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Wuqiao County is internationally recognized as the birthplace of Chinese acrobatics. Located at the southeast tip of Hebei Province, Wuqiao County covers an area of 583 square kilometers with a population of 270,000 and 444 natural villages under its jurisdiction. Acrobatic art has a wide mass foundation in Wuqiao, and almost each village has acrobats. Its fame is drawing an increasing number of tourists every year. For it is in Wuqiao that visitors can witness the superb display of both modern and traditional acrobatic skill.
The History of Wuqiao County records that lamps lighted up the whole county of Wuqiao for three days during festivals, people set off firecrackers and performed acrobatics, and the local feudal officials did not practice curfew in the period.
The tomb murals of the Eastern Wei Dynasty (534-550) in the Southern and Northern Dynasties Period (386-581) unearthed from Xiaomachang Village of Wuqiao County in 1958 depict the performances of handstands, plate spinning, deft horsemanship and so on. However, it was after the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) that acrobatics of Wuqiao gained much reputation.
Before that, acrobatics in Henan Province was much influential. After the Yuan Dynasty was established, the capital was moved from Kaifeng of Henan to Beijing, and the acrobatics in Wuqiao of Hebei, which neighbors Beijing, began to prosper and was increasingly influential. The county has now become the home of Chinese acrobatics.
People in Wuqiao today, young or old, often possess astonishing acrobatic ability. It is no wonder that the county has produced many of the most famous acrobats. Wuqiao performers can be found in acrobatic troupes throughout China and across the world. Based on the far-reaching influence of Wuqiao acrobatics in China and the world as well and its wide mass foundation, Hebei Province decided to hold the Wuqiao International Acrobatics Festival in 1987 to carry forward the traditional culture.
China Wuqiao International Acrobatics Festival is the largest one at the highest level in China. It has successfully been held eight times since 1987 and the Gold Lion Prize awarded at the Wuqiao Festival has become one of the coveted prizes in international acrobatics.
By enjoying Wuqiao’s acrobatics, the leading acrobatics performances in China, you will enjoy most of the acrobatic skills that China has to offer, like juggling, unicycling, chair-stacking, Chinese yo-yoing, balancing acts, body contortionists and the "unique bowl flip". The acrobatic show is worth every penny, and you will never regret to have paid the price to see something that you do not encounter everyday.