If you were alive to see The Lai Founs, a family of five Chinese acrobats, in the 1940s, then consider yourself lucky!
Fortunately, the British Pathé has digitized their archives of incredible footage from 1910-1970.
The British Pathé was a production company specializing in "moving pictures" as films were first called in their early incarnation.
This particular video of The Lai Founs features the acrobats showing off their stuff in tip top form. They contort, twist, and balance their bodies in ways that seem inhumanly possible.
Much like The Ross Sisters' smash hit "Solid Potato Salad," this family is physically gifted in the strangest ways.
Acrobatics date back to thousands of years ago: ancient Minoan art from 2000 BC depicts acrobatic feats on the backs of bulls. Meanwhile, in pottery from Ancient Greece, there illustrations of female contortionist with their legs bent over their heads!
More specifically in China, acrobatics date back to the Western Han Dynasty of 206 BC–220 AD.
I guess our fascination with unearthly human feats never ends. As far as I'm concerned, I am just as amazed by the Lai Founs today as anyone was in 1942 when this was filmed.
Watch this amazing routine and SHARE if they left you in awe!
