It was a fiesta for puppets - those artful creatures that come to joyful life and overcome language barrier.

Last week, as a highlight of the 14th Asia Arts Festival, the 4th China Quanzhou International Puppet Festival took the stage at this port city of Fujian province, which is considered the country's biggest hub for this art form.

Marionettes first appeared in northern China more than 2,000 years ago. To escape war in the north, many artists moved to Quanzhou in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), and the art of puppetry began to grow in the port city.