Contemporary Taiwanese society and its system of "Pòo-tē-hì" (glove puppet theater) know-how: evolution, innovation, Taiwanization

As part of the Chair in Taiwanese Studies set up at Inalco in 2024, we propose to kick off 2025 with a short artistic, cultural and linguistic stroll, through which you'll discover part of contemporary Taiwanese society. Particular attention will be paid to the art of Pòo-tē-hì (girdle puppet theater) and its symbolic language. Three key words structure this initiative: evolution, innovation, Taiwanization.

Lasting around three weeks, this event will consist of a wide range of activities: exhibitions, guided tours, hands-on workshops, study days, lectures, meetings with artists and screenings.

All activities are jointly organized by Inalco's Chair in Taiwanese Studies and the Taipei Puppetry Art Center, with the support of the International Center for Taiwanese Studies at the Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) and the Théâtre aux Mains Nues.

Programming

Workshops

• March 5, 2025 from 4pm to 6pm, amphitheatre 1
• March 14, 2025 from 11:30am to 2:30pm, auditorium

Projections

• March 5, 2025 from 7pm to 8pm, amphi 1 - Projection du documentaire Les huit Français traversant la mer (八法過海)
• March 12, 2025 from 6pm to 7pm, amphitheater 1 - Screening of the documentary The Eight Frenchmen Crossing the Sea (八法過海)
• March 14, 2025 from 5pm to 6:30pm, auditorium - Projection du documentaire La gloire sur les mains (功名在掌上)
• March 19, 2025 from 6pm to 7:30pm, amphitheatre 7 - Film screening - Glory on hands (功名在掌上)
• March 20, 2025 from 7pm to 8:30pm, amphitheatre 7 - Projection de 3 films documentaires taïwanais

Journée d'études

• March 13, 2025, 10:20 a.m. to 6 p.m., auditorium - Mémoire d'une société et technique d'un art: the contemporaneity of puppetry in the world and Taiwanese puppetry in France

Conferences

• March 12, 2025 from 4pm to 6pm, amphitheatre 1 - Taiwan and its keywords: how to talk about the word "Pòo-tē-hì"?
• March 19, 2025 3-5pm, amphitheatre 7 - Matsu - the 'island of Matsu as one of the key words of contemporary Taiwanese society: one of the views presented through documentary photographic works on the people of Matsu and their daily lives
• March 20, 2025 from 5:30pm to 7pm, amphitheatre 7 - The puppeteer Jean-Luc Penso and his encounter with Taiwan's "Pòo-tē-hì"

Guided tours of the exhibition

Taiwanese Pòo-tē-hì: the art of transmission between puppet and human

• Tuesdays: 11/03 and 18/03, 1pm to 2pm and 5:30pm to 6:30pm
• Thursdays: 06/03, 13/03 and 20/03, 1pm to 2pm and 5:30pm to 6:30pm

Contact : Chan-yueh LIU - chan-yueh.liu@inalco.fr