He also brought with him a scholarly  paper on historical background and usage of the fei-pan. Here are some excerpts:

The flying board now consists of the following shapes: 1) Two winged, much like a boomerang; 2) Four winged in an "X" shape; 3) Six winged.

"The government wants Chinese troupes to compete in festivals around the world and win awards," said Dai Shucheng. Chinese acts have done so at the annual Cirque de Demain in Paris and Circus Festival in Monte Carlo. Last March there was a meeting of representatives from Chinese troupes urging them to travel and spread their art abroad. Dai Shu­cheng's name was put in a pool of people deemed worthy of representing their country's artists, and he got his opportunity when the IJA began looking for a Chinese guest artist for San Jose.

"I am very impressed at how you can organize such a big group of jugglers," he said as he looked over the gym floor. "I expected to see juggling in America, but I'm surprised at how many people are here and at how well they perform."

I have developed flying board skills into five types: hurling, catching, hitting, bouncing and falling. These are mastered through many years of artistic practice.

HURLING: 1) Throwing one board to the right and one to the left at the same time. The two pass in mid-flight and continue back to the thrower. 2) Throwing three parallel boards at the same time, making them fly high, middle and low so that they look like the silver swallows flying in formation. 3) Throwing four boards at the same time with different force. When the first is caught, throw it immediately as before and continue to catch and throw again each one. The four flying boards will form a moving vase in the air. 4) Throw six boards one by one and catch them as they return. 5) Throw four boards in succession and turn a somersault before catching them.

CATCHING: 1) "A Baby Waving Hands" is throwing three boards in succession from two hands. The hands catch the first two to return, and the third is caught on a toy baby's head. While the three continue to spin, the baby waves its hands at the audience through means of a control in the performer's mouth. 2) "Full Blossom on Four Sides" is throwing two boards from each hand in succession. Catch the first two in each hand, the third on the head and the fourth on the tip of the toe.

HITTING: 1) "Hitting the Flower" is when a returning board knocks a flower out of the mouth of an assistant and returns to the performer's hand. 2) Throw a two­winged board that knocks a flower off of the performer's hat when it returns to him. He then catches it in his hand.

BOUNCING: The above skills are performed by hands. Bouncing is acted out by carrying a miniboard on one hand and flicking it up. The board will rebound to the actor's hand.

FALLING: "A Phoenix Seeking Her Nest." After the flying board leaps out, it falls to the intended spot without fault and continues to spin.

I hope to discuss with my counterparts from each country the making of the flying boards, training of actors, creation of new movements and other aspects to improve acrobatics on an international scale. "

If you would like to find out more, you may write Dai Shucheng c/o Hei Long Jiang Acrobatics Troupe, Ha Er Bin, China.