Sports activities during the Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties

Martial arts

The Fubing system implemented during the Sui and Tang Dynasties and the martial arts examination system established by Wu Zetian promoted the popularization and improvement of martial arts. The trend of martial arts mainly used for military purposes to "martial arts" for fitness and entertainment is becoming increasingly obvious. The government army system of the Sui and Tang dynasties stipulates that the government soldiers serving at the technical inspection point "are soldiers at the age of twenty, and are exempted from service at sixty. Those who can ride and shoot are called Yueqi, and the rest are infantry, armed cavalry, platoons, and shooters" ("New Tang Dynasty") Book·Military Chronicles"). Under this policy of "employing troops among the people". Folk martial arts practice is relatively common. Wu Zetian wrote: "In the second year of Chang'an (702), the martial arts examination was first established. Its system included long stack, horse shooting, foot shooting, flat shooting, barrel shooting, as well as carbine, Qiaoguan, weight-bearing, and figure selection. ("New Book of Tang" ·Election Chronicles"). It can be seen that martial arts examinations attach great importance to martial arts and strength, and even body shape and physique are included as a condition. This has a role in promoting martial arts training in the late Sui Dynasty. During the turmoil, a group of people with strong martial arts skills emerged among the people, such as Yuchi Quede. He once competed with Li Yuanji. According to "Zi Zhi Tong Jian·Tang Ji IV": "Qi Wang Yuan Ji used the good horse spear (Zhangba long spear). ) is conceited, and after hearing about Jingde’s ability, please go to the sword and judge the victory or defeat.” “Yuanji used his spear to jump on the horse, aiming to stab it, Jingde took three seconds to seize the spear. "This method of removing the spear head for martial arts competition and the skill of grabbing the spear with bare hands are all related to martial arts.

What made Shaolin martial arts famous in the world was the late Sui Dynasty and early Tang Dynasty. The monk helped King Li Shimin of Qin capture Wang Renze alive and defeated Wang Shichong, thus Li Shimin removed the obstacles on the way forward. Later Li Shimin issued a commendation order for this, granted Shaolin Temple a large amount of silver and land, and allowed them to practice martial arts and recruit monk soldiers. This was the heyday of the ancient Shaolin Temple.

Cuju

The Tang Dynasty (618-907) was a period of great development for football in ancient China. Football competitions had new developments and game methods also evolved. In the Tang Dynasty, inflated balls and net-hung goals appeared. The military role of Cuju gradually disappeared and it became a purely recreational activity. There were seven players on each side, including a goalkeeper. In the Tang Dynasty, the competition was fierce, and the ball was shaped like a projectile and the moon. "Balloon". Animal "cells" are used as the bladder, and the air is blown in through the mouth. Blowing is very laborious, and later it was improved to use the "beating method", which is to use a small blower to inflate the ball. Tang In the modern era, the invention of the inflatable ball and the use of goals to replace the "Juju" greatly promoted the development and improvement of kicking skills and increased people's interest in kicking. "Beginner's Notes" written by Xu Jian of the Tang Dynasty said: Cuju ball "in ancient times." Use the tangled hair to make it, now use the skin, with the cells as the inside, exhale, close and kick it." Zhong Wupo's "Qiao Qiao Fu" also said: "It is convenient to throw enough, and there is no need to know how to get started." Clearly. It clearly shows that China used equipment and methods similar to modern football as far back as 1,200 years ago. "Balloon Fu" also records the fierce scenes of "competition, rushing and shouting"; The two sentences "Zha volleying with the full moon" are the scenes of "dribbling" and kicking into the air.

The reform of football in the Tang Dynasty gave rise to a variety of interesting ways to play football: (1 ) Football with goals, there are two bamboo poles at both ends of the field, and nets are tied on the poles to form goals. Two teams compete, and the outcome is determined by the number of goals scored. (2) Football without goals, this is based on. The kicking method based on personal skills is actually the inheritance and development of the kicking method of the Warring States Period and the fancy football of the Han Dynasty. Due to the light weight and strong elasticity of the inflatable football in the Tang Dynasty, there are many styles of kicking, the more common ones are:

①Daju, also called general court, is divided into one-person court (Jinglun), two-person court (playing two), three-person court (turning flower branches), and four-person court (Meteor Rushing the Moon) according to the number of people playing football. ), five-person court (skin-breaking or small out of the top), six-person court (big out of the top), seven-person court (falling flowers and flowing water), eight-person court (eight immortals crossing the sea), nine-person court (kicking the heart,) ten-person court (all The ten types of competitions are used for fitness, performance and competitive games. The activities include kicking the ball, passing the ball, rolling around, etc. In one player's field, any part of the body can be used to kick the ball. The number of people is limited, and each can play alone, and sometimes this kicking method was spread to Japan in the Tang Dynasty.

② It can be played by two people, or by multiple people (in an even number). . Most women in the Tang Dynasty played football without a goal, and mostly used this method.

③ Kiju, a competition to see who can kick the ball higher. This style of kicking was introduced to Japan in the Tang Dynasty.

Football in the Tang Dynasty was very widespread and was deeply loved by people from all walks of life. Including the royal family and nobles of the Tang Dynasty. Other famous literati like Du Fu, Wang Wei, Bai Juyi, etc. like Cuju very much.

Women’s football. It has been developed in ancient my country. It can be said that ancient China is the birthplace of women's football. The earliest records of women's football were in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. This period was the most prosperous period of my country's feudal society. The economy developed and the society was relatively stable, especially It was during the Tang Dynasty that foreign exchanges continued. At that time, merchants from Japan, North Korea, India, Iran and many other countries were traveling to Chang'an, which further promoted the economic development and cultural exchanges of the Tang Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, women were less bound by feudal ethics and lived a relatively free life. There was no foot binding at that time, and the collars of clothes were relatively low. Women often danced and sang on the streets of Chang'an during major festivals. Women's football is even more active around the Cold Food Festival and Qingming Festival. Therefore, tracing back to its roots, the hometown of women’s football is ancient China.

Biju

Also known as "hitting" or "playing ball", it is the sport of polo. The period when polo became truly popular was during the Tang Dynasty. Starting from Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, many emperors liked polo and vigorously promoted it. For example, in the third year of Nagatian (652), Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi, who was very fond of this play, came to Anfumen Tower. I once saw "a group of barbarians playing Ju" outside the palace ("Zizhi Tongjian·Tang Ji Fifteen"). Zhongzong Li Xian "was good at playing Ju, so the custom was respected, and the consorts Wu Chongxun and Yang Shenjiao sprinkled oil on the building. court. "("Zi Zhi Tong Jian·Tang Ji Twenty-Five"). This shows that batting became popular in the palaces and mansions at that time. Some of the murals in the royal tombs of the Tang Dynasty also have batting pictures.

When Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty attached great importance to military training, polo was a very intense sport. It was a good sport to train a person to be resourceful and brave. It was very suitable for the military as a martial arts project, especially for cavalry. Riding on a galloping horse, using It is not easy to hit a fist-sized ball into a hole with a stick several feet long. It requires not only good physical strength and intelligence, but also good riding skills. Therefore, playing polo is the best martial arts exercise for cavalry. In order to resist the north, The Turks invaded. The Tang Dynasty attached great importance to the development of cavalry, so Emperor Taizong vigorously promoted polo. Because polo required a lot of equipment, polo was rarely played among the people, and it was mainly played among princes, nobles and the army. < /p>

The polo ground in the Tang Dynasty was generally located in the square in front of the main hall. The wide polo ground was as big as a thousand steps and as flat as a knife. "Every step is as flat as a chip." In order to prevent the dust from flying, the football fields in some noble houses are sprinkled with oil. If you want to play flyball at night, just light a few circles of candles around it. If you call this stadium a light stadium, it will be the best in the world. This is the earliest lighted stadium. When the stadium is windy and rainy, you can also pull up the tarpaulin tent, which shows that the rulers at that time loved polo. The sticks they played were also made of wood, and the sticks were also made of rattan. The lower end of the stick is crescent-shaped, and the outside is covered with cowhide. The stick is decorated with patterns of various colors. The ball used for polo is made of wood, hard, light and elastic, as big as a fist, hollowed out in the middle, and decorated with patterns on the outside. Painted with vermilion color and colorful patterns, this is the "firm, round, clean and smooth" polo game.

There were usually two types of polo games in the Tang Dynasty: one with a single goal and the other with a single goal. It is a double goal. There is no strict rule on the number of people participating in the game. Generally speaking, the number of people on both sides can vary. A single goal is a one-foot hole under a wooden wall. There is a net, and the victory is determined by how many balls hit the net. The method of playing double-goal is similar to that of modern polo. The victory is to hit the opponent's goal. During the game, "people do not agree, the mind is consistent, and the horse does not whip." ", the hoof will move by itself". The participating team members can cooperate with each other tacitly without prior agreement. The horses can also automatically gallop and compete without being driven by the rider. They have the same judgment on the tactical changes on the field and work together to win. Both sides compete. , beating drums to cheer, "beating drums and soaring trees with red flags" (Han Yu), that is, 24 red flags are erected around the stadium. The referee calls "singing chips", and a flag is counted when a point is won. A red flag is added to a player who wins a flag, and a red flag is removed when a flag is lost. A red flag marks the end of the game, and the victory is determined by the number of red flags on both sides. Whipping can train bravery and will. It can cultivate the spirit of cooperation and dexterity. It can not only exercise the body, but also be a combat skill. Therefore, it has been popular since the Tang Dynasty. Polo, in addition to entertainment, is also used to train soldiers and enhance the combat effectiveness of the troops.

In the Tang Dynasty, not only princes and nobles loved to play polo, but also literati and wealthy children. Even in ancient my country, not only men participated in polo, but also women. During the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, the fair ladies in the palace also played polo. Mrs. Huarui of Shu in the Five Dynasties had a poem that said: "Teach Gong E to play ball by herself." , Jade Anchu straddles Liu Yaorou", but they are not riding on horses, but on donkeys to play "ball". Women played polo in ancient times. This is also rare in modern polo.

Step ball

Its movement method and venue equipment are the same as "Shouju" (polo). The difference is that you step instead of riding. The person is on the ground, holding a ball. Hitting the ball with a stick, and jiju is a competition on horseback to hit the ball, so it is the same sport as jiju. This sport that has arisen since the Tang Dynasty is worth celebrating for those who do not have horses or are not good at riding but like jiju. things. Even the women in the court competed and played ball for fun. Later, when it was spread to Japan, they called it "playing ball".

Mushe

This is a ball game created in the Tang Dynasty. It is similar to the motion of bocce ball hitting wooden pillars. The method is to place bottle-shaped wooden pillars on the ground. On the ten pillars, the words "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, faith, gentleness, kindness, respect and frugality" are written in red. ", let", and the words "arrogance, pride, stinginess, greed, abuse" and other words written in ink on the five pillars. Participants throw the wooden ball to hit the pillars. The one who hits the red mark wins, and the one who hits the black mark loses, and there are rewards and penalties. It is very similar to the bocce ball (bowling ball) introduced from the West in modern times.

Jiaodian

In the Sui and Tang Dynasties, it mainly refers to wrestling, also known as "sumo" or "wrestling". "Xu Wen Tong Kao Le Kao" says: "Wrestling drama, the strong men fight naked to determine the winner. After each group of drama is completed, the left and right armies beat the drums to lead them." This shows that this project is very popular and is often performed after the "group show" and is listed as the "final show".

Sumo wrestling was one of the main items of palace entertainment in the Tang Dynasty. Emperor Yizong Li Cui of the Tang Dynasty specially appointed a group of wrestlers to form a full-time team, named "Sumo Wrestlers". Wrestling competitions and performances are quite large-scale. Since the Jin Dynasty and Sui Dynasty, they were mostly held on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. This became a common practice and formed regular wrestling competitions. Regular competitions in the Tang Dynasty were held in spring and autumn. The fifteenth day of the first lunar month in spring and the fifteenth day of July in autumn were the wrestling periods. There were grand competitions and performances, and many wrestling and sumo wrestling masters emerged. For example, Meng Wanying of the Tang Dynasty was known as "Wanying" because he often won prizes in wrestling.

Wrestling was also very popular in the army of the Tang Dynasty. There were also some wrestling masters who were good at sumo wrestling in the army. These people were rough, brave and heroic. At that time, ordinary people also loved wrestling very much.

During the Five Dynasties, jiao bet was still popular, and some people won high officials by gambling with jiao. "Old History of the Five Dynasties: Biography of Li Cunxian" records: "Cunxian rarely has physical strength, but he is good at fighting. ... Zhuangzong (Li Cunxu) was proud of his ability, and said of Cunxian: 'If you fight with me, you will win, and you will be rewarded. A county's "immediate confrontation, the best person wins, and the governor of Yuzhou"

Weightlifting

In ancient wars, due to the backwardness of weapons, personal ability became very important. Therefore, strength competitions were often held in ancient times to select talents. During the reign of Emperor Wu Zhou of the Tang Dynasty, Wu Zetian (624-705), he listed weightlifting as a formal imperial examination item, established the martial arts examination, and formulated martial arts examination subjects. Through examinations in weightlifting (lifting stones, carrying cauldrons), archery, riding and other events, warriors with strong strength and martial arts skills were selected to serve as officials, and were awarded corresponding titles such as "Mighty Palace Warrior" and "Strong Warrior".

Due to the implementation of the martial arts examination in the Tang Dynasty, the practice of martial arts among the people became more popular. According to legend, during the reign of Emperor Dezong of the Tang Dynasty, there was a strong man named Wang Jie who practiced martial arts freely. When he first entered Chang'an, he once went to Weiqiao. A stone lion was lifted up nearby, flicked hard, and kicked off. The stone lion was thrown more than ten feet away. At that time, more than ten young people tried to move the stone lion back to its original place, but they could not move. In the end, it was Wang Jie who put the stone lion back to its original place. Later, Wang Jie was promoted to "General Shence" by the court.

The concept of miscellaneous opera

The success of various operas in the Sui Dynasty was unprecedented. During the reign of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, large-scale performances were held almost every year. According to "Book of Sui Dynasty·Music Chronicles": In the sixth year of Daye (610), "all the barbarians presented gifts, and all the rulers from the Turks down to the Qi people personally came to congratulate them. Hundreds of operas were displayed in the streets of Tianjin... The prosperity of the opera is incomparable." There are many miscellaneous tricks in Baixi. Acrobatics of this period could be seen everywhere in the city and countryside, in addition to regular performances in the palace. Most of these acrobatic events were passed down from the Han Dynasty, and many of their contents and movements are still retained in modern gymnastics skills and folk sports activities.

In terms of its form and techniques, it can be divided into the following categories.

Animal-like tricks

Dragon dance, lion dance, etc. are common. Xue Daoheng of the Sui Dynasty, "The Rhyme of the Play with Promising Good Things and Good Hearts": "The dance of hundreds of beasts, the play of five animals in the panshan, the Suan Ni playing with its spotted feet, and the giant elephant drooping its long trunk." It is talking about miscellaneous tricks disguised in various animal shapes. Bai Juyi's poem "Xiliang Opera" contains the sentence "Masked a barbarian with a fake lion, carved wood for the head and silk for the tail, gold-plated eyes and silver for the teeth, Fenxun sweaters for the ears", which shows that it is similar to modern acrobatics and folk art. Lion dance in sports activities is much the same.

Aerial tricks

Mainly based on walking ropes, edge poles, etc. Liu Yanshi's poem "Guan Rope Opera" says: "Heavy shoulders stand on three or four levels, and the steps on the back are still in harmony with the clogs; the round swords on both sides gradually meet each other, and the steps are so light when walking sideways." It describes the rope opera at that time. Superb skills. There are many forms of Yuangan opera, and it is also the most popular. "Chao Ye Qian Zai" records: "Liu Jiao, a native of Youzhou, wears a long pole seventy feet high, which he holds up and down. There is a twelve-year-old woman who is very upright. She is stationed on the pole, crossing the plate independently..." "Duyi Zhi" "" contains: "In the Dezong Dynasty (780-805), there was Aunt Wang, a woman from Sanyuan who wore a pole, and she led eighteen people." This shows that at that time, the technology of the pole was innovative, emerging in endlessly, and accompanied by music. Download the volume of "The Deeds of Anlu Mountain": "One person may wear a talisman on his shoulder, twenty-four people on his head, and a pole more than a hundred feet long. As for the people with poles, they fly like birds in ape's burrows, and they compete for a long time. Don't worry, the spectators are dizzy with sweat. "This is the record for the most people wearing it on the pole in ancient times.

Maru Sword Technique

It is mainly about playing pills and dancing swords. The "bell jumping" and "sword throwing" recorded in Volume 33 of "Tang Huiyao" are also such events. During the Zhenguan Period (627-649), whenever rewards were given to ministers and envoys from the barbarians, there were performances such as "Tiaowan" and "Sword Making".

Throwing tricks

Mainly somersaults, handstands, etc. "New Book of Tang Dynasty·Book of Rites and Music" records: During the reign of Emperor Ruizong [710-712], "Brahmin kings walked backwards and danced with their feet. They raised their heads and planted their swords. They leaned over to use the blades and touched them under their faces. They were replanted on their backs and they were decorated with piercings. The person stands on the abdomen, and the song ends without being hurt." This is this kind of program. This is also one of the cultural and sports exchange projects between China and India.

Go

Following the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Go reached a new climax in the Tang Dynasty. The scale used has reached 19 vertical and horizontal scales. There are more than 30 common terms, such as "Li, Xing, Fei, Jian, Nian, Shi, Chuo, Yue..." etc. (Xu Xuan's "Weiqi Yili"), and there are notes under each word. It can be seen that chess skills and theory have developed to a new stage. During this period, Go was still popular among literati and scholars, and there were also masters among the people. According to "Unzen Miscellaneous Notes", the King of Hanlin accumulated his salary, "Whenever he travels, he must bring a short set of Go equipment, draw paper to use as a game, put the chess pieces together with the chess pieces in a bamboo tube, and tie them to the shaft of the chariot and the horse's mane. Even if he encounters a common man on the road, he will deal with the opponent." If he wins, he will collect cakes, bait, oxen and wine, and then go away when he is full." It shows that you can also meet ordinary people who know how to play chess on the road. The emperors of the Tang Dynasty loved Go very much, and there was no "chess waiter" to accompany them to play chess, or let two people play the game for their appreciation. When Li Longji, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, even fled to Shu, he was accompanied by the national Go player Wang Jisheng. Women in the Tang Dynasty were also very fond of playing chess. When Wu Zetian was in power, there was a palace doctor who was responsible for teaching the palace people. Among the palace doctor doctors, there was one who specialized in teaching the palace people chess skills to improve women's Go skills.

In the Tang Dynasty, the economy was prosperous and open to the outside world. Many envoys came from various countries. It was at this time that Go was introduced to Japan. In the second year of Dazhong (848), a competition between Chinese and Japanese Go players was held in Chang'an.

Xiangqi

During the Tang Dynasty, due to the invention of artillery, "cannon" appeared in chess as a symbol of combat game. After the addition of cannon, chess developed to this time and became The prototype of modern chess. In "Xuanguailu" by Niu Sengru of the Tang Dynasty, "the horses and horses are all full of scales, all made of gold and copper", which refers to the chess pieces of the "Baoying Xiangqi" in the Tang Dynasty, which were made of copper with pictographic patterns. In the Tang Dynasty, chess was spread to Japan, and later to Korea, Vietnam, Myanmar, Mongolia and other countries.

Music and Dance

The music and dance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties developed further on the basis of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and there were "Taichang Temple" and "Jiaofang" specializing in religious affairs. The heyday of ancient Chinese music and dance. The colorful dances can be roughly divided into "vigorous dance" and "soft dance". In addition, there are flower dance, character dance, horse dance, etc.

Among the large-scale dance creations, the most popular one is "Broken Formation Music", which was compiled by Emperor Taizong Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty and was later renamed "Seven Virtues Dance". According to the annotation of "Zizhi Tongjian·Tang Ji 10": "One hundred and twenty-eight people were dancing with halberds in silver armor.

Every time there are three changes, it becomes four formations, with elephants striking and stabbing back and forth, and the singers singing in harmony, saying that the King of Qin broke the formation and played music. "Obviously it is a martial dance that includes formation changes and weapon drills. There are also "Nine Gong Dance" and "Shangyuan Dance", which are the three famous dances.

Wu Zetian created another dance "Sheng Shou Le" with 140 people, "the dance procession must form a character, and it will be completed in sixteen changes" ("Old Tang Book·Music Chronicle") This is a group dance similar to modern group gymnastics, as shown in Wang Jian's "Gong Ci". "Each dance is divided into two directions, and the words "Long Live Peace" are used. Emperor Gaozong, Zhongzong, Ruizong, and Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty were the most prominent ones, such as Pan Shizheng, Sun Simiao, Sima Chengji, Zhang Gao, etc., who were all summoned to the palace to preach about health preservation in "Books of the Sui Dynasty" and "Books of the New Tang Dynasty". , there are many writings on health preservation.

Sun Simiao was a famous medical scientist and health preserver in ancient my country. He lived to be 101 years old, which was very rare at the time. This was the result of his knowledge of health preservation. The central idea of ??Sun Simiao's health-preserving technique is to pay equal attention to the body and mind. He advocates regulating daily life according to the changes in nature, paying special attention to the comfort and tranquility of the mind. In terms of health-preserving methods, he pays great attention to the movement of qi and guidance.

The "Hundred Officials System" in "Book of Sui" and "New Book of Tang" has the setting of "Massage Doctor", and "Tang Liudian" also contains massage workers and massage students, which illustrates the importance of massage in this period.

Other sports

Tug of war reached its peak in the Tang Dynasty. Games at that time generally used hemp ropes dozens of feet long, with hundreds of small ropes tied at both ends. Hundreds of people were divided into two teams with a rope, and a big flag was set up in the middle. The spectators were beating drums and cheering. The scene was very lively. The reason why the tug-of-war in the Tang Dynasty was so popular was that tug-of-war was a favorite activity of the emperors at that time. This activity became an important entertainment project for the court. The largest tug-of-war competition in the ancient world was in the Tang Dezong era of my country from 780 to 805 AD. The society was relatively stable, people's cultural and entertainment life was relatively active, and the people loved it. Various acrobatics, jousting, dancing and other acrobatic activities were very popular in the country. Emperor Dezong also loved to watch tug-of-war. He divided thousands of strong men into two teams and held a huge tug-of-war competition. The ropes were thousands of feet long, and all sides A small rope was tied between the two teams to mark the victory. When the game started, the drums were beating and the crowd was boiling. , tens of thousands of people were cheering and cheering, it was really impressive and spectacular.

During the Sui and Tang Dynasties in my country, there were already high platform diving performances. According to "Yin Hua Lu", there was a man named Cao Zan. He is very intelligent, and he can do opera and other things to the best of his ability, but he is also good at playing in the water. He can "throw himself down on a hundred-foot raft with all his clothes on". "Qiang" is the mast on which the sail is hung on a sailboat. High-altitude diving performances.

Spring outings have become a very popular sports and entertainment activity in the Tang Dynasty. Every year during the Qingming Festival, huge spring outing teams began to set out during the heyday of feudal society. In the Tang Dynasty, kite flying became very popular, and kite making technology reached a very high level.

The "Racing Song" written by Zhang Jianfeng of the Tang Dynasty gives us a vivid picture of the dragon boat race: "Three beats of drums, the red flag is opened, two dragons leap out of the floating water; the shadows are reflected on the waves and thousands of swords are flying. , the sound of drums splits the waves and roars with thousands of thunders; the sound of the drums becomes more and more urgent as the mark approaches, and the two dragons look at the mark as if in an instant; the people on the slope are startled by shouting thunderbolts, and the poles are decorated with rainbow colors." ("Complete Poems of the Tang Dynasty, Zhang Jianfeng")