Intricate artistry, a vivid imagination and great skill breathe life into wooden figurines that have delighted audiences for millennia, Yang Feiyue reports.

The rhythmic sound of wood being drilled often piques the curiosity of visitors when they step into the Quanzhou Puppetry Theater. As they seek the origin of the sound, they will find Lin Congpeng toiling away at his work bench under a reading lamp.

As the man, in his 50s, beavers away, blocks of wood are brought to life as they transform into puppets of various, vivid shapes and sizes.

Over the past few months, Lin has been busy creating a series of puppets for a major new 30-hour show.

"It is as big a production as nearly 20 conventional plays and requires about 100 puppet heads," Lin says.