6th National Puppet Show kicks off in Yangzhou

The opening ceremony of the 6th National Puppet Show was held in Yangzhou, East China's Jiangsu province on May 31.

The performance will run until June 6.

Thirty-one shows performed by 31 puppet troupes from across the country are being staged for free during the period.

Chen Yingxian, head of the China Puppet Shadow Play Art Association headquartered in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan province, said that the event, held every four years, is designed to showcase the innovation and preservation achievements of the traditional folk art, which was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage item in 2006.

This is the third time the event has been held in Yangzhou following the first and second shows in 2015 and 2019, respectively.

Liu Liu, vice-mayor of Yangzhou, said at the opening ceremony that Yangzhou has in recent years been making efforts to create a series of puppet shows that have been performed in more than 40 countries and regions.

She added that staging the show in Yangzhou will advance exchanges between Yangzhou puppet troupes and other troupes in the country.