Intangible cultural heritage

Located in Cangzhou city, southeast of Hebei province, Wuqiao county covers a total area of 603 sq km, and has a population of 28 million.

Wuqiao acrobatics has a long history and rich culture which dates back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). During the Southern and Northern Dynasties (AD 420-589), Wuqiao acrobatics started gaining popularity and gradually gained nationwide reputation during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).

In 1954, during a visit abroad, the late Chinese premier Zhou Enlai named Wuqiao "hometown of Chinese acrobatics". In the acrobatics industry there is a saying that "a circus is imperfect without Wuqiao acrobats".

Currently, there are around 22 acrobatics schools, over 2,200 students and 100 acrobatic troupes with more than 10,000 acrobats in Wuqiao county.

These acrobatics troupes perform in more than 30 provinces and cities of China. Every year, many troupes send performance groups abroad to America, Asia, Europe and Africa. Currently there are nearly 2,000 native Wuqiao acrobats working for different circuses in 18 countries and regions worldwide.

Wuqiao preserves a wide variety of programs, including 10 categories and nearly 1,000 kinds of acrobatics programs.

Because of the wide influence of Wuqiao acrobatics both in China and abroad, the Ministry of Culture and provincial government of Hebei started to co-host China Wuqiao International Circus Festival (CWICF) since 1987.

CWICF is held in Shijiazhuang, the capital city of Hebei province, once every two years. So far 12 sessions have been held since 1987. The festival has become an important competition that enjoys equal popularity and fame as the Paris Tomorrow International Acrobatics Festival in France and the Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival in Monaco.

CWICF helps to promote domestic acrobatics and international communication, and is also known as "the oriental acrobatics arena of the world".

In 2006, Wuqiao acrobatics was listed national intangible cultural heritage.