Quanzhou Puppet Theatre is located at No.355 Quanshan Road, Fengze District, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province. It is a professional venue for inheritance and performance of Quanzhou String Puppet Show, a national intangible cultural heritage representative project, and is affiliated to Quanzhou String Puppet Show Inheritance and Protection Center. The theatre covers a total land area of 17 mu with a total construction area of 5452 square meters and a total investment of 25 million yuan, which was officially put into use in 2014. Featuring performances of string puppet shows, intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, skill inheritance and cultural exchanges, it is equipped with a 500-seat standard theatre, a 128-seat multi-functional small theatre, puppet art exhibition hall, intangible heritage inheritance studio and traditional Bagua shed performance venue. As a comprehensive cultural venue integrating performance, exhibition, teaching and experience, it serves as a core experience spot for Maritime Silk Road culture and Minnan traditional culture tourism in Quanzhou.
History and Culture
Quanzhou Puppet Theatre is specially built for the protection and inheritance of Quanzhou String Puppet Show. Also known as hanging thread puppet opera or Jiali opera, Quanzhou String Puppet Show is the oldest and most completely inherited puppet opera genre in China. It originated in the Qin and Han dynasties, was introduced into Minnan region in the Jin and Tang dynasties, took shape in the late Tang and Five Dynasties, and kept developing through the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties with a thousand years of inheritance history. In 2006, it was included in the first batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists. In 2012, it was selected into the UNESCO Register of Good Safeguarding Practices for Intangible Cultural Heritage, being the first opera project in China to be listed.
The theatre is operated by Quanzhou Puppet Troupe founded in 1952, which is one of the most influential professional string puppet performance troupes at home and abroad. It has visited more than 80 countries and regions worldwide and staged performances for major events including the Beijing Olympic Games and Shanghai World Expo. The completion of Quanzhou Puppet Theatre has realized the transformation of Quanzhou String Puppet Show from folk performances to modern, professional and standardized inheritance and shows. It has become an important carrier for the living inheritance of intangible cultural heritage as well as a vital window to display Minnan culture and Maritime Silk Road culture to the outside world.
Main Scenic Spots
Standard Theatre
As the core performance area of Quanzhou Puppet Theatre, the standard theatre has 500 audience seats and is fitted with professional stage, lighting, sound equipment and dedicated control devices for string puppets. Its stage facilities meet national-level drama performance standards. It mainly stages special shows of classic string puppet operas, traditional selected scenes and innovative dramas, ranking among the largest professional performance venues for string puppet shows across the country.
Multi-functional Small Theatre
Situated in the comprehensive building of the theatre, the multi-functional small theatre has 128 fixed audience seats with an exquisite and compact space. It is mainly used for small-scale boutique performances, intangible cultural heritage experience activities, inheritor exchange seminars and children-oriented puppet interactive experiences, providing tourists with close-view appreciation and immersive cultural experience.
Puppet Art Exhibition Hall
Located on the first floor of the theatre, the puppet art exhibition hall is a dedicated exhibition space for displaying string puppet art. It collects hundreds of exhibits including ancient puppet shapes, traditional costumes, performance musical instruments, hand-copied scripts, honorary certificates of intangible cultural heritage and souvenirs from foreign exchanges, systematically presenting the historical development, production craftsmanship, performance system and cultural achievements of Quanzhou String Puppet Show.
Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritance Studio
The intangible cultural heritage inheritance studio lies on the second floor of the theatre, where national and provincial intangible cultural heritage inheritors are stationed permanently to carry out inheritance work including puppet carving, thread making, costume tailoring and performance teaching. Equipped with experience zones open to tourists and learners for puppet making and thread control practice, it acts as a core place for the inheritance and popularization of string puppet craftsmanship.
Tour Route
Scenic Area Entrance→Puppet Art Exhibition Hall→Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritance Studio→Traditional Bagua Shed Performance Venue→Multi-functional Small Theatre→Standard Theatre→Cultural and Creative Products Area→Scenic Area Exit
Travel Suggestions
- It is recommended to spend 1.5 to 2 hours here to finish visiting, experiencing and watching performances completely.
- Arrive 30 minutes in advance for formal shows, and seats in the middle area offer the best viewing vision.
- Reserve puppet skill experience activities in advance via official official accounts as daily sessions are limited.
- Choose afternoon shows for fewer crowds and more comfortable experience.
- Plan a combined tour route including Qingyuan Mountain, Quanzhou West Lake Park and China Minnan-Taiwan Kinship Museum.
Notes
- No food or drinks are allowed inside theatres. Walking around or making loud noises during performances is prohibited.
- Taking photos or videos with flashlights is forbidden during shows to respect copyright and performance order.
- All exhibits in the exhibition hall are cultural relics. Do not touch, climb or damage them.
- Follow staff instructions during skill experiences and never pull professional puppet threads randomly.
- Smoking is banned in the whole theatre. Flammable, explosive goods and dangerous articles are not permitted to enter.
- Children must be accompanied by adults all the time and shall not chase and play around in venues.
Transportation
- Bus: Take bus No.1, No.3, No.21, No.32, No.41 or No.601 and get off at Quanzhou Puppet Theatre Stop.
- Self-driving: Navigate to Quanzhou Puppet Theatre. Free parking spaces are available inside the courtyard.
- High-speed Railway: Alight at Quanzhou Railway Station and take bus K1 or No.3 directly to the theatre within about 20 minutes.
- Online Car-hailing: Search for Quanzhou Puppet Theatre located on Quanshan Road, Fengze District for convenient urban travel.
Opening Hours
Quanzhou Puppet Theatre opens from 9:00 to 17:30 daily without closing on Mondays and stays open normally during legal holidays. The opening hours of the puppet art exhibition hall and intangible cultural heritage inheritance studio are consistent with the theatre. Regular performances are arranged at 10:30, 15:00 and 16:30 every day, and extra sessions will be added on holidays. Please refer to official announcements for actual schedules.
Ticket Information
Performance tickets start at 30 yuan per person. Search the official WeChat account "泉州市提线木偶戏传承保护中心" to get the latest updates.
Online Booking
Click here to jump to the Trip.com ticketing platform for ticket purchase.