Rugao Puppet Art Troupe takes Chinese folk art to Chile, US

The Puppet Art Troupe of Rugao, Nantong, has embarked on a "Nihao! China" cultural and tourism exchange tour in Chile and the United States starting Jan 22, bringing traditional Chinese puppet art to international audiences.

In Chile, the troupe staged special performances in Santiago, Pichilemu and Vina del Mar. During the visit, troupe members engaged in in-depth exchanges with teachers from the Confucius Institute at University of Santo Tomas, focusing on the preservation of intangible cultural heritage and its communication across cultures.

The tour then proceeded to the United States, where the troupe performed at a branch venue of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, one of the country's most influential events dedicated to puppetry and visual theatre.

Running through Jan 31, the tour features eight performances across four cities in two countries. By using puppetry as a cultural bridge, the program aims to foster greater mutual understanding and emotional connection. It also seeks to inject fresh momentum into people-to-people exchanges and deepen cooperation in culture and tourism.