Cuju or Ts'u-chü
It is a competitive game that involves both teams trying to kick a ball through an opening into a central hoop without the use of hands whilst ensuring the ball does not touch the ground.[ Origins of Cuju in China fifamuseum.com] This is similar to how Hacky sack is played today. Descriptions of the game date back to the Han dynasty, with a Chinese military work from the 3rd–2nd century BC describing it as an exercise.
History
The first mention of
cuju in a historical text is in the Warring States era
Zhan Guo Ce, in the section describing the state of Qi.
[Zhan Guo Ce, Book 8, Strategies of Qi(齊策),"臨淄之中〈姚本臨淄，齊鄙。 鮑本屬齊郡。補曰：青州臨淄縣，古營丘地，城臨淄，故云。見正義及水經注。渤海，後語北海，今青州北海是也。〉七萬戶，臣竊度之，〈姚本度，計。〉下〈鮑本補曰：史無「下」。〉戶三男子，三七二十一萬，不待發於遠縣，而臨淄之卒，固以〈鮑本「以」作「已」。○ 札記今本「以」作「已」。丕烈案：史記作「已」。〉二十一萬矣。臨淄甚富而實，其民無不吹竽、〈鮑本似笙，三十六簧。〉鼓瑟、〈鮑本似琴，二十五弦。〉擊筑、〈鮑本以竹曲五弦之樂。〉彈琴、鬥雞、走犬、六博、蹹踘者；〈鮑本「踘」作「鞠」。○ 劉向別錄，蹙鞠，黃帝作，蓋因娛戲以練武士。「蹹」，即「蹙」也。補曰：王逸云，投六箸，行六棋，謂之六博。「蹹」，史作「蹋」。說文，徒盍反，即「蹹」字。 札記丕烈案：史記作「鞠」。"] It is also described in
Sima Qian's
Records of the Grand Historian (under the Biography of
Su Qin), written during the
Han dynasty.
[Riordan (1999), 32.][Records of the Grand Historian,Biography of Su Qin(蘇秦列傳),"臨菑甚富而實，其民無不吹竽鼓瑟，彈琴擊筑，鬬雞走狗，六博蹋鞠者。"] A competitive form of
cuju was used as fitness training for
military , while other forms were played for entertainment in wealthy cities like
Ancient Linzi.
[
]
During the Han dynasty (206 BC – AD 220), the popularity of cuju spread from the army to the royal courts and upper classes.
The sport was improved during the Tang dynasty (618–907).[Benn, 172.] Soldiers who belonged to the imperial army and Gold Bird Guard often formed cuju teams for the delight of the emperor and his court.[ The level of female cuju teams also improved. Cuju even became popular amongst the scholars and intellectuals, and if a courtier lacked skill in the game, he could pardon himself by acting as a scorekeeper.][
]
Cuju flourished during the Song dynasty (960–1279) due to social and economic development, extending its popularity to every class in society. At that time, professional cuju players were popular, and the sport began to take on a commercial edge. Professional cuju players fell into two groups: One was trained by and performed for the royal court (unearthed copper mirrors and brush pots from the Song often depict professional performances) and the other consisted of civilians who made a living as cuju players. During this period only one goal post was set up in the center of the field.
It influenced the development in Japan of kemari (蹴鞠), which is still played today on special occasions. The kanji writing (蹴鞠) is the same as for cuju.
The Silk Road facilitated the transmission of cuju, especially the game popular in the Tang dynasty, the period when the inflatable ball was invented and replaced the stuffed ball.
]]
depiction of
cuju, from a printed book of the
Water Margin]]
(r. AD 1425–1435) of the
Ming dynasty observing court eunuchs playing
cuju]]
'' festival at Tanzan Shrine, Nara city,
Nara Prefecture Prefecture, Japan, photographed in 2006]]
Gameplay
Historically, there were two main styles of cuju: zhuqiu (筑球) and baida (白打).
Zhuqiu was commonly performed at court feasts celebrating the emperor's birthday or during diplomatic events. A competitive cuju match of this type normally consisted of two teams with 12–16 players on each side.
Baida became dominant during the Song dynasty, a style that attached much importance to developing personal skills. Scoring goals became obsolete when using this method with the playing field enclosed using thread and players taking turns to kick the ball within these set limits. The number of fouls made by the players decided the winner. For example, if the ball was not passed far enough to reach other team members, points were deducted. If the ball was kicked too far out, a large deduction from the score would result. Kicking the ball too low or turning at the wrong moment all led to fewer points. Players could touch the balls of other players with any part of the body except their hands, whilst the number of players ranged anywhere from two to ten. In the end, the player with the highest score won.
Cuju clubs
According to Dongjing Meng Hua Lu, in the 10th century, a cuju league, Qi Yun She (齊雲社) was developed in large Chinese cities. Local members were either cuju lovers or professional performers. Non-professionals had to formally appoint a professional as their teacher and pay a fee before becoming members.
In popular culture
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The Hong Kong TVB series A Change of Destiny features at least one episode based on the cuju competition. Bagua concepts were also used to jinx the opposing team. However, it followed more of the modern soccer rules than the ancient rules of the game.
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John Woo's epic film Red Cliff features a cuju competition with Cao Cao and others observing from the sideline.
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The series The Long Ballad features a cuju competition between the Tang dynasty and the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
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The Korean series Moon Embracing the Sun features a chugguk competition.
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The Korean series Dream of the Emperor features a chugguk competition between the hwarang and royal inspectors while Princess Deokman is watching; in another scene Kim Chun-chu plays the game with his grandson.
Cuju revival
In 2010, the city of Linzi organized a game of cuju for foreigners and locals in period costumes.
Related games, derivatives and variants
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Jianzi – players aim to keep a heavily weighted shuttlecock in the air using their bodies apart from the hands
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Đá cầu – Vietnam's unofficial national sport.
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Jegichagi – Traditional Korean game. The shuttlecock, made with paper wrapped around a few coins, is called a "jegi," and "chagi" means "kicking."
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Kemari – Japan (Heian Period). Meaning to "strike the ball with the foot."
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Sepak takraw – Thailand. Played using a light rattan ball about five inches in diameter. ( Sepak means "kick" in Malay, and takraw means "ball" in Thai.)
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Chinlone – Burma. Non-competitive game that uses a rattan ball and is played among people standing in a circle, not on a court.
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Sipa – Traditional native sport of the Philippines, meaning "kick."
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Pili or plumfoot – French variant of jiànzi.
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Indiaca or featherball – Variant of the Brazilian game peteca popular in Europe. Played with the same shuttlecock as jianzi, but on a court similar to a badminton court, and played over the net using the hands.
[ The Featherball – a handy game around the world]
See also
Notes
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Benn, Charles (2002). China's Golden Age: Everyday Life in the Tang Dynasty. Oxford: Oxford University Press. .
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Riordan, James (1999). Sport and Physical Education in China. London: Spon Press.
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Osamu Ike (2014). Kemari in Japan(in Japanese). Kyoto: Mitsumura-Suiko Shoin.
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Summary in English pp. 181–178. in French pp. 185–182.
External links
