It’s called Cuju.
The word "Cuju" was first recorded in "Historical Records·Biography of Su Qin". When Su Qin lobbied King Xuan of Qi, he described Linmiao: "Linmiao is very rich and practical, and its people all play poles, drums and harps, and play music. Ju Zhe". Cuju is also known as "Taju", "Cuqiu", "Cuyuan", "Building the ball", "Kicking the circle", etc. "Cuju" means kicking with feet, "Ju" is a leather ball, and "Cuju" is played with Kicking is an ancient sport in China. It has three forms: direct confrontation, indirect confrontation and free kicking.
Cuju has been around for more than 2,300 years. It originated from Linzi, the old capital of Qi State during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It was most prosperous during the Tang and Song Dynasties. There are often "the ball never falls all day long" and "the ball never leaves the foot. The scene of never leaving the ball, watching in the courtyard, thousands of people paying homage."
Traditional Chinese culture with Confucianism as its core emphasizes "harmony" and "moderateness". In most cases, the social and cultural psychology emphasizes "literary governance" and underestimates "martial arts." People admire the gentleness and elegance of a humble gentleman, but despise the competitiveness of a Confucian and martial man. In this social and cultural context, Cuju gradually evolved from a confrontational competition into a performance competition.
Tracing the origin
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"Historical Records" and "Warring States Policy" were the first to record the situation of football. Records in "Historical Records" and "Warring States Policy" both show that in Linzi, the hometown of the Qi State at that time, Cuju had developed into a mature form of entertainment and was widely popular among the people. King Xuan of Qi reigned from 319 BC to 301 BC. From this, it can be concluded that during a historical period more than 2,300 years ago or earlier, football activities began in Linzi City, the ancient capital of Qi. Extensively carried out. Cuju has developed into a popular folk sports and entertainment activity.
After Qin unified the six kingdoms, the Cuju movement fell silent for a time. After the establishment of the Western Han Dynasty, it flourished again. The people of the Han Dynasty regarded Cuju as a way of "governing the country and practicing martial arts". It was not only widely used in the army, but also generally popular among the court nobles. "Miscellaneous Notes of Xijing" records: After Liu Bang became emperor, he took his father Liu Taigong to the Weiyang Palace in Chang'an City for retirement. He lived in extremely luxurious food and clothing and watched kabuki music all day long. But he was not satisfied and was unhappy all day long. It turns out that Liu Taigong lived in the lower class of the city since he was a child, close to ordinary people who slaughtered dogs and cattle. His entertainment activities after work were inseparable from cockfighting and Cuju. Therefore, Liu Bang issued an imperial edict to build a new city a hundred miles east of Chang'an City, modeled on the original scale of Fengyi, Pei County, and moved all the original residents of Fengyi to the new city. Liu Taigong and Liu Wen Also moved there. They started "fighting cocks and playing Cuju for fun" again, and then they were satisfied.
It can be known from this story that during the Warring States Period, football was a favorite entertainment activity for the lower class people in the city. By the early Western Han Dynasty, football was also loved by the aristocracy. Huan Kuan's "Salt and Iron Theory" said that the society of the Western Han Dynasty was peaceful for a long time, and "the homes of the nobles enjoyed Cuju and cockfighting", while ordinary people also "chased in the prosperous villages and Cuju in the back alleys".
The talented Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty liked to watch Cuju very much. The "Book of Han" records that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty often held "Chicken Clubs" in the palace, which included cockfighting and Cuju competitions. His favorite minister Dong Xian also had a special "Ju Ke" who could play football in his home (similar to today's star). It can be seen that during the Western Han Dynasty, the social aspect of football activities expanded even more.
Due to the prosperity of the Cuju movement, monographs on the study of this sport appeared in the Han Dynasty. Someone in the Han Dynasty once wrote "Twenty-Five Cuju Chapters", which is the earliest sports professional book in my country. It is also the world's first professional sports book. When Ban Gu wrote "Hanshu·Yiwenzhi", he listed "Twenty-Five Cuju Chapters" as a military book, which belongs to the category of military training skills. Unfortunately, it was later lost. Xiang Chu during the Western Han Dynasty was the first person to be famous in history for football, but his experience was unfortunate. "Historical Records: Biography of Bian Quecang Gong" records that the famous doctor Chunyu Yi treated Xiang Chu and told him not to overwork himself, but Xiang Chu didn't listen and still went out to play football. As a result, he vomited blood and died. This also made Xiang Chu a famous doctor in the history of the world. The first fanatical "fan" that can be found.
With the development of social productivity, football production technology has also improved. There were two major improvements in ball-making technology in the Tang Dynasty: First, the ball shell made of two pieces of skin was replaced with a round ball shell made of eight pieces of sharp skin sewn together. The shape of the ball is rounder. The second is to put an animal urine bubble in the ball shell instead of stuffing hair into it, and "blow it up while holding your breath" to become an inflated ball. This is also the first invention in the world. According to world sports history records, the British invented the inflated ball in the 11th century, three to four hundred years later than the Tang Dynasty in my country.
The ball in the Tang Dynasty was lighter and could be kicked high. The goal is set on two three-foot-high bamboo poles, which is called "the net is the goal to measure the ball." In terms of the method of playing football, the Han Dynasty played directly against the team, "relaxing and taking advantage of the situation, covering the elephants and garrisoning". The physical contact between players from both sides is like fighting. In the Tang Dynasty, the team competition was no longer a direct confrontation, but with a goal in the middle. Both sides were on one side, and "the one with the most wins" shot. From the perspective of football technology, it is a development; but from the perspective of physical training, indirect confrontation is a step back in football.
Because the ball was lighter and there was no fierce running and fighting, women's football began to appear in the Tang Dynasty. Women's football is played without a goal. The main thing is to kick high and play tricks, which is called "white kicking". Wang Jian, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, wrote in his "Gong Ci" that on the day of the Cold Food Festival, the girls in Yichun Court enjoyed playing football.
Both Taizong and Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty loved to watch football. At that time, the goal was "a tree with two bamboos, a net on top, and the goal was used as a ball. The ball was divided into left and right sides, and the victory was won by the corner." In the Tang Dynasty, not only did women's football exist, but some women also had superb playing skills.
Not only did such customs exist in the emperor's palace, but also among the people. The poet Wang Wei said in his poem "Hanshi Chengdong Ji Shi", "The Cuju flies over the flying birds many times, and the swings compete out of the weeping poplar trees." This shows how high the kicking ball is. Du Fu's poem "Qingming" also said, "Ten years of Cuju will bring young children far away, and the custom of swinging will be the same for thousands of miles", which also illustrates the universal custom of playing football. This custom lasted until the Southern Song Dynasty. The poet Lu You described this scene in the poem "Spring Festival Gala Feeling Pavilion": "One hundred thousand families in Liangzhou eat cold food, and the swing and cuju are still luxurious." "There is a line in the poem "The road to Liangzhou is as flat as the palm of a hand, and I take advantage of the Qingming Festival to play Cuju on a swing."
When there are games, there are stars. Who were the people famous for playing football at that time? If you read a lot of ancient books, you may have guessed it: the evil boy. What is even more outstanding is that some emperors of the Tang Dynasty, such as Tang Wenzong, often climbed up to a "Qinzheng Tower" to watch others play Cuju and wrestling from a high position. This scene is really ironic. Compared with their ancestors, they were more public-spirited. Quite a few. Of course, he was not the only one like this. A few generations later, Emperor Xizong of Tang Dynasty turned into a bad boy and practiced cockfighting himself. Zhaozong, the last emperor of Tang Dynasty, was forced by Zhu Wen to move from Chang'an to Luoyang. , all the six armies were gone, leaving only a group of Shence Army or "playing ball worshipers" who were born as evil boys to follow him, which shows the deep feelings. In the army after the mid-Tang Dynasty, there were many bad boys who spent their days playing cockfighting and gambling on the streets.
Cuju achieved great development in the Song Dynasty. In Shi Naian's "Water Margin", he wrote about Gao Qiu, who made his fortune from playing football and became a captain. Although the novel exaggerates the deeds and personalities of the characters, it is basically the facts of the Song Dynasty. Gao Qiu had superb football skills. Because he accompanied Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty to play football, he was promoted to the commander of the palace. He was one of the earliest famous football stars.
Gao Qiu became famous for playing football, which tells us two things: First, the emperors and bureaucrats and nobles of the Song Dynasty loved playing football. Some people loved playing football themselves, and some people loved watching football. . Zhao Ji, Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, was a football fan. He wrote a poem after watching the maids playing football: "The beautiful time belongs to the Qingming Dynasty, and the banquet is held in Mu Qing Dynasty. Close friends are declared to compete for Cuju, and the two friends win and lose again in the court." "Documentation" "Tongkao" introduction: "There are 153 female disciples of the Song Dynasty, dressed in four colors, embroidered wide shirts, tied with brocade belts, playing embroidered balls, the ball never leaves the feet, the feet never leave the ball, watching in the courtyard, tens of thousands of people pay homage." Collection of Shanghai Museum The "Picture of Song Taizu Cuju" depicts the scene at that time.
In the Song Dynasty, there were also football artists who relied on their football skills to make a living. According to records, in Bianliang City in the Northern Song Dynasty and Lin'an City in the Southern Song Dynasty, famous players who played football at palace banquets included Su Shu, Meng Xuan, Zhang Jun, Li Zheng, etc.; among the famous football players in Wazili in the market, Huang Ruyi , Fan Laoer, Xiao Sun, Zhang Ming, Cai Run, etc.
Football in the Song Dynasty was played in the same way as in the Tang Dynasty, including indirect play with a goal and "free play" without a goal. However, most of the kicking methods described in books are white play. The so-called "One hundred thousand kicks with the toes can solve hundreds of thousands of problems" refers to kicking movements and a complete set of movements composed of several tricks, which refers to a complete set of movements using the head, shoulders, back, chest, knees, legs, feet, etc. His kicking skills keep the ball from falling all day long. From this point of view, football in the Song Dynasty has developed from accurate shooting to dexterity and ball control skills.
The ball-making technology of the Song Dynasty was further improved than that of the Tang Dynasty. The ball shell developed from eight pieces of sharp leather to "made of twelve pieces of fragrant leather." The raw material is "cooked nitrate yellow leather, lightly cut from solid materials". The craftsmanship is "densely built and sewn together, with no corners exposed." The weight of the finished ball should be "just twelve taels". Football specifications should be "pieced together and perfectly round." The ball made in this way is of course of very high quality. At that time, there were forty different varieties of balls produced in handicraft workshops, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The improvement of ball-making technology has promoted the development of football technology; and the development of ball-making handicraft industry reflects the increase in social demand.
In order to safeguard their own interests and promote mutual assistance, at least during the Southern Song Dynasty, kickball artists in the Song Dynasty also organized their own group called "Qiyun Society", also known as "Yuan Society". This is a specialized Cuju organization, responsible for the competition organization and promotion of Cuju activities. This is the earliest individual sports association in my country, similar to today's football clubs; it can also be said that it is the earliest football club in the world.
In the Yuan Dynasty, Guan Hanqing and others described the scene of men and women playing football in their Sanqu. But this kind of kicking game between men and women is no longer about seeking their own entertainment, but about women playing football as a skill for others to appreciate. It is said in the Sanqu of "Prostitute Cuju" written by Satu Ci: "After that, we just sing and dance and have a banquet in front of flowers, and learn to become a perfect person in the world." It can be seen that playing football, like singing and dancing, are both tricks at banquets. Most of the women who "occupied the field to accompany the heroes" were "beautiful Chan Juans" from "Xie Guan Qin Lou" and "Ming Ke Lane". It can be seen that playing football has become a means for prostitutes to entertain customers. The social nature of football entertainment has been greatly reduced. It is no longer a festival activity or a program at a banquet, but an entertainment associated with debauchery.
The "History of the Ming Dynasty" records that Zhang Shixin, the younger brother of Zhang Shicheng, the king of Wu who supported the three Wu states and claimed military separatism, "whenever he went out to the army, regardless of military affairs, he always brought acanthus (a gambling tool), Cuju, and Women feast." It can be seen that football has been associated with sexual pleasure.
Therefore, after Zhu Yuanzhang became emperor, he issued an imperial decree strictly prohibiting soldiers from playing football. Zhu Yuanzhang's imperial edict can only prohibit soldiers from playing football, but it cannot change the entertainment nature of football. In the novel "Jin Ping Mei", known as the social encyclopedia of the Ming Dynasty, there is a paragraph describing Ximen Qing watching prostitute Li Guijie play football in Lichun Court: Ximen Qing had a drink, went out to play football first in the yard, and then taught Sister Gui. Kick with two round societies. "One is holding the head, the other is facing the obstacle, and the kicking, turning, and beating are all accompanied by fake cheers and flattery." The above description also shows the entertainment nature of football in the Ming Dynasty.
By the Qing Dynasty, there were very few records of football activities in historical books. The Cuju activity in ancient my country has gone through thousands of years since the Warring States Period. During the Han, Tang and Song dynasties, it once shone like a comet with shining brilliance; later, it was thrown into the water of the Qing Dynasty society, leaving only a little foam, and finally Dark fell.
Artistic Characteristics
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Cuju is an ancient sport in China. Cuju competitions include direct confrontation, indirect confrontation and free play. form.
Cuju competitions with goals can be divided into direct competitions with two goals and indirect competitions with a single goal. Direct competition with two goals was the main method of Cuju in the Han Dynasty (206 BC ~ 220 AD) and was used for military training. When playing direct competition, Jucheng is the stadium and there are short walls around it. Both sides of the game have goals that look like small houses; there are 12 players on each side of the field. The two sides compete in direct physical contact, just like in a war. The one with the most kicks into the other side's goal wins.
In a special competition venue - Jucheng, the goals correspond to each other, and the players on both sides attack relative to each other. The goal is to win. The single-goal direct game evolved from the two-goal game in the Tang Dynasty (618 ~ 907 AD) The main form of Cuju during the Song Dynasty (AD 960-1279) was mainly used for court banquets and diplomatic etiquette competition performances. In indirect confrontation games, there are goals in the middle. There are more than two feet of "windy eyes" in the middle of the goal. Both sides are on one side. The one who can make the ball pass through more windy eyes without landing on the ground wins.
The free kicking method without a goal is called free kicking. It has been the longest and most widely developed, with various forms ranging from one to ten players. White kicking is mainly about competition tricks and skills, also known as game "solutions". Each set of solutions has a variety of kicking movements, such as turning, creeping, riding, kicking, twisting, etc. The ancients also gave names to some movements. Such as turning the universe, swallows returning to their nests, arranging flowers obliquely, placing lotuses in the wind, beads on the top of Buddha's head, picking up fish on dry land, golden Buddha grinding mill, carrying the moon on both shoulders, kidnapping shooting stars, etc.
Inheritance significance
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The rise and fall of Cuju, which has been popular for thousands of years, is in line with the historical laws of development, change and metabolism of human society. Across the historical distance in time, the extinct ancient Cuju has been reborn in the flourishing modern football.
On July 15, 2004, FIFA Chairman Mr. Sepp Blatter officially announced to the world that "football originated in China" at the 3rd China International Football Expo, and Shandong Zibo was officially recognized as a world football center. Place of origin. During the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Blatter once again said: "Football originated in China. Linzi is the hometown of football. It is not only your pride, but also the pride of the Chinese people and the pride of the whole world. It is the pride of all those who like football and the World Cup." The pride of the people."
In April 2006, as part of the World Cup in Germany, the Hamburg Football Museum in Germany was officially opened to show the audience the rich history and culture of football, including the splendid China as the origin of football. Cuju culture.
Cuju historical anecdotes
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The first person to go down in history for playing football
Western Han Dynasty Xiang Chu was the first person to go down in history because of football. "Historical Records: Biography of Bian Quecang Gong" records that the famous doctor Chunyu Yi treated Xiang Chu and told him not to overwork himself, but Xiang Chu didn't listen and still went out to play football. As a result, he vomited blood and died. This also made Xiang Chu a famous doctor in the history of the world. The first fanatical "fan" that can be found.
The formation of the division of labor in Cuju
Cuju in the Han Dynasty was a means of training soldiers, and a relatively complete system was established. If a court is specially set up, it is rectangular in the east-west direction, with six symmetrical "Ju areas" also called "Ju rooms" at each end, each guarded by one person. The site is surrounded by a fence. The game is divided into two teams, with each other's offense and defense, and the outcome is determined by the number of kicks into the opponent's room.
After the initial popularity in the Han Dynasty, Cuju activities reached a climax in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and even the division of labor according to the position on the field appeared. There were many ways to play Cuju in the Tang Dynasty, including "Daju" where a number of goals were scored in the game, "Baiju" where a net was hung in the middle of the field, similar to net football, "Yueju" where multiple people participated in the fight, and A goal-set game in which each team has a certain number of players and a fixed position. It is stipulated that players can only play in their own positions and cannot move.
The first starting list in history
The Southern Song Dynasty's "Wulin News" once listed the rosters and positions of the two teams during the "Thirty-two Players" competition: "Left Army One Sixteen people: Zhang Jun, the ball leader, Wang Lian, the slinger, Zhu Xuan, the head coach, Shi Ze, the head coach, Ding Quan, the left pole net, Zhang Lin, the right pole net, Hu Chun, etc.; sixteen people from the right army: ball Li Zheng is the leader, Zhu Zhen is the teeter-totter, Zhu Xuan is the leader, Zhang Ning is the deputy leader, Xu Bin is the left-hand net, Wang Yong is the right-hand net, Chen Jun is the Sanli, etc." This is probably the first football "starting list" in history.
The first person to become an official because of playing football
In Shi Naian's "Water Margin", there is a story about Gao Qiu who became a captain by playing football. . Although the novel exaggerates the deeds and personalities of the characters, it is basically the facts of the Song Dynasty. Gao Qiu had superb football skills. Because he accompanied Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty to play football, he was promoted to the commander of the palace. He was one of the earliest famous football stars.
The state attaches great importance to the protection of intangible cultural heritage. On May 20, 2006, this heritage was approved by the State Council to be included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage lists.