Because the past society did not pay attention to it, the information about magic was very fragmentary and was included in "Left Surgery". The illusion originated very early in China. The Emperor of Xia Dynasty in BC 1562 17 said: "It is a strange play to abandon etiquette and seek to promote outstanding dwarfs." According to the official records, witchcraft appeared in the Western Han Dynasty, and there are relevant materials in the official records dating back to the Xia and Zhou Dynasties.
China is one of the four ancient civilizations in the world and one of the cradles of world illusion. There were formal acrobatics and illusion performances at that time.
According to records, a skillful craftsman made a wooden robot that can sing and dance, and its mechanism design and production technology were so exquisite that even Mo Zhai, a famous designer in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, was ashamed. "Clever woman pages its H, then the song is in harmony; Hold his hand, then the dance should be festive. Ever-changing, just what you want. " -"Column Subset Interpretation, Tang Wen"
There is also the story of "East China Sea Huang Gong" at the end of the Qin Dynasty: "There was a East China Sea Huang Gong who was once skilled when he was young. He can be a snake against a tiger, wear a red gold knife, draw crimson hair, make clouds and sit on mountains and rivers. And aging, physical exhaustion, excessive drinking, can not restore its operation. At the end of the Qin Dynasty, a white tiger was found in the East China Sea, a red knife that Huang Gong hated. Because the operation was not good, it was killed by a tiger. " -Book of Jin "Miscellanies of Xijing" (all six volumes)
Zhang Yun is one of the earliest recorded magicians and tiger tamers in China. He Zeng-yun said, "Huang Gong in the East China Sea, Zhu Yue with a red knife and a tired white tiger, the pawn can't be saved, so don't sell it." -"Xijing Fu"
The Han Dynasty absorbed the experience and lessons of Qin's failure and adopted a certain compromise policy towards farmers, thus consolidating its dominant position. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty developed water conservancy, industry and commerce and agriculture one after another with great wisdom and great ingenuity, which brought a lot of help to the war. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent Zhang Qian to the Western Regions twice, which opened a new era of cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries. Since then, the illusion of the western regions has been officially introduced to the East. The Han Dynasty not only sent troops to fight back against the Xiongnu in the south and north, but also strengthened its ties with ethnic minorities in the southwest, making the feudal society at that time extremely prosperous.
For a time, the country is rich and the people are safe, and the emperors will be more extravagant. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty liked "the drama of fish dragons full of swallow" and "the drama of the corner arrival". He believed the alchemist's words and tried to enjoy himself forever and live forever. This curse was caused by the rise of illusion and acrobatics in the Western Han Dynasty. The most representative one is Long Fish Manyan.
"ichthyosaur" is a huge artificial colored beast symbolizing good luck, which is played by people. After playing in court, he suddenly jumped into the pool and immediately turned into a halibut, spraying water and spitting fog. Suddenly, it became an eight-foot-long Huanglong, jumping to the ground in the mist, shaking its head and wagging its tail ("the sea scales into an eight-foot Huanglong, and the water comes out of the theater, dazzling the sun").
The Beast Seeking Man Yan is a huge and long-lost colorful beast. Between crossing the field and going around, Manyan's back suddenly became a fairyland of the holy mountain (The Holy Mountain suddenly appeared from behind and Zhang Hengfu).
Today, most magicians in China think that this is the earliest large-scale illusion performance in China, but I beg to differ. To be more precise, I think it is a traditional folk festival Lantern Festival game, just like the dragon lantern and lion dance (which can suddenly give birth to a little lion in the belly of a big lion) to celebrate the joy of harvest. But its great momentum, strange changes and ingenious mechanism can't help but make people admire the cleverness and dexterity of their ancestors. The drawing of ichthyosaur illusion in Goose Fantasy also proved to be a light show. Therefore, we agree with some magicians that, in the sense of "change", it is the earliest large-scale illusion in China, and "Dragon Face" is quite different from traditional Chinese and foreign giant magic.
"Biography of South Man, Southwest Yi" records: "In the first year of Yongning, Yu Yong of Shaanxi Province was transferred as an envoy to congratulate him, offering music to illusionists, so that he could melt the fire, save himself and change his heart." Shan nationality, now between the Nujiang River and Mekong River in northern Myanmar, is now inhabited by descendants of Shan nationality.
The biography of Han Zhang Qian and Li Guang records: "Money was sent to Dawan, Kangju, Yueshi and Daxia. Wusun sent a courier to send money, and Wusun sent dozens of people to thank him. Because I caught a glimpse of the Han Dynasty, I know its vastness. " "And the envoys of Dawanguo came to see the vast Han Dynasty with the envoys of the Han Dynasty, and dedicated them to the Han Dynasty with big eggs and plows. Tianzi is very happy. "
The mysterious man was illusive man, and the tiller was Xu Li, the Egyptian city of Alexandria (later conquered by Rome, that is, Daqin). It's not that the magician misunderstood "for the yak in Tibet".