SHANDONG CIRCUS THRILLS SICHUAN CROWDS AND EARNS MONEY FOR PROVINCIAL CULTURAL BUREAU

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP96-00792R000200280001-5
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
C
Document Page Count: 
2
Document Creation Date: 
November 4, 2016
Document Release Date: 
October 28, 1998
Sequence Number: 
1
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
March 1, 1991
Content Type: 
IR
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP96-00792R000200280001-5.pdf109.64 KB
Body: 
ApproveS(Ed Release''i 0W/ T/10 : CIA-RDP96-00792R00020028 001-5 FOUO PAGE. .00 6 CON F I D E LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 07968 FOLLOWING MESSAGE TRANSMITS CHENGDU 331 QUOTE E.O. 12356: N/A THIS IS A COMBINED MESSAGE BODY TAGS: PGOV, SCUL, ECON, CH THRILLS SI SUBJECT: EA SHAN NSOMONEYRFOR PROVINCIALCCULTURALLWBUREAU 1. (U) SUMMARY: CHINA'S CIRCUS TRADITION PREDATES RINGLING BROTHERS BY MANY CENTURIES BUT IS NOW CLOSE TO EXTINCTION. CONGENOFF WAS LUCKY TO ENCOUNTER CHINA'S ONLY REMAINING ROAD SHOW DURING A VISIT TO THE SICHUAN TOWN OF YIBIN. THE CIRCUS, FROM SHANDONG, HAS BEEN PERFORMING IN SICHUAN FOR OVER ONE YEAR. THE SHOW REPRESENTS A POTPOURRI FROM MANY PERFORMING TRADITIONS, INCLUDING BEIJING OPERA, ACROBATICS, "QIGONG," DISCO DANCING AND. BODYBUILDING. AS A SIGN OF HOW FAR CIRCUS HAS1AHECHENGBAO$~STEM HAS PENETRATED, END SUMMARY. CONFIDENTIAL Ao ved For Release 2000/08/10 : CIA-RDP96-00792R000200280001-5 Approved For Release 2 J0108%10 : CIA-RDP96-00792R00020028 001-5 FOUO PAGE:00 7. THE BIG TOP COMES TO TOWN 2. (U) DURING A MARCH 3-9 VISIT TO THE SOUTHERN / SICHUAN TOWN OF YIBIN, CONGENOFF'S CURIOSITY WAS AROUSED BY A HUGE TENT ERECTED IN A PUBLIC SQUARE ALONG THE TOWN'S MAIN BOULEVARD. THERE WAS A CARNIVAL-LIKE ATMOSPHERE IN THE AIR. VENDORS SOLD LAMB SHISH KEBABS ROASTED OVER CHARCOAL AND SOLDIERS PATRONIZED SHOOTING GALLERIES, TAKING AIM AT COLORFUL BALLOONS. MEMBERS OF A BRASS BAND, WEARING ARMY CLOTHING STRIPPED OF ALL INSIGNIA AND REMINISCENT OF A SALVATION ARMY BAND, PLAYED POORLY BUT WITH GREAT GUSTO. THE GATHERING: CROWD WAS WOOED BY A HAWKER SELLING TICKETS FOR NONE OTHER THAN THE SHANDONG SHUIBO LIANGSHAN CIRCUS. ABOUT THE ONLY INGREDIENT MISSING WAS A BEARDED LADY AND OTHER FREAKS, BUT TO MANY MEMBERS OF THE CROWD, CONGENOFF SEEMED TO BE AN ACCEPTABLE STAND-IN. A THRILL A MINUTE 3. (U) THE HAWKER'S SPIEL WAS IRRESISTABLE. THE CIRCUS WAS BILLED AS ONE OF ONLY THREE REMAINING CIRCUSES IN CHINA. DOUBLE-BILLED WITH THE CIRCUS WAS "QIGONG" MASTER DING HUA, A RENOWNED MASTER OF "HARD" QIGONG FROM WUTAI MOUNTAIN AND AN ADVISER TO THE BEIJING FILM STUDIO. QIGONGIS A MYSTERIOUS L"11R411UL.__ . ---- - _ _ _ -__ RACTITIONEMACQUIRE EXTR(~ORDINARY POWERS, SUCH A PS ILLNESS AND TO i THE ILITY TO DIAGPIOSE PREVENT_INJURY 0 SHARP OR HEAVY OBJECTS. 4. (U) THE ONE-HOUR PERFORMANCE INCLUDED SEVERAL QIGONG ACTS. ONE PERFORMER STOOD ON EGGS WITHOUT BREAKING THEM. ANOTHER DANCED BAREFOOT ON A BED OF BROKEN GLASS. YET ANOTHER PERFORMER LAY ON A BOARD OF UPRIGHT NAILS; SHE WAS COVERED WITH A BIG ROCK WHICH WAS THEN SMASHED BY ANOTHER PERFORMER, WITHOUT-INJURY TO THE QIGONG MISTRESS. MASTER. DING.HUA AMAZED THE CROWD BY BREAKING A HUGE ROCK IN. HALF WITH A KARATE KICK. 5. (U) A VARIETY OF OTHER ACTS--A HOUDINI-LIKE MAGIC PERFORMANCE, A FLYING TRAPEZE, BALANCING ACTS, CLOWNS, ACROBATICS PERFORMED ON HORSES RACING AROUND THE SMALL RING INSIDE THE TENT--ALL KEPT THE AUDIENCE ENTERTAINED. EVERYONE LEFT WITH THE FEELING THAT THEIR 1.5 YUAN(ABOUT THE COST OF TWO MOVIES) HAD BEEN WELL-SPENT. THIS CIRCUS HAD A SENSE OF IMMEDIACY NOT EASY TO FIND IN BARNUM AND BAILEY'S. AS THE HORSES RACED AROUND THE RING, THE SPECTATORS COULD FEEL THE CONFIDENTIAL A S oved For Release 2000/08/10 : CIA-RDP96-00792R000200280001-5