英文說明:Taiwanese Hand Puppet Theater originates from the ancient sacrificial rites dedicated to the spirit “Chu Ling.” The wooden marionettes are modeled on Chinese theater characters and their “lianpu”—the mask-like make up that distinguishes their roles. That is to say, we can differentiate between different types of dolls from their lian pu, headdress, and costumes and accessories. The head of the puppet is important as it gives it life and personality. The types of heads can be divided overall into “san gu” (lit. three bones) and “wu hsing” (lit. five forms). San gu refers to the brow, cheeks, and jaw bone, while wu hsing refers to the two eyes, two nostrils, and mouth. San gu and wu hsing endow the puppet it’s own aesthetic beauty, personality, and emotions and feelings. The construction of traditional Taiwanese puppets can be divided into the making of the head, limbs, costumes, and props, the most important of which is the crafting of the head. There are many steps which require special attention including symmetry of facial features, articulation of contours and coloring, and ensuring hair is fixed accurately and firmly into place. The techniques used to create puppets’ heads differ greatly from those used to make other sculptures of spiritual deities. The work involved can be divided into the following steps: 1. Selecting wooden blanks 2. Sculpting work 3. Refining work 4. Sanding 5. Paper covering 6. Applying sand-based plaster 7. Smoothing the plaster surface 8. Lacquering 9. Applying lianpu make-up 10. Applying varnish 11. Hair application and styling From the craftsmanship involved in creating these traditional Taiwanese puppets, it is clear that each puppet must undergo a complicated and delicate handiwork prior to their stage debut. Each of the steps in the handiwork, including sculpting, painting, lacquering, and other folk handicraft techniques, is very difficult to master.