Dongbeizhuang Acrobatics
01 · Historical Records
Dongbeizhuang acrobatics, in Yuecun Township, Hualong District, Puyang City, Henan Province, took shape in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties and has been passed down in the village for more than five hundred years; it consists mainly of three performing groups bearing the surnames Liu, Qiao, and Li. The 'Liu Family Troupe' was formed in the early Ming, the 'Qiao Family Troupe' in the mid-Qing, and the 'Li Family Troupe' in the late years of the Qing dynasty. During the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty, the 'Qiao Family Troupe', acting on the order of the Qing court, was led by Qiao Zhiqing on tour to perform in more than twenty countries including Japan and India. During the Republican period, the 'Li Family Troupe' was active in the Sichuan, Shaanxi, Henan, and Shanxi regions; its performances were warmly received and enjoyed a period of great prosperity.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
During the Guangxu reign, Empress Dowager Cixi personally bestowed upon the 'Qiao Family Troupe' two Wanshou (Longevity) dragon lanterns in recognition of its skill. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, many folk artists went out from Puyang and became renowned artists, making important contributions to the prosperity and development of acrobatic art. 'Double-Layer Rocking Board', 'Straw Hat', 'Women's Chair Pyramid', 'Rocking Ladder', 'Light Foot Juggling', 'Bowl Balancing', and 'Flying Trident' are among the better-known repertoire works of Dongbeizhuang acrobatics.
The Liu, Qiao and Li troupes
The village's three performing lineages: the Liu troupe from the early Ming, the Qiao from the mid-Qing and the Li from the late Qing.
Qiao Zhiqing's tours abroad
In the Qianlong reign the Qiao troupe toured Japan, India and over twenty lands by imperial order, while in the Republican era the Li troupe flourished in Sichuan, Shaanxi, Henan and Shanxi.
The Empress Dowager's dragon lanterns
In the Guangxu reign the Empress Dowager granted the Qiao troupe two birthday dragon lanterns in recognition of their skill.
Double Rocking Board, Straw Hats and Women's Chair Stack
Noted Northeast Village items: balancing on a double rocking base, juggling straw hats, and women building a tower of chairs.
Ladder, Gentle Juggling, Bowls and Flying Fork
Repertoire items: balancing on a swaying ladder, juggling with the feet while supine, balancing bowls on the head, and whirling the flying fork.
Qiao Tianfu and his disciples
Qiao Tianfu blended northern and southern acrobatics with dance, drama and sport, his style strongly Central Plains in character, with over 150 disciples.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Dongbeizhuang acrobatics performances each have their own distinctive features, giving rise to numerous schools; their overall characteristic is a strong rustic flavor. Among them, the repertoire of the historically most renowned Qiao Family Troupe extensively absorbed the essence of Chinese martial arts and folk skills, integrating martial arts feats, qigong, horseback riding, conjuring, and spectacular trick acts with colored powder into acrobatics; touring throughout the Central Plains, it was quite influential.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Dongbeizhuang acrobatics has a broad foundation for transmission and dissemination; excavating and organizing the art of Dongbeizhuang acrobatics is of very great significance for the study of acrobatic art in China. Dongbeizhuang currently has 13 established acrobatic families, more than one thousand pieces of acrobatic props and cultural relics; veteran artists pass on their skills by taking on disciples. It must be noted that many traditional items of Dongbeizhuang acrobatics performed without the aid of props now face the danger of being lost, and are in urgent need of excavation and protection. Qiao Tianfu (recorded in the official file of the associated inheritor): Male, Han ethnicity, born in February 1945, from Puyang City, Henan Province. Acrobatics performer. Drawing on the acrobatic arts of the northern and southern schools and absorbing the technical essence of dance, theater, and sports, his performance has both the bold, unrestrained, and lively warmth of the northern school of acrobatics and the colorful, lyrical delicacy of the southern school; it has both the vigorous thrill of martial plays and martial arts and the light agility and suppleness of dance and sports. In physical performance, tossing and catching skills, and new techniques of high-altitude balance, his art shows a distinctly Central Plains acrobatic character. He has more than one hundred fifty disciples. He is a representative inheritor of Dongbeizhuang acrobatics, a project in the fifth national-level batch of intangible cultural heritage.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Qiao Tianfu 05-2556
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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