Righting Wrongs for More than 40 Years: Scholar Swordsman Shi Yanwen

Shi Yan­wen, the show’s protagonist, was based on a character in the 18th-century episodic novel Ye­sou Pu­yan, which Taiwanese glove puppetry icon ­Huang Hai-dai had previously adapted for Taiwanese audiences. ­Huang Chun-­hsiung, Hai-dai’s son, created the version of Shi Yan­wen we all know so well by building on his father’s work.

Recognizing the power of the television medium, ­Huang Chun-­hsiung used larger puppets and an orchestral soundtrack to give his show a sense of grandeur, added animated special effects, and even developed his own camera techniques for filming puppets. His program was soon watched by nearly every household in Taiwan, raising Shi Yan­wen to heights of popularity no celebrity could hope to surpass. ­Huang Chun-­hsiung later passed the torch to his children, who developed the pili, ­tianyu, and jin­guang styles of glove puppetry, and built a puppetry empire from the cornerstones he had laid.

Glove puppetry has been called a classic element of Taiwanese culture. Taiwan Panorama has reported on the art form many times over the last 40 years, watching its growth and development testify to the ongoing maturation of our creative and cultural industries. In more recent years, the emergence of new media has transformed glove puppetry, moving it beyond the confines of television to both film and mobile devices. ­Huang Chun-­hsiung has argued that although times change, the underlying spirit of art remains the same: innovating atop the foundation of tradition. In the case of the heroic Shi Yan­wen, that tradition is one of integrity and nobility, which never go out of style.

Glove puppetry is my life. And, as an artist,

 I do just what Taiwan Panorama does:

innovate and pass on traditions.

 —Huang Chun-hsiung

Shi Yanwen, a scholar swordsman and legend on Taiwanese television, has been righting wrongs for more than 40 years.