Chapter 8 Chapter 2 Ancient Athletics

Athletics is made up of running, jumping and throwing, the three most basic forms of human physical activity.It is often said that track and field is the foundation of all sports. In fact, these most basic activities are also closely related to people's daily life.Especially in the early society, the power of human beings to conquer nature was still quite weak. In the struggle with nature, to a large extent, they had to completely rely on the agility and strength of their own flesh and blood, whether they were fighting beasts or not. In hunting, or in fighting with men, the victors are often those who run fast, jump far, and throw well.Although there are no words for "run" and "jump" in ancient Chinese characters, words that are synonymous with running, such as running, tending, walking, sharp toes, and words that are synonymous with jumping, such as jumping, over distance, over Gao, Yue, etc. have long appeared in historical records.The various sports methods that belong to track and field events today have played an extremely important role in human society since ancient times.There are many touching stories left in the vast history books.

The earliest legend is "Kua Fu chasing the sun" recorded in "Shan Hai Jing Overseas Bei Jing".This story is about a giant named Kuafu, who lived in the north, saw the sun driving a golden chariot that was shining brightly every day, rumbling out from the east mountain, crossing thousands of mountains and rivers in a blink of an eye, and disappearing in a cloud of clouds In the west, I made up my mind to race against the sun!So he made great strides to chase the sun, the mountains were dangerous, and the rivers and lakes moved back quickly under Kuafu's feet. The competition reached a feverish level, and the victory was already in sight.However, the long-term competition with the scorching sun made Kuafu thirsty, so he bent down to drink the water of the river.Unexpectedly, after drinking up the Yellow River and the Weihe River in one breath, Kuafu was still very thirsty, so he had to go to Daze in the north to drink water. Due to excessive thirst, the giant fell down, but his walking stick turned into a piece of wood. In the peach forest, the fruit is full of water, which quenches the thirst of passers-by.Of course, this is just a myth, but it expresses the good wishes of the ancient Chinese people to conquer nature.

Due to the important role of running in ancient society, as early as thousands of years ago, there were many scuds that could run and walk well in China. Their endurance and speed can amaze today's long-distance runners.An inscription on a bronze tripod in the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC-771 BC) left such a record: Once King Cheng of Zhou (1024-1005 BC) went to Qitian to encourage farming.On the way back to the palace, the attendants of King Cheng ran behind the galloping carriage until the palace.Therefore, he was rewarded with 10 slaves. Track and field sports in ancient China were often closely linked with military training and became an important part of military camp life.After entering the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the role of infantry became increasingly important, and the ability of soldiers to run and jump became an important aspect of combat effectiveness. Therefore, all countries paid great attention to cultivating soldiers' speed, endurance and jumping ability.The state of Wu in the southeast was originally a small and weak state. Later, it made great efforts to govern and used capable advisers and generals such as Wu Chen, Wu Yuan, Sun Wu, etc. to strictly train the army and quickly became strong.In order to train soldiers' ability to run long distances, the state of Wu adopted a training method with a large amount of exercise. The soldiers were fully armed and ran for 300 miles continuously before resting ("Mozi Feigong").This distance is roughly equivalent to 35 kilometers today, so the speed is considerable.This kind of training really played a role in actual combat.In 506 BC, the Wu army selected 500 strong soldiers and 3,000 soldiers who could run and jump well as the vanguard, and drove straight into the hinterland of Chu State. · On Wei").

Wu Qi (?—381 B.C.), a famous military strategist in the State of Wei, also attached great importance to the training of soldiers’ physical fitness. He advocated gathering soldiers who were good at walking and running, high jumping and long jumping to form an elite assault force ("Wu Zi. Figure Country").Long-distance running is also an important test for the selection of infantry in the state of Wei. Soldiers are required to wear armor and swords, carry a strong bow and crossbow that requires 12 stones to draw and 50 arrows, and carry three days of rations. Run 100 miles.Sergeants who passed this high-level test were exempted from paying taxes to their families ("Xunzi Yibing").The chariot soldiers in the Warring States period also had good running ability. Not only were they tall, they could catch up with fast horses when they ran, and they could also jump on galloping chariots while running fast ("Six Taoist Warriors").

Soldiers who are good at running and jumping are often selected to perform special tasks in battle. For example, in March of the eighth year of Duke Ai of Lu, a war broke out between Wu State and Lu State.In order to select elite warriors, he set up a high jump sign in front of the military tent, and only those who could jump over this sign three times could be selected ("Zuo Zhuan Eight Years of Ai Gong"). The military book "Six Secret Teachings", which was probably written in the middle and late Warring States period, tells us that when selecting chariot soldiers and cavalry soldiers at that time, there were quite strict standards for running, jumping and strength.Candidates should be under 40 years old and not less than seven feet five inches tall. The running speed of the chariot soldiers must be able to catch up with the galloping chariots, and they must be able to jump up and down on the chariots while running at high speed. Both arms can open a strong bow and crossbow with eight stones.The cavalry is also physically strong, and has a running speed that ordinary people can only rival (Volume 6 of "Six Secret Teachings").

Due to the important role of running and jumping ability in war, the monarchs of all countries cherish soldiers with outstanding physical fitness.Just like the military strategist Wu Qi said, in any army, there are some fierce warriors who are so powerful that they can lift a bronze tripod lightly, are light in body and agile, and can easily run with war horses. Treat ("Wu Zi · Material Enemy No. 2"). "Zuo Zhuan·Xi Gong Twenty-eight Years" records that Wei Ji [chou], a fierce general of the Jin State, violated the military order. Jin Wengong was very annoyed and wanted to execute him according to the military law, but he was reluctant to part with this rare general.It just so happened that Wei Ji was recuperating at home at this time, and Duke Wen of Jin sent someone to visit him. In fact, he was checking Wei Ji's injuries. If he was seriously injured and could no longer fight, he would be executed according to military law.If the injury is minor, it will not be pursued anymore.Although Wei Ji was a reckless warrior, he was rough and fine. He had already understood Jin Wengong's meaning, so he bandaged his chest wound, pretended to be very relaxed, jumped 300 times high, and jumped 300 times forward, expressing that he was still alive. Very strong, so saved his life.

In the army of the Yuan Dynasty, long-distance running was also an important training content.Kublai Khan, the ancestor of the Yuan Dynasty, used a race called "Guiyuchi" to assess soldiers. "Guiyouchi" means "fast walker" in Mongolian.This fast-moving race is supervised and judged by a "supervisor" appointed by the imperial court. The runners are required to run from Hexiwu (northwest of Wuqing County, Hebei Province) to Hexiwu (now northwest of Wuqing County, Hebei Province) within three hours (six hours). Dadu (Beijing), or the distance of 180 miles from Ni'er River (15 miles east of Xuanhua County, Hebei Province today) to Shangdu (the bank of Shangdu River in the northwest of Duolun County, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region).At the start of the race, a starting line is drawn in front of the competitors to avoid "the last-first-to-merge battle".At the end of the race, the emperor came to the finish line to reward the winners. The first place received a silver cake, the second place received four sheets of satin, the third place received two sheets, and the following each received one sheet.This kind of competition is held once a year (Tao Zongyi's "Nancun Stop Farming Record").

A large number of long-distance running talents not only appear in military training, but also the postal service of sending orders and letters in ancient times has also cultivated countless "shenxingtaibao".In the Song Dynasty, there were three classes of mail delivery for documents, including step delivery, horse delivery, and urgent delivery.Shen Kuo, a scientist in the Song Dynasty, told us that express delivery is the fastest. The so-called express delivery refers to the way of running relays set up during the war to deliver express mail, which can run 400 miles a day.During the reign of Song Shenzong Xining (AD 1068-1077), there was also a kind of urgent delivery of gold-lettered plaques.The soldiers held wooden plaques with gold letters on a red background, shining brightly. Passers-by saw them and avoided the road one after another.This kind of fast postman should be said to be the earliest professional long-distance runner.The postal method of urgent delivery was also adopted by the Jin Dynasty and the Yuan Dynasty. In the sixth year of Jin Zhangzong Taihe (1206 A.D.), an "urgent delivery shop" was set up, which is equivalent to today's express delivery business. With a long gun in his hand, pedestrians get out of the way when they hear the bell, so that the postmen can walk 300 miles a day ("Golden History · Zhang Zongbenji").

The ethnic minorities living on the island of Taiwan have forged a strong physique and fierce character in the long-term struggle with nature.Because they often hunt deer that are good at running, they pay great attention to the training of the running ability of the younger generation. They practice barefoot running and jumping since childhood. Over the years, thick calluses grow on the soles of their feet, and they walk and run barefoot on thorns. Just like on flat ground.Interestingly, they wear bracelets on their wrists during long journeys, and they tap the bracelets with copper tiles as they walk. The sound is like ringing a bell. I can't catch up ("Qing Barnyard Banknotes · Skills and Bravery").Long-distance running is easy to make people tired. It is really a smart way for Taiwanese ethnic minorities to use the sound of copper tiles hitting bracelets to relieve fatigue.

Tibetan races are often combined with religious activities.According to the "Tibet Records", there are three kinds of races.One is influenced by the Mongolian people and set up from the fifth Dalai Lama (AD 1641-1680).Every morning on the 15th day of the first lunar month in the Tibetan calendar, after the religious prayer ceremony, a horse race is held first, followed by a race.The first one to arrive at the Potala Palace first saluted the Dalai Lama, and then got silk as a prize.The other is held in the seventh month of the Tibetan calendar, probably related to praying for rain.There is also a monk race held during picnics or after the rainy season.

Jumping is also a recreational activity. Emperor Song Shun of the Southern Dynasties once competed with his men in the high jump (Vol. 134).There is a camel jumping activity popular among the ethnic minorities in the north. This activity was first mentioned in history books, and it is associated with the name of Xiao Hugu, a young general of the Liao Kingdom.At the beginning of Xianyong Dynasty (1065 A.D.), Xiao Hugu accompanied Zhao San to question the disobedient Fanbu. The department asked for surrender. One of them, who was good at jumping, jumped on a camel with an arrogant expression and a provocative look Look at it.Zhao San knew that if he didn't suppress the other party's arrogance, it might ruin a big event, so he hurriedly asked the left and right, who has this ability.I saw Xiao Hugu wearing heavy armor and leaping onto the tall camel very easily ("Liao History · Xiao Hu Gu Biography").Xiao Zhonggong of Jin Guo also has this kind of high jump ability ("Jin History · Xiao Zhonggong Biography"). In the long history of China, many track and field wizards who can run and jump well and have extraordinary physical strength have left their names in the history books.For example, the famous tyrants Xia Jie and Yin Zhou in the history of our country, although they managed the country so that the people were miserable and complained a lot, they all had rare courage and were able to "fight wolves with their hands and chase four horses with their feet" ("Historical Records Law Book").Confucius, the patriarch of Confucianism, was not only very strong, able to lift a big wooden stick to close the city gate, but also ran very fast.Gan Yanshou, a general of the Han Dynasty, had extraordinary abilities in throwing stones and jumping.He once jumped over the guard's sentry box in the high jump, and it is said that he can throw a 12-jin stone over 200 steps ("Han Shu·Gan Yanshou Biography").During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Zhou Wenyu, the general under Chen Baxian, Emperor Wu of Chen Dynasty, was also a talent with extremely high athletic talent. He was able to jump five or six feet high when he was 11 years old, which was unmatched among his friends.When he grew up, his running and jumping ability helped him to make great achievements many times. For example, in a battle against Hou Jing, he was surrounded by heavy siege and his horse fell to his death. The situation was extremely dangerous. Zhou Wenyu fought with his right hand, unsaddled his left hand, and flew Break out of the encirclement.Another time in a water battle, Zhou Wenyu jumped into the enemy ship alone, beheaded the enemy leader, and returned after capturing the enemy ship ("Chen Shu · Zhou Wenyu Biography").Yan Zhenqing, a great calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty, not only wrote honest, dignified and majestic calligraphy, but also his jumping ability was as outstanding as his calligraphy. He can be called an ancient high jumper.In Yan Zhenqing's old age, his body is still as strong as a person in his 30s or 40s.He once had people use mats to form a circle around his body, and then he stood upright on the spot and jumped out of the mat circle very easily ("Tang Yulin").During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, there was a general Yang Dayan who was a sprinter with amazing speed. He once tied a three-foot-long rope on the back of his head, and then let go of his steps to run. The rope actually floated parallel to the ground. Straight line ("Northern History·Biography of Yang Dayan").During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Huang Faju (ququ) of the Chen Dynasty could walk 300 miles in one day and jump three feet long ("Chen Shu·Huang Faju Biography").Emperor Xiaojing of the Eastern Wei Dynasty Yuan Shanjian (534-550 A.D.) was able to cross a wall with a stone lion on his arms ("Wei Shu Xiaojing Emperor Ji").During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, Yang Xingmi, the Lord of Wu from Luzhou, was also a "Shenxing Taibao" who could "travel three hundred miles a day" (Volume 134 of "Old History of the Five Dynasties"). Ancient China did not have the ancient Greek throwing sports such as discus throwing and javelin throwing, but throwing sports also appeared in China very early.Still in the period of Emperor Yao in the primitive society stage, there was a throwing game called "Jiyang" ("Biography of Yishi", "Lunheng Yizeng Pian"). "Soil" is made of wood, one foot long and three inches wide, with one end wide and the other narrow, shaped like the sole of a shoe.When playing the game of "hitting the soil", first put one soil on the ground, and then throw another soil from thirty or forty steps away, to see who can hit the soil on the ground, and the winner is the one who hits ("Taiping Yu" View · Art Book, Jin and Zhou Dynasty "Feng Tu Ji"). (Picture 3) This kind of game is probably very popular among the common people. Therefore, in the ancient peaceful and prosperous times, even old people in their 80s can be seen playing the game of soil-kicking while singing ("Emperor's Century") by the roadside.This kind of soil hitting game was later developed into a brick hitting game, in which bricks were used instead of soil, and the rules of the game were relatively perfect.However, it seems that this kind of folk throwing game of who can throw it correctly has not been inherited in adult sports activities, but in children's games.In the Song Dynasty, it was popular in cold food, the children's game of throwing the camel before and after the Qingming Dynasty, and the children's games "beating tiles" and "playing boards" in the Ming and Qing Dynasties were all soil hitting games played with tiles and stones. In ancient Chinese entertaining throwing games, the accuracy of throwing is the core of the game."Puhu" once popular in the upper class is such a game.Players in this kind of game stand at a certain distance and throw the arrows with the arrows removed into the flagon. The one with the most hits wins.This is obviously a kind of light-hearted entertainment without much exercise.However, it is interesting that this elegant game evolved from archery.As early as the Western Zhou Dynasty in the slave society, archery was a skill that an adult man must master, because archery was not only an important means of hunting, but also a basic combat technique.Up to the emperor, princes, down to officials, scholars, and ordinary civilians must be able to shoot arrows.Archery competitions with very cumbersome rules are held at large and small banquets, called "Li She".It is shameful for a man not to be able to shoot. If he can't shoot, he can only use the excuse of feeling unwell, instead of directly saying that he can't shoot.Archery is a very strenuous activity. To be able to shoot accurately, one must practice hard and spend a lot of time practicing strength and technique.This became more and more an unbearable chore for the slave-owner class who pursued enjoyment, so they came up with a workaround, using the flagon at the banquet instead of the archery target, and changing the bow to shoot arrows with their hands. Throwing arrows is fun and easy, and still retains the meaning of archery, so throwing pots was quickly accepted by slave owners and nobles. Since the Spring and Autumn Period, it has gradually become popular in the upper class as a substitute for "ceremonial shooting" and has become a banquet. Drinking is an indispensable entertainment. "Zuo Zhuan" records the story of the 12th year of Zhao Gong (530 BC), the story of Jinhou and Qi Jinggong throwing pots at a banquet.Before the Marquis of Jin threw the pot, Muzi of the bank under him said, "Our country has as much wine as the Huai River, and as much meat as the highlands in the water. If the king of our country is cast, he should be the honor of the princes. After saying that, the Marquis of Jin really hit the mark." .Not to be outdone, Qi Jinggong raised his arrow and said loudly, "Our country has as much wine as water, and meat as much as mountains. If I am cast, I will replace your king as the overlord of the vassals. I will also win the vote (Zuo Zhuan Zhaogong Twelve year").In this story, we can see that the small game of throwing pots was sometimes used as a tool for princes to compete for hegemony in the diplomacy at that time. The princes seem to have quite good skills in throwing pots. The arrows used in throwing pots are different from ordinary arrows. The front end of the arrow has no arrowheads and is made thinner, called "mo"; the tail has no arrow feathers, but is thicker, called "ben".In order to prevent the thrown arrows from bouncing out of the pot, there are small beans in the pot.The host and the guest each shoot four arrows.The location of throwing pots can be indoors, in the courtyard, or in the yard according to the climate and time.But the throwing distance is different, five feet indoors, seven feet in the courtyard, and nine feet in the yard.Although the method of throwing pots in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period was simple, the etiquette was very complicated. After the Han Dynasty, throwing pots got rid of the shackles of ancient etiquette and became more gamified. In order to increase the fun of throwing pots, small beans were no longer placed in the pots, so that the thrown arrows bounced off and could be thrown in again. The difficulty of throwing pots was greatly increased, and it became a specialized skills.In the palace of the Han Dynasty, there was an advocator Guo Sheren, who was not only eloquent, gags and jokes around the emperor, but also had a skill in throwing pots that ordinary people could not match, so he was favored by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.Guo Sheren can throw an arrow more than 100 times in a row, and every time he performs for Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, he will be rewarded with gold and silver brocade ("Xijing Miscellaneous Notes").Tossing pot was very popular in the Han Dynasty, the Three Kingdoms, and the Southern and Northern Dynasties. In the Sui and Tang Dynasties, it was appreciated by the princes and nobles, and became a unique entertainment for the scholar-official class.Every time "for entertainment with wine, you must throw songs into the pot" ("Dongguan Hanji"). "Yan's Family Instructions" also believes that throwing pots is an elegant entertainment, which has the function of dispelling sorrow and anger, and can be played from time to time.The utensils specially used for pitching pots also gradually appeared, and the technology of pitching pots became more and more complicated.Some pot-throwing masters have unimaginable skills. For example, Shi Chong raised a geisha and had the ability to throw pots through a screen.Touhu was later spread to Japan and North Korea, where it became a traditional recreational activity in Japan and North Korea.Tossing the pot has been handed down to the Qing Dynasty, and Yue Fei, a famous patriotic general in the Song Dynasty, also loved this kind of activity ("Song History · Yue Fei Biography"). From the Sui and Tang Dynasties to the Song Dynasty, a total of 13 books about touhu appeared, and only "Touhu Xinge" by Sima Guang in the Song Dynasty survived.But Sima Guang compiled this book to promote feudal morality by emphasizing the etiquette in throwing pots. In his words, "throwing pots can heal the mind, cultivate the body, serve the country, and observe people." ") Therefore, some fresh and interesting betting methods were deleted because they did not meet his feudal moral standards, and this ancient game began to decline. There is also a kind of game entertainment that uses arrows to throw, which is called getting arrows.This kind of throwing game is to throw several arrows in the air in turn and take them up with your hands. It is very similar to throwing balls. According to the records of "Xijing Miscellaneous Notes", there was a gentleman named Gu in Chang'an in the Han Dynasty who was very good at making arrows and other juggling. Drilling in the gate of officials (Volume 4 of "Xijing Miscellaneous Notes"). The throwing sport popular in military camps is far from being as easy as Jiyang, and not as refined as throwing pots, but full of the bravery of soldiers.Whether it is soil or bricks, it is too small in the eyes of Kong Wu's brave warriors. Ancient Chinese soldiers chose heavy stones for throwing activities, which was called "stone throwing".This kind of activity is not only a means of military training in the barracks, but also a good way of entertainment.During the Warring States period, when the general of Qin State Wang Jian confronted the Chu army, in order to avoid the Chu army's vigor, he adopted the strategy of staying out of the fortress and recharging his energy.However, long-term persistence without fighting will also lower the morale of one's own army, so sports and entertainment activities such as long jump and throwing stones were carried out in the Qin army ("Historical Records Biography of Bai Qi Wang Jian").In ancient China, there were many people with extraordinary skills in throwing stones. For example, Gan Yanshou, who was selected as Yulinqi (the emperor's armed attendant) because of his good riding and shooting in the Han Dynasty, had extraordinary running, jumping and throwing abilities. The stone weighs 12 catties, and it is launched by a flying stone machine, flying 200 steps away. Gan Yanshou, who has supernatural power, "can throw it with his hands" ("Hanshu·Gan Yanshou Biography"). People throwing stones at each other is also a popular custom in many places in ancient my country.For example, in eastern Fujian and Taiwan, a festive entertainment called "Doushi" is popular, which is usually held on New Year's Day or Dragon Boat Festival.This activity involves villagers from two villages throwing stones at each other, which is said to drive away ghosts and disasters.If you are beaten by a stone in the fighting stone and your skin is broken, and you bleed, you can guarantee that you will not be disturbed by disasters and diseases throughout the year.Under the dominance of this religious superstition concept, the "Doushi" activity is very intense, and the scale is quite considerable. It is easy to lose control and become a fight between villages and clans.This kind of recreational fighting game between villages has also been passed down for a long time among the Buyi people in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. It is commonly known as "fighting stone dragons" and is played at night.Every year on the night of July 15th, a group of Buyi youths roar and dance, throwing stones like flying. Under the bright moonlight, the stones are like meteors and arrows, which is both nervous and exciting.The Koreans in Northeast China call this kind of game full of martial spirit more vividly "Stone War". The stones on the side slammed the "enemy army" until one side retreated.The Dongxiang people living in the northwestern region of my country also have this custom, but they use clods that are not dangerous. Every year on the first day of the first month, the young and middle-aged people of the two villages will carry out this "battle" of throwing clods at each other at the agreed time. ", until one side forced the other side back to its own village with its own fierce "firepower". This kind of throwing sport of hitting people with stones is actually a unique military skill in the era of cold weapons, and it has military value that cannot be ignored in actual combat. Zhang Qing, the "arrow without feathers" in "Water Margin", skillfully combined the powerful throwing in the army with the skillful throwing of the people, and practiced the excellent skill of hitting people with flying stones.There are so many heroes in Shuibo Liangshan, like Xu Ning, the golden gunner, Hu Yanzhuo, the double-whip general, and Lu Zhishen, the flower monk. Although all of them have the courage to be undeserved, they were all beaten with bruised noses, swollen faces, and bloody heads by Zhang Qing's elusive stones. Chapter 70 of "Water Margin".The Mongolians who live in the northern prairie are not only good at riding and shooting, but also have outstanding throwing skills, especially good at "Blu". "Bru" means "throwing" in Mongolian, and it also refers to a throwing device. There are three kinds of "Bru": one is called "Jirugenbu", which is a heart-shaped object made of copper and iron, tied with a long leather strip, and is mainly used to hunt large wild animals at close range. After being thrown, it can penetrate the tough fur of the wild beast and go straight to the vital point, even the fierce beast will die immediately; the second kind is called "Tuguligabulu", which is a wooden round object, and the front part is filled with lead or Covered with copper and iron, it is light in weight and fast in speed. It is suitable for hunting small animals with strong mobility, such as pheasants and hares. For normal practice only.Later, playing "Blu" developed into a folk sport of the Mongolian people, which has two forms: long throw and accurate throw. Throwing has a special meaning to the young men and women of the Gaoshan nationality, and it is a way for them to express love.The Gaoshan nationality has the custom of "carrying a bamboo basket". At this time, the girls run ahead with a bamboo basket on their backs, and the young man who is interested in a certain girl is chasing after him with a betel nut in his hand, and throws the betel nut in his hand while running. into the back basket of a girl four to five meters away from him to express his love.Of course, the important matter of marriage and marriage cannot be decided by a single throw. Girls can pour the betel nuts of the boys they don’t like out of the basket, or deliberately tilt them left and right to prevent the betel nuts from entering the basket.But if a young man's throwing accuracy is too poor, he misses repeatedly, or throws himself into someone's back basket by mistake, it is also very embarrassing. Generally speaking, track and field activities such as running, jumping, and throwing in ancient China were mainly part of military training and existed as a means of military sports, and seldom used as folk entertainment.This also shows that track and field has not been separated from the military in ancient China.