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

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• 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
• Publication Date: March 1, 1991
• Content Type: IR

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