Water puppetry

Water puppetry (Vietnamese: Múa rối nước) is a Vietnamese tradition that dates back as far as the 11th century, when it originated in the villages of the Red River Delta, in the north of the country. Vietnamese water puppetry is a variation on the ancient Asian puppet tradition^{[clarification needed]}.

The puppets are made out of wood and then lacquered. The shows are performed in a waist-deep pool. A large bamboo rod supports the puppet under the water and is used by the puppeteers, who are normally hidden behind a screen, to control them. Thus the puppets appear to be moving over the water. When rice fields would flood, the villagers would entertain each other using this form of puppet play.