Land of Lilliputians (15 photos)

More than 100 of China's shortest people perform in a show called "Dwarf Kingdom" at the Kunming World Butterfly Garden in China's Yunnan province. Once here, an ordinary person can feel like a real Gulliver in the land of Lilliputians.

1. During the casting for the “Kingdom of the Dwarfs,” only 2 mandatory conditions were put forward: the performers had to be between 18 and 40 years old and have a height of less than 130 cm. No other special skills were required. Twice a day on the stage of the Kunming World Butterfly Garden, dwarfs sing, dance and perform comedy performances to entertain the crowds. In the photo: the performance “Kingdom of the Dwarfs” at the Kunming Peace Butterfly Garden.

2. The appearance of a separate place for people of dwarf stature may seem discriminatory, but dwarfs themselves are enthusiastic about this idea. In the photo: Ting Tian returns to the main square after the performance of "Kingdom of the Dwarfs".

3. Here the shortest Chinese can forget about ridicule and use their height to make money. In the photo: Ai Lun, together with his friends, is preparing for the next performance of the “Kingdom of the Dwarfs”.

4. Low-status citizens can find work here, which is not easy for even ordinary people to do in a country with such a high unemployment rate as China. In the photo: Ting Tian and other dwarfs at the performance "Kingdom of the Dwarfs."

5. This place is very popular among tourists and is one of the attractions of Yunnan Province. In the photo: Guan Shi Ning sat down to rest in a souvenir shop between performances of the show “Kingdom of the Dwarfs.”

6. Unusual houses in the shape of mushrooms, and fabulous outfits of the actors create the feeling that you have become a guest in the magical land of gnomes. In the photo: actors before the start of the next performance "Kingdom of the Dwarfs".

7. The good thing about the park is that its residents manage their own lives, and everything they do is for themselves. Photo: Woo Ji Mi gets off his auto rickshaw, which he uses to take tourists around the park.

8. The construction of the Kingdom of Dwarfs was financed by Chinese businessman Chen Mingjing. The idea of creating a park came to the businessman when, during one of his trips, he saw the terrible conditions in which small people lived. Photo: Yi Chi Sha goes to her house to change after her performance on the show.

9. Residents of the park are paid a salary and provided with free English lessons. Woo Ji Mi is having a fun time between performances with her friends.

10. Many of the dwarf actors already had performance experience before moving to the park. They entertained the public in bars in large cities, receiving change and various handouts for their work. Photo: Forty-year-old dwarf Wu Zhi Mi chats with friends between performances at the Dwarf Kingdom park.

11. Residents of the park have fun playing poker and badminton and keep pets. Photo: Ai Wen walking her dog.

12. There is everything for the convenience of people of Lilliputian height, even tiny plumbing and furniture. In the photo: Lu Ping, 33, checks messages on his mobile phone between performances, lounging on a chair.

13. In the kingdom of dwarfs, tourists can be offered a cup of coffee, noodles and pizza, and even a hookah in miniature houses. Gong Hai Yuan Yuan sits outside a coffee shop and chats with friends.

14. In the souvenir shop you can buy souvenirs made by Lilliputians and artificial flowers, which are usually thrown onto the stage after the performance “Kingdom of the Dwarfs”. In the photo: Guan Shi Nin in a souvenir shop.

15. For their performances, dwarfs use a wide variety of costumes: business ones, angels with wings, Tibetan monks, Roman centurions, world pop stars and do their best to create a festive atmosphere for tourists. Photo: Yi Jie Tun walks to the main square after performing in the show "Kingdom of the Dwarfs."