The origin of magic?

The earliest record of magic in history is in Egypt, about 2600 BC, that is, more than 4 thousand years ago. /kloc-the huesca manuscript discovered in 0/823 records a magician named Dade who was called to perform for the Pharaoh. He can cut off the goose's head, but the goose with the broken head can still walk, and finally put the head back to the original goose. The record describes that the magician performed the same magic on the pelican and the bull. But when Pharaoh asked him to perform the same trick on the prisoners, he refused.

Temples in ancient Greece also used the principle of magic. For example, when the priest opens the door of the temple, the bellows will blow to the ground and flames will appear on the altar. There are also talking idols made of wind pipes.

The earliest records of tricks are cups and balls, which are the oldest tricks known at present. As shown in the attached figure, it is also recorded in Egyptian murals (the tomb of bakht III in Beni Hassan in 2500 BC). The true record of its historical performance can be traced back to the first century BC. This trick was very popular in the Middle Ages and was widely performed by magicians in the city center. Magicians at that time were called Juggers. These traveling performers, musicians, poets and stuntmen came to the village open space and entertained the villagers with simple tricks.

There is no evidence to prove the correct origin time of magic, and it is speculated that magic has existed since human activities. The origin of magic is religion and belief. In ancient times, people believed that everything in nature was manipulated by elves or gods. Therefore, wizards or priests use human superstitions and principles that people don't know to make people believe that these are the actions of elves or gods. Through magic to strengthen religious ceremonies, believers have strengthened their beliefs.

By the end of the Middle Ages, the magician's suffering began. European magicians began to face strong opposition from the church. Because people believed in witchcraft and supernatural phenomena at that time, in this superstitious age, any magic that was not recognized by the church would be considered black magic. As long as one person testifies, the magician will face trial. All magicians are accused of making an alliance with the devil.

Despite persecution, magician is still a dangerous and popular profession. Some magicians are favored and protected by the big landlord big noble. During this time, the magician who walks around can only perform limited tricks. At that time, playing cards were not common, and tricks requiring large props were expensive. So magicians rely on dexterity and storytelling skills. Tricks performed with birds and animals are very popular.

Nearly 300 years ago, the persecution of magic by religion gradually deepened. During the reign of King Henry VIII of England, the punishment for performing magic was death. By the end of 16, the persecution of witches reached the point of slaughter. Because of these crazy behaviors, the life of magician Chai H is threatened. If he doesn't share the secret of magic, he may be executed. This led to the birth of the first English magic book "Witchcraft Exploration" from 65438 to 0584. The author of this book, Regino Scott, aims to save the magician's life. In order to distinguish the magician's skills from the evil power of witches, he revealed many magic secrets in his book to prove that these seemingly magical signs were actually realized by some natural skills, not by evil forces. His works did prevent Chai H's magician from being burned to death.

Historically, as long as there are many people gathered, the magician's performance will be full. In the eighteenth century, the most common place for people to gather was the annual market. All kinds of circus performances and stunts will come here. But in this competition, the only star is the magician. /kloc-The greatest magician in the 0/8th century was Essex Fox. He became famous in the1720s, and he can be seen in the main markets of every town. Esek's classic magic is egg bag, which constantly takes out eggs and small items from the egg bag. You have to pay a shilling to see Fox's performance. He is the pioneer of this technique, so he has become a high-income earner and even a diehard supporter. When he died at 173 1, the newspaper reported that he left a legacy of 10,000 pounds, equivalent to 1 10,000 dollars today, which shows how popular he was.

/kloc-In the 20th century, with the rise of theaters, magicians found a new stage. The first magician who brought magic into the theater and became famous in the theater was john henry Anderson (18 14- 1874), a Scottish magician known as "the great wizard of the north". His innovative performance style influenced many magicians in later generations. The magician created a new era of magic through the combination of clever lighting and stage effect. Magicians have reached the peak of history, and many kinds of magic were born in response to the theater. /kloc-The end of 0/9th century is the golden age of magic show, and magic shows everywhere are full. The magician wore a formal tuxedo, just like the audience who went to the theater at that time. This is also the origin of the magician wearing a tuxedo to perform. Some magicians have even become household names.

The most famous magician in the early 20th century was Harry Houdini (1874- 1926), a legendary magician who was well-known in the United States. Houdini is good at escape performances, handcuffs, tights, milk cans, China dungeons and the most famous underwater escape. Houdini was also a pioneer in exposing so-called psychics who used magic to deceive the public. People still remember his deeds today.

However, the rapid development of the film industry in the 1930 s caused the rapid decline of the magic performance market. Because in movies, any magic can happen. Only a real magician can fascinate the audience.

Nowadays, people's demand for magic is rising again. Neon lights in Las Vegas have replaced ancient campfires. The development of casinos such as Las Vegas and the charm of TV have created a new generation of magic superstars. These magicians charge high fees and have supporters all over the world, which magicians could not imagine in the past. Today, magic can still meet people's needs for surprise and entertainment.

Magic tells us that life is full of surprises and dreams; It also tells us that everything may not be as it seems. And believe that the history of magic will continue to develop into the more distant future with the history of mankind.