达斡尔曲棍球(英文).doc

From Daurs Bako to Modern Hockey by Yang ChengA boy, holding in his left hand a stick crooked at the lower part, crouches and prepares to bat a ballsuch is a picture woven in a blanket from the Tang Dydasty (618-907), which is now preserved in Dong Da Si temple in Japan. Surprisingly, the stick looks similar to that used in modern field hockey now some 1,500 years later. In addition, the gesture of the boy looks almost the same as that of todays hockey player. Such similarities have led historians to explore further. What the picture shows is an ancient game popular during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) then called “Bu Da Qiu” (walking and batting a ball). Five hundred years later, the ethnic Qidan were still playing this game. As a brave and wise migrating ethnic group, Qidan settled in north China Liao Dynasty (907-1125) which lasted for more than 200 years. When another migrating ethnic group, Nv Zhen, overthrew Liao, Qidan people left for different parts of China. Where did the descendants of Qidan finally settle? This question has aroused much discussion among historians. In stories passed down fom generation to generation, the Daur people believe they are the descendants of Qidan. Now living in Molidawa Daur Autonomous Qi (Qi is similar to town) in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in China, Daur people still play a game similar to “Bu Da Qiu” but now called Bat Bako or Bako for short in Daur language. This and other cultural similarities may offer proof of their belief that they are the descendants of Qidan. In the game of Bako, the stick “Bako” means “the crooked stick”, and is like the modern hockey stick in length, weight and shape. Furthermore, the rules of Bat Bako resemble those in modern hockey. What was a traditional Bako game really like? What is the relationship between Bako and todays field hockey? These and other questions drew me, a CEG journalist, to visit Molidawa to learn more. Bako Memories of a Daur Senior Citizen Hale and hearty, Tumure, an 82-year-old Daur man, got excited when he talked about Bat Bako, “When I was a little boy, I liked to make Bako and Poly (ball) with other kids.” He used to make a Bako out of a branch of Chinese oak, which was not used by house builders due to its crooked shape. Such a Chinese oak, however, was the delight of Bako lovers as the shape could easily be transformed into a game stick thereby saving much time for the Bako makers. Tumure would then use twigs from summer willow or apron trees to weave a round Poly. Such a ball was much lighter than the ball used in field hockey today. “We didnt really have any sports field to bat Bako. In spring and autumn we played on the grassland, while in summer, when the grass got too long, we just played on the country paths. In winter, we could play on snow covered ground, but had to stop when the snow got too thick.” Tumure recalled those beautiful moments in his childhood. In those days, there were no complicated rules for this game. Children were simply told by their parents never to behave violently and never stop others by body touching. Formal rules for Bat Bako came into existence about 50 years ago. The rules require, basically, that players form into two teams, each with five to ten players or so; Each team has its own gate at the other end of the field, called “Anage” or “Yere” in Daur language. “Anage” means temporary camp and “Yere” means the exit of the den. A gate was compared to a temporary camp for fishers or hunters, or an exit of the den used to trap animals. If a team can bat a Poly into “Anage”, it will win applause from spectators. Tumure told me that they used to play Bako at daytime, but when it was too dark, they would play Fireball. The fireball he talked about was a Poly made of fur, which was then dipped in oil and lighted, turning into a fireball. Such a fireball shone at night and could last for about 20 minutes. As it could be dangerous to bat such a fireball, children were not eager to bat the ball into the gate, but used Bako stick to pick it up and throw it in the air to see the pretty fire tail.“In those days, if a boy didnt like to play Bako, his grandpa might buy sweets for other children to get them choose his grandson for their team. Sometimes parents would give eggs as a prize to those who did well in Bako.” Half a century ago, life was harsh for Dauer people. The game of Bako gradually sharpened their minds, developed perseverance and built up their bodies. Even at the age of 82, Tumure did not lose any interest in Bako. He joined a team for senior citizens in Molidawa, in which 70 is the average age of team members. For traditional festivals and ethnic sports events, Tumure would dress in Daur costume and picked up the traditional wooden Bako to play a demonstration game with his team members. Looking at his rosy cheeks, I could not help thinking that Bako perhaps was the secret of longevity of Daur people.Bako Turning into HockeyBako references have even found their ways into Daur language. If someone is looking everywhere for his hat, others will blame him “how can you throw your hat everywhere as you throw the Poly?” If someone is incapable of doing a chore, others may mock him by saying “how can you do it well if you cant even bat Bako well?”Over time, Daur people made a few simple rules for the Bako game. For example, players are only allowed to bat the ball from the right side so as not to cause injuries. Except for the goalkeeper, no one is allowed to touch the ball with his hand or kick the ball. In addition, it is forbidden to throw a Bako stick for the ball, or to hit other players or to trip other players. In a folk game like this, there is no umpire yet even the youngest player knows everyone should obey the rules. For Daur people, to be honest and fair in the game is a virtue. In May 1957, when Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region celebrated its ten-year anniversary of foundation, Molidawa sent a group of Bako players to give a demonstration in Hohhot, capital city of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It was the first time that the game had been played beyond the Molidawa mountain, and the performance won thunderous applause. A photograph of their performance recorded this memorable phase of Chinas field hockey. In 1974, Molidawa started a part-time Hockey team and began to adopt international rules for field hockey. In 1976, the first mens field hockey team in China was officially established in Molidawa. From then on, Daurs Bako game has gradually turned into field hockey, a modern sport. After almost two years hard practice, nine players joined the national team in July, 1978. Then in November, 1980, Chinas national hockey team with 10 players from Molidawa went to Singapore for the preliminaries of the first Asia Cup Hockey Game. They won the third place, which shocked hockey professionals in Asia. The secretary of the Asia Hockey Federation said after the game, “It is amazing that Chinas team, which was set up just three or four years ago, can beat a strong team like Malaysias.” Hockey has always been a game exclusive for men. Daur women, however, show that they can be equally good at it. At the end of 1980, the first Chinas women hockey team was set up in Molidawa with about 30 players. A Daur woman named Hasen was an excellent player then and later on became the first woman coach and umpire of field hockey in China. As she devoted almost all her time to the team, she had to leave her youngest son at home for others to take care of. The highlights of past games show how much passion and devotion she and other women players had in those days April, 1983, National Womens Hockey Game, First Place, teamleader Hasen;April, 1984, National Womens Hockey Game, First Place, teamleader Hasen;October, 1984, National Womens Hockey Game, Second Place, teamleader Hasen;May, 1985, National Womens Hockey Game, First Place, teamleader Hasen Hockey is highly competitive but, as it turns out, can have its romantic moments as well. As the womens team won the national games again and again, Hasen and Aola-Sailin, the only team reporter then, fell in love and tied the knot. Over the next decades, they went on to devote their passion and energy to the sports they love so much. Bako, Survival or Revival In 2006, the game of Bako was included on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list. As other games like basketball and football become trendy, Bako with its long history as an ethnic sport is losing its popularity with young players. In recent years, Bako, or field hockey as it is now known, is played less and less by adults and children of Daur. I cannot help but worry that this game will disappear some day as that of many heritages. Measures to preserve such an intangible cultural heritage have been taken by the local government. Bako is now part of the curriculum of some primary and secondary schools. Currently, eight schools have become centers to train children to be professional hockey players. Daur middle school is one of the eight hockey-featured schools. I met a group of children who were playing hockey on campus. These children were once in different classes and were brought together in one class for hockey training. Among them, the oldest is 16 years old while the youngest is 14. Some of them joined this class because they thought this game brought much fun, and some of them thought about being a professional player in near future. They no longer make traditional Bako sticks and Polys like their grandpas, but get J-shaped hockey sticks and firm balls directly from their school which purchased them from local suppliers. The game rules were not traditional rules any more, but those for international hockey games. However, they were told the history and development of Bako game by their coach, who was once a professional hockey player and is now an umpire for national and local hockey games. Every morning, these children take strength training and every evening after school, they take 90 minutes hockey training under the instruction of their coach. Even when the coach is not there, they will fetch their sticks, lay some stones as the gates, and practise or compete among themselves. While watching these children play, a gatekeeper with a hockey outfit caught my eyes she was a girl player who was practising with boys. With a beautiful name Guo Wanjun, meaning pretty and elegant, she told me she was once trained