Bao Qingshan rests at home with his monkeys in Xinye county, Henan province, Oct 13, 2014. [Photo/CFP]

During their journeys, the trainers form an intimate bond with their animals and rely on them. They have an unspoken rule: trainers have meals with monkeys who enjoy the first bowl of food after the performance is over.

"We rely on monkeys for our living so we must treat them well," said Yang.

At an interval in between the performance in Mudanjiang, Bao Fengshan drank water from the same bottle after giving it to his money. "The monkey is just a hairy man who cannot speak," said Bao.

He said he is happy with the monkey and the income is not bad. But the work has its own problems. What make them sad is that sometimes they are chased like beggars and even beaten.

Once Bao asked audience for money after a show was over. A man shouted back: "I'll beat you to death if you ask for my money."

At a temple fair in Baoding, Yang Lingui asked a woman member of the audience for 50 cents but she hit Yang with a brick. Yang was sent to hospital and received 15 stitches.