Performers from across the globe are in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh now to celebrate 70 years of the world's largest arts festival. 

This year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe will feature some of the best Chinese theater. For the first time, the Chinese government is bringing a masterful and diverse array of award-winning contemporary talent from the east to the west. Seven award-winning Chinese productions will be staged in various venues across the city, to showcase traditional Chinese opera, dance, acrobatics, shadow art, as well as modern jazz and pop music.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe inspired a network of more than 200 similar festivals around the world. This year is special for the Fringe as it celebrates 70 years of defying the norm.

"This is a very special year for the Fringe as we celebrate 70 years of defying the norm,” said Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society. "What makes the Fringe so special is that it still abides by its founding principle of open access. It means the festival has no curator or artistic director. Any artist who has a story to tell will be given the opportunity to do so. ”

Luocha Land, a dark and dynamic physical theater piece from the National Theater of China, opened the first annual Focus China program. With striking original music and incredible physical performance from the 12-strong cast, Luocha Land adopts elements of Chinese Nuo opera and puppetry with a decidedly modern approach.

“The China focus program showcases a diverse array of theater productions from China, including acrobatics and plays co-produced by China and UK. It is a good platform for Chinese performances to enter the international stage. It will help British people learn in a short time about China’s traditional and contemporary cultures, and the diversity of Chinese art forms.” Said Zhao Miao, Director of Luocha Land.

That's just a few of the more than 3,300 shows that will be staged across 300 venues in Edinburgh over the next three weeks, completely transforming the Scottish capital into a festival city.

The Fringe started in 1947 on the back of Edinburgh International Festival, which was a post-war mechanism reconnecting Europe through culture after the horror of the war. Eight companies, six from Scotland and two from England wanted to be part of the inaugural Edinburgh International Festival, but were refused entry to the program. The Fringe started as an act of defiance because those six companies decided that they are going to perform anyway.