Han Ping Chien - David Abbott, Ultimate Magic eBooks Collection
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
//-->Han Ping ChienThe Learned Pig ProjectOnline Repository of Magic Books and DocumentsContact webmaster:magomarko@yahoo.comThe Chinese WizardHan PingChienPekin MysteriesBy David P. AbbottIn this wonderful article David P.Abbott gives us an account of HanPing Chien's stage act andclose-up performance and theimpact they had on him. Han PingChien is the magician from whomwe got the Han Ping Chien movefor the coins through the table, stillused to this day and you will readabout the huge effect this trickproduced when first shown inDavid P. Abbott's parlor. Thisarticle shows how the Brotherhoodof Magic unites people of differentcountries and races under onecommon interest.This article appeared in THESPHINX of August, 1916, andFebruary, 1949. Notes by JohnBraun.When I saw Ching Ling Foo at the OmahaExposition some years ago, I thought hispaper-tearing was beyond my comprehension.[NOTE BY J.B. -- The Trans-MississippiInternational Exposition was held at Omaha,Nebraska, June 1 to October 31, 1898] In fact,as I once stated in THE SPHINX, it seemed tome that he actually did what he pretended to do.I, with others, watched an entire evening, and itseemed to me that the torn paper actually fusedtogether and was spun out something like aHan Ping Chienspider spins its web. I could not conceive, afterhis continual showing of his hands and fingersduring the performance, that it was mere art.This also made a deep impression on otherperformers in the land for soon after manydealers sold "Ching Ling Foo Paper-Tearing"tricks. But I can now confidently state that noneof them was correct. They were tricks, but theirmethods were not Ching Ling Foo's. I hadnever hoped to meet a magician from the Orientthat would prove to be his equal, but it hashappened. (David P. Abbott's explanation ofChing Ling Foo's Paper-Tearing Mysteryappeared on pages 37-42 of THE LINKINGRING, September 1970 issue.)Han Ping Chien was at the Orpheurn Theatre inOmaha recently, with his "Pekin Mysteries Co."(The date was week starting Sunday October31, 1915. -- J.B.) Needless to say that I, withother magicians of the city repeatedly attendedhis performance. I think I can truly say that heis, in every respect -- at the very least, fully asgood and finished a magician as was thefamous Ching Ling Foo. In fact, I doubt if therebe in all China any superior to him. In additionto his magic, he is an all-around showman andhas been a juggler, an acrobat, etc., and in theselines was among the very best. The young menwho are with him now, as I understand it, arereally taking instructions in their respectivelines under him. He speaks only a few words ofEnglish; but I will say that he is a good-hearted,whole-souled person and a polished andcultured gentleman in the bargain. In ourpresent day language, "He is a prince."He learned his magic from his uncle, who, inturn, learned from his father. This gentlemanhad learned from the grandfather, and he fromthe great-grandfather, and so on back as far asthey can trace which is some six or sevengenerations. While many magicians do thesame trick, each has his own method. As hetold me, there is nothing new in China, and allmagic is very ancient; but I must say they makeHan Ping Chienup for lack of newness in the perfection ofdetail to which they have carried their art. Ihave done many tricks and "got by" with themand have thought that I did some in an artisticand finished manner; but I must say that whenMr. Han does a trick, it ceases to be a trick andseems to become a reality -- a miracle, as itwere. This is especially true of his "closework." I may mention here that in Chinese, thenames are reversed, the given names cominglast. Hence, in English, we would call him PingChien Han, or P. C. Han.His "back drop" was a gorgeous piece ofChinese embroidery featuring two tigers of thejungle. His embroidered robe, as well as thoseof his assistants, was simply marvelous. Fromthe moment he stepped on the stage until his actwas finished, one was entranced. He firststepped forward and played a little solo on aChinese gong. This, in its simplicity of rhythm,was really laughable, and when he solemnlyprefaced every trick with the same simple gongsolo executed in all seriousness, the audiencewas convulsed. I may say that he knew thehumor of the thing himself, but gave noevidence of this to the public.His tricks on the stage were not very numerous,and I shall describe the effects. He did thepaper-tearing, using a strip of varicoloredpaper. He first showed his hands and fingersempty and, taking the paper, he solemnly torethis apart, saying "Two." Then he placed thesetogether, tearing their middle again and said,"Four." Again he did it, saying "Eight;" but thenext time, when he tore them, he was at thelimit of his counting ability, so he hesitated andsaid, "Two Eight," The crowd roared, and Ithought he did it on purpose; but I found outafterwards that it was not affected, as he simplyhad not learned to count further in English.The assistant now held a clear glass dish, andMr. Han dropped the pieces into it, and theassistant poured clear water over them from aclear glass pitcher. He showed both his handsHan Ping Chienand fingers thoroughly; then, taking twochopsticks, he carefully lifted out the wetpieces, took them in the tips of his fingers,squeezed out the water, and then draw out thestrip restored and dry again, showing fingersand hands when through.He again played the gong solo; then, showing acloth back and front, he spread it on the stagecarpet. Appearing from under it stood apyramid of glass aquarium globes two feethigh. There were three globes, each full ofwater and each nested in the top of the onebelow it. I may mention that no floor trap wasused in this production.He next played his gong solo as if summoningthe Invisible powers of the air, and then he tooka roll of green ribbon about one and a halfinches wide. Holding the ends, he tossed theroll from him, unrolling it as he went. It provedto be two strips of ribbon rolled up. He tookhold near the middle, with the tips of the thumband first finger of each hand, holding the handsabout one foot apart. An assistant now applied alighted candle to the middle between the hands,and it took fire, burning the ribbons in two. Hethen took all four ribbons in one hand (the left),and spread the burning ends around over hisclenched hand. He gave the ends of two ribbonsto each assistant as they stood one to each sideof him. He next exhibited his right palm and,taking the ends of the ribbons in it, he exhibitedthe left palm. He now took the ends in his leftpalm and taking a fan from his collar with hisright, he proceeded to fan his left; then, makinga rubbing motion with the left fingers, hereleased the ribbons, which were again unitedand fully restored.Again he executed the gong solo, and he andhis assistants spread the large cloth on the floorafter first exhibiting it, and produced fromunder it a number of very large bowls of waterand gold fish. I think his bowls were two feetacross and ten inches high. They covered theseagain for an instant and vanished them.Han Ping ChienHe next did a truly fine act with the "Djago" or"Yargo" Sticks after first regaling the ears withthe inevitable gong solo. Of course, to us, themystery was not so great in this; but the way hepresented it, and the great amount of Chinesecomedy which he and his assistants worked intoit "brought down the house." I may say that,while the principle is simple, he has some greatimprovement of his own on the mechanism.Again the musical interlude, and he closed withthe famous Chinese Marble Trick. This is atruly wonderful trick. He passed aninch-and-one-half size white marble into hisanatomy almost anywhere, but it always cameout of his mouth. He showed his mouth openand empty, then rubbed the marble into onehand. The assistant grew suspicious andexamined the other hand finding nothing, andthen examined them both; and the marble wasutterly gone. Then he said while laughing,"Mouth the marble have;" and in the midst ofhis laugh, blew it out of his mouth and caughtit. He repeated this over and over with manyvariations and much comedy, always showingthe mouth empty and blowing the marble fromit without any approach to it of the hands.He would plainly place the marble on hisperson anywhere, giving it a rub and it wouldbe gone, but as he said, "Always the mouthcome out." This, with wonderful juggling andacrobatic work, completed his stage show.I sent word to him that I would be pleased tomeet him. I hardly expected a response as Iknow the reticence of Oriental magicians; butup he came to my office with several of histroupe. He had an interpreter with him, and Ifound them jolly fine fellows. They had notheard of me, or in fact, of any Americanmagicians in particular, the reason, I suppose,being their limited English. I accordinglyinvited them to my home, and that nightshowed them my latest creations, including theTalking Kettle with loud climax; the Skull thatworks without mechanical contact; Globe
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]