To pay tribute to the late puppet master and troupe director of the Hsin Shing Kuo Puppet Show Troupe (新興閣掌中劇團) Chung Jen-pi (鍾任壁) who passed away on Sep. 5, Deputy Minister of Culture Hsiao Tsung-huang (蕭宗煌) conferred a posthumous presidential citation at a memorial service held on Sep. 24 by the Yunlin County Government.
Chung's son Chung Ren-Liang (鍾任樑), received the citation on behalf of Chung.
Born in 1932, the fifth-generation troupe leader Chung Jen-pi learned various puppetry skills from his grandfather Chung Jen Hsiu-chih (鍾任秀智) and father Chung Jen-hsiang (鍾任祥) since he was young. At fourteen, Chung served as the supporting performer, and by seventeen, he was already taking the lead in the most popular daytime performances.
Since 1982, Chung has actively participated in puppetry activities overseas as well as cultural activities in Taiwan. In addition, Chung is ever dedicated to passing down the traditional art form through offering demonstrations and workshops at schools across Taiwan.
The Hsin Shing Kuo Puppet Show Troupe led by Chung was known for plays and puppets such as "Hero Pai Tsao Weng (大俠百草翁)," which encompassed different eras such as classic and traditional puppetry, the lavish and dazzling style known as "Golden Light," and contemporary theater.
Chung had received several awards — including the Arts Education Contribution Award (Yunlin County), Life Achievement Award for Glove Puppetry (Taipei City), and Cultural Award for Special Contribution (Ministry of Education) — for his achievements and contributions to such traditional cultural heritage.
In a pre-recorded video, Minister of Culture Lee Yung-te expressed that Chung Jen-pi has devoted his life to Taiwanese puppetry. He not only promoted Taiwanese puppetry on the world stage, but also further developed the craft in Taiwan by creating puppet shows that are suitable for children, and allowed Taiwanese puppetry to enter campus life. His passing leaves a legacy that will be cherished forever by future generations.