Dining with puppets in Taiwan

Warriors battling, man eating, fire breathing monsters -- the romance of knights of old and princesses -- come to life, at a restaurant in Taiwan. Patrons come to enjoy a meal -- and view an elaborate puppet show.

Taipei's See-Join Puppet Troupe is a restaurant which gives customers a taste of local cuisine, and an intimate view of traditional hand puppets.

Almost a hundred hand puppets are displayed in the front window. More than twenty wooden puppets stand next to the dining tables.

The traditional puppet shows, also known as Budaixi, are performed on a colorful stage set up in front of rows of wooden tables and chairs. Many are reminded of days of childhood when puppets were the leading heroes.

Bill Chen, the restaurant's owner, has had a passion for puppets for more than 20 years. Outdoor puppet shows are becoming rare in urban settings. So he decided to open a restaurant to give viewers a chance to enjoy a show in the city.

Bill Chen, Owner of the Restaurant, said, "In the urban area, there are fewer and fewer traditional puppet performances. So I opened this restaurant for puppet lovers like myself, or for foreign visitors who are interested in Taiwan's traditional culture. This restaurant makes the performances more approachable" .

After performances, customers can learn how to handle the puppets themselves.

Xie Jiada, Diner, said, "Puppet shows originating from Taiwan are not commonly seen. If it were not for television puppet shows, this tradition could soon disappear. This is a very special art".

The handlers from the See-Join Puppet Troupe are from different backgrounds. Some are drama students.There are factory workers and sales people. They gather on the weekend in pursuit of a common cause -- to keep the Taiwan style puppet tradition alive.

The love for puppets was inherited by Taiwan from the mainland's Fujian province. Later, Taiwan developed its own tradition. There were puppet parades in cities all over the island and regular specialized shows by local puppet handlers.

Some puppets are no bigger than a beer bottle and can be operated with the fingers. Others are so big they require the efforts of two operators to make them lumber through city streets, occasionally frightening children.