| These might look like children's toys, but they aren't. They are sports equipment - basically a yo-yo, but a special kind called in English a diabolo, devil on two sticks, or Chinese yo-yo. The most common Chinese name for them, 空竹 kōngzhú, means hollow bamboo. The original diabolos at the far right are made of bamboo, and they are hollow. The slots you see in the side make the yo-yo sing like a whistle while spinning.
Kids sometimes play with them, but few have the time and dedication to get really good at it. The yo-yo is spun by a string tied between two sticks. The sticks are raised up and down by the hands. When you get the yo-yo spinning, only your imagination and athletic prowess limit the things you can do with it.
If you want to see how to play with it, there are some pictures on the Modern Culture in Beijing index where you found the present series of pages.
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