Paris: A three-week event celebrating Taiwanese glove puppetry, or "P²o-te-h¬" in Taiwanese, kicked off in Paris on Wednesday, featuring a series of performances, workshops, and language practice sessions aimed at introducing the traditional art form to French audiences.

According to Focus Taiwan, the "Taiwan P²o-te-h¬" event is being held at the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (INALCO) in Paris. The event highlights the cultural and artistic heritage of Taiwanese glove puppetry. For the first time, the event will formally adopt the Taiwanese word "P²o-te-h¬" as its official name, shifting away from the older French term Marionette chinoise   gaine (Chinese glove puppetry).

Liu Chan-yueh, head of the Taiwan Studies program at the school, expressed hope that in the future, when the French mention Taiwanese puppet theater, they will be able to pronounce the word 'P²o-te-h¬' accurately. Liu also views the event as a chance to inspire a new generation of French students to visit Taiwan and explore the evolving art of P²o-te-h¬, fostering renewed cultural exchanges between Taiwan and France.

In addition to exploring the historical context, the event will provide hands-on experiences, offering an immersive journey into the art form. A highlight on the opening day was a workshop focusing on P²o-te-h¬ dialogue delivery, where participants experienced how different character types-such as scholars, female leads, and comedic sidekicks-speak the same lines with distinct tonal variations in Taiwanese.