Taiwanese glove puppetry event kicks off in Paris

Paris, March 5 (CNA) A three-week event celebrating Taiwanese glove puppetry, or "Pòo-tē-hì" in Taiwanese, kicked off in Paris on Wednesday, featuring a series of performances, workshops, and language practice sessions aimed at introducing the traditional art form to French audiences.

The "Taiwan Pòo-tē-hì" event, held at the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (INALCO) in Paris, highlights the cultural and artistic heritage of Taiwanese glove puppetry, according to Liu Chan-yueh (劉展岳), head of the Taiwan Studies program at the school.

For the first time, the event will formally adopt the Taiwanese word "Pòo-tē-hì" as its official name, moving away from the older French term Marionette chinoise à gaine (Chinese glove puppetry).

"I hope that in the future, when the French mention Taiwanese puppet theater, they will be able to pronounce the word 'Pòo-tē-hì' accurately," Liu told CNA.

Liu also views the event as a chance to inspire a new generation of French students to visit Taiwan and explore the evolving art of Pòo-tē-hì, fostering renewed cultural exchanges between Taiwan and France.

In addition to exploring the historical context, the event will provide hands-on experiences, offering an immersive journey into the art form, he said.

A highlight on the opening day was a workshop focusing on Pòo-tē-hì dialogue delivery, where participants experienced how different character types -- like scholars, female leads, and comedic sidekicks- speak the same lines with distinct tonal variations in Taiwanese.