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''Cuju'' or ''Ts'u-chü'' (蹴鞠) is an ancient Chinese football game. Cuju is the earliest known recorded game of football. It is a competitive game that involves kicking a ball through an opening into a net without the use of hands. Descriptions of the game date back to the
Han dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by th ...
, a Chinese military work from the 3rd–2nd century BC describes it as an exercise. It was also played in other Asian countries like
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...
,
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and
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.


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. It is also described in Sima Qian's '' Records of the Grand Historian'' (under the Biography of Su Qin), written during the
Han Dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by th ...
.Riordan (1999), 32. A competitive form of ''cuju'' was used as fitness training for
military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
cavalier The term Cavalier () was first used by Roundheads as a term of abuse for the wealthier royalist supporters of King Charles I and his son Charles II of England during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration (1642 – ). ...
s, while other forms were played for entertainment in wealthy cities like Linzi. During the
Han Dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by th ...
(206 BC – AD 220), the popularity of ''cuju'' spread from the army to the royal courts and upper classes. It is said that the Han emperor Wu Di enjoyed the sport. At the same time, ''cuju'' games were standardized and rules were established. ''Cuju'' matches were often held inside the imperial palace. A type of court called ''ju chang (鞠場)'' was built especially for ''cuju'' matches, which had six crescent-shaped goal posts at each end. The sport was improved during the
Tang Dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...
(618–907). First of all, the feather-stuffed ball was replaced by an air-filled ball with a two-layered hull. Also, two different types of goal posts emerged: One was made by setting up posts with a net between them and the other consisted of just one goal post in the middle of the field. The Tang Dynasty capital of
Chang'an Chang'an (; ) is the traditional name of Xi'an. The site had been settled since Neolithic times, during which the Yangshao culture was established in Banpo, in the city's suburbs. Furthermore, in the northern vicinity of modern Xi'an, Qin ...
was filled with ''cuju'' fields, in the backyards of large mansions, and some were even established in the grounds of the
palaces A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome whic ...
.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 The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the res ...
(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 is an athletic game that was popular in Japan during the Heian (794–1185) and Kamakura period (1185–1333). It resembles a game of football or hacky sack. The game was popular in Kyoto, the capital, and the surrounding Kinki ( Kansai ...
'' (蹴鞠), which is still played today on special occasions. The ''
kanji are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are still used, along with the subsequ ...
'' writing (蹴鞠) is the same as for ''cuju''. ''Cuju'' began to decline during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) due to neglect, and the 2,000-year-old sport slowly faded away. File:Bronze mirror depicting kickball.jpg, Bronze mirror dating to the
Song Dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the res ...
File:Cuju in Shilin Guangji.JPG, alt=,
Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fif ...
illustration in Shilin Guangji by Chen Yuanjing File:Shuihu5.PNG, 15th century
Ming Dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
depiction of ''cuju'', from a printed book of the '' Water Margin'' File:Emperor Taizu play Cuju.jpg, Emperor Taizu of Song playing ''cuju'' with Prime Minister Zhao Pu, by the Yuan-era painter
Qian Xuan Qian may refer to: *Guizhou, abbreviated as ''Qián'' (黔), province of China *Mace (unit), or Qian, one of the Chinese units of measurement, equal to 5g *Qian (hexagram), the first hexagram of the ''I Ching'' *Qian (surname), a Chinese surname ( ...
(1235–1305) File:明宣宗行樂圖 蹴鞠.jpg, The Xuande Emperor (r. AD 1425–1435) of the
Ming Dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
observing court eunuchs playing ''cuju'' File:Kemari Matsuri at Tanzan Shrine 1.jpg, ''
Kemari is an athletic game that was popular in Japan during the Heian (794–1185) and Kamakura period (1185–1333). It resembles a game of football or hacky sack. The game was popular in Kyoto, the capital, and the surrounding Kinki ( Kansai ...
'' festival at Tanzan Shrine, Nara city, Nara Prefecture, Japan, photographed in 2006 File:Kemari Matsuri at Tanzan Shrine 2.jpg, ''Kemari'' at play


Gameplay

Historically, there were two main styles of ''cuju'': ''zhuqiu'' () and ''baida'' (). ''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) (or Yuan She), was developed in large Chinese cities. Local members were either ''cuju'' lovers or professional performers. Non-professional players had to formally appoint a professional as their teacher and pay a fee before becoming members. This process ensured an income for the professionals, unlike ''cuju'' of the Tang Dynasty. Qi Yun She organised annual national championships known as Shan Yue Zheng Sai (山岳正賽).


In popular culture

* The
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a List of cities in China, city and Special administrative regions of China, special ...
TVB series ''
A Change of Destiny ''A Change of Destiny'' (Traditional Chinese: 天機算) is a TVB costume drama series broadcast in April 2007. The series is about two young men having the same birthday but have both of them have a different life. Benny Chan is from a rich fa ...
'' featured 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 football rules than the ancient rules of the game. * John Woo's epic film '' Red Cliff'' features a ''cuju'' competition with Cao Cao and others observing from the sideline. * The drama ''
The Long Ballad ''The Long Ballad'' (Chinese: 长歌行), also known as ''Chang Ge Xing'', is a 2021 Chinese historical series based on the 2011 manhua of the same name by Xia Da. It is directed by Zhu Ruibin and stars Dilraba Dilmurat, Leo Wu, Zhao Lusi and Li ...
'' features a ''cuju'' competition between the
Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...
and the Eastern Turkic Khaganate. * Korean drama ''
Moon Embracing the Sun ''Moon Embracing the Sun'' (, also known as ''The Moon that Embraces the Sun'' or ''The Sun and the Moon'') is a 2012 South Korean television drama series, starring Kim Soo-hyun, Han Ga-in, Jung Il-woo, and Kim Min-seo. It aired on MBC from ...
featured a ''chugguk'' competition. * Another Korean drama Dream of the Emperor featured a ''chugguk'' competition between the Hwarang and royal inspectors while Princess deokman (later Queen Seondeok) was watching and another scene where
Kim Chunchu King Taejong Muyeol (604–661), born Gim Chunchu, was the 29th ruler of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He is credited for leading the unification of Korea's Three Kingdoms. Background King Taejong Muyeol was born with the "sacred ...
was playing with his grandson.


Cuju revival

The city of Linzi organized a game of cuju for foreigners and locals in period costumes. Brazilian player Kaká played cuju during his tour while visiting China.


See also

* Chinlone * Episkyros * Harpastum * Knattleikr * La soule *
Sepak takraw Sepak takraw, or Sepaktakraw, also called kick volleyball, is a team sport played with a ball made of rattan or synthetic plastic between two teams of two to four players on a court resembling a badminton court. It is similar to volleyball and ...
* List of Chinese inventions * List of China-related topics


Notes


References

* Benn, Charles (2002). ''China's Golden Age: Everyday Life in the Tang Dynasty''. Oxford: Oxford University Press. . * James, Riordan (1999). ''Sport and Physical Education in China''. London: Spon Press. * Osamu Ike (2014). ''Kemari in Japan''(in Japanese). Kyoto: Mitsumura-Suiko Shoin. ** Summary in English pp. 181–178. in French pp. 185–182.


External links


''Cuju'' match to be played in Shandong, September 2004
{{Authority control Ancient sports Ball games Chinese ancient games Sports originating in China Football in China Football in Korea Traditional football