Chinese Historical Mysteries and Anecdotes

Author: Li Wei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: The Origin of Acrobatics
Acrobatics is a languageless skill-based art that embodies the combination of human strength and wisdom. It is a performing art that encompasses various physical abilities and techniques. China has been a major acrobatics country since ancient times, and thus, acrobatics has a long history in the country. From 770 BC to 221 BC, China was in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period, where intense state and competition among warlords led to the recruitment of scholars. Among these scholars, there were those who possessed extraordinary skills or great strength, known as "orators" who could advise and debate eloquently. However, the majority were skilled individuals with unique talents or extraordinary physical abilities. These laid the foundation for the development of acrobatic art.
After over 160 years of major turmoil and cultural integration during the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, by 589 AD, the Sui Dynasty unified China, and acrobatic art had matured significantly. By the Tang Dynasty, it had become a flourishing art form both in the court and among the people. During the Northern Song Dynasty, the capital Bianliang (now Kaifeng City, Henan Province) and the Southern Song capital Lin'an (now Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province) had various performance venues in the streets and markets, known as "Wazi Yuepang." Acrobatics, dance, martial arts, storytelling, and other physical performance arts were performed together, undoubtedly contributing to the formation of China's unique opera art.
In the Yuan Dynasty, acrobats and actors performed together in Yuan opera, which reached its peak and maturity. Researchers believe that the term "acrobatics" originated from this practice. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, acrobatics and other traditional performance arts rarely performed in the court. Acrobats during the Qing Dynasty further fell into the streets. However, opera flourished, forming a prosperous scene dominated by martial arts. Qing Dynasty acrobats lived in hardship but maintained and developed their art. New creations emerged in "leg acrobatics" and "colorful magic," while the series of illusions like "playing with a tray," "sword, ink, beans, and peas," reached extremely high levels.
According to research, the popular "hundred entertainments" during the Han Dynasty referred to various competitions,, illusions, music and dance, clown shows, and animal performances popular in the Han Dynasty. At that time, there was no term "Han Dynasty hundred entertainments," but it mostly followed the naming convention of the Qin Dynasty, called "Jiao Di," such as "Jiao Di Opera," "Jiao Di Strange Shows," "Jiao Di Various Shows," and "Jiao Di Hundred Shows." "Han Dynasty hundred entertainments" became a general term for these different performance forms after the Eastern Han Dynasty. Since the "hundred entertainments" were essentially a comprehensive performance of various folk skills dominated by acrobatics, later generations often regarded them as the predecessor of modern acrobatics.
The Qin Dynasty systematically gathered folk skills in the capital and incorporated them as part of court entertainment, greatly stimulating the exchange and improvement of various skills. The true prosperity of the "hundred entertainments" occurred during the Western Han Dynasty under Emperor Wu of Han. Emperor Wu even established the "Yuefu," an institution to oversee performances during court banquets. The "Records of the Grand Historian" states, "When Qin defeated the feudal lords, it seized their palaces and moved them to the northern slopes of Xianyang, filling them with captured beauties and musical instruments." As a result, Xianyang had "millions of women and clowns; the music of bells and drums flowed endlessly." The opening of the Silk Road promoted cultural exchange between the East and West. Envoys from various Western regions arrived, bringing with them Western illusions and magical artifacts, greatly enriching