金門傳統傀儡戲傳承回顧與展望

Review and Outlook on the Transmission of Kinmen̓s Traditional Puppetry (Kuǐlěi Xì)

金門傳統傀儡戲即使在1959年已有學者指出其技術已不復進步，每次演出往往數十分鐘就結束，到今日依然尚存不下於四、五組可隨時應邀演出的班底，主要市場在於民間信仰維繫的儀式需求。每逢正月初九天公生，依然是傀儡戲邀約演出盛行時段，其他如新婚、奠安、淨化儀式、酬神謝戲等，正因其戲短、所需班底陣容不若真人戲團大，而得以為金門傳統戲曲中因儀式需求而存續的品種。在文化資產政策的保存傳習推動下，目前受指定的保存團體以操偶技藝見稱、電子音箱取代後場，作為與一般酬神儀式區隔的表演。
金門傳統傀儡戲在藝師口頭表述的多數認知元素是：儀式、念白、唱曲，以及後場鑼鼓吹。傳統儀式及其信仰需求的市場，應視為金門傳統傀儡戲的保存維護土壤，而非影響創新與傳承的阻力。傳統曲調、科、白，以及與舞臺演出聲氣相通的後場，從來是傳統戲曲的本色和文化資產價值所在。參考京劇、崑曲等傳統戲曲的當代復振模式，改良傳統劇本、新編不涉及演出禁忌且能表現傳統傀儡戲特色的劇本，鼓勵促成各班技藝、後場交流合作，或許是金門傀儡戲不離棄儀式傳統也能創新發展的方向。

Although traditional puppetry (Kuilei Xi) in Kinmen was pointed out by the scholar in 1959 as it's technically stagnant, with each performance lasting only a few dozen minutes, four to five troupes still remain active today and can still perform upon invitation. Their main market rooted in the ritual demands sustained by of local folk beliefs. The peak period for puppet performances occurs during the celebration of the Jade Emperor’s birthday on the ninth day of the first lunar month. Other occasions include weddings, funerals, purification rituals, and ritual performances for honoring the deities. Because its performances are short and require fewer performers than opera troupes, puppetry has endured as a ritual-based theatrical form within Kinmen’s traditional performing arts. Under the influence of cultural heritage preservation policies, officially designated preservation troupes have become known for their refined puppet manipulation techniques and for replacing live backstage ensemble with electronic sound systems, a feature that differentiates these performances from general temple rituals for honoring deities.
According to oral accounts by puppetry masters, the main elements defining Kinmen’s traditional puppetry include ritual, spoken narration, singing, and the backstage ensemble of percussion and wind instruments. The ritual and devotional market that sustains these performances should be viewed as the fertile ground for preserving Kinmen’s puppetry tradition, rather than as an impediment to innovation or transmission. Traditional melodies, stage movements, and spoken dialogue, along with the dynamic interplay between onstage performance and backstage sound, constitute the artistic essence and heritage value of traditional opera. Drawing inspiration from contemporary revitalization models of traditional forms such as Beijing opera and Kunqu opera, adapting classical scripts or creating new works that respect ritual taboos while emphasizing the distinctive features of Kinmen puppetry can foster collaboration and exchange among troupes and backstage musicians. This approach may provide a viable pathway for innovative development that remains firmly grounded in the tradition’s ritual foundations.