Juggling in ancient China facts for kids
Juggling is a fun skill where you throw and catch objects without dropping them. While juggling with balls, rings, or clubs isn't very common in modern China, it was super popular a long time ago! Some of the first jugglers ever known were brave Chinese warriors and entertainers. They lived during a period called the Spring and Autumn period in Chinese history. Old Chinese stories tell us about their amazing skills. It seems that juggling was a very respected and advanced art form back then.
Xiong Yiliao: The Warrior Juggler
Xiong Yiliao (Chinese: 熊宜僚; pinyin: Xióng Yiliáo) was a famous warrior from the Chu state. He fought for King Zhuang of Chu (who ruled from 613 to 591 BC). This was during the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history.
Ancient Chinese records say he practiced nongwan (Chinese: 弄丸; pinyin: nòngwán). This means "throwing many objects up and down without dropping them." He is often called one of the world’s earliest known jugglers.
Around 603 BC, there was a battle between the states of Chu (Chinese: 楚國; pinyin: Chǔguó) and Song (Chinese: 宋国; pinyin: Sòngguó). Xiong Yiliao stepped out between the two armies. He juggled nine balls, which completely amazed the Song soldiers. The Chu army used this chance to launch a surprise attack. They defeated the Song army.
As a writer named Xu Wugui (Chinese: 徐无鬼; pinyin: Xú Wúguǐ) wrote in the Zhuangzi (Chinese: 庄子; pinyin: Zhuāngzi), "Yiliao of Shinan juggled balls, and the fight between the two states ended."
Lanzi: The Sword Juggler
Lanzi (Chinese: 蘭子; pinyin: Lánzi) was another juggler from the Spring and Autumn period. He lived when Duke Yuan of Song (Chinese: 宋元公; pinyin: Sòng Yuángōng) was in charge (531-517 BC). Lanzi is mentioned in old Chinese stories.
Chapter 8 of the Liezi (Chinese: 列子; pinyin: Lièzi), an old collection of Daoist sayings, tells us about Lanzi:
In the State of Song, there was a man named Lanzi. He wanted to impress Lord Yuan of Song with his skills. Lord Yuan of Song called for him. Lanzi performed on stilts that were twice as tall as his body and tied to his legs. He walked and ran on them. He also juggled seven swords. He threw them up one after another, always keeping five swords in the air. Lord Yuan was very impressed. He immediately gave Lanzi gold and silk. Later, Lanzi came back to perform for Lord Yuan again. Lord Yuan was not pleased. He said, “Before, I was amazed by your skill, and I was happy to give you gold and silk. But I am not happy that you have come back again hoping for more reward.” Lanzi was held for a month before he was set free.
The story says that Lanzi juggled the jian (Chinese: 劍; pinyin: jiàn). This was a straight, double-edged sword used during the Spring and Autumn period. According to Jian Zhao, a historian, "Lanzi" was a general name for traveling entertainers in ancient China, before and during the Han Dynasty.
The Chinese Yo-Yo
The diabolo is a juggling prop that evolved from the ancient Chinese yo-yo. The Chinese yo-yo was first made in a standard way in the 12th century.
