China: the art of the crowd

Military parades, attempts to set a world record or mass performances - all this can look very impressive. Well, or scary. But no country, perhaps, can compare with the skill of China in terms of crowd art. Only in the Celestial Empire you will see so many colors, symmetry and fascinating figures built from human bodies.

Artists at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008. (Christophe Simon)

A parade of pilots on the outskirts of Beijing. (Joe Chan / Reuters)

Parents of students are sleeping in the gym of Wuhan University. (Reuters)

The 2008 Wushu World Championship in Hubei Province. (Reuters)

Military. (Itsuo Inouye / AP)

Charging in one of the schools in Shanghai. (Nir Elias / Reuters)

Dancers perform the dance of the Thousand-armed Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. (Reuters)

Chinese pilots in Beijing. (Ng Han Guan / AP)

Members of the martial arts club create a living figure. (Reuters)

Police officers in Shanxi province. (Reuters)

Martial arts competitions in Nanjing High School. (Sean Yong / Reuters)

Artists at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008. (Pedro Ugarte)

Chinese sailors on parade in Beijing. (Joe Chan / Reuters)

Group yoga class for pregnant women. As usual, the Chinese tried to set a world record. (Reuters / China Daily)

High school exams in Shanxi Province. (Reuters)

The guard of honor is preparing to meet the Afghan president in Beijing in 2013. (Ed Jones / AFP / Getty Images)

Parade in Beijing. (Goh Chai Hin / AFP / Getty Images)

Chinese New Year, which in 2010 coincided with Valentine's Day. (Reuters / China Daily)

Celebrating the 65th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 2014. (Reuters)

The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008. (Julie Jacobson / AP)

Police near the stadium during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008. (Charlie Riedel / AP)

The opening of the Aquatics Championship in Shanghai in 2011. (Issei Kato / Reuters)

Students are engaged in taichi in Nanjing. (Jeff Xu / Reuters)

Taichi translates as "fist of the great limit". This is a martial art without weapons. (Jason Lee / Reuters)

Chinese military at the 2014 parade... (ChinaFotoPress)

...and sailors. (Feng Li)

3110 Chinese students tried to set a world record by creating the largest smiley face. The previous record belonged to Canadians - 2961 people. (Sean Yong / Reuters)