![]() The farmers built pagodas above their rice paddies and held community festival shows there to show off their creations and well-practised puppeteering skills. They also believed the shows kept the naughty spirits distracted from any mischief making, which could harm their crops. The art dates back to the 11th century on the Red River Delta in northern Vietnam, when rice farmers began to craft their puppets and create shows to entertain their family and locals once the difficult harvest season had finished. To this day, when visitors to Hanoi flock to the main theatre to experience the unusual art, it isn’t known how the little figures are mastered so seamlessly by hidden puppeteers. Water puppetry – known in Vietnam as Múa rối nước, meaning ‘making puppets dance on water’ – is a Vietnamese tradition steeped in history, folklore and mystery. Michael Driver / © Culture Trip The history of water puppetry It’s another night in Hanoi’s Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, and it’s as weird and wonderful as it sounds. ![]() Against the backdrop of the beautiful Asian pagoda, there’s singing, cheering and warnings shouted in Vietnamese from members of the band. A tiny wooden man rides a bull across a smoking river and dances in sync with fairies and animals. Kim Gregory tells us why this spellbinding spectacle is a Vietnamese tradition not to be missed.Īs drums roll and cymbals clash, dragons dance across water with fire sparking from their mouths. One of the most interesting and unusual attractions is at Thang Long Municipal Theatre, where visitors can watch the ancient art of water puppetry at one of the legendary shows. Vietnam’s capital city Hanoi is steeped in tradition and history.
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