The surface of water serves as the stage while spectators sit at the water's edge. The puppeteers both male and female stand waist-deep in the water to manipulate the puppets making them move about and even dance on the surface of the water. The water serves not only to hide the puppeteers and the puppets' strings but also to create a trembling stage full of reflection, while providing natural amplification for singing puppeteers accompanied by percussion music and fire crackers. In the old days, puppeteers grouped together into guilds. Nowadays, they are brought together in the Nation Water Puppetry Theatre and various provincial and private troupes.
Every puppet is a piece of real folk sculpture.
It is made of wood, painted with water-proof lacquer. The prominent character is buffoon Teu with a plump body and a humorous smile. When the curtain is raised, the merry, arch Teu enters into stage and introduces the play. A considerable repertoire of traditional water puppet plays still get a big hand from the audience. They include the Teu Dance, Buffalo Fighting, Duck Tender Chasing Fox and Chess Playing.