Source: CCTV.com

09-15-2006 09:23

Six teams have taken part in an unusual football-like match in East China's Shandong Province on Wednesday. International players took to the field under the banner of Cu-ju, an ancient Chinese football discipline, which now applies for entry at the World Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

The ancient sport of Cuju dates back to the Warring State of 2500 years and is admittedly the earliest form of contemporary football. In Chinese, "cu" means kick and "ju" means ball.

Six teams from China, South Korea and Japan took part in a match which observes rules dating from China's Song Dynasty. The five members on each of the two opposing teams juggle the ball with various tricks on the legs. The team that manages to pass the ball through the central hole in the gate will score a point, while those who fail to keep the ball from falling to the ground will lose one.

The ancient football spawns many deviations, like this one from South Korea.

In 2004, FIFA president Joseph S. Blatter declared that football comes from China. A year later, Blatter inked a certificate stating that the town of Zibo, in Shandong Province, is the place where football originated.

Its waning popularity notwithstanding, The ancient way of ball-kicking has found a new life in today's football pitches. In one way or another, this archaic sport has been updated and truly lives on as one of the most shared treasure of mankind.

 

Editor:Luyuying