Diabolo, the Chinese yo-yo

The Chinese yo-yo, also called the diabolo or diablo in the west, is an hourglass-shaped toy which spins on a string attached to two sticks held in both hands. The original Chinese version of the toy makes a whistling sound as air passes through the openings on its sides when it is in motion.

The diabolo, which is also known as a Tzuh-ling, empty bell, pulling bell and a wind bell, is said too have been invented in China some 4,000 years ago. The first textual reference to the object was found in the annals of the Ming Dynasty (1386 - 1644). The diabolo is an offshoot of the original Chinese yo-yo, but they differ only slightly. The Chinese yo-yo has a longer axle and it has discs at the ends of it, whereas the diabolo looks like two cups have been attached to each other from their bottoms.

The first yo-yos were made from wood or bamboo, which are still common materials in China, in addition to plastic. Street performers used to astonish crowds with tricks with the Chinese yo-yo and they were also used by peddlers to attract customers. In the northern parts of China, the yo-yo was an especially popular pastime in the spring. Missionaries have been credited with bringing this toy to Europe in the late 18th century. At the beginning of the 1900s, the diabolo was all the rage among children and adults in England and France. According to diabolotricks.com, the birth of the modern diabolo is attributed to French inventor Gustave Pillipart who, in 1906, presented a diabolo made of two metal cups, with the edges protected by rubber.

No strings attached

Although the shape of the Chinese yo-yo has gone through a slight alteration before evolving into today's diabolo, the function of the toy remains the same. A variation of the yo-yo consists of a single disc. Today, store-bought Chinese yo-yo packages generally contain two discs, two sticks, string and the middle axle, to which the discs are screwed. The toy is made to move back and forth between the two ends of the string by movements of the arms. It is spun counter-clockwise if you're right-handed and clockwise if you're left-handed. The faster the spin, the more stable it is.

Once you learn to spin the yo-yo and maintain its speed, you can move on to learning how to do tricks with the yo-yo. As the Chinese yo-yo is not attached to the string, it can be tossed into the air, which makes for impressive tricks. The yo-yo can even be passed between people. Some of the most skilled players can even juggle two diabolos on the string at once.

The largest diabolos can weight up to 400 grams and have a diameter of about 20 cm at the widest end. Smallest ones measure under 10 cm diagonally.

Beneficial and fun!

Today, children are commonly seen playing with the Chinese yo-yo, but some of the most skilled diaboloists also perform juggling tricks in circuses, and sometimes it is also used as a prop in ethnic Chinese dance numbers.

Tricks can also be performed by using your hands, fingers, legs, neck and even the waist. In this way, the Chinese yo-yo can be used to improve one's physical and mental well-being. Playing with the toy for fifteen minutes a day helps improve coordination, flexibility, stamina and strength. It has also been found to help improve learning. In China, many families exercise with the Chinese yo-yo as a way to spend time together while engaging in an enjoyable and challenging activity.

The name Chinese yo-yo can also refer to a sort of party favor often seen at kids' parties. It consists of a roll of paper attached to a handle. When the device is flung outwards, the roll unwinds and then retracts back in place.