The thousand year old canal flows endlessly, nurturing not only the magnificence of Cangzhou as the "hometown of martial arts", but also the wonder of Wuqiao as the "hometown of acrobatics". The large-scale cultural program "China in Intangible Cultural Heritage", jointly produced by China Central Radio and Television Station and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, premiered on the evening of the 25th in Wuqiao, Hebei Province, vividly presenting the acrobatic culture of Wuqiao, known as the "hometown of hundreds of plays" for over a thousand years. As the birthplace of North Lion, Hebei North Lion is a realistic image. Lion dancers wear uniform from inside to outside and from top to bottom, pay attention to the integration of people and lions, imitate the appearance and movement of lions, and are strong and powerful with extraordinary momentum. Zhang Xinhong, a representative inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of Cangzhou City in Hebei Province, has been providing free apprenticeship to over 100 lion dancers in the local area for 16 years. He performs more than 200 lion dances every year and has a footprint both domestically and internationally. Wei Yinshuan, the head of the Hebei Acrobatic Troupe, created the song "Xiangshi Jumps Across Nine Provinces", which won the Golden Lion Award at the 20th China Wuqiao International Acrobatic Art Festival. Inheritance and innovation go hand in hand, allowing the Northern Lion to thrive and its charm to last forever. Originating from Wuqiao, the swinging board is a highly representative balancing technique. In the 1960s, twenty young people from Tanzania traveled across the ocean to study acrobatics in Wuqiao. Four years later, they returned to their home country after completing their studies, and the seeds of Chinese acrobatics took root and sprouted in Africa, integrating local characteristics and ultimately forming a unique style of board shaking performance. The swinging board performance emphasizes "the more you move, the more stable you become", and actors need to follow the swinging circular tube below to find a stable rhythm. From one person to six people stacked together, the lower level actors not only have to bear a weight of seven or eight hundred pounds, but also serve as the "balance core" of the entire team. The main props for the Ten Scenic Acrobatics oral technique are two divination sticks. The actor bites one end with their teeth, lifts the other end up, and then places a bowl at the top. The key is to twist the eyes, head, neck, and torso together with a strong force. From "mouth to mouth" and "head to head" techniques to modern innovative performances, the Ten Scenic Acrobatics incorporates everyday objects such as reed poles, teapots, and folding fans as props, becoming a unique artistic symbol in Wuqiao acrobatics. At the live performance, Wang Nana, a representative inheritor of intangible cultural heritage at the city level in Cangzhou, Hebei Province, showcased her oral skills and lifted a 100 degree hot water teapot, stunning the audience. She started practicing skills at the age of ten and has been doing it day after day for over twenty years. Even though her mouth was worn out and her strength was exhausted, she never gave up because the inheritance of that skill was her lifelong commitment. Kicking technique was a frequent guest in ancient Chinese opera. At the program site, Wei Chunhua, a representative inheritor of intangible cultural heritage at the provincial level in Hebei Province, appeared and displayed his "grinding style". He saw the large vat slowly rotating, and the person sitting in the vat was also steadily "kicked" up, demonstrating the power and skill of kicking; The balance skills programs such as opponent's top, aerial rings, flying figures, spinning discs, diabolo, and flower sticks were staged in rotation on site, vividly reproducing the charm of the "hometown of hundred plays". The inheritance of Wuqiao acrobatics starts from children, from "up to ninety-nine, down to just knowing how to walk", and anyone can take the stage. Today's acrobatic performances also incorporate movement elements from Han Dynasty painted and musical dance figurines, such as waist inversion and handstands, striving to restore the style of ancient hundred plays. Under the leadership of Diao Guihua, a representative inheritor of Hebei provincial intangible cultural heritage in the field of balance skills and acrobatics in Wuqiao, known as the "Acrobatic Mother", Wuqiao acrobatics has become even more passionate. She has trained over 1500 students and provided free assistance to 16 children, transforming their fate from 'no place to go' to 'having a way forward' and igniting the cultural spark in their hearts. Wuqiao acrobatics has been performing its unique style for thousands of years. (New Society)