A perfect balancing act

Hebei's stunt capital effortlessly juggles two millennia of gravity-defying acrobatics

CHINA DAILY | UPDATED: 2026-6-13 11:08

An acrobat balances a bowl using a wok spatula and a cooking spoon for visitors at Wuqiao Acrobatics World. [Photo/Xinhua]

"From toddlers to centenarians, everyone in Wuqiao can perform acrobatics, and everyone has a signature skill."

This popular saying in Wuqiao county, Cangzhou city, Hebei province, reflects the area's rich acrobatic heritage spanning more than 2,000 years.

Located in southeastern Hebei, Wuqiao has long contended with saline-alkaline soil and limited agricultural resources. Yet, it gave rise to one of China's most enduring folk art traditions. Wuqiao acrobatics traces its roots to the ancient "Chiyou Xi", or "Jiao Di Xi" (horned wrestling), and gradually developed into a diverse performance tradition encompassing physical feats, animal acts and magic.

Young trainees practice handstands at Zhangshuo Acrobatics Courtyard in Wuqiao county. [Photo/Xinhua]

Today, Wuqiao is widely known as the "Hometown of Chinese Acrobatics". While preserving its traditions, the county has established major cultural attractions, including the Wuqiao Acrobatics Museum, Wuqiao Acrobatics World and Wuqiao Acrobatics Fantasy City.

By integrating heritage preservation, training, performance and cultural tourism, it continues to modernize traditional skills while attracting enthusiasts from China and around the world for study and exchange.

An acrobat demonstrates the traditional art of acrobatic horn-blowing for tourists at Wuqiao Acrobatics World. [Photo/Xinhua]

An acrobat performs the ball-bowl illusion for tourists at Wuqiao Acrobatics World on June 6. [Photo/Xinhua]

Song Zhihua, owner of Song'er Mutton Soup Restaurant in Wuqiao county, entertains customers with a stool-balancing act. [Photo/Xinhua]

An acrobat performs the ball-bowl illusion for tourists at Wuqiao Acrobatics World on June 6. [Photo/Xinhua]

A performer balances a ceramic jar on his head at the Acrobatics Courtyard on Nanchuan Old Street. [Photo/Xinhua]

A Nepalese student (center) tries a plank-and-cylinder balancing act at Zhangshuo Acrobatics Courtyard in Wuqiao county, Cangzhou, Hebei province, on June 6. [Photo/Xinhua]