The "Complete Set of Martial Arts Routines" is perhaps a typical item of traditional Chinese acrobatics that combines great physical strength and nimble somersaults. Acrobats in the performance sometimes resemble fish swimming effortlessly in the water, sometimes like swallows drafting through trees and other times like butterflies dancing gracefully among flowers. Related acts fully demonstrate the skills of combining physical strength and somersaults to perfection.
Sixth, Chinese acrobatics, an art form closely related to people's production and daily-life activities, uses labor tools and objects as props, including bowls, plates, jars, cups, ropes, whips, poles, ladders, tables, chairs, umbrellas, and hats. Some items are based on production activities, folk games, and sports such as lassoing horses or cattle, driving carts, and skipping rope.
Seventh, Chinese acrobatics employs a number of beautiful traditional handicrafts as stage props, including porcelain jars and plates decorated with colorful designs of dragons and phoenixes, and tastefully patterned silk umbrellas and rugs. Related props not only make the performance more appealing, but also display the beauty of traditional Chinese handicrafts.
Eighth, Chinese acrobatics is noted for its flexibility in terms of the size of performance venues and the number of performers. Performances can be staged in squares and theaters, on the streets, and even in small living rooms. The number of performers required can vary from a single person to as many as 100 people. The great flexibility of Chinese acrobatics has enabled the art form to mature and develop a fine tradition through the ages.
Finally, Chinese acrobatics has maintained a strict master-apprentice system and has been closely related to other forms of the performing arts. Chinese acrobatics is an art that was handed down from one generation of a family to another, as well as from master to apprentice. Some Chinese localities are celebrated for acrobatics. For example,WuqiaoCounty in North China'sHebei Provinceis often referred to as the "home of Chinese acrobatics."
Acrobats have long respected their masters and loved their profession. They have done their best to preserve the art learned from masters and hand their skills down to younger generations. Acrobats in the old society led miserable lives, but never treated their profession lightly. Instead, they managed to pass their skills onto the right people and would rather die of hunger than pass their skills onto an outsider in a rash moment.
Acrobatic performances through the ages have incorporated the many strong points of other performing arts such as traditional opera, dance, and martial arts, and have in return provided the latter with inspiration.
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