Photos by Michael Yamashita yamashitaphoto / Wuqiao County, in the China's Hebei Province, is known as the birthplace of Chinese acrobatics, a sport dating back some two thousand years ago, to the Han Dynasty. Wuqiao is located on the Grand Canal, the world's longest man-made waterway, which enabled early acrobatic troops to travel north to Beijing and Tianjin, as well as south to Hangzhou and Yangzhou, to give performances, as it still does today. It is home to dozens of schools teaching acrobatic skills to locals and foreigners alike. Three-year-olds are among the youngest students at the Changfa Acrobatic School. Their program includes tumbling, juggling, contortion and a basic education; tuition, room, and board for $150 a year. #changfa #acrobatics #acrobat #wuqiao #hebei