Zhang Meijin from Yongding, a total of eight people, to form the "Minxi Puppet Show Team", with the play "Damingfu" as the main play, and "Dui Yuhuan" to participate in the "Fujian Province Second Local Opera Observation and Performance Conference". Both plays won the first prize. In September of the same year, Yingxuan went to Shanghai to participate in the "East China Local Opera Observation and Performance Conference" and won the Special Art Performance Award. In the first month of 1995, Yingxuan went to Beijing to participate in the "National Thirteen Provinces Puppet Show and Shadow Play Festival", and the play "Damingfu" was selected to perform in Huairen Hall for the 1st and 1st party and state leaders. During the festival, the China Puppet Art Troupe and puppet art colleagues from brother provinces and cities, as well as puppet artists from the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia, visited, visited and studied with the "Minxi Team". In 1986, the Shanghang Puppetry Troupe created and performed the mythological drama "Borrowing Rain to Subdue Demons" (written by Qiu Yichu), and was selected to participate in the "International Puppet Festival" held in Quanzhou. During this period, they had artistic exchanges with puppet artists from countries such as the United Kingdom, East Germany, Austria, Japan, and the Philippines, as well as various provinces and cities. In October, the Shanghang County Puppetry Troupe was accepted as a group member of the "China Puppet and Shadow Art Society". After the inheritance and development of successive artists, Shanghang puppetry has become a unique art form, forming its own style and characteristics: (1) The performance of puppetry, as the artists said, "borrows food from the three religions of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism". It is closely related to folk activities such as worshiping tombs, paying tribute to gods, Anlong Dajiao, exorcising evil spirits, and traditional festivals and celebrations. After the founding of New China, although it was formed into a professional puppet troupe, it was often invited by the public to perform for festivals and folk activities. Under the diversified modern cultural and entertainment projects, puppetry has basically returned to the folk, forming a dependence on folk customs; (2) Puppetry is a comprehensive art that integrates sculpture, music, performance operation, and production technology. It has developed from the original 18 puppets of the "Eighteen Arhats" to the 24 puppets of the "Twenty-Four Gods". Through the inheritance of artists from generation to generation, there is a set of performance procedures such as "specializing in four corners, playing four corners, adjusting the crown, patting the clothes, lifting the robe, and holding the belt" in the string-pulling technology. There are specific music, gongs and drums for specific scenes such as the opening, the end, and welcoming and seeing off guests, which have the characteristics of stylized performance; (3) After the development and innovation of artists. The puppet body was originally 1 foot 8 inches high, and gradually increased to 2 feet 5 inches. The puppet strings also increased from five to sixteen. Some special stunt puppets have more strings. They created stunts such as "rubbing the whip, rubbing the stick, carrying people on the back, stripping, nailing knives and guns, playing with five colors, grabbing people's heads, playing with snakes, dancing lions, running through fire rings, and breathing fire from the mouth". The movements are flexible, varied, delicate and vivid, very realistic, and characterized by superb performance skills; (4) Puppet troupes are divided into two types: Gaoqiang and Luantan. Gaoqiang has no accompaniment, only one person sings, gongs and drums and chorus to set off the atmosphere. There are "nine tunes and thirteen tunes" and other styles, which inherit and develop the Geyang tune. "Luantan" adopts the Pihuang tune of the Western Fujian Han Opera (Waijiang Opera) and adds national orchestral accompaniment. Both Gaoqiang and Luantan absorb local folk music and minor tunes into the play to form their own style, with artistic diversity; (5) Gaoqiang and Luantan have their own troupes. The two schools develop independently and depend on each other, and have coexistence characteristics; (6) In addition to performing regular traditional repertoires, puppet shows also perform "chuanben" and "zaju", and the repertoires can be performed by the host. When performing "chuanben", the artists usually improvise lyrics and sing according to the "outline". In particular, the singing style of Gaoqiang puppetry "has no music score, but only follows local customs". During the singing, "the length of the sentence and the pitch of the voice can be freely adjusted", and the performers have strong singing characteristics; (7) Shanghang puppetry has a long history and has accumulated more than a thousand traditional repertoires. Frequently performed ones include "Zhengdong", "Zhengxi", "Pingnan", "Sweeping the North", "Sui and Tang", "Anti-Tang", "Huaguang", "Lady's Biography" and other "chuanben" (serial dramas) and excellent traditional dramas such as "Shuangguitu", "Jiushiju", "Wanlihou", "Damingfu", and "Water Flooding Jinshan". Often a "chuanben" is performed for three to five days, and "Sui and Tang Biography" can be performed for fifty to sixty days, with the characteristics of rich performance repertoires; (8) According to legend, puppetry originated from the story of Chen Ping, a military strategist of the Han Dynasty, who made a puppet "beauty" to defeat the Xiongnu Maodun. In addition, puppet shows are indispensable for folk prayers, warding off disasters, inviting gods to hold festivals, and celebrating festivals. Their exquisite skills are fascinating, and there are also folk performances such as rituals to calm the gods. Puppet shows have become messengers of good luck in people's hearts, giving puppet shows a sacred and legendary feature. (9) According to the "Shanghang Puppetry Records", during its heyday, there were nearly 200 puppet shows in Shanghang. Due to the limited performance market, various puppet shows competed to perform in Fujian, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Hunan, and Zhejiang. With the migration of artists, puppet shows gradually spread to various counties in western Fujian and provinces such as Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Taiwan, giving them the characteristics of a wide range of activities and a wide range of dissemination. (10) After hundreds of years of development, different professions have different storytelling and singing styles. The twelve roles of Sheng, Dan, Jing and Chou respectively use original voice, false voice and explosive voice to reflect the different ages, genders and identities of the characters. The carving and production of puppets and animal puppets are also very fine. Some puppets have movable eyes, mouths, tongues and fingers. The turtles, snakes, birds, beasts and other animals are lifelike, which gives the puppet show delicate and vivid performances and exquisite craftsmanship. The costumes, crowns and belts, and props of Shanghang puppet show have gone through a development stage from rough to fine, from simple to complex, and from small to large. From the texture of raw materials, size specifications to production technology and wearing habits, its development and changes can be seen. Since the rise of the Luantan class, the costumes of puppet shows have become more and more unified. In other words, each class has a basic set of costumes, and the names of these costumes are also relatively unified. The main categories are as follows: (1) Clothing: five-color robes (red, yellow, black, white, and blue), five-color armor, longevity clothes, eight-diagram clothes, princess clothes, female red robes, door god armor, cloaks, belly-hanging clothes (official clothes), horse hangings, flower-shaped female clothes, five-color skirts, old male clothes, young male clothes, female clothes, three-flowered clothes, old female clothes, red female clothes, blue female clothes, Tian Gong clothes, number hangings (soldier clips), back armor, silk supports, female cloud circles, bitter skirts, Guanyin clothes (white clothes), cassocks, snow clothes, Taoist nun clothes, barrel clothes, hero scarves, etc. (2) Crowns and belts: Emperor Wen’s hat, Emperor Wu’s hat, the two kings’ helmet, the flat crown, the turban helmet, the commander’s helmet, the lotus leaf helmet, the prince’s helmet (purple gold crown), the big dragon, the small dragon, the old woman’s head, the prime minister’s head, the prince’s husband’s head, the gauze hat (pointed, square, round), the civil phoenix crown, the military phoenix crown, the lion grey, the eunuch’s hat, the prime minister’s turban, the central army’s hat, the nine-basket hat, the civil servant, the military servant, the pearl hat, the jade, the jade carving, the scholar’s turban, the young master’s hat, the slave’s hat, the claw hat, the tile turban, the monk’s hat, the Guanyin hat, the Buddha hat, the circle hat, the three-flower hat, the floating turban, the township official’s hat (official), the old man’s hat, the phoenix hat, the Taoist nun’s hat, the emperor’s turban, etc. (3) Props: imperial edict plaque, incense burner, candlestick, four treasures of the study, basket, seal, lottery tube, command flag, command arrow, lantern, horse whip, fairy broom, little boy, little fish, fishing rod, net, gun, handcuffs, shackles, ordinary fan, white fan, small basin, man picture, woman picture, white crane, knife, gun, snake, tiger, dragon, bird, turtle, beast, horse, lion, five colors (rake, knife, broadsword, copper hammer), whip, sword, hatchet, axe, kitchen knife, hoe, broom, harpoon, pot head, chimney, bundle, umbrella, book, beads, gourd, scripture box, saddle bag, firewood clip, fire basket, bamboo hat, staff, oar, square battle, big Guandao, spear, shield, mace, bow, arrow, Luan, etc. In the process of inheritance, Shanghang puppet show has formed a number of rules, mainly including: (1) the main and deputy stage; (2) the gong; (3) "one invite, two urge, three rush"; (4) "jumping the crown" and "hitting the gold list"; (5) "speaking on the job"; (6) sign language; (7) hammering the back to learn the gongs and drums. According to the recollections of the old artist Liu Jinshou, there are 0 customs for puppet show performances, namely: no urging, sleeping on the high bunk; "the King of Medicine dotting the eyes"; "the three sworn brothers in the Peach Garden". The small wooden sculptures are very lifelike, pretending to be male, female, ugly, and clean. Don't laugh at his authenticity; several strings are pulled together to perform the joys and sorrows very vividly. This 44-character couplet vividly and accurately describes the characteristics of the puppet show in western Fujian (Shanghang).