The resounding sound of festival drums heralds the arrival of spring in the Nguyên Xá water puppet village.

Established 700 years ago, Nguyen Xa water puppetry village is a cradle of water puppetry art in the Northern Delta region. It preserves hundreds of unique stories and techniques of string puppetry.

The Nguyên Xá village water puppet troupe, located in Nguyên Xá commune, Đông Hưng district, Hưng Yên province (formerly Thái Bình province), is one of the cradles of Vietnamese water puppetry. Having weathered centuries of ups and downs, Nguyên Xá is one of the few puppet troupes that still exists today and maintains regular performances.

The unique string puppets of Nguyen Xa

When we arrived at the Nguyen Xa water puppet theater, the head of the puppet troupe – People's Artist Nguyen Dinh Bay – was diligently cleaning puppets of various shapes and sizes. He paused, smiled brightly, and began the story of the 700-year-old puppet troupe.

For generations, Nguyen village (Dong Hung commune, Hung Yen province) has been considered one of the important cradles of traditional Vietnamese water puppetry. The village once had many different puppet troupes, which later merged into the Nguyen Village Water Puppet Troupe - now known as the Nguyen Xa Water Puppet Troupe.

The puppets of Nguyen Xa puppet troupe. (Photo: Minh Thu/Vietnam+)

Despite the vicissitudes of time, the puppet troupe has preserved hundreds of ancient puppets, many unique plays and stories, including the largest Teu puppet in Vietnam - an indispensable symbolic character in every performance.

The clown in Nguyen Xa ward is exceptionally tall, reaching 1 meter, much larger than those in other wards, requiring two performers to control it simultaneously to create flexible movements.

Since the 1960s, the Nguyen Xa water puppet troupe has established its position by participating in the Northern Vietnam puppet festival in Thai Binh (formerly) and Hanoi. During the war against the US, the troupe performed many times for officers and soldiers of Military Region 3, providing meaningful entertainment amidst the bombs and bullets of war. After peace was restored, Nguyen Xa water puppetry continued to reach the world : it toured in the former Soviet Union, Japan, France, Canada, and left its mark at many art festivals, especially the Hue Festival.

People's Artist Nguyen Dinh Bay stands beside his newly built water pavilion. (Photo: Minh Thu/Vietnam+)

Thanks to its enduring contributions, on September 4, 2018, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognized Nguyen Xa water puppetry as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. This is not only a source of pride for the local people but also an acknowledgment of their efforts to preserve a unique folk art form of the nation.

In the newly upgraded water pavilion, completed at the end of April 2025 with a total investment of over 6.6 billion VND, the lively sound of drums and puppets resounds once again, attracting groups of visitors from afar.

According to People's Artist Nguyen Dinh Bay, the most special thing that makes Nguyen Xa unique is its string puppetry technique: controlling the puppets using a system of strings hidden underwater, without using poles like many other places.

To control it, the artisan must stand underwater at a depth of about 60cm, using ropes up to 12m long to create extremely complex movements, a secret passed down through generations of artisans.

The artisans of Nguyen Xa not only perform puppet shows but also handcraft and restore ancient puppets. (Photo: Minh Thu/Vietnam+)

The ward currently preserves hundreds of traditional folk tales: from scenes of agricultural life such as rice planting, fishing with a basket, and duck herding... to festive activities like wrestling, cockfighting, and boat racing; as well as religious rituals and excerpts from ancient cheo (traditional Vietnamese opera).

Another unique aspect is that every performance features live music. This blend of traditional music and puppet rhythms has led to Nguyên Xá puppet troupe being invited to perform at many major events, including an 11-month series at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.

The most iconic performance is "Running in Five Directions" - where characters such as monks, nuns, and novices move in a star shape on the water's surface.

“The loops of rope, running, releasing, and tying create complex and expressive movements, showcasing a unique technique that only artisans from Nguyen Xa can perform. Many artisans have to simultaneously take on several different roles, threading one hand through the rope and grabbing the other to maintain the rhythm for the entire stage,” Mr. Bay said.

Even if it means spending hours submerged in water, they remain passionately dedicated to preserving their ancestral heritage. (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

To put on a complete performance, puppeteers like Mr. Bay have to immerse themselves in water for several hours, in some pools so deep that the water reaches their necks, especially on cold winter days.

They also have to practice standing firmly on muddy terrain. If their feet can't grip the ground and they can't maintain balance, the performer could be dragged away by the apprentice.

Concerns about preserving the puppet craft of Nguyen Xa

The familiar saying, "Hearing the sound of the puppet drums, even boiling rice can be forgotten," partly reflects the appeal of this art form. But hidden behind the performance are the concerns of the artisans – those who tirelessly keep the flame of this traditional craft alive.

For artisans like Mr. Bay, water puppetry is not just a performance but also a passion. Despite the limited budget for each performance, barely enough to cover living expenses, they remain committed to the craft. Some are farmers, some are factory workers, and others make a living through various other jobs, but all return to the water puppetry stage whenever there's a performance, driven solely by their love for this traditional art form.

Currently, the ward has more than 20 artisans, ranging in age from 16 to 80. Over the years, the transmission of these skills has been a priority. Training courses are organized by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hung Yen province in collaboration with other units, using a hands-on approach to avoid technical errors.

Children in Nguyen Xa are introduced to the art of puppetry from a very young age. (Photo: Minh Thu/Vietnam+)

However, water puppetry is not yet a stable source of income. Each performance can bring in around 20 million VND, but after deducting various expenses, each puppeteer ultimately receives only about 300,000 VND.

"If you're only thinking about the economic aspects of this job, it's hard to make ends meet. But the biggest reward is the joy and the mental well-being," Mr. Bay shared.

Nevertheless, their love for the profession has never diminished, despite their increasing age and the hardships of standing underwater for hours at a time.

"As long as I have the health, I will continue performing. Every time I see the puppets move before the eager eyes of the audience, I feel young again. With this new water stage, we are very excited and must try even harder to preserve the heritage left by our ancestors," Mr. Bay said.

A new year is approaching, and the Spring Festival is just around the corner. The Nguyên Xá water pavilion will soon resound with the sounds of drums, musical instruments, singing, and puppets, skillfully crafted by artisans, telling stories of everyday life and folk tales passed down through generations.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/ron-vang-tieng-trong-hoi-goi-xuan-ve-mien-que-roi-nuoc-nguyen-xa-post1086036.vnp