Cuju
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Cuju
The Ancient History of Cuju Soccer is the world’s most popular sport, and one of the oldest ball games in history. About 2,500 years ago a game called Cuju, a game much like our modern-day soccer, was already being played in China. Cuju is officially recognized by FIFA (the international soccer association) as the predecessor to the game of soccer. In Chinese, the word: “cù” means “to kick” and “jú” means a leather ball filled with feathers used in the game. Literally translated from Chinese, “cùjú” means “to kick a ball.” In ancient China, the earliest form of Cuju was originally used as a military exercise. However, archeologists discovered a book in China on Cuju entitled, “Twenty-Five Articles on Cuju” which was written during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC – AD 24). In this book, Cuju is explained as being played by two teams on a field with goals, and the matches were officiated by referees who followed prescribed rules. Cuju rules and methods underwent many changes during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 – 907). Instructive illustrations of ancient Cuju were found dating from AD 1322. During this epoch, the game of Cuju revolved around a single goal (or wangzi) located at the center of the play field. This goal had a net that was 10.5 meters high and 3 meters wide. The actual target within the net was the “prominent eye”: an 85 centimeter, circular hole in the middle of the net located between the two crossbars. The object of this ancient version of Cuju was for each of the two teams to kick the ball through this hole in the net. Chinese literature exists which refers to this opening as a “bull’s-eye” (or zhengsai). The team which scored the most points by kicking the ball through the bull’s-eye was the winner of a Cuju match. The Modern Version of Cuju With this Cuju Game Set,the timeless dynamics of one of the world’s oldest ball games ever is revived: “Cuju – The Ancient Game of Soccer™”. Cuju is the progenitor of Soccer – the world’s most popular sport! This modern version of Cuju is a fun and efficient soccer-based game that can be played by multiple players in a small or large play area. The goal of the game is to use soccer skills to kick, to head or to knee the Cuju ball through the large holes located within the Cuju net. The Cuju ball is a special oversized ball that emulates the larger and lighter ball of the ancient game of Chinese Cuju. This special ball helps make Cuju a very inclusive and user-friendly game for all ages and skill levels. This exciting game provides a fun way to motivate the players to develop physical coordination and cooperative play attitudes in an inclusive and fun-filled environment. For those who are familiar with soccer, the game rules of Cuju will be very quickly mastered as the rules of Cuju are very similar to soccer. How to Play Cuju Setup 1. In the game of Cuju, there is only one goal (wangzi) that is placed at the center of the play area. Select an appropriate outdoor or indoor play area, then place the Cuju goal in the middle of the play area (see the diagram). The dual-sided goal, located at the middle of the play area, guarantees numerous occasions for shots and rebounds by both teams. 2. If using a soccer field, place the Cuju goal on the center line in the middle of the field and use the lined field for the boundaries of the play area. If using an indoor basketball court, place the Cuju goal on the half-court line in the middle of the basketball court. Use the basketball court lines for boundaries, or like indoor soccer, have the students play off of the walls with no out-of-bounds lines. For any other type of play area, simply place the Cuju goal in the middle of the play area and determine the boundaries, or play with no boundaries depending on the size of your play area. 3. Divide the class into two teams with up to 7 students on each team. The Cuju game involves 14 total players at once. Note for larger classes: more students and teams can be substituted in and out at predetermined times, or after a certain number of points have been scored by a given team. 4. The teacher shall be the referee for the Cuju match. Game Rules for Cuju 1. Based on the Rules of Soccer: Since Cuju is the progenitor of soccer, the rules of soccer have been used as the basis for the specific rules of this version of modern Cuju. 2. The Kickoff: After the coin toss, the game of Cuju begins with a kickoff. One team kicks the ball into play from just outside the touchline. 3. Player Movement: All players from both teams may move freely around the play area on both sides of the Cuju goal. 4. Ball Movement: As in soccer, hands are not allowed for advancing the ball down field (except for a throw-in). The ball is advanced by dribbling, passing and shooting by means of kicking, heading and kneeing the ball. 5. Scoring: In the game of Cuju, any team player may shoot at any target hole from either side of the single Cuju net located at the centerof the play area at any time. To score in Cuju, a player must kick or head the ball through one of the three target holes located in the Cuju net. Point Values: The two smaller target holes situated at the top section of the Cuju net have the greater value of 2 points each. The one larger target hole at the bottom center of the Cuju net has a value of 1 point each. 6. After Scoring: Once a goal is scored, the ball is placed just outside the touchline by the opposing team and kicked back into play. 7. No Goalies and No Goal Tending: There are no goalies in the game of Cuju. There are only defenders who cannot use their hands at anytime. Defenders are not allowed to “goal tend”. In other words, defenders cannot block their own target holes by standing still in front of them. Rather, they must only defend the ball wherever it moves. If a defender is cited by the referee for goal tending, then the offensive team is given a direct penalty kick opportunity (see description below). 8. Direct Penalty Kicks: Direct penalty kicks are awarded to the opposing team for goal tending, hand-balls or misconduct. In a direct penalty kick, the ball is placed seven meters away from the goal and a player is selected to shoot undefended at the target holes. If the shot misses, the ball is once again in play. 9. Missed Shots: Once a shot-on-goal is missed, if the ball rebounds off of the net, then play continues non-stop. If the ball misses and goes to the other side of the center field Cuju net, then any player may rebound the ball and immediately kick or head the ball toward the target holes to score. The dual-sided goal, located at the middle of the play area, guarantees numerous occasions for shots and rebounds by both teams. The Cuju net has a space between the bottom of the net and the ground allowing for the dynamic of passing the ball underneath it at any time. 10. The Throw-in: When the ball goes out-of-bounds, the team who touched the ball last forfeits the ball to the other team who then throws the ball back into play from just outside the boundary line. This throw-in is like a soccer throw-in: the ball is held overhead with both hands while both feet remain on the ground. During a throw-in, the ball cannot be thrown directly into a target hole. 11. End of Game: The game of Cuju is played to a predetermined time limit. The team with the most points wins. In the event of a tie at the end of the game, five players from each team are selected for a penalty kick shoot-out. The ball is placed seven meters away from the goal, and players from each team shoot at the target holes alternatively. The team with the most points after this shoot-out wins. Glossary of the Chinese Terms for Cuju • Cuju (蹴鞠) – name for the 2,500 year old ancient Chinese game from which we get the game of soccer. “cu” means to kick; “ju” means a ball. Literal meaning of “Cuju”: “to kick a ball”. • wangzi – a type of ancient Cuju goal used in China. It was a singular goal that was 10.5 meters high and 3 meters wide located at the center of the play field. The wangzi goal contained one bull’s-eye target hole in the middle of its net called a zhengsai. • zhengsai – the actual target within the wangzi goal net. The zhengsai was the “prominent eye”: an 85 centimeter, circular hole in the middle of the net located between the two crossbars. The object of this ancient version of Cuju was for each of the two teams to kick the ball through this hole in the net.
Cuju: 2,000 Years of Ancient Chinese Soccer
According to FIFA, the earliest form of soccer was a Chinese invention. Dating back some 2,400 years, the ancient Chinese game of Cuju shares key similarities with the modern sport—no hands or arms are allowed and goals are scored by kicking a ball through two posts. And like contemporary soccer, Cuju enjoyed massive popularity on a professional scale. First mention of the sport appears in the Warring States-era text “Zhan Guo Ce.” It seems to have originated in eastern China’s Qi State. By the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.—220 A.D.), the game was called Cuju, best translated as “kick ball.” The balls used were made of leather and filled with fur or hair. Texts from this era credit the game’s creation with the legendary yellow emperor, or, more realistically, soldiers looking to improve their footwork. The game was incredibly popular for many centuries, to the point that it was played professionally among both commoners and in the imperial court. Liu Bang, founding emperor of the Han Dynasty, was a known Cuju enthusiast. This resulted in Cujiu becoming a more highly specialized sport. The imperial palace included a dedicated Cuju court where professional teams of 12 players each would face off. Another Han emperor, the great Wu Di, was so fond of Cuju that he regularly had his attendants pen articles about the sport. A Han Dynasty text established the rules and interpretation of Cuju. The round ball and the square court symbolized the traditional Daoist concepts of yin and yang. In comparison to modern soccer, the goals were small, moon-shaped holes and there were six of them at either end of the court. The 24 players and their team captains would elect a referee before the game, who was to mediate based on the regulations and according to the standards of fair sportsmanship. Already in the Han Dynasty, Cuju’s popularity had reached obsessive levels. The “Shiji,” or Records of the Grand Historian, mentions the case of Xiang Chu, who kept playing Cuju despite the advice of his doctor, who had diagnosed him with a hernia. The stubborn fan eventually died of his illness playing his beloved sport. Cuju enjoyed increasing popularity for over a dozen centuries. In China’s final imperial dynasty, the Qing (1644—1911), the game was modified to be played on skating rinks. Peak and Decline By the Tang and Song dynasties, Cuju was enjoyed by both men and women, and nobles and commoners. One ancient text depicts the splendid scene of a women’s match involving 153 people. The ladies, wearing four colors of embroidered silk clothing and sashes, played for an audience of tens of thousands. In the 10th century, during the Song Dynasty, professional Cuju clubs appeared in many major Chinese cities. Individual players attained fame and fortune. These associations are considered the world’s first sports clubs. The Cuju societies were selective. Nonprofessional players would formally take up study with experts and had to achieve a certain level of mastery before gaining acceptance to a club. Gao Qiu, a government official who served the Song Emperor Huizong, was known for his excellent skills in Cuju. A Cuju league, the Qiyun She, organized annual nationwide championships. Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty was known for his freestyle Cuju, by which he made use of his head, shoulders, back, abdomen, and knees to control the ball, keeping it in the air for extended periods. Cuju also features in one of the Four Great Chinese Novels, the “Outlaws of the Marsh.” The Cuju-playing official Gao Qiu appears as one of the antagonists, and is mentioned as being the Grand Marshall of the sport by decree of the emperor. During the Song period, as in the Han, Cuju was a frequent spectacle enjoyed in the imperial court. Cuju fell into decline during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). The game became associated with brothels and decadence. Teams of prostitutes would organize and play Cuju in hopes of attracting more customers; officials and the nobility would neglect their duties of leadership to indulge in Cuju and other forms of entertainment. In an attempt to shape up his administration, Zhu Yuanzhang, founding emperor of the Ming, even banned the sport. As time went on, Cuju suffered from a poor reputation and began to go out of fashion. By modern times, Cuju had become extinct in China. Though Cuju is a thing of the Chinese past, it survives in Japanese shrines, where a stylized version called kemari is performed. Kemari was introduced from continental Asia over 1,400 years ago during Japan’s Asuka period. Unlike Cuju, it is neither competitive nor professional; the object is to keep the ball airborne for as long as possible. Even in the 19th and 20th centuries, as Japan underwent extensive modernization, the sport received backing from the emperor and nobles, who helped preserve this ancient East Asian tradition.
History of Football: Cuju
We all know the football we watch and discuss and support today. However, the emergence of the modern rules of the game happened relatively recently (in the late 1800s). However, leading up to this there were a myriad of different games that have clear links to football stretching back throughout history. In this article, I am going to explore one of these games and analyse its links to the modern game we love. Cuju Inevitably, it seems the first games in which the main technique involved kicking a ball originated in China. The game of Cuju was also played in Korea, Japan and Vietnam and dated back to the fourth century BC. The literal translation of Cuju was "kick the ball with the foot." At first it was used to keep military troops fit however variations were played at royal courts as a form of entertainment but developed into a bona fide national sport. There were different ways to play Cuju and the game itself evolved through history. Originally the ball was stuffed with feathers but eventually they moved on to a ball similar to what we have today, an air filled ball. The goal posts went through a similar transformation but eventually two forms developed. One was a single post stuck in the middle of the pitch which had to be hit to score the goal and the other...was two posts with a net strung in between them. Development During the Song dynasty (960 to 1279AD) Cuju became wildly popular in all walks of life. Having started out as a military training exercise and courtly entertainment it developed into a national pastime. Female clubs also developed where women could play up against each other and men. Often the women were more skillful at the game than the men and it is said that one time a 17-year-old girl beat a full team of soldiers on her own. Professionalism What is interesting about the Song period of Cuju is that the sport itself developed a commercial aspect. Professional Cuju players developed who were paid solely to play and teach the sport. Amateurs who wanted to play had to contribute some money to their local club—which supported the professionals. As the game evolved it moved away from what we know as the modern game and took on more of a penalty kick style game—the aim to hit the stick by kicking the ball at it. Eventually the idea of goals was taken out completely and a game based around appeared. Points would be deducted if the ball didn't reach the player or if it overshot. Points were awarded for judging the passing distance right or getting a first time pass. By the time of the Ming dynasty (1368-1664 AD) Cuju dropped out of favour in the royal court and due to neglect and active discouragement the game slowly died out.
Knowledge Graph
Examples
1 Cuju is an ancient Chinese ball game, Cantonese “chuk-ko”. It is a competitive game that involves kicking a ball through an opening into a net.
2 During the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), the popularity of cuju spread from the army to the royal courts and upper classes.
3 A competitive form of cuju was used as fitness training for military cavaliers, while other forms were played for entertainment in wealthy cities like Linzi.