Puppet theatre came to Taiwan with the earliest ethnic Chinese immigrants to Taiwan in the 17th century. It reached its peak of popularity in the late 1940s and 1950s, when no celebration or ceremony was complete without a puppet show. The rise of television, however, dealt a severe blow to this popular art. Recently, puppet theatre has started to make television appearances, proving the old adage, "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." Yet whether such adaptation and other efforts such as that of the Chukuang Elementary School and the professors' organization at National Taiwan University mark a true rebirth of puppet theatre remains to be seen.
[Picture Caption]
"We love putting on puppet shows!"--the troupe from Chukuang Elementary School.