Zhangtou puppet show is a unique form of drama performance in Shaanxi, also known as "running the stage". It reflects the local customs of Shaanxi, is an important part of folk cultural life, and has a strong local color.

Its remarkable feature is that the puppet's head is mostly carved from wood (the paper head was added later), and according to the characteristics of the characters in the play, the characteristics of the characters are more prominent and vivid with exaggerated methods. During the puppet show, the person who manipulates the stick puppet dances and sings by himself, or someone else sings behind the scenes. The main form of singing is qinqiang opera.

Roles can be divided into life, Dan, Jie and Ugliness. The music consists of civil and military scenes, and the instruments used are the same as those used in Qin opera. Moreover, the puppet show can perform many difficult actions that real people can't perform on the stage of drama, such as "the Monkey King's' walking on clouds' and so on.

Because the performance is convenient, the props are simple, and the performance content is easy to understand, the class associations are widely distributed and the performance activities are extensive. Whenever there are sacrificial ceremonies, festivals and folk activities, puppet shows should be performed, which are mainly small, inexpensive, small and simple, lively and affordable, entertaining the gods and the people, and are well received by the people.

Shaanxi Zhangtou Puppets are distributed all over the province, especially in Guanzhong area, with many class clubs, as well as Yangxian County in Hanzhong, Danfeng County in Shangluo and Luonan County. During the Republic of China, the famous Zhangtou Puppet Club included: Hutaowa Shaanxi Opera Puppet Troupe in Lantian County, Chengshun Puppet Troupe in Danfeng County, Hongxi Puppet Troupe, Wang Lailai Puppet Troupe of Wang Mazi and his son in Chang 'an County, Jiangdong Puppet Troupe, and Zhuyuan Puppet Troupe in Sangzhen Town of Xingping County.

Music Education Society Puppet Class, Tianfu Township Puppet Class in Xingping County, Liu Zhong Puppet Class in Luonan County, etc. In the early days of New China, according to incomplete statistics, there were nearly 80 puppet clubs at that time. In the early 1950s, the people's government helped puppet artists to set up Chang 'an Puppet Troupe and Peace Puppet Troupe. Chang 'an Puppet Theatre was changed to state-owned, renamed Shaanxi Puppet Art Troupe, and later renamed Shaanxi Folk Art Theatre.