China National Theatre for Children

Founded on 1 June 1956, the China National Theatre for Children is the national-level children's theatre company under China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Its origins lie deeper still, in the children's school of the Yan'an Youth Art Theatre established in 1941 — making it a direct lineage to one of the earliest professional performing-arts institutions in modern Chinese history.

Across nearly seven decades the company has created close to two hundred original productions, drawing on a remarkable breadth of disciplines: puppetry across multiple traditions, physical and dance theatre, musical theatre, masked drama, and shadow performance. Its work has toured to 38 countries and regions, including major international children's theatre festivals across Europe and Asia, and the company is recognised as the foremost producer of stage works for audiences aged three and up in the Chinese-speaking world.

In December 2025 the company brought its signature work Sandpiper, Clam and Fish (鹬蚌鱼) to Sydney for a season at Riverside Theatre, Parramatta. Drawn from the ancient Chinese parable about the futility of conflict, the wordless sixty-minute production tells its story entirely through movement, puppetry, scenic design and original music — no dialogue at all — making it accessible to audiences of every language. The Sydney season was presented by Ryan Maxwell Event in partnership with China Cultural Centre in Sydney, with support from the Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Sydney and the China Chamber of Commerce in Australia.