De Shun Paper Puppet Show Introduction
At the boundary between Changzhi and Pingtung City, there is a large temple that was burned down during the Liudui Rebellion, locally referred to as the "Fire Burned Temple." Nearby, there is a family called Deshun that specializes in making paper houses. Paper crafting began with Qiu Deshun, and the local Hakka villagers and regular customers affectionately call it "Deshunzi." Typically, Hakka paper crafters also engage in traditional music, especially playing the suona. In the past, those who played the suona were often also paper crafters; nowadays, this is not always the case, but many still see them as one entity. Even if a hired suona master cannot craft paper, they would still be asked to buy supplies on behalf of the crafters. The Minnan suona masters do not engage in paper crafting, as it is done by the master craftsman instead. Qiu Fengming and Qiu Fenglin began helping their father with simple paper crafting tasks around the age of ten. After their father's passing, Qiu Fengming started learning to play the suona. The paper crafting skills were cultivated from a young age, and after Qiu Deshun’s death, the legacy was passed on to brothers Qiu Fengming and Qiu Fenglin. Their experience in paper crafting spans approximately fifty years, following their father's passing two years ago. Qiu Fenglin noted that their mother married their father ten years before he began the paper crafting business. In the past, Gangshan was the hub of paper crafting. At the beginning of their business, their father invited master craftsmen from Gangshan to teach them at home, on and off for two to three years, living with them and learning hands-on as they crafted. When they finished junior high, their father asked if they wanted to continue the paper crafting tradition; if so, he would send them to Gangshan for three years and four months of apprenticeship. In the earlier days of their father's time, they had to draw patterns by hand, but later, they used more printed materials, which would only need to be cut, glued, and assembled. The paper houses made by Deshun typically have either three or five rooms in a single-story style, and if a larger size is needed, they would add floors to create a mansion style. However, Hakka people are frugal, and custom orders for mansions are almost non-existent. A three-room house can be completed in eight hours, while a five-room house takes more time; just the framework alone requires a day and a half, and the entire piece takes two days to finish. The middle of the paper house is the main hall, extending from the center, with the left side designated for the owner's bedroom and bathroom, and the right side for the servants' quarters and bath. The eaves of the paper house must have an even number; a three-room house has sixteen eaves, while a five-room house has twenty-two. The materials are sourced from Taichung, Tainan, Fengshan, etc., and the quality of printing varies among different suppliers, with the Qiu brothers having their habitual partners. The size of the paper house must conform to metric measurements; the three-room house measures 4.2 feet, while the five-room house measures 5.8 feet. The measuring tool left by their father bears markings based on the metric system and is still used today, alongside an old small knife, preserving their father’s legacy. The key to crafting paper houses lies in accurately aligning the framework and paper, ensuring there are no slants or protrusions, which requires long-term experience. The framework is made from bamboo strips, with about eighty pieces needed to create two paper houses. The framework for a three-room house typically uses thinner bamboo strips, while a five-room house employs thicker ones. It is common for hands to get pierced by the fibers of the bamboo during the making process. The framework is secured with rolled plastic, while previously, strips of paper were used, known as paper nails. The four vertical supports are made from thicker bamboo, while the others are thinner. The brothers noted that the roof is the most challenging part to make. Once the framework is completed, decorative paper is glued onto it, including large windows, small windows, and the floor, all requiring specific patterns that cannot be randomly applied. When the paper is first glued on, it appears uneven, but Qiu Fenglin remarked that it flattens out naturally as it dries. Traditional methods have also evolved; the brothers recalled that their father, due to long-term exposure to chemical adhesives, developed rashes on his hands. Therefore, they now make their glue using flour and cornstarch, with alum powder for preservation, and they cover it with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Some paper houses are now made without glue, utilizing nail guns instead; while this is faster, the Qiu brothers believe it cannot match the stability of hand-glued paper nails. Additionally, some paper houses are made from printed products folded into a whole structure, but they are too flat and not favored in the market. The brothers mentioned that each master has different styles, which can be distinguished from the details. Small figures made of plastic are used as "cuzhi," representing the servants, glued in front of the completed paper house. A three-room house typically has two servants, while a five-room house has four to six. Minnan people believe the more "cuzhi," the better, as it appears more impressive; however, Qiu Fenglin mentioned that some Hakka individuals even ask if the “cuzhi” can be removed, as hiring someone incurs additional costs, and the next generation worries about not burning enough paper money for the ancestors. Moreover, Minnan people typically use golden boys and jade girls, whereas Hakka people use gold mountains and silver mountains as replacements. In earlier times, there were no carriages, and people relied on their legs for transportation; only better-off families had sedan chairs, thus the travel tools burned for the deceased were naturally also sedan chairs. Inside the paper sedan chair, a figurine representing the deceased is placed, as is a figurine in the crafted paper house to indicate that the owner has moved in. The deceased can have various representations based on age and gender; for the elderly, figures of old men and women are used, while those who died young are represented by boys and girls. Paper trunks are used for clothing; earlier versions were hand-drawn and glued, while now printed items are used instead of handmade fabric clothing. Many customers no longer use trunks; now, paper sedans are made to be elaborate and spacious in size, seemingly eliminating the need for a trunk. Qiu Fengming recalled that their father used to glue the seven-star bridge used in temple fairs. Their father would also measure the dimensions of coffins at mourning households and create a type of object called "coffin circle" on-site, as the paper would easily deteriorate, necessitating the work to be done promptly. The coffin circle's purpose was to respect the deceased, as traditional coffins were carried to their destination by manpower; being exposed for extended periods was considered disrespectful, and it also brought bad luck to passersby. Thus, a coffin circle was placed over the coffin. Over time, coffin circles gradually transformed into cloth drapes, and now coffins are transported in extended hearses, leading to the decline of this practice. Burning paper items is solely for ensuring better spiritual wellbeing. The business of paper crafting does not have distinct peaks and valleys; generally, more deceased require paper items before the Lunar New Year, as the saying goes, "one cannot celebrate the new year after passing," which may also be due to the cold weather. Qiu Fengming stated that besides funerals, another peak is during the Qingming Festival, with ongoing demands throughout the year. He mentioned a customer who came to him saying that an unfamiliar deceased person appeared in a dream, requesting a house due to lacking shelter or experiencing a leaking roof; the living would fulfill the wishes of the deceased by burning a house for them. In life, people place great value on ownership, and certainly, the ancestors in another world feel the same. Each paper house comes with a property deed, outlining the identity of the owner. This clear record ensures that financial transactions proceed equally, allowing for a harmonious afterlife without disputes. The evening before burning paper houses,
