Tumbling beauty

In November, the video clips of a 23-year-old woman tumbling like a roly-poly toy in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, attracted more than 1 billion viewers on Douyin.

Dressed in Tang Dynasty-style clothing, the performer, Feng Jiachen, rotates freely on a round iron base in the shape of a bowl. She appears to defy gravity while greeting audiences with movements so elegant that they seem effortless. However, they are far from it.

Feng's lower body is tied with a T-shaped frame fixed to the bottom of the bowl. Her weight－no more than 50 kilograms－ensures she always ends upright.

She has to control the base using lower-body strength, and her knees are always bruised after each performance.

Feng started to learn dance when she was 4 years old.

Two years ago, the preschool education and teaching major joined a cast that stage theatrical plays at the Great Tang All Day Mall in Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

In July, she auditioned for the roly-poly role, beating 100 other candidates with her skill and technique.

After her video clips went viral online, visitors from across the country came to the square where Feng performs, in the hope of catching a glimpse of her graceful technique.

"I will stay grounded and keep improving the quality of my performance," she says.

"My hometown is a city steeped in history and full of cultural treasure. I hope our performance will draw public attention to the city and traditional Chinese culture."