Shan Wan Ran Hakka Puppet Troupe Introduction
The Shan Wan Ran Puppet Troupe was founded by Huang Wu-Shan in 2002. He studied traditional glove puppet art under national treasure puppet master Li Tian-Lu's two disciples, Chen Hsi-Huang and Li Chuan-Tsan. After graduating from National Taipei University of the Arts in 2003, he realized the dedication of his teachers in passing down their craft. He also learned Hakka mountain songs from the Hakka music queen Lai Bi-Hsia, integrating Hakka culture into traditional glove puppetry. He has become one of the few young professionals in Taiwan with the ability to perform traditional glove puppetry as well as a solid theoretical foundation in drama. The Shan Wan Ran Puppet Troupe understands the importance of Hakka cultural preservation and focuses on production and performance, while actively participating in various arts festival activities. They are also planning courses that combine Hakka theater, Hakka glove puppetry, and Hakka music. By utilizing the lively performances of glove puppet characters, they aim to attract the younger generation of the Hakka community to pay attention to Hakka cultural arts, revive the Hakka spirit, and help non-Hakka groups understand the diversity and inclusiveness of Hakka culture.
