A unique form of Vietnamese puppetry called mua roi nuoc can be traced to the Red River delta region of northern Vietnam in the twelfth century. An inscription dating to the Ly dynasty provides the first record of a water puppet performance. It was given in 1121 in honor of the longevity of king Ly Nhan Tong, but no one knows how long rural farmers had been performing before then. Over the centuries, as with many other kinds of artisans and craftsmen in Vietnam, the puppet makers and puppeteers formed guilds in a few of the villages.

The puppets are carved from fig wood, decorated with bright colors, and covered with numerous layers of lacquer to make them waterproof. They have movable heads and arms and are mounted on a base that features a rudder and acts as a fulcrum for the strings that control the upper body. The puppets measure 18-36 inches in height and weigh 20-30 pounds. The figures exhibit a variety of forms: humans of all sorts, animals like water buffalo and cormorants, mythological beings like fairies and dragons, and familiar objects like boats and fish traps. The puppeteers stand in waist-high water behind a curtained backdrop and control the figures with bamboo rods and string mechanisms below the surface. Complex maneuvers can make dragons exhale smoke or fish shoot sprays of water at the audience.

In ancient times, shallow ponds and rice paddies were the stages for impromptu shows. The water surface was an integral part of the play. It concealed the legs of the puppeteers and provided exciting effects like waves and splashes. The rest of the puppeteer's body was hidden by a curtained frame. The simple theater stages of wood, bamboo, and cloth developed into permanent structures as the folk art evolved over the centuries to a more established form. Some of these stages still exist and date to the Le dynasty (1533-1708). In modern times, the stage is a water-filled tank with a platform alongside for the orchestra. The puppeteers are concealed from the audience by a pagoda-like structure that covers half the tank and provides a backstage area for maneuvering and storing the puppets.

A typical performance consists of 18-25 short scenes lasting a few minutes each. Themes include humorous aspects of daily life, fairy tales, folk legends, and national history. A small orchestra accompanies the vocalists and provides dramatic effects with drums and cymbals. Fireworks also figure in some of the stories. The show is typically narrated by a chubby country bumpkin named Chu Teu.

Philpott, A. R. 1969. Dictionary of Puppetry. Boston: Plays, Inc. Publishers.
Nguyen Huy Hong and Tran Trung Chinh. 1996. Vietnamese Traditional Water Puppetry. Hanoi: Gioi Publishers.

Water Puppet - Wikipedia: a typical Wikipedia article with illustrations and information on the history and performance of mua roi nuoc, "puppets that dance on water"
Vietnamese Water Puppets: a catalog of painted, handmade puppets from Vietnam being offered for sale
Vietnamese Water Puppets: a brief description of the unique Vietnamese puppetry called mua roi nuoc and a link to a review of a performance in San Francisco
Thang Long Water Puppets Theatre: the website of a puppet troupe in Hanoi wth a history of water puppetry in Vietnam and interesting photos of puppets
Water Puppet Show: a collection of thumbnail photos depicting many aspects of a water puppet show
Thang Long Water Puppets: a video clip (YouTube) of a performance of Vietnamese water puppets