In early years, the stilt walking performance was usually held in praying events for rain. People wished that the dragon king would be pleased by stilt walking performance and let it rains. Of course it is also held on some traditional festivals, for example, the Lunar New Year and the Festival of Lanterns. However, the performance did not become a common custom until the PRC was founded in 1949.

Chinese stilts can be two to more than three meters high. The performers stand on footplates and their lower legs are bound to the upper part of the stilts. Performers are usually children about eight or nine years old. In costumes and make-ups, the children stand on specially made sticks, with their lower legs bound, play different dramas. Traditional performances include 'The Story of the White Snake,' and 'The Tang Monk's Travels' from 'Journey to the West.' Stilts performances are famous in Beicheng and especially in Gankeng Village near Pingyao.

Stilt walking in Pingyao, Shanxi province, has a history of more than four hundred years. It is said that children usually sit on the shoulders of their parents to watch the colored lanterns and other shows on festivals. They look very adorable. Inspired by this, the beigun performance comes into being. Nice-looking children under ten-year-old are chosen to take part in the show. The children who have been carefully made up dress in their costumes and their lower legs are bound to the upper part of the stilts. The sticks will be held over shoulders by adults. When the performance begins, the children on sticks interact with each other and play dramatic stories. The performance is also accompanied with drum beats and dance steps, which makes the show even more wonderful. This is the unique folk show of beigun.

Editor: Liu Xiongfei