Colorful Puppetry

　　Ⅰ.Long History: From the Beginning

　　(B) Bands: Development

　　Before 1948, an investigation of Taixing County found that 29 of the 43 townships in the county had pole-end puppet bands, which amounted to 117 bands. Many of those bands had succession of several generations. This shows the wide popularity and the development of puppetry and the ardent love by the people.

　　Names and Addresses of Original Band Masters in Taixing County, Yangzhou City before 1949. This table was re-made on June 1, 1987.

　　From 1948 to 1957, under the guidance of the CPC’s policy of “Letting a hundred flowers bloom and letting a hundred schools contend” and with the care of the government, the art of puppets developed very fast and came to the road of integration for further growth. The circle of puppetry artists gained new vitality and vigor. Based on minor bands of puppetry, they voluntarily established such stringed puppet troupes as Guangming (Literally “Bright”), Xinsheng(Literally “New Life”), Dazhong(Literally “Masses”), Desheng (Literally “Righteousness”), Hexing(Literally “Integration”), Qunyi (Literally “Folk Art”), Fuxing (Literally “Rejuvenation”), Zhongde (Literally “Virtues”), Tongxing (Literally “All-Rise”), Tongfu Tongxing (Literally “All-Happy”), Tongyi Tongxing (Literally “All-Artistic”)and Guangquan Tongxing (Literally “Inclusiveness”).

　　Taixing County Guangming Puppet Troupe

　　Tianxing County Guangming Puppet Troupe originated from a professional folk pole-end puppet band based in Sujiazhuang Village, Ningjie Township, Taixing County. The founder of this band was Yang San Lazi, an senior citizen born in 1875. When Yang San Lazi was over 70 years of age (ca. 1946), he gave all his properties of puppetry to 3 artists in his own band, namely Su Jiliang and his nephews Su Wenzhong and Su Wenfu. This came to be recognized as “The Su Family Band”. When the troupe was transferred, the troupe master was Su Jiliang. Actors were cousins of the Su clan, namely, Su Wenzhong (as a clown), Su Wenxiao (male), Su Wenfu (civilian and martial aid), Su Wengui, Su Wenguang together with Su Bolin (Flowery Face), Gu Ping (female as well as old male), Ding Zhongliang (female), Zheng Dexian (old male), Zhang Quan (Flowery Face), Qian Gengquan (civilian and martial aid), Ma Hongjun (old male), etc. Altogether they had 13 artists. After ratification by the village, township and zone governments, Master Su Wenzhong headed his band to establish Taixing County Guangming Puppet Troupe in 1953. That was the very first puppet troupe in all Taixing history (See Figure 3). It was registered in 1957, and Taixing County Bureau of Culture and Education conferred No. 1 Taixing County Registration Certificate for Artistic Performance in Acrobatics, Shadow Play, puppetry, Horsemanship, and Magic.Those plays they put on included Running After Han Xin, Xu Shu Returns Home, Qin Xianglian (Sadness Under the Great Wall), Wenzhao Pass, Jiuxi Palace, Conquering Dongchuan, Flaming Mountain, Xu Ce the City Runner, etc. (See Figure 4).

　　In 1955, that troupe was invited to perform at Yangzhou Cultural Fete as a specially invited representative and won abrocade flag as a very high honor. In 1956, it performed at Yangzhou Cultural Fete again and won “Special Art Prize”. Ma Jihong the main artist for the play Jiuxi Palace won “First-Grade Actor Prize”.In 1958, the county’s Bureau of Culture and Education sent the troupe to participate in the two-month-long professional study in Yangzhou Prefecture. There, they listened to Mr. Leng Fuji from China Puppet Art Troupe and Professor Yan Shichang for the performance and handling of puppets as well as the making of puppets. Upon graduation, they put on plays such as Monkey King Loves Shaft Furnace, Piggie Bajie Carries His Wife, Wise Man Ge Ma, etc. This training taught them how to mold puppet heads from plaster, which had taken the shape of clay sculptures. At the same time, they learned the art to fix movable eyes and mouths onto puppets. All these were motivation and locomotive for puppet art to develop.

　　Taixing County Xinsheng Peking Opera Troupe of Puppetry

　　Taixing County Xinsheng Peking Opera Troupe of Puppetry was established in 1954, based on “The Liu Family Band” born in Xinsheng Village, Chengbei Township, Taixing County. Its name “Xinsheng” comes from the village name. The band master Liu Xanbao (born in 1935) and his brother Liu Boshou had performed in the pole-end puppet band headed by their father Liu Xanjiaozi. In 1954, Liu Sanbao took the band over from his father Liu Sanjiaozi and established a troupe. Liu Sanjiaozi had taken over this band from Liu Sanbao’s grandfather Liu Laoyezi. Later Liu Sanbao taught his art to his nephews Liu Jinlong, Liu Nianlong, Liu Yunlong, Liu Yunpeng (old male), Liu Dengyun (civilian and martial aid), Zhu Hairu, etc. This art was transferred for four generations. Several generations of the same family holding the same art or profession were called “shijia” (“generation family” literally). So The Liu family could be called “shijia”.When Xinsheng Puppet Troupe was founded, the artists also included Zhang Gaofeng (old male), Ma Buming (civilian and martial aid), Ling Longcheng (young male), Yu Yuqing, Xiao Xueguan (Flowery Face and young male), Xiao Hongsheng (old male), etc. Those dramas they put on included Yellow Crane Tower (the best play for the Liu Family Band), Gathering of Heroes, Sweet Dew Temple, Lü Bu Assassinates Dong Zhuo, White Gate Tower, Four Magi, Defending the Motherland, Twice to Imperial Court, Visiting Imperial Tombs, etc.

　　It was registered in 1957, and Taixing County Bureau of Culture and Education conferred No. 10 Taixing County Registration Certificate for Artistic Performance in Acrobatics, Shadow Play, puppetry, Horsemanship, and Magic. (See Figure 5)

　　In 1958, the troupe went to Taoist Xuanmiao Temple in Suzhou and set up a tent for performance. There was no dwelling place for them. They only slept under the eaves of the Taoist Temple. Though the conditions were very hard, they still kept on their performance for more than half a year.

　　Taixing County Tongyi Puppet Troupe

　　Taixing County Tongyi Puppet Troupe was founded in 1959 and got registered in Taixing Bureau of Culture and Education. Before its registration, it took the name of Guoqiao Village Band. With the introduction from Township Culture Station, it got a Letter of Introduction from the County Bureau of Culture and Education. With this Letter of Introduction, they went to Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces to perform under the name of Taixing Puppet Troupe. In the fall of the same year, it merged with Taixing Guangming and Taixing Dazhong puppet troupes to establish Taixing County First Peking Opera Troupe of Puppetry. Tongyi Band’s head Xue Huantang acted as vice leader of the newly combined troupe.

　　This troupe was founded on the basis of the combination of Guoqiao Village Band and Lijiashan Village Band. The former was headquartered in Guoqiao Village, Jiaodang Township (now Zhangqiao Township) and the latter was based in Lijiashan Village, Xuanbao Township. Guoqiao Village Band had Xue Hengqing (civilian and martial aid) and his brother Xue Hengyu as its chief artists. It was founded around 1904. From their father Xue Gangzheng as a puppet artist to Xue Husheng, they also had four generations in this craftsmanship. Xue Hengqing, the eldest of the brothers, started to learn the craftsmanship since he was 16 years old in 1900, and became the head of the band when he was 20 years old. When he passed away at the age of 60, his 20-year-old son Xue Huantang succeeded his profession. Xue Huantang had started to learn the skills from his father when he was 16 years old in 1940.Lijiashan Village Band of Xianbao Township was based upon the puppet band that Li Bugang had purchased from Beishengzhuang of Xuanbao Township in 1946. After the purchase, he let his 14-year-old daughter Li Fenglian lead the chorus. It was also then that Lijiashan Band was founded. At the age of 8, Li Fenglian had learned to perform puppetry from his father Li Bugang, who was expert at singing as an old male and also acting as civilian and martial aid when playing the sona--a short Chinese bamboo trumpet. At that time, he acted as a temporary artist for a band. Therefore, when he had educated his daughter Li Fenglian, he was determined to establish his own band. His band consisted of Jia Xiaokui (Flowery Face), Chen somebody (Flowery Face, male) and Chen Taishan (female), Lu Keta (young male) and an apprentice surnamed Chen. Those plays that they put on included Defending the Motherland, Happiness All Round Home, Grand Trial at Criminal Court, Loyalty and Dutifulness to Parents, etc.

　　In 1953, Xue Huantang and Li Fenglian got married. Then these two bands became one of the most famous ones at that time. When Lijiashan Band headed the name for plays, Guoqiao Village Band would go all to provide help; When Guoqiao Village Band was putting on a play, Lijiashan Band would all go out to offer help.This kind of cooperative performance by two bands in the countryside was a hit, with all able people and complete drama lists.

　　In 1955, Lijiashan Band formally joined Guoqiao Village band. Those artists after the merging consisted of the head Xue Huantang (Originally expert at second flowery face, later hopped to civilian and martial aid), Li Fenglian (female and male), Kuang Yusheng (female and civilian and marital aid), Dai Hengru (male), Liu Fusheng (Flowery Face), Ye Shaodong (young male), Shao Bojun (female), and Yin Baojun, etc. The plays they put on included Killing His Own Son at White Tiger Court, A Horse with Red Mane, Fighting in Changsha, Jieting City Lost, Strategy of Empty City, Death Penalty on Ma Su, etc.

　　Taixing County Hexing Puppet Troupe

　　Taixing County Hexing Puppet Troupe was founded in 1954.The troupe was originally a folk band for pole-end puppets in Maqun Village, Chengbei Township, Taixing County. It had been founded by Ma Buming (born ca. 1915), Zhang Liuzi (child’s name) and wife as well as his brother-in-law Zhang Gaofeng most probably between 1930s to 1940s. In 1957, when registered in Taixing County, it was under the name of Zhang Gaofeng. Artists included Chen Aqing (originally artist of Wuxing Puppet Troupe of Dasi Township, Taixian County; later worked in Shanghai; then transferred to Taixing County Hexing Puppet Troupe), Ye Zhengshan, etc.The plays they put on included Running After Han Xin, Judge Bao Enters Underworld, Qin Xianglian (Sadness Under Great Wall), Death Penalty Upon Chen Shimei the Marriage Traitor, and plays of divinities.

　　Taixing County Qunyi Puppet Troupe

　　Taixing County Qunyi Puppet Troupe was founded in 1954, based on a folk professional band of pole-end puppets located in Tangzhuang Village, Zhangqiao Township, Taixing County. It had been nicknamed as “The Tang Family Band” or “The Tang FamilyBand of Minor Dramas”.It had been built up in 1920s, with Tang Xinzhong (born in 1907, expert at acting as a male) as its head. Its staff of artists included the head’s cousin Tang Pengcheng, his nephew Tang Jingyuan (expert at acting as a male, a female, or a clown) and some other Tang clan members like Tang Changqi, Tang Changshou, Tang Shunqing as well Zheng Yutang (flowery face) and his son Zheng Songlin (old male), Cai Yanqiu (female and young male), Dong Dianzhang (flowery face, young male and clown) and Zheng Botang (flowery face), etc.Some of the band members were from a Peking Opera Troupe. Therefore, they acted for thepuppet band for rural fairs and acted for real-human Peking Opera in the County Theater. That was a clan-centered band engaged in two lines of art--puppet shows and Peking Opera. Those plays that they put on included Sweet Dew Temple, Liu Bei’s Blind Date, Gathering of Heroes, etc. They also put on plays about divinities according the demands of the audience.

　　Taixing County Tongfu Puppet Troupe

　　Taixing County Tongfu Puppet Troupe was originally a folk professional pole-end puppet troupe founded in 1930s in Quxia Township, Taixing County. The original headswere Mei Dajun (born ca. 1910) and Kuang Jun’ao (born ca. 1890), with Mei as the chief head. Mei and Kuang were relatives. In 1954, it was renamed as Tongfu Puppet Troupe, and registered in Bureau of Culture and Education in 1957.The troupe included the head Mei Dajun (expert at male), artists like Kuang Jun’ao (male), his eldest son Kuang Yusheng (female and old male), his second son Kuang Yuwen (male) and Zeng Zhigao (female), Ma Xiaobao (male), Fu Lingzi, Bo Yuying, and two other actors with names Da Quanzi (male), Fan Guazi, etc.From 1958 to 1959, the troupe went to Hangzhou and Jiaxing for their performance. The plays that they put on included Running After Han Xin, Dragon and Phoenix Presenting Luck, and divine dramas, etc.

　　Taixing County Minfu Peking Opera Troupe of Puppetry

　　Taixing County Minfu Peking Opera Troupe of Puppetry was originally a pole-end puppet band led by the Cheng Family, headquarteredin Yangguanying Village, Dasi Township, Taixing County.Cheng Yulin (art name “Cheng Laosan”), the grandfather of Cheng Ganqing, was a famed puppetry artist. Cheng Ganqing’s father’s generation like Cheng Renxi, Cheng Renquan and Cheng Renxian were all artists in the same line. The eldest of that generation was Cheng Ganqing (female), the second was Cheng Wanyin (old male, clown, flowery face, martial aid, was 65 years of age when the interview was held in 1986), the third was Cheng Jiu’an (female), the fourth was Cheng Xinpei (old male), their cousins Chen Wannian, Cheng Wanchun (civilian and martial aid) all sang puppetry dramas. So the succession ran over three generations. The troupe had its performance in Sheyang, Yangzhou, Jiangdu, Yizheng, Luhe, Jiangpu in 1952,in Yixing, Wujin, Wuxi, Jiangyin in 1955. It set up a net tent at grocery market of Wutiaojie Lane, Zhenjiang City, and had more than 40 times of performance in three weeks in the upper half of 1955. Later it transferred to Yingjiang Theater (later named Huangjin Theater) and put on their plays more than 30 times in half a month. After Comrade Guo Tiesong from the provincial Department of Culture saw the poster of performance at Zhenjiang Railway Station and returned to Nanjing the provincial capital, he telephoned Director Xia of Depart of Culture of Zhenjiang City and asked him to go to see the performance. Director Xia was very excited after viewing the play Piggie Bajie Carrying His Wife and telephoned the provincial Department of Culture and local leaders for application and report. They allowed the troupe to register in Zhenjiang City as Zhenjiang Puppet Troupe.Those troupe staff not only included some family members, but also included Xia Guangxi and Xia Tongqing from Xiaopeng Village, Dasi Township, Taixing County, Xu Lianying and Lu Keda, etc. From Kongqiao Township, Taixing County.Their plays included Li Kui The Black Wind. The troupe went to Luhe Art School to study in October 1958 and got dissolved in spring of 1965.

　　Hongxing Puppet Troupe

　　Hongxing Puppet Troupe was originally professional folk band of pole-end puppets with the name of “Quan Fu Tang” (literally “All-Round Happiness”) located in Dasi Township of Taixing County. The master of the band was Chen Shengwen, who gave up his position to his son Chen Mingda in 1944.In 1953, Chen Mingda collaborated with Liu Ronggen and re-organized the troupe to be Hongxing Puppet Troupe. Then they went to Shanghai to put on their plays. Their troupe members were Qian Shixin, Liu Rongbao, Liu Rongqing, Chen Hongchang, Shen Zuhou, etc.The plays that they put on were Running After Han Xin, Fighting in Changsha, Yellow Crane Tower, etc. At first they set up their own net tent and put on their plays inside. Later they went to Grand World to perform. The troupe changed its system of master ownership to collective ownership, with Qian Shixin as troupe head. In the beginning of 1960,as the delegation from Shanghai, the troupe went to Beijing to participate in the All-China Shadow Drama from some provinces for viewing and emulation. This performance won good assessment from the audience and the authorities. In the spring of 1960, with the ratification from Shanghai Committee of the CPC, the troupe was transformed to ownership by the entire people (called “ownership by the state” since 1980s). On this basis, they established “Shanghai Troupe of Wooden and Shadow Puppets”.

　　Taixian County Peking Opera Troupe of Puppetry

　　Taixian County Peking Opera Troupe of Puppetry was founded in 1954, and registered on October 3, 1957. Troupe head was Qiu Junde (male, female, flowery face). The troupe with a staff of 23 people originally belonged to Taizhou City Art Theater.Its actors included Xia Xishan, Chen Ajin (old male, female, martial aid) and brother Chen Aqing (male), etc. Its director was Qin Wenying from Jiangdu Peking Opera Troupe, and its dubbing actor was Qin Suqin from Lianshui Peking Opera Troupe. She only mouthed the words for females, but was unable to handle puppets. The plays that they put on were Tale of White Snake Spirit, Flaming Mountains, Havoc in Dragon’s Palace, Havoc in Heavenly Palace, Havoc in Underworldly Court, Gaolaozhuang Village (Piggie Bajie’s Wife’s Home Village), and contemporary dramas Arrows at Riverside, Heroine Liu Hulan, Hero Huang Jiguang, Who Compares Better, etc. Their songs took to the tunes of Peking Opera, sometimes interwoven with tunes of Huaiju Opera, Yangju Opera, and Wuxi Opera.

　　The Feng Family Band

　　Before liberation in 1949, Taixing had a very famous puppet band, which was named “The Feng Family Band” from Wuzhuang Fengjiadai Village, Nanshatou Township, Taixing County. The band master were Feng Dengyun and his son Feng Gaotang, who had learned puppet show from Qian Enquan, a puppetry artist.The band was particularly famous for their civilian and martial aids Liu Tianlong and his son Liu Denghua. The former could blow two sona trumpets at once. He could even make buckwheat straw into sona whistles, which won his name in townships and villages.

　　Apart from these, in Taizhou (originally part of Yangzhou Prefecture), there was a pole-end puppet troupe and a stringed puppet troupe, which were established respectively in 1958 and 1959. The former was dissolved in 1964, and the fate of the latter was unknown.

　　List of Other Puppet Troupes

　　Stringed Puppet Bands Registered in Other Places

　　Stringed Puppet Troupe masters named Damafeng and his son Xu Xiaodong together with their friend Xu Youfa put on plays like Sweet Dew Temple, Yellow Crane Tower, Tale of White Snake Spirit, etc. The troupe was dissolved in 1961.

　　The 1986 interviews indicated that there were several famed puppet artists in Taixing, most of whom were over 80 years old or had even passed away. Among those famous artists were Chen Wenqi of Shuichen Village, skilled at acting as an old male,expert at Four Magi, Running After Han Xin; Hu Changfa of Dama Village, skilled at acting as young male, expert at acting as Luo Cheng the Great Flash and Luo Cheng the Lesser Flash; Yin Shengxiang of Yinjiazhang Village, skilled at bearded male, expert at acting in Yang the Fourth Son Visits His Mother; Zong Wanshou of Quxia Township, expert at acting as female in Nine Dresses, second flowery face in Havoc East of the River, young male in Tower with White Gate, Changban Slope, Zhou Yu Returns to Heaven (Zhou Yu’s Death), etc.