The 2014 Yangtze River Delta Rolling Lamp Artistic Performance was staged at Tianjinghu Square in Taicang's Science and Education New Town, Jiangsu province, on Sept 13.

Performers from Taicang, Shanghai's Fengxian district, and Zhejiang's Yuhang district and Haiyan county presented brilliant rolling lamp performances.

The artistic performance started with a mulan rolling lamp show that combined rolling lamp with mulan quan (a kind of martial art for fitness). Then a group of children gave a sizzling Latin rolling lamp performance that integrated Latin dance.

Another highlight was a dynamic performance presented by 60 students from Taicang Secondary Vocational School, who had just staged a rolling lamp at CCTV's Mid-Autumn Festival gala held in Suzhou on Sept 8.

Other performances allowed audiences to appreciate manly masculine beauty and feminine softness. The spectacular performances with different features won thunderous applause from audiences.

The rolling lamp is a famous form of ancient folk acrobatics in Taicang, Jiangsu province. With a history of over 800 years, the rolling lamp has been listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage. The prop, a lamp, is made of two bamboo balls. A small ball covered with colored cloth is placed inside a big ball. The small ball is connected to the big ball with a rotating ring device. A lit candle can be put inside the small ball, and no matter how the external ball rolls, the candle inside remains horizontal. The inner ball is also decorated with small brass bells. When the external ball is rolled, the inner ball glitters with candlelight and tinkles. Playing rolling lamp requires a unity of strength and skill, vigor and flexibility.

In 2011, Taicang, along with Shanghai's Fengxian district and Zhejiang's Yuhang district and Haiyan county, set up the Yangtze River Delta rolling lamp sodality to preserve the art form by holding regular activities.

Taicang has innovated the traditional art form by integrating other elements, such as mulan quan, dragon and lion dance, and Latin dance, to help better protect and transmit the art form. Taicang's rolling lamp has become a highlight of the city.