Wang adds that today's audiences have no patience to sit for more than two hours watching a puppet play like they did before.

Traditionally, stick puppets are carved from wood and they are time-consuming to make and heavy to hold.

As his teacher did, Wang makes his figures with used newspaper so that they are lighter and easier for puppeteers to hold and manipulate.

Wang also uses paste from traditional Chinese herbs to make the puppets more durable.

After numerous experiments with different light materials, he found that a special kind of kraft paper (a type of cardboard) is also a perfect substitute.