VietNamNet Bridge – For more than 25 years, Phung Quang Oanh, 46, from District 7, HCM City has created tens of thousands of puppets for water puppet troupes throughout the country. 

Born in Chuong My district, in Hanoi, Oánh began making puppets when he was a student at the Hanoi Music and Painting College. In 2007, he and his wife moved to Saigon, hoping to bring the puppets of the northern plains to the south. 

Oanh said making water puppets was different from making normal statues. "It is not difficult, but it's not easy because each puppet must show the soul and cultural character of the regions that they present," he said. 

Oanh said sometimes he was very frustrated because his occupation is being lost. "I have two sons, but they are not interested in the profession because this job does not bring high income. I myself have to do other jobs to earn a living," said Oanh. 

"I can make puppets with familiar shapes very fast. For puppets that feature new characters, I have to research or visit areas which the characters represent to be able to imagine and create true puppets," Oanh said.  

He uses fig wood to make puppets because it is light, durable and impermeable, and can dry quickly.   

Covering puppets with lacquer and foil is an indispensable stage to create reflected light when they perform under the spotlight. “Each puppet must be covered with at least 10 layers of paint. So carving a puppet takes me only three days, but to make a complete soulful puppet, it takes up to 15 days," he added. 

He said he made a dozens of thousands of puppets in the past 25 years.  

Another characteristic of water puppets is that they can move flexibly, Oanh said. "To do that, artisans must calculate carefully when making details of puppets," he said.  

Water puppets with southern cultural features made by Oanh. Puppets for performance are priced from VND300,000 to VND1.8 million, while puppets for display are priced between VND150,000-VND300,000.  

Oanh tests shallow puppets before delivering them to a customer. Recently, a foreign company ordered Oanh to make shallow puppets for VND5 million ($240)/puppet. "Compared to the water puppets, shallow puppets look more modern, with Western characteristics, so the price is higher," he said.  

Oanh’s workshop has become a cultural destination for students, where they learn about the art of water puppetry. 

Photo: VNE

Thanh Van