During the Tang Dynasty, there were performances of lion taming and elephant dancing, and there were even black figurines in tombs!

During the Tang Dynasty, there were six types of performances: song and dance, variety shows, ball games, animal performances, and magic shows. Animal performances included horse dancing, elephant dancing, rhinoceros dancing, leopard taming, and lion taming. Polo originated in Persia (Iran) and was introduced to the Central Plains in the early Tang Dynasty. Horse dancing was introduced to the Central Plains during the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties. During the Tianbao period of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, a grand banquet was held every time the emperor's birthday "Qianqiu Festival" was celebrated, and horse dancing was used to entertain the guests. Dwarfs in the Tang Dynasty were generally tributes from local or foreign countries to the court, also known as "dwarf slaves", and they were found in the court and the homes of the noble families. They either performed comedy shows, did some chores, or served as meat tables. Black figurines are generally found in Tang Dynasty tombs, but black dancing figurines are very rare.