Physical culture in ancient China
3 min readTraditional Chinese culture emphasizes harmony, peace, and tolerance. This social environment did not give rise to the type of fiercely competitive sports that are popular in the West.
Rather, traditional Chinese physical culture emphasized practicality, physical fitness, and protocol. Most athletic activities of the time, such as polo, martial arts, and track and field, were associated with military training, with obvious practical applications. Ancient Chinese philosophers believed that the entire universe exists in a state of constant movement, and that human beings also require movement. They considered movement, in the form of athletics, to be the best way to maintain health.
The emphasis placed by traditional physical culture on ceremony and protocol was closely connected with traditional ideas of morality and ethics. Ancient martial arts competitions were very courteous and refined. Before starting the match, the contestants would affirm their respect for each other. During the competition, blows were precisely controlled to avoid injury, with a touch sufficient to indicate a hit. Chinese martial arts, or gongfu(kung fu), strongly emphasized ethics and morality. Students of martial arts strove not only to constantly increase their physical skills, but also to improve their character.
Ancient Chinese physical culture was also closely connected with entertainment. In the wake of social advances and economic development, many athletic activities evolved into highly skilled, entertaining, and artistic performance events. Cwju, an early type of soccer from the Warring States Period(475-221 BC), and polo, highly popular during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), are cases in point. Despite their similarities with modern soccer and polo, the ancient forms put more emphasis on entertainment. Many martial arts forms involvingweapons play, such as”sword dancing”and “knife dancing,”also appeared during this time, emphasizing artistic merit and entertainment value.
Weiqi, or go, the ancient Chinese form of chess, had infinite appeal, and was extremely popular during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods(770-221 BC). Unlike modern chess, go does not employ pieces divided by rank, such as kings, queens, and pawns. Rather, the opponents use simple black or white markers, with victory determined by how many intersections of the chessboard each side captures. This demands a high level of calculation.
Go is deeply philosophical, embodying the traditional Chinese perception that”simplicity embraces complexity.”Offering insight into the Daoist concept of transcendence, it is yet another reflection of the ancient philosophy of yin and yang. Ancient Chinese people believed thatin order to become a person of culture and cultivation, it was necessary to master four areas-the qin(a stringed musical instrument), go, painting, and calligraphy. This indicates the highregard in which go was held in ancient China.
Traditional Chinese physical culture also emphasized physical fitness. From the “wuqinxi(five animals playing)”exercises popularized by the Eastern Han Dynasty(25-220 AD) physician Hua Tuo(d.208 AD), to taijiquan(tai chi, or Chinese shadow boxing) that flourished during the Ming-Qing period(1368-1911 AD), numerous exercises were developed to treat disease and maintain health. Taijiquan was probably the most widely practiced form of exercise. It was believed that practicing taijiquan strengthens qi, the vital energy that animates the body andspirit, and can prolong life. The art of taijiquan arose from the ancient philosophical concept of yin and yang, the complementary and constantly transforming opposites that make up the universe. Yin and yang are expressed in taijiquan through movements that exemplify the unity of opposites, such as stillness and motion, yielding and firmness, emptiness and substance, merging and separation, and interior and exterior. The practice of taijiquan brings body, mind, and spirit into harmony. When the body and limbs are at rest, the mind and spirit circulate within; the exterior is still and the interior is in motion. When the body and limbs are moving, the mind is concentrated and the spirit is focused; the exterior is in motion, and the interior is still. The movements of tajiquan are slow and graceful. Although they appear simple, they are deeply imbued with vital energy. With prolonged practice, taijiquan opens the door to a realm of enlightenment and transcendence.
