Title
Lion Water Puppet
Creator
Year/Period
c. 1996
Region
Hanoi, Vietnam
Object Type
Technique
Dimension
Object size: L57.0 x W29.0 cm
Accession No.
2001-01186
Collection of
This lion comprises a carved and painted head and a body made of bamboo hoops which allow for greater movement during the energetic lion dance. The lion is part of a water-puppetry ensemble that includes a master of ceremonies called Teu, a dragon, a fairy, and a boy on buffalo. The lion dance comprises a pair of lions who play with a ball. The origins of water-puppetry are thought to date to the 12th century although it is possible that it was a folk art that developed even earlier in the rice-farming villages of north Vietnam.
