Antique Chinese Fully Articulated Opera Puppet. Antique Chinese carved and silk threaded fully articulated opera figure, including eyes.

Size: 15 x 23 x 5 1/2 in. 

Chinese opera dolls are miniature figures crafted to represent the vivid characters of traditional Chinese opera, capturing the elaborate costumes, painted masks, and stylized postures that define the art form. Often made from porcelain, wood, or cloth, these dolls serve both as decorative objects and as cultural souvenirs, preserving the visual language of operatic storytelling in a compact, collectible form. Each figure conveys a particular role type—sheng (male), dan (female), jing (painted-face), or chou (clown)—through intricate embroidery, painted facial features, and carefully posed gestures, allowing viewers to recognize the character’s personality, rank, or moral alignment at a glance. Beyond mere ornamentation, Chinese opera dolls function as tangible touchstones to a centuries-old performing tradition, celebrating its drama, color, and ritualized movement in miniature.

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