Research On Quanzhou Puppet Head Sculpture’s Safeguarding And Inheritance And Its Innovation

Quanzhou Puppet Show is one of the rare examples of puppetry art in Fujian,which enjoys great popularity at home and abroad.It witnesses the vitality of long-standing Chinese culture and symbolizes the civilization and wisdom of Chinese nation.Quanzhou Puppet Show falls into two categories,i.e.,marionette and hand puppet.This form of art began to gain its popularity in Quanzhou and its neighboring areas during the end of Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties at latest.It has been passed down for thousands of years and has developed many traditional plays,unique aria,rich and exquisite performing techniques and complete set of performing rules.Puppet’s head of Quanzhou Puppet Show,a key element and performing role of two forms of puppet show,is a traditional art form of fine arts,which integrates sculpture and colored drawing.It boasts exquisite carving,nice shape and a wide range of figures.It not only forms an indispensable part of puppet show but also expresses emotions and attracts audience.The sculpture of puppet’s head of Quanzhou Puppet Show has been inherited by generations,which shows the personality of different roles,religious belief,folk belief and people’s aesthetic awareness.This lays the foundation for its artistic,social and aesthetic value.To study the two forms of traditional opera arts,namely,Quanzhou marionette and hand puppet,it is key to start from the research in the sculpture of puppet’s head of Quanzhou Puppet Show.This is also a way to learn the unique academic value and social value of traditional Chinese fine arts from the perspective of intangible cultural heritage.In 2006,Quanzhou marionette puppet show and Quanzhou Jinjiang hand puppet show were nominated as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list.As the key component of two forms of puppet show,sculpture of puppet’s head was included into the extension program of the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list in2008.This research report is made on the subject of the sculpture of puppet’s head.In accordance with the spirit of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage,the report is written based on the theories of safeguarding China’s intangible cultural heritage.By applying methods of field investigation,it explores historical origin,the features,development and inheritance of techniques and the achievements made in this regard.By sorting out and drawing conclusion of field investigation,the report shed lights on the difficulties encountered in the process of inheriting and safeguarding efforts as well as the cause to the issue.Then,the report gives suggestions from the perspectives of improving laws and regulations of intangible cultural heritage,ways of inheritance and safeguarding,innovation measures and inheritance talent training.This paper concludes recognition of intangible cultural heritage values and its safeguarding practice of traditional handicrafts based on the sculpture of puppet’s head.It can be used for reference for the inheritance and safeguarding of other ICH items in relation to traditional Chinese fine arts.