During the reign of Emperor Ming of Wei in the Three Kingdoms period, the court was presented with baixi perfo…
During the reign of Emperor Ming of Wei in the Three Kingdoms period, the court was presented with baixi performance puppets. They could be posed for display, but they could not move, so Ma Jun was ordered to improve them.
Ma Jun built large wooden figures powered by water, making them perform as female musicians and dancers, even beating drums and playing flutes. He also created mountain scenes where the figures juggled balls, threw swords, climbed ropes, and stood upside down, moving in and out freely. He went on to build miniature offices of officials, with figures grinding grain and making fighting cocks, showcasing countless ingenious variations.