China National Acrobatic Troupe’s Performance Tour in Japan

Sixty years ago the China National Acrobatic Troupe was founded. This year also marks the 35th anniversary of cultural exchanges between the Min-On Concert Association of Japan and China. To celebrate these twin events, a 50-member China National Acrobatic Troupe sent by the CPAFFC made a performance tour in 47 Japanese cities from February 20 to May 30.

During the 100-day tour, the troupe gave 96 performances of a newly created series of shows under the title King of Acrobatics attracting an audience of 170,000 person/times and being warmly welcomed wherever they went. With an aim of promoting bilateral cultural exchanges and enhancing friendship between the two peoples, the troupe produced an artistic feast that showed off the charm of Chinese fine traditional arts.

Compared with the series Legends of the Dragon and the Phoenix performed three years ago, the King of Acrobatics had many novel ideas in program composition, stage design, music and costumes, with many newly-created items. As to repertory items such as Tumbling Through Hoops, height had been raised and the degree of difficulty increase, and Ball Catching, elements of tap dance added, giving the performance an entirely new look and demonstrating the spirit of innovation of the Chinese acrobatics. During the tour, the acrobats in the spirit of striving for perfection performed such “golden award” programs as Diabolo, Pagoda of Bowls, Bicycle Skills so marvelously that audiences were overwhelmed with admiration.

During the long 100-day tour, the performers and crew of the troupe defied fatigue, overcame difficulties and worked in unity and cooperation to ensure constantly high-quality performance. Their devotion to work, superb skills, wonderful performance and dauntless spirit moved the Japanese audience who lauded the high artistic level that was entertaining, interesting and an amazing visual feast. While admiring the strength and elegance of acrobatics, they were also touched by the performers’ spirit of challenging the extremes and indomitable will to turn the impossible into the possible.

The troupe’s performance in Tokyo was watched and applauded by ambassadors from 46 countries and over 100 other foreign diplomats. After the performance, the Min-On Concert Association held a reception to provide an opportunity for the troupe to make direct contact with the foreign envoys so as to deepen mutual understanding. During shows in Kochi, Chiba, Ehime, Niigata, Yamagata, Ibaragi and Kagoshima prefectures, governors and other local officials watched their performance and expressed in different ways their congratulations and greetings to the troupe. Diplomats from the Chinese Embassy and consulates also watched the performance. The Japanese media and personages of various circles followed the successful tour with great interest. The national TV broadcaster NHK and many other Japanese media interviewed the leaders and leading performers about the development of the troupe, characteristics of acrobatic art and highlights of King of Acrobatics.

Since the Min-On Concert Association was established by Daisaku Ikeda, honorary president of Soka Gakkai, in 1964, it has carried out rich and colorful cultural exchanges with China. Since 1975, it has invited Chinese art troupes to visit Japan in batches and in a planned way to introduce Chinese culture and art of various types, attracting large audiences and achieving remarkable results.

During the performance tour, the CPAFFC conferred the Award of Outstanding Contribution to China-Japan Cultural Exchanges upon Daisaku Ikeda in recognition of his prominent contribution to China-Japan cultural exchanges. The award ceremony was held at the Min-On Cultural Center in Tokyo on the morning of April 30. CPAFFC Vice President Jing Dunquan, on behalf of CPAFFC President Chen Haosu, presented the award to Hiromasa Ikeda, Vice President of Soka Gakkai, on behalf of Daisaku Ikeda.