Circus festival in Hebei showcases grand performances

Acrobatic artists perform bike stunts. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Wuqiao county, seated at the junction of southeast of Hebei province and Shandong province, is regarded as the hometown of Chinese circus. Many say everyone from Wuqiao can do acrobatics regardless of his or her age.

Wuqiao acrobatics undergoes a long period of progress and development. According to Wuqiao county annuals, the origin of Wuqiao acrobatics dates as far back as the Ming Dynasty and had close relations to the prosperity of the Grand Canal. During the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, the area along the Grand Canal was economically developed with the flourishing of canal transportation. The booming docks and towns provided a stage for acrobats. Wuqiao acrobats went to more densely populated and prosperous cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, Jinan and Nanjing via the canal.