Experience one of Vietnam’s oldest forms of entertainment—the art of water puppetry—that has kept its people captivated for over 1,000 years. It’s exactly as it sounds: puppet performances over water. And with two of the country’s top puppetry troupes based in Vietnam’s capital city, Hanoi, a show is one of many unique stops on your tour. The spectacles are chock-full of delights. They’re complimented by traditional music, song (known as chéo), lights, firecrackers and even fire, particularly when a mythical dragon is part of the cast. Look out for Teu, a carefree farmer, who appears in every story to keep Vietnamese folklore alive and tells tales of daily life. And because his name means “laughter” in ancient Vietnamese, he’ll make sure to keep the chuckles coming.
Locals refer to Vietnamese water puppetry as the “Soul of the Rice Fields.” That’s because this art form originated in the rice paddies of northern Vietnam at a time when farmers believed that spirits had control over their crops. So, to keep the spirits entertained (and stop them from causing mischief) farmers would use bamboo figures to tell them stories on the paddy fields and in ponds. Today, modern puppeteers hide behind a mock pagoda and stand waist-deep in water-filled tubs that are made to look like a traditional Vietnamese village. From here, they manipulate ornately decorated wooden puppets—some so massive they weigh up to 33 pounds—using bamboo rods hidden underneath the water.
If you’re hoping to recreate some marionette magic in your bathtub at home, don’t expect to source any secrets from these Vietnamese puppet masters. That’s because in the world of the puppeteer “water is thicker than blood.” So much so that puppeteers are prepared to sever family ties in order to keep their techniques a mystery!