Chinese Circus

Nowadays when I think of Chinese circus I usually think of 8 year old kids who are forced into impossible tricks, while their parents tell them this is the only thing they can do. 4 out of 5 will not be good enough and have no chance of an income, the rest will have to perform in big venues for the rest of their lives. The pride of china.

Here is a documentary about one of the many circus schools, I find it very shocking and watched it about 3 times.

However, recently I stumbled upon something new to me. Seemingly happy, funny and creative acrobats, clowns and even jugglers from China! Enjoyable to watch!
These videos are all taken in 1959, I posted my favorite ones here:

Magnificent bike acrobatis, they make me want to try this too! Luckily I know somebody who owns a proper bike!

Watch the second half of this video too, it is different from the first half! (2:55)

Fighting over a chair, I never knew that Chinese people could act too.

Of course, if you drill kids like in the documentairy, you do get excellent acrobats. Like in here:

But can you still enjoy this if you imagine what life they must have gone trough? I am struggling.