Like Copperfield, the man who made the Great Wall of China "disappear," master of illusion Daniels remains something of a mystery to many Chinese.

However that is all about to change as he appears on the most popular TV show of the year. He will be the first overseas foreigner to come just to participate in the Chinese Spring Festival Variety Show, a five-hour special regarded as a must-see for most Chinese on new year's eve.

The Spring Festival will be no holiday for Daniels. After his exposure to hundreds of millions of TV on January 31st, he is set to stage a series of shows at Beijing Workers' Gymnasium from February 3 to 8.

In his first meeting with the media hours after touching down in the capital last Sunday, Daniels paid tribute to his better-known countryman.

"I don't often compare myself to David Copperfield, who is a great magician," he said.

"If you have to compare, I guess his magic is more grand, catering to most TV audiences whereas the magic I present tends to be more theatrical, quick and fast."

As if trying to prove his pedigree on the spot, Daniels startled reporters by starting to tear up a copy of a local newspaper in front of their eyes.

He told puzzled media representatives: "You see that I am tearing the newspaper, but in fact I am not tearing it."

To prove the point, he suddenly reproduced the paper, totally intact without a single tear.

Although it seemed no one could figure it out, Daniels was apparently surprised when one reporter sitting at the front professed to know how it was done.

Retorted Daniels: "If you have figured out how I did it, then the magic is just a joke to you. It is only a joke."

The man dubbed "the magicians' magician" is fresh from a three-year stint in glitzy Vegas. His Beijing shows will include 26 programmes wrapped into a 90-minute performance.

What can we expect?

With props weighing in at a hefty 30 tons, Daniels claims to be able to make cars and motorcycles appear "from nowhere."

Doubtless of interest to male members of the audience is his professed ability to bring beautiful women to life from mere pictures - although he also has a tendency to make them disappear again.

Ticket prices: 200 to 1,280 yuan (US$24.09-154.21)

Time/dates: 7:30 pm, Feb 3-8, 3:30 pm, Feb 4 and 5

Location: Beijing Workers' Gymnasium, to the east of Dongsi Shitiao subway station

Tel: 6554-1021, 6554-3306, 6554-3309

(Beijing Weekend January 31, 2003)