the reader should note that these plays are not put on for human audiences, but rather for gods and wandering ghosts - ThreadSky

edwardw2.bsky.social • 85 days ago

the reader should note that these plays are not put on for human audiences, but rather for gods and wandering ghosts

Tainan, Taiwan

A temporary puppet theater set up in a back alley

Even after the play started, not many people were watching the play, so it was like a dream

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embroideredyeti.bsky.social•84 days ago

I hadn't heard of this before and I'm fascinated. Can you tell me what this practice is called so I can read up on it? (I tried searches like "Chinese ghost theatre", but that didn't work as intended. 😅 )

edwardw2.bsky.social•84 days ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritual_opera

sarenth.bsky.social•85 days ago

That is really cool.

marimori11.bsky.social•85 days ago

Oh, I see!
There was indeed a mausoleum right behind me!
Thank you for the information!

taiwanomaly.bsky.social•85 days ago

Really? I had no idea. If you see one, should you maybe back away slowly?

edwardw2.bsky.social•85 days ago

No, Spirits are a part of everyday life. There is nowhere they are not present. An ancient chinese proverb goes 'look up three feet and you will find gods' 抬頭三尺有神明.

This form of entertainment was formerly enjoyed by both humans and spirits, but as tastes amongst humans changed...

edwardw2.bsky.social•85 days ago

only the spirit audience remains.

edwardw2.bsky.social•85 days ago

There is a tragic example of this I have seen in singapore. They put on Chinese operas at festivals. The front row of seats is reserved for the spirits. Each seat holds burning joss sticks stuck into joss paper. Behind them are seats for the human audience: men and women in their 70s or 80s.

edwardw2.bsky.social•85 days ago

How long will it be until these men and women finally get the right to sit in the front row? Will there still be a play for them to watch?

brotherstone.bsky.social•85 days ago

this is incredibly moving

giffordhead.co.uk•85 days ago

Might I ask who the performers are and how they are paid?

edwardw2.bsky.social•85 days ago

I am not sure, but from what I know, such performances are always done as part of a wider temple festival, and such troupes would be hired by the temple committee along with the religious specialists etc.

giffordhead.co.uk•85 days ago

Thank you. That's interesting. In a lot of places, I think these traditional art forms are supported by tourism. People sometimes think of this as a bad thing but I'm not so sure it is.

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