[Explanation] On July 25, in the Chongqing International Circus City at night, the acrobat Shi Qian was lying on her back on the pedestal with her feet up. The staff put one after another oiled paper umbrellas on her toes. When the number of umbrellas reached ten, Shi Qian began to perform her own good show. Only ten umbrellas slowly rotated, like flowers blooming, and the audience responded with amazement and applause. As a wonderful flower in the gardens of Chinese acrobatics, its charm comes from the superb legwork of acrobats. It is as light as a paper umbrella, as heavy as a big cylinder, a table of eight immortals, etc., and can "dance" on the feet. In June 2021, Chongqing Acrobatic Art Troupe's kicking skills were included in the fifth batch of national intangible cultural heritage representative projects. Umbrella kicking is the most difficult type of kicking technique. It was first created by Chongqing Acrobatic Art Troupe in the 1950s and then popularized by acrobatic art troupes across the country. In more than 70 years, the acrobatics skill of pushing the umbrella has experienced development, prosperity, silence, and return, and has been passed on for eight generations. [Concurrent] Peng Yu, the kicking coach of Chongqing Acrobatics Troupe, because kicking the umbrella is our traditional thing. It was created and adapted by our own since the establishment of the Chongqing Acrobatic Troupe. In the past, there was no such thing in the whole country, and none of the various groups. Our group created an umbrella. Passed on from generation to generation, and finally passed on to their generation. [Explanation] At present, there are 3 acrobats in Chongqing Acrobatics Troupe who are doing daily kicking skills, but among them, Shi Qian is the only acrobat who has really mastered the stunt of umbrella kicking and can perform alone. Shi Qian, 22, has been learning acrobatics since she was a child. When it comes to learning the art of umbrella kicking, she said that the process is very difficult. Shi Qian said that she needs to practice lying down while pushing an umbrella. She started to lie down for 6 hours a day to maintain the same posture for training. Her brain congestion, waist aches, and half a year of exercise are common. [Concurrent] The acrobat Shi Qian didn't understand anything when she first started practicing, and she felt this. In fact, it was not dangerous. She just lay there all the time. It felt like it was time-consuming, and then she couldn't see any progress. In fact, it was really boring at first, and I thought about giving up halfway through. However, sometimes you can see hope, and when you see hope, you don't want to give up, and then continue. [Explanation] After 6 years of tempering, Shi Qian has now grown into a kicking actor who can be alone. In the normalized performance of Chongqing International Circus City, she has to independently complete a performance of about 7 minutes. Shi Qian said frankly that she enjoys the stage, and when she sees the audience applauding for herself, she immediately has a sense of accomplishment and motivation to move forward. 【Concurrent】AcrobatsShi Qian, I have been practicing for nearly six years now. Every night we have an umbrella show in Chongqing International Circus City's "Extreme Happiness". Whenever the audience applauds me during a performance, I feel that my efforts have not been in vain, and I am very excited. [Explanation] Since Deng Ji has just been selected into the national intangible cultural heritage representative project list not long ago, there is currently no national inheritor. Shi Qian, who has mastered the kicking skills, shoulders the heavy responsibilities. In addition to performing daily performances in Chongqing International Circus City, she also carries the banner of the national "intangible cultural heritage" kicking skills. [Contemporary] It is this acrobat Shi Qian who was selected for the National Intangible Heritage for this kicking skill. I will continue to work in this industry because I still love this show. Then I will continue to give it to the next generation, or that more classmates and children are willing to come to practice, I am very willing to pass on this program. Reporting from Chongqing by reporter Xiao Jiangchuan
Editor in charge: [Zhang Kaixin]