China's Quanzhou Puppet Troupe shines in Indonesia

In Indonesia, China's Quanzhou Puppet Troupe has recently performed. We visit a show that highlights one of the ancient similarities between the two cultures.

As one of the national treasures of Indonesia, puppet plays have always been popular here.

And Quanzhou is home to the most developed and sophisticated form of Marionette performance in China. So it's no surprise that its debut in Jakarta is greeted with enthusiasm.

Wu Yi, Event Sponsor, said, "The puppet in Quanzhou definitely represents the essence of China's profound culture. And Indonesia is also a country rich in cultural heritage, with the shadow play bearing some resemblance to the Chinese version. So during cultural exchanges with China, we're trying to find some common ground among our differences."

The show begins with a traditional Indonesian shadow play called "Bima". It tells the story of how Bima becomes a perfect man under the guidance of his master.

Then it's showtime for the Quanzhou Puppet Troupe, which puts on a series of traditional Chinese plays.

Some of the highlights include "Little Sami Descends the Mountain" and "Ruo Lan", which features the adventures of a woman in search of her husband.

The long history between Quanzhou and Indonesia has involved much more than Puppet plays, however.

In fact, China's great navigator Zheng He always chose Quanzhou as the starting point of his voyage to the West.

Wang Jinxian, Chief, Quanzhou Puppet Troupe, said, "There's a genuine friendship between the people in Quanzhou and the people of Jakarta here in Indonesia. More than 1000 years ago, the followers of the Prophet Mohammed had been to Quanzhou, so now we still have many Muslim friends there."

Puppetry in Quanzhou first originated centuries ago in the Qin Dynasty, with about 700 traditional plays created down through the ages.

The Quanzhou Puppet Troupe is no stranger to the international arena, either. The group has starred in multiple major events, including the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.