DAO THUC WATER PUPPETRY

Dao Thuc Water Puppet Village has existed for over 300 years and is one of the oldest water puppet villages in Vietnam. It is the birthplace of many talented puppeteers and also a place that preserves the essence of traditional water puppetry art.

Join author Nguyen Binh Quang as he explores traditional craft villages that are becoming popular destinations for tourists visiting Hanoi. Especially for those with a passion for water puppetry, the Dao Thuc water puppet village – known as the "cradle of traditional water puppetry" in Vietnam – is a must-see, as seen in his photo series "Dao Thuc Water Puppetry." This series was submitted by the author to the Happy Vietnam Photo and Video Contest, organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications .

Dao Thuc is an ancient village located in Dong Anh District, Hanoi. The art of water puppetry in the village dates back to the Le Trung Hung era, approximately 300 years ago. The stories are skillfully and expertly performed by the artisans of Dao Thuc village, always delighting domestic and international tourists who come to visit and enjoy the performances.

The water pavilion is where the unique water puppet performances of Dao Thuc village take place (Source: Collected)

Water puppetry is a unique form of Vietnamese folk theater, a distinctive and creative art form of the Vietnamese people. Unlike traditional puppetry, water puppetry uses the water surface as a stage. Through the use of handcrafted puppets, skillfully manipulated by artisans using a system of poles and strings, water puppetry conveys and preserves the cultural, religious, and historical values of the nation.

Images of puppeteers manning puppets in a performance booth.

Many people who watch puppet shows are curious about what the water puppetry artists do behind the curtain. So why wait? Come to Dao Thuc village, visit the performance rooms, chat with the artists, and listen to them share about the hard work involved in creating such amazing performances.

The orchestra plays a crucial role in the water puppet show in front of the communal house, its drumming urging and inviting people to come and watch the puppet show.

Tourists experience controlling the puppets themselves.

Besides learning about the behind-the-scenes processes, visitors to Dao Thuc village also have the opportunity to experience firsthand controlling the puppets or making puppets. Unlike other puppet villages, the water puppets of Dao Thuc village can move forward, backward, diagonally, or even move both arms very rhythmically and flexibly. By directly experiencing this, visitors can also see the skill and talent of the water puppet artisans.

The puppeteers have finished their performance and come out to greet the audience.

The water puppetry of Dao Thuc village attracts tourists with more than 10 stories. Most are traditional puppet plays from the early days, originating from the daily lives of farmers such as rice planting, buffalo herding, fishing, etc. Besides traditional performances, Dao Thuc village also offers creative plays such as: the victory of the 12-day and 12-night Dien Bien Phu battle, the procession of President Ho Chi Minh's portrait, etc.