Chen Rongxiang is the founder of Sagatek Group and was born on the west coast of Taiwan in Dongshi, Chiayi. Glove puppetry performances were the heart of local temple fairs, portraying conflicts between heroes and antiheroes and battles between the good and evil. From a young age, a dream of participating and caring for social issues was planted in Chen Rongxiang’s heart, which led to a bond with Seden Foundation. He went on to team up with members in hosting and participating in different events, seeking to establish and strengthen the roots of Taiwan’s local culture.

Doing It Himself: Finding a Modern-day Zhong Ziqi Compared to Chen Jinci, Wu Xianyao has appeared less frequently in past reports or public scenes in relation to the Seden Foundation. When Wu Xianyao began to talk about his connection with glove puppetry (poo-te-hi) and the Seden Foundation, his calm voice suddenly turns emotional, mixed with excitement and memories. His sentences almost trip over each other, as if the scenes of his heart-warming performances are appearing before his eyes. Looking at his expression, one always feels that if it had not been for the Seden Foundation, it would have been hard to meet such a passionate fan of glove puppetry. Addiction to Glove Puppetry: Making Notes while Watching Since His Childhood

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During his childhood, Wu Xianyao could not help but take notes on the traditional Taiwanese glove puppetry (poo-te-hi) shows he watched. To him, glove puppetry is not merely a memory; it has brought far-reaching changes to his life. In addition to learning the techniques from Xu Wang of the Xiaoxiyuan troupe, Wu has also devoted himself to bringing glove puppetry shows off-campus and to wider audiences. Subsequently, he joined the Seden Foundation as a director, focusing on the Foundation’s operations, and has never spared any effort in training and promoting glove puppetry performances. He holds the belief that “a good script” is the ultimate answer to reviving the culture of glove puppetry: As long as the story fits the themes

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Passing on the Many Facets of Culture While he lists the names of people he’s known, the feelings are just as fresh as always. Even though years apart may be long, and the exact years may not even be clearly calculated, one can still feel the warmth in Yang Weizhe’s narrative for each important person who resides in his memory. Born in Fengyuan, Taichung in 1939, Yang Weizhe considers himself to be neither urban nor rural. In the environment he grew up in, he had no opportunity to watch glove puppetry (poo-te-hi) shows or play outdoors. “Before I was nine, the largest theater in Fengyuan, the Fengyuan Theater, was located about 50 meters away from our house. You had to

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After graduating from the Mathematics Department at National Taiwan University (NTU) in 1964, Yang Weizhe received his PhD from Princeton University, USA in 1971. He returned to Taiwan in the same year to teach in the NTU Math Department. He eventually became department chair, and retired in 2005. In addition to teaching and research, he also pays close attention to the development and transmission of Taiwanese culture. As a result, together with Chen Jinci and Li Hongxi, he co-founded the Seden Glove Puppetry Foundation. In addition to his dedication to the preservation of glove-puppetry (poo-te-hi), he has strong beliefs about the use of the Taiwanese (Hoklo) language. For that reason, he communicates mostly in Taiwanese, and practices deep cultural transmission

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A Love for Glove Puppetry That Has Never Faded As you enter Li Hongxi’s house, what comes into view is a rich collection of books, political banners, and promotional materials all around, followed by a whole wall of souvenirs collected from places around the world that Li has visited. One corner in particular draws the eye, though: Two glove puppets given by the Seden Foundation. Perhaps this echoes how in Li Hongxi’s life, despite his busy schedule, he always makes space in his life for glove puppetry (poo-te-hi). Glove Puppetry, the Only Comfort in His Childhood Born in 1937, Li Hongxi recalls that there was nothing in his childhood except for turmoil, plague and foreign domination. “At that time, there

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Born in 1937 in Chiayi, Li Hongxi has been deeply influenced by traditional glove puppetry (poo-te-hi) since he was a kid. Furthermore, his childhood full of glove puppetry memories became the root and fertile ground on which he later explored glove puppetry culture. In 1985, he joined hands with Chen Jinci and Yang Weizhe to found the Seden Glove Puppetry Foundation (whose name derives from gods worshiped by glove puppetry troupes, Xiqin Wangye (“Xi”, Se) and Tiandu Yuanshuai (“Tian”, Den). Since then, he traveled extensively to raise funds for the Seden Foundation. He continues to preserve the precious culture of glove puppetry, respect the old glove puppetry masters, and firmly uphold the belief that “a place without culture is no

Continue readingLi Hongxi-Founder of the Seden Glove Puppetry Foundation; Retired Professor, Department of Political Science, National Taiwan University

Seeing the Light of Traditional Culture Throughout its journey to the present, the Seden Glove Puppetry Foundation has overcome all manner of hardships in labor and funding. Through test after test, the Foundation has helped the traditional art of glove puppetry (poo-te-hi) to continue to move forward in an era of gradual decline. The strengths that have enabled the Foundation to pass those tests stem from the ongoing relationships between its partners, and the generous commitments of many people. Chen Jinci remembers very vividly all the work he has been involved in with cultural preservation for these past 30+ years. A Small Stage Filled with Infinite Imagination “Having grown up in the countryside of Taipei, I ran barefoot on the

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The founder and initiator of the Seden Foundation; committed to promoting and preserving traditional Taiwanese glove puppetry (poo-te-hi) culture. His work includes recording oral scripts and oral histories of glove puppetry masters, purchasing puppets to prevent them from being sold overseas, and preserving precious cultural assets in Taiwan. He holds the belief that glove puppetry culture must keep pace with the times, as well as progress with the times, to make sure the preservation of traditional culture is not merely formalistic. Only then can more young generations join the ranks of traditional glove puppetry culture and pass it on forever.

Carrying on Heritage for Future Inheritance: Transmitting Puppetry Culture for Nearly Half a Century In Shilin, there is a repair center; it was opened by Lin Fuquan’s son, and all of Lin Fuquan's props are here. Walking into the center, all that meets the eye is an ordinary repair shop. It’s not until you reach the second floor that you realize that this is Lin’s little world of glove puppetry (poo-te-hi). The first thing that catches your attention is the sheet music and cultural objects left behind by Lin’s grandfather. Next, the eye notes Lin’s collection of glove-puppets, and documents related to the Seden Traditional Theater; and finally, the eye sees the One-Person Puppet Stage that he designed and is

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