"The master teaches the trade, but the skill of the apprentice is self-made. To make puppets, you need to have sensitivity, with a basic foundation of fine arts. The most difficult part is to persist, because it can be monotonous and hard work," Wang says.

By his strict standard, it takes at least five years to serve an apprenticeship.

"If a pupil wants to outdo his teacher, it's important to keep up with the times and be creative, rather than stay in the same old rut," he says.

The changing face of puppetry

Puppet plays have a relatively small audience, and in 2015, Wang realized that changes must be made, to cater to the market and draw new audience members.

Traditional Xiaoyi puppet plays use the style of local operas, which are appealing to the elderly, but now the troupe only uses background music for better audience understanding.