China in Photos: Chinese Acrobats Puts Cirque du Soleil to Shame

During the visit to Beijing, we’ve overheard that the Chinese are renowned for their acrobatics skills. Oh yeah? Well, we’ve been to a circus or two in our day, so we figured – how good could they really be? So, one evening we decided to swing by a show and see it for ourselves.

I will be the first one to admit that the stuff I saw there simply blew my mind. I thought I’ve seen a lot of things in my days, but nothing prepared me for this.

Unfortunately, I was a bit late with capturing it on camera, but there was one performance that I did get. Frankly, I think it was the best one anyway.

I think that this picture deserves an explanation. On that pole, there are 5 women, bent in a shape that I don’t even know how to describe, holding on their entire weight by their mouth and sheer hope… and, wait for it, still finding the time to twirl things in their hands.

As the detail may be lacking in the big picture, here’s an up close and personal shot.

How?

In the process of getting off.

Two already down and the rest are coming off one-by-one.

Last girl standing. Kind of.

And they are done!