The string puppetry of Quanzhou, rooted in the historic cultural city of Quanzhou, was once called "suspended silk puppets" and also known as "silk drama." Locally, it is commonly referred to as "Jiali." It is an ancient and rare form of opera that has spread in areas where the Minnan dialect is spoken. Over the centuries, it has formed a stable and complete set of performance rules and over 700 traditional plays.

Among all types of puppetry in China, Quanzhou string puppetry is the only one that still has its own musical style, called "Puppet Tune." It still preserves nearly 300 traditional melody patterns and ancient instruments such as the Nan drum (foot pressure drum) and gong.

The figures of Quanzhou string puppets are structurally complete and exquisitely made. Especially the carving and painting of the puppet heads are unique, ingenious, and masterful. The outlines of the Quanzhou puppet heads are clear, and the lines are simple, inheriting the styles of carvings and paintings from the Tang and Song dynasties. In contemporary times, the making of puppet heads, based on traditional skills, places more emphasis on exaggeration and deformation, especially highlighting character portrayal and expressiveness, making them a renowned folk art treasure at home and abroad.

Generally, the figures of Quanzhou string puppets are attached with more than 16 strings, sometimes even up to more than 30 fine strings. With numerous lines and complex manipulation, compared to most traditional Chinese puppetry, it presents the highest level of technical performance.