布袋戲的源流

傳說三百年前明朝時，福建泉州有一位秀才，名叫梁炳麟，經綸滿腹，博學多才，但每次參加科舉考試都名落孫山。

有一年，梁炳麟又要赴考，半途借宿九鯉湖仙公廟，見仙公廟人來人往，善男信女，絡繹不絕。經打聽之下，都謂仙公很靈感，有求必應。遂擇日齋戒，焚香禮拜，祈求仙公庇佑，此次應試能順利得中。當晚，梁生夢見一位白髮老人，執筆在其手掌中寫下：「功名在掌中」五字。

梁生醒後，自喜今科必能高中，金榜題名。豈知考試完後，放榜揭曉，依然名落孫山。歸鄉後，一日發現村內人家有藝師來操演傀儡戲，深受歡迎。梁生靈機一動，即別出心裁，自製木偶，擎於掌上演弄，久之由熟生巧。再自編劇情、朗誦其平生所作詩文，一方面炫耀其才華，一方面藉以諷刺考官無目。風頭一出，遠近馳名，爭相聘請，演出接踵而來。至此始悟九鯉湖仙公所夢示「功名歸掌中」之意。即掌中戲名稱之由來。 

布袋戲名稱的由來，有幾種說法:

1.戲偶除了頭部、手掌及腳是木雕外，內裡軀幹、四肢都是布縫製的，形狀似布袋。

2.早期演出時，所使用的較簡易的戲台，形狀像一個大布袋。 

3.演出者將木偶收置在布袋中，以利在演出過程中的運送，後來才改收納在木箱。

4.早期演戲時，為便於整理、使用，演師隨手將使用過的戲偶投進掛在表演戲台下一個用布縫製的袋子裡 。 

〝 Po-te-hi〞 literally means “cloth sack theater.” In the early days, the glove puppet bodies were created from square, sack-shaped pieces of cloth, while the head, hands, and feet were carved from wood . The art form was also known as “small-basket theater” after the way in which the puppets were carried between villages and towns by the performers. The baskets were kept backstage and puppets would be tossed into them during the performance to facilitate quick character changes.