In this digital age where every corner of life is evolving rapidly, many traditional craft villages face extinction as their artisans fade away. And yet, some individuals continue to hold the line, preserving their ancestral legacies. This article is part of VietNamNet’s series on heritage keepers, featuring the 500-year-old Thanh Lieu woodcarving village, the 400-year-old Nam Cao silk-weaving village, and Nguyen Xa water puppetry guild-the proud home of the nation’s largest Teu puppet.

For generations, the Nguyen village in Dong Hung commune, Hung Yen province has been one of the cultural cradles of Vietnam’s traditional water puppetry.

In the past, the village boasted several different puppetry troupes, which later merged into what is now known as the Nguyen Xa Water Puppetry Guild.

Despite the passage of time, the guild continues to preserve hundreds of ancient puppets and traditional plays-including the largest Uncle Teu puppet in Vietnam, a beloved symbol of Red River Delta folk culture.

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People’s Artist Nguyen Dinh Bay, head of Nguyen Xa guild, explains the history of the troupe.

As early as the 1960s, Nguyen Xa had already established its name by participating in Northern Vietnam’s regional puppetry festivals in former Thai Binh province and Hanoi.

During the war against the United States, the guild frequently performed for soldiers and officers of Military Zone 3, offering rare moments of joy amid the chaos of war.

In peacetime, the troupe took Vietnamese water puppetry to the world, touring in countries such as the former Soviet Union, Japan, France, and Canada, while leaving a mark at numerous arts festivals-especially the Hue Festival.

In recognition of its contributions, on September 4, 2018, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism officially listed Nguyen Xa water puppetry as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage-a source of deep pride for the local community and a tribute to their unwavering commitment to preserving a precious folk art.

“When the puppetry drum sounds, even boiling rice is left behind”

Inside the newly upgraded water pavilion-renovated in April 2025 with funding of over 6.6 billion VND (about USD 270,000)-the rhythmic thump of the puppetry drum once again draws visitors from far and wide.

The old village saying “When the puppetry drum sounds, even boiling rice is left behind” captures the irresistible pull of this folk performance.

Yet behind the festive atmosphere lies the quiet determination of the artists who continue to safeguard this fragile tradition.

Nguyen Dinh Bay, People’s Artist and head of the Nguyen Xa puppetry guild, shared that the troupe has a history dating back approximately 700 years.

What sets Nguyen Xa apart is its string-based technique: the puppets are controlled via intricate wire systems hidden underwater-no poles are used, unlike in most other villages.

To perform, puppeteers must wade into waist-deep water and manipulate strings up to 12 meters long, creating complex, fluid movements.

“These are the secrets passed down from our ancestors,” Bay explained.

The troupe preserves hundreds of traditional play scripts, ranging from rural life scenes like rice planting, duck herding, and fishing with baskets, to festive games such as wrestling, cockfighting, and boat races, as well as spiritual rituals and excerpts from traditional cheo opera.

All performances feature live music, blending traditional rhythms with puppet choreography-a key reason why Nguyen Xa is frequently invited to perform at major events, including an impressive 11-month residency at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.

One signature act is “Chạy đàn ngũ phương” (Running through the Five Directions), where characters like monks, nuns, and novices move in star-shaped formations across the water’s surface.

As the strings tighten and release, they create elegant, expressive patterns that only Nguyen Xa artists can execute. Puppeteers often take on multiple roles simultaneously, coordinating both hands in a complex dance behind the curtain.

Beyond the spotlight

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Nguyen Xa guild is home to the largest Uncle Teu puppet in Vietnam, a symbol of Northern water puppetry.

Today, the guild includes over 20 artists, aged between 16 and 80. In recent years, great care has been taken to pass down the craft.

Training programs, organized by the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, follow a hands-on, master-apprentice model to prevent distortion of traditional techniques.

Still, puppetry alone cannot sustain livelihoods.

Each show may bring in around 20 million VND (about USD 820), but after deducting costs, individual artists receive only about 300,000 VND (approximately USD 12) per performance.

“This craft is not profitable in economic terms,” said Bay. “But the biggest reward is the joy and spirit it brings.”

As a result, most artists maintain other jobs to support themselves.

Yet their love for the craft never fades.

When asked about his age and the strain of standing in water for hours, Bay simply smiled: “As long as I have the strength, I will keep performing. Every time I see a puppet come to life under the excited eyes of the audience, I feel young again.”

The upgraded water pavilion now serves as a vibrant venue and a key cultural stop along Dong Hung commune’s tourism route, connecting with landmarks like the memorial to General Vo Nguyen Giap, the village heritage house, and local craft workshops.

“Now that we have a proper stage, we must work even harder to protect this craft. It’s a legacy passed down by our ancestors,” Bay said.

Thanks to dedicated, humble souls like him and the Nguyen Xa artists, this ancient art continues to be passed down from one generation to the next.

Each performance breathes life into the past: the laughter of Red River Delta farmers, everyday stories, reverence for nature, and dreams of peace.

And in the eyes of the artists behind the bamboo curtain, that is the most beautiful part of the heritage-the part they vow to preserve with all their hearts.

To support and expand water puppetry, the Nguyen Xa guild and local authorities have in recent years actively linked performances with tourism.

Many tour packages now include the puppet show as a cultural highlight.

Visitors can tour the mausoleums and temples of the Tran kings, the sacred Tien La temple, traditional craft villages, and pay tribute at the Vo Nguyen Giap memorial-before enjoying a lively water puppetry performance at the Nguyen Xa pavilion.

Tinh Le