Zhangzhou wood puppet carving is a distinctive gem of Chinese folk arts. It’s been handed down from masters to apprentices, particularly among family members. In 2006, the Zhangzhou wood puppet carving was put on the first national intangible cultural heritage list of China. The wood puppet carving of the Xu family has been a typical exemplar of the art. Xu Zhuchu was recognized as the national representative inheritor of Zhangzhou wood puppet carving art, while Xu Qiang as the representative inheritor in Fujian Province. Xu’s puppets mainly consist of the glove puppets of Northern School in Fujian Province, along with marionettes and wire puppets. All these puppets are carved with vivid and exquisite facial features, as well as fine and sophisticated costumes. They’ve been quite popular among the people in southern Fujian Province over more than 200 years of development.
Building on the traditional techniques inherited from the elder generations, Xu Zhuchu and Xu Qiang incorporated into the art their own observation and reflection on real life. To satisfy the dual needs of stage performance and aesthetic appreciation, they made bold exploration and improvement regarding the shape and expression and produced myriads of unprecedented puppet artworks. Consisting of two parts, namely “Puppet Carving Family—Inheritance of Xu’s Puppet Carving Art” and “Form & Spirit— Xu’s Puppet Images”, the exhibition puts the technique inheritance, artistic expression and styles of Zhangzhou Xu’s wood puppet carving art on full display.