culture | Bygone Ball Games
Early Beginnings
Bygone Ball Games
The roots of modern football are planted in various countries , with Asia being the birthplace of two ancestors of the sport – cuju and kemari
Text Stephanie M . Leong
Long before the modern game of football was established , ball games that echoed the sport existed in a variety of eras and regions around the world . One forefather of football comes from ancient Greece and is known as episkyros . Another variant called calcio fiorentino was played in Italy during the Middle Ages . And in China , the world ’ s earliest recorded form of football is known as cuju . This variation of football influenced the development of kemari , one of Japan ’ s earliest forms of the sport .
CUJU
History Originating in China , the first historical references of cuju date back to the Warring States period ( 475 – 221 BCE ), where the game is mentioned in the Strategies of the Warring States and the Records of the Grand Historian – two major texts covering ancient Chinese history . During the Han dynasty , cuju was incorporated into military training and was played by many in the royal courts and ruling classes . Although cuju declined greatly following the end of the Han dynasty , it was revived during the Tang dynasty when China was united once more . Furthermore , cuju was now played amongst Chinese citizens as opposed to being confined to the nobility , and was also played during the Hanshi and Qingming festivals ( or the Cold Food festival and Tomb- Sweeping Day , respectively ). Cuju peaked during the Song dynasty , a period during which China achieved immense economic , social and cultural advancements . The sport established itself as a popular recreational activity and cultural element , and was even played by the dynasty ’ s first emperor , Emperor Taizu .
Wikipedia
In spite of the significant popularity it garnered during previous dynasties , cuju began to die out during the Ming dynasty . It is said that Zhu Yuanzhang , the founding emperor of the dynasty , even banned the sport , declaring that anyone caught playing the sport would have their feet cut off . Cuju continued to decline during the Qing dynasty due to a lack of support and endorsement by the ruling class . Moreover ,
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