Tightrope Walking

Askar Obulqasim holds several tightrope walking world records. Now, he is planning his next big feat . He plans to string a 1,000-metre rope some 300 metres above the ground in the Wulong Karst National Park in central China. (1) ...................... and sit down for an hour with a bottle balanced on his head. “I want to transmit the culture of tightrope walking to the next generation of children. So that when we are gone, they can also transmit this art to the next generation,” Askar said. He is already the holder of several tightrope world records, including the fastest walk across a 100m rope in 2013. (2) ...................... . It is known among Uighurs as dawaz. Many people consider the 1,000-year-old art to be one of the noblest sports of their home region of Xinjiang, China. It isn’t clear how many people still practice dawaz. Well-known tightrope walkers can be found in many cities across Xinjiang. The most famous Uighur tightrope walker is Adil Hoshur. (3) ...................... . Adili Wuxor is another Uighuri who gained fame for tightrope walking. He spent 60 days walking on a tightrope in the Beijing National Stadium in 2010. This huge stadium was built for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Rope walking ties into the Uighur sense of heroism and adventure, said Gulnisa Nazarova. Nazarova is a language professor at Indiana University. “To the Uighur mind, dawaz tightrope walkers are a symbol of the Uighurs’ natural tendency. (4) “ ...................... ,” Nazarova explained. When not looking for his next challenge, Askar performs at a theme park. He and his Uighur friend have a well-rehearsed performance involving stunts like lying down or running on the rope. Askar has performed for years. He says he is not afraid anymore, no matter how high the rope is. (5) ...................... . Seconds before stepping on the rope, he checks his messages on his cell phone. Then, he grabs a long metal pole and starts walking. About 10 minutes later, he steps off the rope. He puts back the metal beam that helped him keep his balance. Askar is sweaty and out of breath. A big smile shines on his face. On to the next challenge!