Lotz Interests: Asian Wood Puppets
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Lotz Interests:
~ Asian Wood Puppets ~
Wooden Shadow Puppets and
Rod Puppets
by Jean D. Lotz
A Non-Commercial, Educational Resource   Copyright © 1996+ Jean D. Lotz    Last Updated: 6/13/01 +proof

Shadow Puppets
When I think of "shadow puppets", I think of fabulous translucent leather figures projecting colorful shadows onto a viewing screen. Yet some shadow puppets were made of thin wood that was intricately decorated with carving, painting and piercing. The elaborately pierced designs projected fabulous shadows on a screen.

To enjoy a shaddow puppet play, the general audience would view the shaddows projected on the screen but NOT the puppets themselves. But some shaddow puppets were meant to be viewed from both sides of the screen. Wealthy or prestigious men were sometimes given the privilege of viewing the show from puppeteer's side of the screen. As a result, these puppets had to be physically attractive as well as being able to project an attractive shaddow.

More to come about wooden shadow puppets coming soon.


Rod (Stick or Pole) Puppets

Rod Puppets: China
need a photo I am searching for any information about Chinese rod puppets with wooden heads. If you can help, please email me.

A visitor to my web page recently told me, "This past September (2000) I saw a display of Chinese Rod Puppets at the Chinese Cultural Center in San Francisco, California.  Perhaps you could contact them for photos?  I certainly enjoy your website." Yes, I will try to contact them and hopefully they will want to share their culture with the world via the web.

I also recently saw a set of Chinese rod puppets offered for sale via Ebay. The faces and clothing looked very much like Chinese glove puppets. The only difference was the way in which the puppets were manipulated. Like all other Asian rod puppets, these had a rod inserted up into the head and thin sticks were used to control the hand movements.
need a photo

"Royal Dolls" Converted into rod puppets

 The Ultimate Doll book by Caroline Goodfellow states that "many 'royal or opera dolls' were converted into rod puppets". The heads on these dolls are currently made of a clay like, gray composition molded over a wooden stick but these dolls and rod puppets likely had carved wooden origins. The Asian Civilizations Museum: East Asian Collections - Folk Art has a collection of this type of rod puppet.

Rod Puppets: Indonesia

I want to thank Gerry Glaeve at the Wood Carver's Cottage for his encouragement and for contributing so many fine, illustrating photographs.

note: click on most images for a larger or full-length view


Mythical Character (25")
photo thanks to
Wood Carver's Cottage

Mythical Character (20")
photo thanks to
Wood Carver's Cottage

Skeleton (25")
photo thanks to
Wood Carver's Cottage

Lady (13-1/2")
photo thanks to
Wood Carver's Cottage

Lady (16-1/2")
photo thanks to
Wood Carver's Cottage

Lady (18")
photo thanks to
Wood Carver's Cottage

Mythical Evil Beast
(26")
photo thanks to
Wood Carver's Cottage

Mythical Evil Beast
(24")
photo thanks to
Wood Carver's Cottage

Alligator (16")
photo thanks to
Wood Carver's Cottage

Horse and Rider
photo thanks to
Wood Carver's Cottage
 Horse and Rider Puppets

These horse and rider puppets are very flat like shadow puppets, but they look like they are more suited to a rod puppet performance. Some shadow puppets are designed to be viewed from both sides of a screen, but they are generally more pierced so they can project more interesting shadows. These are solid, well painted and carved so they seem to be something intended for direct viewing. I can visualize them being raced across the stage in a slight rocking motion with their arms whipping at the horses to get more speed. I can almost hear the theater's musicians imitating the sound of the speeding horse's hooves. Perhaps they represent "messengers" sent off in a great hurry to get help or warn of approaching danger.

another horse and rider puppet

Rod Puppets: Japan
Awaji Ningyo

Awaji puppeteers used rod puppets for dramatic performances, ritual functions, ceremonies, and festivals.
 

thanks to Jane-Marie Law
from
PUPPETS OF NOSTALGIA
 Itinerant Awaji puppeteers typically worked by themselves and as "unofficial" representatives of local Shrines. They solicited door to door offering to perform various appeasement rites and rituals. They were particularly noticeable around New Years offering to give blessing and ritually cleanse each home and household of any accumulated "spiritual pollution".

They used simple boxes hung around their necks as their stage and storage for their small rod puppets.

This drawing from Konokoro-gusa (1682) shows an intricate portable puppet theater box used by an itinerant Awaji puppeteer.

NOTE: click the image for larger view.

photo thanks to
Awaji Puppet Theater
 MORE COMING HERE ABOUT RITUAL, COMEDIC, AND DRAMATIC AWAJI PUPPETRY

Bunraku Ningyo

I plan to expand on this segment with an overview of this art form in the future.

Bunraku has taken the traditional rod puppets to the extreme in size and complexity. Bunraku puppets are large wood puppets which are quite collectible and very expensive.
 
[IMAGE COMING SOON]
Image from
DOI Junichi


Yaegaki Hime
Image thanks to
member of J.A.D.E.

The most desirable bunraku puppets are hard to find, and would be: 
  • Old but in perfect condition 
  • Eyes, mouths, eyebrows, fingers work 
  • Represent a hero or heroine of famous stories 
There is an ongoing effort to encourage the continuation of this traditional Japanese art. These fabulous puppets are carved from wood and painted with "gofun", a dense paint made from crushed seashells and glue. It looks like porcelain.

These puppets are actors in bunraku plays. A bunraku owner should research which actor and which play(s) a bunraku puppet is from. DOI Junichi has generously researched Yaegaki Hime for the owner. This doll is in mint condition, very animated, and represents a famous love crossed heroine. She is elaborately dressed, and even has extra hair-pieces.

Bunraku Puppetry - an overview of this art form by Tsang Shuk Wa.
Gallery of Bunraku - by DOI Junichi is a beautiful two page gallery compiled by DOI Junichi who has generously created these bilingual pages.
Making Bunraku Puppets - A glimpse at making a bunraku puppet - A bi-lingual page by DOI Junichi.

Rod Puppets: Thailand

Hun Krabok are what would be described as a classic style rod puppet where a half figure is mounted to a long handle and the arms are manipulated by rods. The Hun Luang are full figure puppets supported from below by poles. Hun Lakorn seem to be similar to the Japanese Bunraku puppets in style and manipulation.
 


Rod Puppets from Thailand
photo from
ThaiWay
  
TYPES OF THAI PUPPETS

Thai puppetry includes both the two-dimensional puppets which are presented in shadow play both in front of and behind a brightly lit muslin screen, known by the genre name of SHADOW PUPPETS, and three-dimensional FIGURE PUPPETS in stage settings. The shadow play figures are collectively known as NANG (projected image), while the figure puppets are known as HUN (modeling). 

FIGURE PUPPETS 

Two kinds of puppets are being performed on the traditional Thai stage. The HUN KRABOK, half figure puppet, and the HUN LAKORN LEK, full-figure puppet. Other kinds known as HUN LUANG and HUN LAKORN exist as beautiful museum pieces, but are no longer used.

HUN KRABOK (rod puppet) may be loosely translated as "pole puppet". The name derives from the use of a short length of pole or pipe, traditionally bamboo but now replaced with other materials, as the puppet's main frame. Only the top half, head and headgear of the puppet is shown. Each hand is connected to thin rods for manipulation.

The puppet stage has an ornate backdrop, always flanked by doors through which the puppets make their entrances and exits. The bottom edge of the backdrop has a translucent screen which conceals the working puppeteer, and a sight screen stands some 50 cm. to the front of the backdrop. The puppeteer holds a puppet's body pole in his left hand and manipulates rods connected to its hands with the right hand. The movements mimic dance gestures of the classical dance/drama. A musical ensemble and singer sit back-stage. Speaking parts are by the working puppeteer. 

HUN LAKORN LEK is a recent revival of an art form which had actually died out. Master Puppeteer Sakorn Yangkeowsod re-invented a full-figure puppet show with much development. His large troupe of family members now stage puppets which have sophisticated (and secret) joints, capable of lifelike gestures such as pointing fingers and articulated waist. 

The puppets are fully dressed for their roles exactly representing human actors. Each major puppet is handled by three puppeteers, one for the body and right arm, one for the left arm and one for the legs and feet. The team actually dances as they perform and often do so in front of the sight screen in full view of the audience. 

(this is a quote from a now defunct web page about Thai Puppetry)