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Kevin McSpadden

Like music and storytelling, sports are a fundamental part of human experience, originating with our ancient ancestors as they built civilisations.
As these sports evolved, some surprisingly resemble today’s competitions.
In ancient China, many games from thousands of years ago still connect with modern sports.
Here are four examples of ancient Chinese sports that have endured through time.
Cuju (oldest ball-kicking sport)
Cuju, often cited as the ancestor of modern football, is recognised by Fifa as the oldest documented game featuring ball kicking. Unlike contemporary football, cuju resembled a combination of a dribbling competition and volleyball.
The primary objective was to score points by manoeuvring the ball through a raised netted goal, without allowing the ball to touch the ground and prohibiting players from using their hands.

The goal itself was akin to a volleyball or tennis net, incorporating a significant opening in the centre designed for the football-sized ball. While cuju teams could comprise up to 16 players, only the designated “captain” could attempt a shot on goal, with the rest of the team positioned as support players.
The structure of cuju mirrored modern net sports, featuring two teams positioned on either side of the elevated goal. With no physical contact permitted, teams alternated in passing the ball before aiming at the goal.
Cuju saw immense popularity over the centuries, evolving and flourishing during the Tang dynasty (618-907) and becoming widespread in the Song dynasty (960-1279).
Jiaodi (horn-butting)
Jiaodi, which translates to “horn butting”, was the first version of jacket wrestling to emerge in China, with competitors donning ox horns to imitate wild oxen.
Oral legend states that it emerged over 6,000 years ago when the Yellow Emperor (2698-2598 BC) utilised the horns to win a battle by goring the enemy to death.

More reliable historical accounts indicate that the sport became a popular form of military training starting in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) and continuing into the Tang dynasty. According to China Daily, Emperor Muzong (r 820-824) of the Tang dynasty reportedly watched jiaodi matches every three days.
Jacket wrestling, or shuai jiao in Chinese, was widely practised globally and boasts a vibrant history spanning millennia in China. The uniforms are a core component of the rules, and competitors use a jacket or belt as leverage to toss, pin, or defend against their opponents.
Records of jiaodi are inconsistent, leaving modern historians uncertain about the specifics of the rules. Some theories suggest that competitors headbutted each other, while others propose that the sport was more akin to traditional wrestling, with the horns serving a symbolic purpose.
Jiju (forefather of polo)
Jiju was a sport that was very similar to its modern descendant, polo.
Much like today, players would ride around on horses while carrying a large stick and hitting a ball. It originated during the Han dynasty (202 BC-9, 25-220) and remained popular through the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).

Jiju followed rules similar to modern field hockey, and the ball was hollowed out, with the outside carved with elaborate artwork.
Much like jiaodi, jiju was important for the military and was used to train cavalry during the Tang dynasty. Tang-era imperial courts also valued the sport, and it became a core feature of royal entertainment.
Amusingly, the dangers of riding horses at high speeds caused significant safety concerns, so a form of jiju using donkeys was developed in the middle of the Tang dynasty. This relatively tame version of the sport made it more appealing to the general public.
Another form of the sport, called “jiju walking”, which did not involve an animal, grew in popularity among Tang-era women.
The sport was eventually outlawed during the early days of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), and jiju was never able to regain its popularity.
Chuiwan (ancient golf)
Unlike the other sports on this list, we still play chuiwan, albeit in a slightly altered form. We simply refer to it as golf.
The rules, tools, and strategies for chuiwan were similar to those of modern golf, and the sport’s history establishes a direct lineage between chuiwan and golf.

Chuiwan employed a variety of clubs to hit a small ball over diverse natural terrain to land the ball in a hole using the fewest strokes possible.
The balls were crafted from wood, similar to the earliest forms of golf, until the invention of the “feather ball” (a leather sack filled with boiled goose feathers). The “feather ball” is widely regarded as the first “true” golf ball.
Much like golf, chuiwan adhered to strict etiquette rules and gained popularity among the political elite.
Historical accounts suggest that Mongol invaders introduced the sport to Europe, where it was developed and adapted before the modern version of golf emerged in Scotland.


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In ancient China, numerous games from thousands of years ago continue to influence modern sports. Photo: SCMP composite/Sohu

Cuju, often regarded as the ancestor of modern football, is recognised by Fifa as the oldest documented game featuring ball kicking. Photo: Wikipedia

Jiaodi, or “horn butting”, is the earliest form of jacket wrestling in China, where competitors don ox horns to imitate wild oxen. Photo: Wikipedia

Much like today’s polo game, Jiju players ride around on horses while carrying a large stick and hitting a ball. Photo: Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

The rules, equipment, and strategies for chuiwan were similar to those of modern golf. Photo: Wikipedia

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News

People & Culture

Chinese sports have existed for as long as civilisation has existed, some games were strikingly similar to today’s competitions


Chinese sports have existed for as long as civilisation has existed, some games were strikingly similar to today’s competitions.
