Macaque street shows between crime and tradition

File photo shows the "monkey busking trick" in Xinye county.[Photo: xinye.01ny.cn]

Four monkey trainers were convicted in September for illegally transporting rare wild animals, sparking a nationwide debate over monkey street performances, a State-protected intangible cultural heritage.

"They thought we were not listening to their orders, so they had to discipline us," said Bao Fengshan, one of the convicted buskers, recalling the arrest earlier in July after the group quarrelled with police.

On July 9, Bao and three other monkey trainers from Xinye, Henan Province, were arrested in July during a street performance in Mudanjiang, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province with six macaque monkeys, an endangered species under second-class protection in China.

The four were later convicted by a Dongjingcheng county court on September 23 for transporting precious wild animals without certification. They were released without punishment, but one of the animals reportedly died during the ordeal.

The incident led to a sudden flood of attention to what until now has been a slowly disappearing performance art - one that is both protected, and considered a crime, by the State.

Fading tradition

Proudly enlisted as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008 by the State Council, the history of Xinye roadside monkey performances dates back more than 2,000 years.

Trainers tour the country and stage roadside shows in which the monkeys typically perform everything from acrobatics to short skits. At the end of the show, audiences are encouraged to tip as they see fit.

However, the tradition has been facing extinction due to the dwindling number of willing apprentices.

"I grew up in an environment surrounded by monkeys but I never wanted to get into the business," said Zhang Di, the 26-year-old son of one of the last monkey trainers in China.

"There were about 40,000 to 50,000 performers scattered between six to seven townships during its height in the 1980s, with almost every household making a living this way," said Zhang Junran, president of The Monkey Art Association in Xinye county, Henan province,

"Now, there are only about 1,000 performers left. Most of them are over 40, while only three to four of them are in their 20s," Zhang Junran told the Global Times.

Xinye county in Central China's Henan Province, considered the birthplace of the tradition, has produced numerous performers who earn a living traveling the country with trained macaque monkeys.

The practice, however, is not an appealing career choice for those like Zhang Di, who have grown up in the shadow of its stigma.

"[Street monkey performance] is not any different than shamelessly begging for money," Zhang Di told the Global Times.

"I swore that I would study hard to get a decent job in the future, and never be looked down upon like my father," he said.

Abusing the law

Despite its protected status, the tradition involves illegal practices, such as the transport of rare animals.

"No one has ever applied for 'wild animal transportation certification,' as most of our performers are illiterate and are put off by such complicated procedures," said Zhang Junran, the association's president, adding that performers have to apply for certification in every city they perform.

"{Monkey street performance] has been listed as an intangible cultural heritage, meaning that the government has the responsibility to preserve and promote it. Street performers are supposed to be exempt from applying for the certifications," Yao Yongan, legal consul for the Monkey Art Association, told the Global Times.

Yao said the association has decided to appeal the case.

"I've taken this case not just for the four performers, but to set a precedent that their performance should be protected by the law," said Yao.

In addition to the legal debate, the practice also faces increased opposition from animal rights advocates.

"The way they train the monkeys are very cruel. They force the monkeys to perform tricks by kicking and beating them," a zoo keeper at the Chengdu Zoo in Sichuan Province surnamed Yang told the Global Times.

Zhang Junran admitted to Yang's allegations, but argued that trainers have taken steps to improve their methods.

"There were some old performers who believe in the traditional training philosophy that animals are best trained when treated harshly," he said.

"But now there is an increasing awareness of animal rights. The government also requires us to train the animals more humanely," said Zhang, who is also a trainer. He also said that the whipping of a monkey, an integral part of the performance, is staged and not real.

Renewed perspective

While Zhang said that performers are sometimes scolded or beaten by audiences accusing them of animal abuse, he also explained the recent arrest in Mudanjiang has resulted in a newfound appreciation for the tradition and its practitioners among the Chinese public.

Coverage by outlets such as the Xinhua News Agency and People's Daily resulted in many posts and comments from netizens recalling with fondness the monkey performances of their childhood that have since faded from public memory.

"We didn't know our performances were listed as an intangible heritage until recently. The police are treating us better [when we perform] now," Zhang Junran said. Despite the positive effect, Zhang and his fellow performers are not optimistic about their future.

"The situation will remain the same after the media frenzy ends. Some performers are not willing to go out [and perform] anymore because they are worried that they might be arrested again," he said.

Zhang Di similarly worries about his father's career.

"I don't want him to go out and work so hard anymore now that he's [around 50 years old]. Maybe I will get him started on some small business so that he doesn't have to run around anymore," said Zhang Di.