{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-c03aa079.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-517835be.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='A theme park providing employment for dwarfs in China' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54c159d8eafeecae1517d6' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54c159d8eafeecae1517d6' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nA theme park providing employment for dwarfs in China\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eAP TelevisionKunming, Yunnan Province - March 23, 20101. Wide, pan of dwarf man dressed like \"king\" walking out of little \"castle\" in theme park2. Medium of dwarf \"royal guards\"and dog walking to audience3. Medium of audience watching...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eAP Television\u003cbr/\u003eKunming, Yunnan Province - March 23, 2010\u003cbr/\u003e1. Wide, pan of dwarf man dressed like \"king\" walking out of little \"castle\" in theme park\u003cbr/\u003e2. Medium of dwarf \"royal guards\"and dog walking to audience\u003cbr/\u003e3. Medium of audience watching dwarf performance\u003cbr/\u003e4. Wide of dwarfs performing to audience\u003cbr/\u003e5. Medium of dwarf actors performing hand language show named \"A Heart with Thankfulness\"\u003cbr/\u003e6. Wide, pan of dwarfs performing\u003cbr/\u003e7. Close of dwarf actor and actress performing\u003cbr/\u003e8. Wide of dwarves performing \"Swan Lake\"dance on stage with foreground of people watching\u003cbr/\u003e9. Medium, tilt down of dwarf dancing \"Swan Lake\"on stage\u003cbr/\u003e10. Medium of dwarf performing somersaults and asking audience for applause, pan to wide of audience\u003cbr/\u003e11. Medium of people laughing and clapping\u003cbr/\u003e12. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin), Wu Shuanghong, 21-year-old dwarf hostess of Dwarf''s Empire from Harbin:\u003cbr/\u003e\"I think the most beautiful moment for me is when I am performing on the stage for the audience, because I get  applause and recognition from them. We are not humiliating ourselves to get sympathy; Instead, we want to inspire other people with our optimism, strong character and confidence, and we want them to respect us. \"\u003cbr/\u003e13. Medium of children touring in dwarf theme park\u003cbr/\u003e14. Wide of school pupils touring in dwarf theme park\u003cbr/\u003e15. Medium of children in dwarf theme park\u003cbr/\u003e16. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin), Zhou Zhenmiao, 9-year-old school pupil visiting Dwarf Theme Park:\u003cbr/\u003e\"This is just so funny. There are so many little people here in the park, that is so funny...\"\u003cbr/\u003e17. Wide of tourists taking photo with dwarf actors and actresses in front of \"little castle\"\u003cbr/\u003e18. Medium of tourists with dwarves\u003cbr/\u003e19. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin), Yang Fenxian, Retired worker and tourist watching dwarf performance:\u003cbr/\u003e\"This is very interesting. These dwarves used to be discriminated and insulted by people, but now they are having a normal life here. They are treated as equal to ordinary people, and it''s so interesting to watch their performance here.\"\u003cbr/\u003e20. Wide of dwarves riding mini-sized scooters \u003cbr/\u003e21. Close of dwarves riding scooters\u003cbr/\u003e22. Wide, pan of dwarves driving away in scooters\u003cbr/\u003e23. Medium of dwarves leaving performance place for dormitory in shuttle bus\u003cbr/\u003e24. Wide of shuttle buses taking dwarves to dormitory after performances\u003cbr/\u003e25. Wide of dwarves washing clothes in dormitory compound\u003cbr/\u003e26. Close of dwarves washing clothes\u003cbr/\u003e27. Wide of dwarf couple washing clothes together\u003cbr/\u003e28. Close, tilt down of dwarf couple washing clothes \u003cbr/\u003e29. Medium of dwarf couple hanging clothes to dry on the balcony\u003cbr/\u003e30. Close of dwarf couple tidy collar of shirt\u003cbr/\u003e31. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin), Pei Jianguo, 39-year-old dwarf actor and his dwarf girlfriend Yang Juping:\u003cbr/\u003e\"I think this park means a lot to us. It provides a platform for us to meet and get to know each other here and finally we got together...\"\u003cbr/\u003e32. Wide of dwarfs making paper flower in \"little castle\" and theme park investor Chen Mingjing walking in and saying hello\u003cbr/\u003e33. Medium of dwarfs making paper flowers\u003cbr/\u003e34. Close of paper flowers\u003cbr/\u003e35. Wide of Chen chatting with dwarfs and getting paper flowers \u003cbr/\u003e36. Close of paper flowers\u003cbr/\u003e37. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin), Chen Mingjing, Manager and Investor of Dwarf Theme Park:\u003cbr/\u003e\"In reality, this park is not an orphanage or a home for the elderly. I want them to realise their value of labour here, so they are actually presenting their personalities and talents by giving performances to tourists. People are watching their performances with respect instead of discrimination, that is why they got a huge round of applause. I think the park has made them integrated into the normal social life. In one word, we are providing these dwarves with a platform to work and realise their value of life, rather than using them to make money.\"\u003cbr/\u003e38. Wide interior of dwarf girls in dormitory\u003cbr/\u003e39. Close of dwarf girl playing games on mobile phone\u003cbr/\u003e40. Close of dwarf girl, pull focus to close of photo on table\u003cbr/\u003e41. Wide of dwarfs lining up to buy food from cafeteria\u003cbr/\u003e42. Medium of cafeteria workers distributing food for dwarfs\u003cbr/\u003e43. Close of people adding vegetables into bowl with rice\u003cbr/\u003e44. Medium of dwarf getting bowls of rice and vegetables and walking away\u003cbr/\u003e45. Wide of dwarfs carrying bowls of food and walking to dormitory under sunset\u003cbr/\u003eIn one part of China is seems that small is beautiful. \u003cbr/\u003eA dwarf theme park provides a home, a job and sense of worth to people of restricted growth. \u003cbr/\u003eThey sing and dance and entertain the crowds who applaud each routine. \u003cbr/\u003eThe performers are dwarfs (also known as ''little people'' in the USA or ''people of restricted growth'').  \u003cbr/\u003eThe show usually starts with a group sign language show named \"A Heart of Thankfulness\". \u003cbr/\u003eDwarfs in different costumes say \"thank you\" to tourists in sign language.\u003cbr/\u003eAmong the performances, a slapstick version of \"Swan Lake\" generates a great deal of amusement. \u003cbr/\u003eEight dwarfs dress up in white tutus and perform their version of the classical ballet, and they add their own twist to the dance, such as somersaults, which are always a crowd pleaser. \u003cbr/\u003eAbout one hundred dwarfs live in the theme park in southwestern China''s Yunnan Province. It''s here that they regard as home. \u003cbr/\u003e21 year old Wu Shuanghong is one of stars the of show, dressed as Snow White. \u003cbr/\u003eShe says the audience applauds because the performance is appreciated rather than it being a modern-day freak show:\u003cbr/\u003e\"I think the most beautiful moment for me is when I am performing on the stage for the audience, because I get  applause and recognition from them. We are not humiliating ourselves in order to get sympathy; Instead, we want to inspire people with our optimism, strong character and confidence, and we want them to respect us. \" she says.\u003cbr/\u003eZhou Zhenmiao, a 9-year-old school pupil visiting the Dwarf Theme Park says \"This is just so funny. There are so many little people here in the park, that is so funny...\"\u003cbr/\u003eHis child like reaction is what many of the dwarfs here would normally encounter in the world beyond the park. \u003cbr/\u003eBut visitor Yang Fenxian says that here the dwarfs don''t experience the same discrimination that they do in society. \u003cbr/\u003e\"This is very interesting. These dwarfs used to be discriminated and insulted by people, but now they are having a normal life here. They are treated as equal to we ordinary people, and it''s so interesting to watch their performance here.\"\u003cbr/\u003eAll the dwarfs employed here live together in the park. \u003cbr/\u003eSome of them ride mini-sized scooters and most of the dwarfs take shuttle buses back to their dormitory, which is far away from the tourists. \u003cbr/\u003eIn their home they cook, clean and enjoy having some time to themselves. \u003cbr/\u003e39 year old Pei Jianguo used to busk on the streets or in bars in Guangdong and Hunan province to make a living. \u003cbr/\u003eHe joined the dwarf park last October and acts as a \"royal guard\" in the dwarf show. \u003cbr/\u003eThe park has provided him with more than just employment and a home,  he has found a future wife in his fiance Yang Juping. \u003cbr/\u003e\"This park means a lot to us. It provided a way for us to meet and get to know each other, and finally we got together,\" he says. \u003cbr/\u003eThe park, which charges an entrance fee of $12,  was created by entrepreneur Chen Mingjing a former peasant who made his fortune from real estate and electric metres.\u003cbr/\u003eThe businessman came up with the idea of setting up a theme park for dwarfs when he met a child born with the medical condition on a train five years ago.\u003cbr/\u003eHe says that the park provides a sense of belonging and purpose for people who struggle to find their place in society. \u003cbr/\u003e\"In reality, this park is not an orphanage or a home for the elderly. I want them to realise the value of their labour here, so they are actually presenting their personalities and talents by giving performances to tourists. People are watching their performances with respect instead of discrimination, that is why they got a huge round of applause. I think the park has made them integrated into the normal social life. In one word, we are providing these dwarves with a platform to work and realise their value of life, rather than using them to make money.\"\u003cbr/\u003eIt is also used by local government as an ''education centre'' to raise awareness of disability issues for young people. \u003cbr/\u003eDisability is still a taboo subject in some sectors of society in China, and opportunities for meaningful employment are few. \u003cbr/\u003eChen has invested around $7.35 million US dollars to build the miniature world, covering 13,000 acres. \u003cbr/\u003eHe plans to invest a further $23.5 million US dollars to expand for his Dwarf Empire and eventually hire as many as 1,000 dwarfs. \u003cbr/\u003eSalaries at the theme park range from about $175 US dollars to about $300 US dollars per month, depending on skill and ability. \u003cbr/\u003eChen says he receives numerous applications for employment each week. \u003cbr/\u003eThe Little People of America, which provides support for people with dwarfism, were not available for interview about the theme park. But they provided AP Television with a statement via email : \u003cbr/\u003e\"The Little People of America supports the decision of people with dwarfism in China who participate in the Dwarf Theme Park. Everyone, in China and around the world, should be able to freely pursue opportunities to make a living. It is the hope of Little People of America to increase the number and the diversity of opportunities for people with dwarfism. Dwarfism is an important and rewarding component of who we are. But in China and elsewhere, we hope for more opportunities through which we are rewarded based upon our skills and talents, not based upon our physical differences.\"\u003cbr/\u003ewacky\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='action-container flex justify-between'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' aria-label='Read more description' class='rp-full-description' type='button'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cspan id='read_more'\u003eRead More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-report'\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='resource-details-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='resource-details-heading'\u003eResource Details\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource-details clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eCurator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan 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class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eSource:\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eDate\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e2010\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-solid fa-language'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eAudiences\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?audience_ids%5B%5D=371079\u0026amp;grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\"\u003eFor Teacher Use\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\u003cdd class=\"text-muted\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-lock mr5\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e2 more...\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='concepts-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='concepts-heading'\u003eConcepts\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='details-list concepts' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator' data-type='concepts'\u003eentertainment, china, east asia, asia, performing arts\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='concepts-toggle-buttons' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' class='more btn-link' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-down ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='true' class='less btn-link' style='display: none;' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow Less\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-up 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role='region'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='relative container mx-auto' id='lp-boclips-visitor-thumbnail'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"block\" data-html=\"true\" data-placement=\"bottom\" data-trigger=\"click\" data-content=\"\u003cdiv class=\u0026quot;text-center py-2\u0026quot;\u003e\u003ca class=\u0026quot;bold\u0026quot; href=\u0026quot;/auth/users/sign_in\u0026quot;\u003eSign in\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca class=\u0026quot;bold text-danger\u0026quot; data-posthog-event=\u0026quot;Signup: LP Signup Activity\u0026quot; data-posthog-location=\u0026quot;body_link_boclips\u0026quot; data-remote=\u0026quot;true\u0026quot; href=\u0026quot;/subscription/new\u0026quot;\u003eJoin Now\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Play video: A theme park providing employment for dwarfs in China\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"resource-img img-thumbnail img-responsive z-10 lp-boclips-thumbnail w-full 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