People watch a glove puppetry show known as "wayang potehi" to greet the upcoming Chinese New Year at Mal Ciputra in Jakarta, Indonesia, Feb. 3, 2024. (Xinhua/Zulkarnain)

In a mall in the western part of Indonesia's capital Jakarta, a captivated audience gathered around a small room where five performers brought to life an ancient Chinese glove puppetry show, known locally as wayang potehi.

Wayang potehi, introduced to the Indonesian island of Java by Chinese immigrants in the 16th century, is a form of puppet theater featuring wooden puppets adorned in traditional Chinese costumes. The puppets are manipulated skillfully by the puppeteer using their hands and fingers, creating a mesmerizing spectacle.

Among the performers was Sugiyo Waluyo, a non-Chinese descendant who first encountered wayang potehi at the age of five.

Growing up near a Chinese temple in the East Java city of Surabaya, Waluyo developed a profound appreciation for this unique art form.

Assisted by a dedicated assistant, the 62-year-old master puppeteer focused intently on reading a handwritten story in Indonesian, narrated in the Hokkien dialect, while skillfully manipulating two puppets. Three other members of the group, each playing traditional Chinese musical instruments such as the erhu and tanggu, harmonized their melodies with the master's rhythm.

All of them are members of Fu He An, a group hailing from Jombang in East Java that is dedicated to conserving wayang potehi.

For the past two decades, Fu He An had been consistently invited to perform wayang potehi at the mall during the annual Lunar New Year celebration.

"I feel so happy and proud because they have given us the confidence to perform here over the past 20 years," he told Xinhua in a recent interview after completing a 60-minute performance of a classic Chinese story titled Tik Tjheng Ban Hwa Lauw.

The presented story, he said, delved into the origins of a renowned general named Tik Tjheng from the Song region.

According to Waluyo, Tik Tjheng Ban Hwa Lauw was one of many scripts brought to Indonesia by immigrants from southeastern China's Fujian Province. Initially written in Chinese characters, these scripts were interpreted and adapted by local performers into their own languages.

Krisnadi Tjahja, 65, was amazed by the wayang potehi show performed by the group. He said that wayang potehi was one of the entertainments he enjoyed during his childhood in his hometown Surabaya.

"Watching it reminds me of the good old days. My friends and I often went to a Chinese temple to watch wayang potehi because it was very entertaining," said Tjahja, a Chinese descendant. He believed that this unique art form deserves a wider audience, especially among the younger generation.

Waluyo also called on younger people to learn and practice wayang potehi.

The seasoned master said wayang potehi is more than just entertainment; it's a vehicle for imparting moral lessons that can guide one through life's complexities.