Chung Kuo: China

Italy. Documentary. Original title: Chung Kuo - Cina. Antonioni visited China, concentrating mainly on the faces of the people, filmed in the areas he was allowed to visit. The nearly 3 hours 30 minutes version consists of three parts. The first, taken around Beijing, includes a cotton factory, older sections of the city, and a clinic where a Caesarean operation is performed using acupuncture. The second visits the Red Flag canal and a collective farm in Henan, as well as the old city of Suzhou. The third shows the port and industries of Shanghai, and ends with a stage presentation by Chinese acrobats.

The stage show had over 10 minutes of juggling and acrobatics, some familiar to western audiences, and some unique to China.

At 3:10:41, the show begins with 8 men performing acrobatics on tall poles for almost 2 minutes.

At 3:12:38, the juggling began with a juggler on a slack rope, who performed with rings. This included standing on one foot on the rope, spinning a ring on his free leg, rolling a ball on top of a parasol held in one hand, while juggling 3 balls in his other hand. This act lasted just over 2 minutes.

At 3:14:40, 6 women and 2 men performed plate spinning, for 2 minutes 19 seconds.

At 3:16:59, there was a classic Chinese heavy vase juggler, who performed for 2 minutes 27 seconds.

At 3:19:26, and for nearly 4 minutes, we see 1 to 4 men dressed as chefs manipulating a variety of kitchen objects. This begins with 1 man manipulating a glass bottle with a mouth stick for 42 seconds. Then another starts juggling 3 large spatulas as clubs, which progresses into 2, 3, and all 4 juggling and passing the spatulas in various ways, all for about 51 seconds. One of the chefs then throws a 6-bladed boomerang, catching it on his cap. Next, 3 chefs rapidly throw many plates across the stage to the 4th chef, who quickly catches each and stacks them all in his arms. Finally, one of the chefs gets 6 plates and 2 bowls spinning on sticks mounted on a table, while the other 3 chefs frantically point out the plates that are close to falling and need extra spinning.

At 3:23:19, the show concludes with 8 men and 1 woman doing a teeterboard act for over 4 minutes.

The entire documentary may be seen here.