In China's Hunnan Province, the Miao and Tujia ethnic groups are very fond of a sport named 'Gaoqiao' which translates to 'stepping on high'.

During the 14 - 15th century, historical records show, the people living in the southern part of the Yangtze River were very needy and could not afford shoes. The people then also had to find a suitable mean for going from one place to another, considering the huge volume of rain that made the ground very wet.

The Miao and Tujia ethnic groups then made 1-meter-high (3.3 feet) stilts from bamboo poles. They strapped these poles to their legs and was used for getting around their villages.

Today, the same balancing techniques used by the Miao and Tujia ethnic groups are used in the traditional game of Gaoqiao. Participants not only walk on these stilts, but they need to run at great speeds and demonstrate remarkable agility.

Gaoqiao is similar to the performance of 'stepping on high' in festivals of the Han People.