Music
Taylor: In the thumping nightspots of an old imperial capital, Beijingers are heading out to play. It’s a world away from the drab old days when art and entertainment were part of an ideological battleground. Now, the Chinese have more choices than ever in what they do for fun.
Music
Taylor: It’s nothing less than a revolution of culture. Chairman Mao would be turning in his mausoleum down the road, if he could see what’s become of his beloved Beijing. One art form though, has endured China’s modernisation -- mind you, you have to look pretty hard to find it.
Music
Taylor: From the distant province of Sichuan, the Deyang Acrobat troupe has been drawn to the bright lights of the nation’s capital. These are some of China’s best -- young exponents of an ancient art that stretches back two thousand years. But for all of its heritage, this is only one of two acrobat venues in a city of fifteen million people.
Backstage, nineteen year old Zhu Yongguang is preparing for the most prestigious show of his career.
Zhu: There are many people in the audience --mostly foreigners. They’re very warm. I like coming to perform in Beijing.
Taylor: With the weight of the troupe’s success on his shoulders, Zhu displays might and poise. He like just about everyone else on stage, is from an acrobat family.
Zhu: In fact, I don’t have any special skills -- but I have strength. I’m just the base.
Music
Taylor: If Beijing is the big time, then this is the start of the journey for many acrobats. In a tiny village four hours drive from the capital, the household of He Shusheng has risen for an early breakfast. Seven year old Wang Chao is Mr He’s adopted son. The other youngsters have left their own homes to become part of an extended family of acrobats, under the care of a master.
He Shuseng: Grandfathers taught fathers -- fathers taught sons.
Sons will continuously pass it on, generation by generation.
It is handed down from ancestors. We are the families of acrobats.
Taylor: Wang Chao is already the star performer, he’s been twisting and straining his small frame since he was four. His father has been fending off talent scouts from the big city troupes. This is a modest team that performs in China’s smaller centres. But Mr He knows you don’t let go of your best performers.
To make it look easy, they practise their moves relentlessly -- from sunrise to sunset.
Taylor: How do you make one acrobat perform better than another?
He Shusheng: In this area we have an old saying “great apprentices come from strict masters”.
However, my practice is that I don’t like beating or cursing my students.
Taylor: He Shusheng’s students are from poor farming families, and are accustomed to lives of hard slog.
17-year-old Zhang Ying was lured to acrobatics by the glamour and excitement.
Zhang: Dad and Mum didn’t want me to take up acrobatics. They said it was dangerous -- but at that time, I wanted to. I felt curious seeing the others practising, so I came here.
Music
Taylor: Zhang and her friends have precious little free time. The troupe has a show coming up in the yard of the local school.
Each acrobat must pull their weight, even Wang Chao. Setting up is itself a demonstration of skill and team work.
Playing in front of a home crowd won’t be easy, especially in this part of the country.
The village is on the outskirts of Wuqiao,a city famous as the cradle of Chinese acrobatics.
Music
Taylor: For generations, Wuqiao has been the training ground for some of China’s best performers. Troupes big and small practise on the streets and in private homes. Schools compete for those who show promise. It’s a place where mistakes are expected, but the students know that later on there’ll be no one to catch them.
Music
Taylor: Under the big top, He Shusheng’s performers have begun their village show. Wang Chao lives up to every expectation of his demanding father. This new generation of acrobats faces a tough time on the road. The performances need to be bigger, bolder and more spectacular.
He Shusheng: If acrobatics was to always stay at the same level -- a primitive level -- then definitely in the future no one would come to watch.Music
Taylor: For another acrobat, Wang Hongjuan, the day was special. Performances are usually a long way from home; this is only the second time her mother has been able to see her show.
Wang’s talent lies in her strength, and I for one was hoping that on this day, she wouldn’t miss a step.
Mum: How was your performance?
Wang: It was okay.
Mum Are you tired?
Wang: I’m not tired.
Mum: Yeah, she can make it. With the teacher’s arduous training, she can be somebody.
Taylor: Back in Beijing those who have made it are limbering up and fine tuning their routines. The Deyang troupe might be one of the best, but the performers still have to work at it.
There’s a saying in this business, one minute on stage needs ten years of practice. Zhu Yongguang can look forward to several more years enthralling his audience with life at the bottom.
Zhu: I do love this career -- and I guess after my retirement I will probably teach others.
Music
Taylor: The acrobats are once again wowing an audience of foreign tourists, tonight from Japan and South Korea.
Through this ancient art form, China reveals at least some of its soul to the rest of the world. But acrobatics is fast becoming entertainment for outsiders.
Spoilt by choice, Chinese in a ‘get rich’ society are looking more now to the future than the past, attracted by what’s new in the culture, rather than the old.
Reporter: John Taylor
Camera: Geoffrey Lye
Sound: Kate McCure
Editor: Kate Prevost
Research: Charles Li
Producer: Trevor Bormann
Taylor: In the thumping nightspots of an old imperial capital, Beijingers are heading out to play. It’s a world away from the drab old days when art and entertainment were part of an ideological battleground. Now, the Chinese have more choices than ever in what they do for fun.
Music
Taylor: It’s nothing less than a revolution of culture. Chairman Mao would be turning in his mausoleum down the road, if he could see what’s become of his beloved Beijing. One art form though, has endured China’s modernisation -- mind you, you have to look pretty hard to find it.
Music
Taylor: From the distant province of Sichuan, the Deyang Acrobat troupe has been drawn to the bright lights of the nation’s capital. These are some of China’s best -- young exponents of an ancient art that stretches back two thousand years. But for all of its heritage, this is only one of two acrobat venues in a city of fifteen million people.
Backstage, nineteen year old Zhu Yongguang is preparing for the most prestigious show of his career.
Zhu: There are many people in the audience --mostly foreigners. They’re very warm. I like coming to perform in Beijing.
Taylor: With the weight of the troupe’s success on his shoulders, Zhu displays might and poise. He like just about everyone else on stage, is from an acrobat family.
Zhu: In fact, I don’t have any special skills -- but I have strength. I’m just the base.
Music
Taylor: If Beijing is the big time, then this is the start of the journey for many acrobats. In a tiny village four hours drive from the capital, the household of He Shusheng has risen for an early breakfast. Seven year old Wang Chao is Mr He’s adopted son. The other youngsters have left their own homes to become part of an extended family of acrobats, under the care of a master.
He Shuseng: Grandfathers taught fathers -- fathers taught sons.
Sons will continuously pass it on, generation by generation.
It is handed down from ancestors. We are the families of acrobats.
Taylor: Wang Chao is already the star performer, he’s been twisting and straining his small frame since he was four. His father has been fending off talent scouts from the big city troupes. This is a modest team that performs in China’s smaller centres. But Mr He knows you don’t let go of your best performers.
To make it look easy, they practise their moves relentlessly -- from sunrise to sunset.
Taylor: How do you make one acrobat perform better than another?
He Shusheng: In this area we have an old saying “great apprentices come from strict masters”.
However, my practice is that I don’t like beating or cursing my students.
Taylor: He Shusheng’s students are from poor farming families, and are accustomed to lives of hard slog.
17-year-old Zhang Ying was lured to acrobatics by the glamour and excitement.
Zhang: Dad and Mum didn’t want me to take up acrobatics. They said it was dangerous -- but at that time, I wanted to. I felt curious seeing the others practising, so I came here.
Music
Taylor: Zhang and her friends have precious little free time. The troupe has a show coming up in the yard of the local school.
Each acrobat must pull their weight, even Wang Chao. Setting up is itself a demonstration of skill and team work.
Playing in front of a home crowd won’t be easy, especially in this part of the country.
The village is on the outskirts of Wuqiao,a city famous as the cradle of Chinese acrobatics.
Music
Taylor: For generations, Wuqiao has been the training ground for some of China’s best performers. Troupes big and small practise on the streets and in private homes. Schools compete for those who show promise. It’s a place where mistakes are expected, but the students know that later on there’ll be no one to catch them.
Music
Taylor: Under the big top, He Shusheng’s performers have begun their village show. Wang Chao lives up to every expectation of his demanding father. This new generation of acrobats faces a tough time on the road. The performances need to be bigger, bolder and more spectacular.
He Shusheng: If acrobatics was to always stay at the same level -- a primitive level -- then definitely in the future no one would come to watch.Music
Taylor: For another acrobat, Wang Hongjuan, the day was special. Performances are usually a long way from home; this is only the second time her mother has been able to see her show.
Wang’s talent lies in her strength, and I for one was hoping that on this day, she wouldn’t miss a step.
Mum: How was your performance?
Wang: It was okay.
Mum Are you tired?
Wang: I’m not tired.
Mum: Yeah, she can make it. With the teacher’s arduous training, she can be somebody.
Taylor: Back in Beijing those who have made it are limbering up and fine tuning their routines. The Deyang troupe might be one of the best, but the performers still have to work at it.
There’s a saying in this business, one minute on stage needs ten years of practice. Zhu Yongguang can look forward to several more years enthralling his audience with life at the bottom.
Zhu: I do love this career -- and I guess after my retirement I will probably teach others.
Music
Taylor: The acrobats are once again wowing an audience of foreign tourists, tonight from Japan and South Korea.
Through this ancient art form, China reveals at least some of its soul to the rest of the world. But acrobatics is fast becoming entertainment for outsiders.
Spoilt by choice, Chinese in a ‘get rich’ society are looking more now to the future than the past, attracted by what’s new in the culture, rather than the old.
Reporter: John Taylor
Camera: Geoffrey Lye
Sound: Kate McCure
Editor: Kate Prevost
Research: Charles Li
Producer: Trevor Bormann