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The Oldest Performance Art in China
Part four focuses on circus performances and stunts performed on
drum carts. Great skill and daring is quite obviously required to perform
handstands and spinning meteor-like bulbs on the backs of galloping horses or on
moving drum carts. Numerous ancient items, including hand tricks, handstands,
tightrope walking, horsemanship, and pole climbing on moving carts, are still
performed in modern China.
 Characteristics of Chinese Acrobatics
 Chinese acrobatics ranks among the best in the world thanks to its long
history, rich repertory, and distinctive artistic characteristics. The artistic
characteristics can be summarized as follows:
First, Chinese acrobatics has long stressed the basic training of the waist
and legs, and has attached great importance to the skill of standing on the head
and hands as evidenced by many Han Dynasty brick paintings, murals, and pottery
figurines that feature headstands, handstands, and somersaults. Performers of
traditional magic were required to have good acrobatic skills. Otherwise, the
fact that they were usually clad in a loose gown concealing scores of objects
weighing as much as 100 pounds would have prevented them from doing somersaults
while producing objects like bowls filled with water or blazing metal bowls.
Second, Chinese acrobatics is characterized by feats of strength and daring
performed cleverly, precisely, and accurately, and the ability of retaining
balance in motion. The ability of Chinese acrobats to perform rope-dancing
stunts on a stack of benches placed on a plank and building pyramids on a
free-standing ladder shows their superb skills at stabilizing themselves and
retaining their balance in motion --- skills that require years of hard training
and skills that reflect human's spirit of braving hardships and danger.
Third, the traditional form of conjuring known as "ancient splendor," which
flourished during the Han and Tang (618-907) dynasties, seems to create
something from nothing. The difference between Western magic and traditional
Chinese magic is that the former conjurers stress stage sets, lighting, and
sound effects, while their Chinese counterparts, whther than emphasizing stage
design, use only limited props and instead hide most of objects needed beneath
their loose gowns. Therefore, high-level skill and physical strength is needed
for the Chinese conjurers to handle the hidden objects.
They are able to produce a wide range of objects from their loose gowns,
including enough dishes for an 18-course dinner, as well as live fish and birds.
In addition, they can even conjure a blazing bronze fire pan from their gowns immediately after one
somersault and a large glass container filled with water and fish after the
next. The art of conjuring is an expression of human's wisdom and reflects the
desire to create material and spiritual wealth, as well as aspirations for a
happy life.
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