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 FOUO
 PAGE:
 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
       SUBJECT: SHANDONG CIRCUS THRILLS SICHUAN CROWDS AND
 EARNS MONEY FOR PROVINCIAL CULTURAL BUREAU
 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 OPERAt ACROBATICS,
 11QIGONG,11 DISCO DANCING AND BODYBUILDING. AS A SIGN
 OF HOW FAR THE ANNUAL CONTRACT ('"CHENGBA011) SYSTEM HAS
 PENETRATED, EVENTHIS CIRCUS HAS A "CHENGBAO."
 END SUMMARY.
 CONFIDENTIAL
 AOP%ved For Release 2000/08/10: CIA-RDP96-00792ROO0200280001-5

 
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 Approved For ReleaseC25091'10: CIA-RDP96-00792ROO020028
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 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 GALLERIES9 TAKING AIM AT COLORFUL
 BALLOONS. MEMBERS OF A BRASS BAND, WEARING ARMY
 CLOTHING STRIPPED OF ALL INSIGNIA AND REMINISCENT OF A
 SALVATION ARMY BAND9 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 HAWKERIS SPIEL WAS IRRESISTABLE. THE
 CIRCUS WAS BILLED AS ONE OF ONLY THREE REMAINING
 CIRCUSES IN CHINA. DOUBLE-BILLED WITH THE CIRCUS WAS
 "QIGONG11 MASTER DING HUA, A RENOWNED MASTER OF "HARD"
 QIGONG FROM WUTAI MOUNTAIN AND AN ADVISER TO THE
 BEIJING FILM STUDIO. QLGONG -IS -_ A MYSTERIOUS
 PRACTICE. THROUGH THE MASTERY OF AT -INNER FORCE,
 ::NK _E TRAO DINARY POWERS, 5 CH"'AS
 PRACTI7T-10
 X & -_
 !W-ABILITY TO DIAPX04E AND HEAL ILLNESS kND TO'
 PREVN'f NJURY FROM SHARP OR HEAVY OB_j0Ct_S__._,____
 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
 01-5
 TWoved For Release 2000/08/10: CIA-RDP96-00792ROO0200280001-5