A fight scene in the battle to liberate Shanghai from the new circus production Dawn of Shanghai, which opened the 21st China Shanghai International Arts Festival on Oct 18. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"When I saw some of the successful new circus shows, such as Toruk by Cirque du Soleil and The House of Dancing Water in Macau, I often felt disappointment when I saw that there were some performers from China (performing less important roles)," Wang says.

"Chinese acrobats are known internationally for their superb skills and incredible stunts. I wanted to create outstanding shows of our own, and provide a platform for Chinese acrobats."

Before Dawn of Shanghai, the most successful circus show in Shanghai was ERA. The show by the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe has been shown to tens of thousands of audience members, especially tourists from all over the world, at Shanghai Circus World since 2005.

"It was time we made a breakthrough. But this time around we wanted to tell a complete story," says Yu Yigang, head of the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe. "We wanted not only to present the stunts and skills, but to also create some good characters and tell a good story."