中国文化概况Chapter6 Sports

Chapter6Sports6.1TraditionalPhysicalActivities6.2NationwidePhysicalFitness6.3China’sOutstandingCompetitiveSports6.1TraditionalPhysicalActivities

6.1．1SportsinAncientTimesPerformingandentertainingsports:SwordsmanshipTouhu(throwingarrowsintowinepitchers)oftheSpringandAutumnandtheWarringStatesperiodsCuju(蹴鞠cùjūfootball)andbaxi(把戏bǎxìacrobatics)oftheHanDynastyJiju(击鞠jījūpolo)oftheTangDynastyBingxi(冰嬉bīngxīgamesonice)oftheQingDynasty;Hunting,foramusement,allfallintothiscategory.Activitiesforphysicalfitness:

Daoyin(道印dǎoyǐnphysicalandbreathingexercisescombinedwithautomassage)Wuqinxi(五禽戏wǔqínxìFiveAnimalPlay)oftheHanDynastyallkindsoftraditionallifepreservingexercisesthathavebeenhandeddowntothisdayfallintothiscategory.VariousothersportsArcheryandcharioteeringintheWesternZhouDynastyandlong-distancerunninginthearmycampsoftheMingDynasty,areanothercategory.Besidesthegamesjustmentioned,wrestling,dancing,chessplaying,horseracingandotherformsofsportswerealsopartofthedailypastimesofthoseancientpeoples.6.1.2.EthnicMinoritySportsBecauseoftheiruniquelifestyles,ethnicminoritiesplaysportswiththeirowncharacteristics.Someofthemostwell-knownonesMongolianwrestlingHorsemanshipArcheryHuishuttlecockkicking

tug-of-war(拔河);Tibetanyakracing;Miaoswinginganddragonboatracing苗族秋千赛龙舟图Zhuangthrowingofcolouredsilkballs(抛绣球);Koreansee-sawjumpingManchuskatingDongwalkingonstiltsYaotopwhipping(打陀螺).Dragonboatracing,kiteflying,yangge(秧歌),weiqi,qigongandtai

chichuan

arealsotraditionalsportspopularamongbothHanpeopleandpeopleofethnicminorities.AmongtraditionalChinesephysicalactivities,martialarts,alsoknownaskungfu,maybethemostrepresentativeandtypical.6.1.3.MartialArtsDefinitionofMartialArts(武术wǔshù)AccordingtotheformationofChinesecharacters,武

(wǔ)ismadeupof止(zhǐ)and戈(gē).Theformermeans“stop”whilethelattermeans“daggeraxe”or“anykindofweapon”.Thecombinationofthetwomeans“stopmartialactions”.Thecharacter术(shù)meansstrategies.Sotheterm武术（wǔshù）means“usingmethodsandskillstostopmartialactionsandactivities”.Anothermeaningofthetermisthemartialactivitiesbetweentwopeopleortwogroupswithweapons.Modernmartialartsconsistofthefollowingfivecategories:boxingweaponexercisessparringexercisesactualcombatTeamworkWithvigorous,gracefulmovements,martialartsprovidepractitionerswitheleganceandstrength.Peopleareattractedtomartialartsformanyreasons:ToimprovetheirhealthandfitnessTohonetheirdefenseskillsToenhancetheirmentaldisciplineTohavefunandtoparticipateinmartialartscompetitions.TherearesomedistinguishedFormsofChineseMartialArtsDistinguishedFormsofChineseMartialArtsShaolinBoxingShaolinboxingisnamedaftertheShaolinTempleonMountSongshanwherethemonkspracticeditintheearlyyearsoftheTangdynasty.Duringthattime,whenLiShimin

was

besieged(围困)byhisenemynearLuoyang,13monks

fromtheShaolinTemplerescuedhim.AfterLibecameemperoroftheTangdynasty,herewardedthe13monksandgrantedlandandsilvertotheShaolinTemple.Fromthenon,theShaolinTempleandShaolinboxingbecamewellknown.Shaolinboxingistherepresentativeboxingstyleoflongboxing.Itischaracterisedbysturdiness,fastattacks,andcoordinatedforwardandbackwardmovements.Itsserialmovementsaremostlyshortandstraight.TaiChiChuanTaichichuanisapopularschoolofChinesemartialartsmarkedwithslowandgentlemovementsthataredesignedfordefense,strengthening

ofthephysiqueandpreventionofdiseases.Inthisart,itisessentialthatthemindguidethebodythrough

graceful,gentleandfirmmovements.Atthespectacularopeningceremonyofthe11thAsianGames,thesheermagnificenceofthetaichichuanperformancegivenby1,400playersfromChinaandJapancreatedagreatsensation.QigongQigong,alsocalledthedeepbreathingexercise,ispractisedbytheChineseonaregularbasistokeepfit.“Qi”literallymeans“air”andimplies“lifeforce”.Thepurposeofqigongistocoordinatethehealthofthemindandbody.Thepractitionerdoesqigongforself-reliance,self-adjustment,bodybuilding,resistingprematureaging,andprolonginglife.Itisdividedintotwocategories.Thequiescenttyperequirespractitionerstostand,sitorliestill,concentratetheirmind,andbreatheinaspecialwaytopromotethecirculationand

digestionofthebody.Themobiletypecallsfortheuseofmildphysicalexercisesormassagetobuildone’shealth.Asforthepopularsuperstarsofmartialarts,SuperstarsofModernMartialArtsBruceLee,JackieChanJetLiarealwaysTheyarerememberedandrespectedfortheircontributiontobothChineseandAsianculture.Theyhaveopenedthedoorforpeopleofallracesandculturestobecomefamiliarwiththesport,andarefollowedbycountlesspeopleinpursuingtheirkungfudreams.NowpeoplethroughoutChinaarepayingmoreandmoreattentiontofitness,andtheirlifestylehaschangedalot.Inmostcitiesthesedays,spendingmoneyonhealthandfitnesshasbecometrendy.6.2NationwidePhysicalFitnessTherearemanygymnasiumsandstadiumsacrossChina,mostofwhichareopentoandwidelyusedbythegeneralpublic.Body-buildingequipmentcanbefoundeasilyincommunitiesorotherpublicplaces.Similarly,thereisagrowingtrendforpeopletocreatetheirownwaystokeepfit.6.2.1ChineseSquareDanceAnemptyplace,aportablemini-speaker,agroupofpeopledancewiththemusicofquickrhythms,amongthemlaughterandtalkingabouthouseholdaffairsThisphenomenonappearseverywhereinChinesecities,towns,andeveninthecountrysideatdusk.Thedancesarecalled“ChineseSquareDance”.Thedancersdonotwearthesamestyleofclothes,andtherearenounifiedposturesorstandards.Givingdancingtipslastsabout15to20minutesandthenthereisabreakbeforetherealdancingbegins.Thedancingisverysmoothandflowing,andsinceit’sahealthyexerciseandamoodbooster,thisdancingisnowmoreandmorepopularinChina.6.2.2Radiobroadcastingcalisthenics(广播体操)isaverypopularandrequiredsportinschoolsanduniversities.Exercisesandcalisthenicsareoftenledbyradiobroadcastswithmusicalaccompaniment.6.2.3KiteflyingAtraditionalChinesepastime,withmillionsofparticipantsacrossthecountry.

TheWeifang(inShandongprovince)InternationalKiteFestivalisakitecompetitionandexhibitionthatattractstensofthousandsofparticipantsfromallovertheworld.6.2.4Horseracing

Essentialtothelifestyleofmanyethnicminorities,especiallyintheareasofInnerMongolia,Xinjiang,Tibet,Qinghai,Gansu,Yunnan,GuizhouandSichuan.Theprairiesinthoseareasprovidenaturalfieldsforhorseracing.Thereareregionalvariationsandthetypesofcompetitionarediverse.6.2.5YanggeAtraditionaldanceaccompaniedbyrhythmicfolkmusicorsinging,withthedancersdressedincostumesandholdingfansorhandkerchiefs.ItisverypopularinmanyareasofnorthernChinaandamongthemiddle-agedandelderly.6.2.6Tug-of-war

Atraditionalgameinwhichmanyethnicgroupsparticipatewithvigor.Twoteamsequalinnumbertugontheoppositeendsofaropeandeachtriestopullthecentralmarkontheropeacrossalinetoitsownside.Muchentertainmentandcausesconsiderablegoodnaturedamusement.Theteamthatwinsdoessothroughstrengthandthespiritofcooperation.6.2.7RopeskippingWithsimplyarope,peoplehaveinventedmanywaystoplayandcompete.Skilledpeoplecanturntheropemanytimesinquicksuccessionwhilekeepingtheirfeetoffthegroundinasinglejump.Couplescanskiptogether.Usingalongropewithtwopeopleswirlingitinunisonatthetwooppositeends,awholegroupofpeopleareabletoplaythegame.Manyschoolsencouragetheirstudentstoparticipateinthishealthyactivity.6.3China’sOutstandingCompetitiveSports6.3.1TheOlympicGamesandChinaIn2001,Beijingwontherighttohostthe29thOlympicGamesin2008.Atthe2008BeijingOlympicGames,theChinesedelegationwascomposedof639athletesparticipatingin28sports,38disciplinesand262eventsandgot51gold,21silverand28bronzemedals.Chinaachievedamajorhistoricbreakthroughandmadesignificantcontributionstoahigh-standardanduniquehostingoftheOlympicGames.6.3.2China’sOutstandingCompetitiveSportsTabletennis(Ping-Pong)isverypopularthroughoutChinaandispopularlyknownasthe“NationalBallGame”ofChina.Chinesetabletennisplayershaveperformedexceptionallywellininternationalcompetitions.In1981,allsevenchampionshiptitleswerewonbyChineseplayersatthe36thWorldTableTennisChampionships,arecordinthehistoryofthesport.Atthe2008BeijingOlympicsand2012LondonOlympics,Chinawonallpossiblegoldmedals.BadmintonChinabecameaformalmemberoftheBadmintonWorldFederationin1981.Sincethen,ChinesebadmintonteamshavewontheThomasCup(汤姆斯杯）ninetimes,theUberCup(尤伯杯)12timesandtheSudirmanCup(苏迪曼杯)ninetimesby2013.In1981,allsevenchampionshiptitleswerewonbyChineseplayersatthe36thWorldTableTennisChampionships,arecordinthehistoryofthesport.Atthe2008BeijingOlympicsand2012LondonOlympics,Chinawonallpossiblegoldmedals.BadmintonChinabecameaformalmemberoftheBadmintonWorldFederationin1981.Sincethen,ChinesebadmintonteamshadwontheThomasCup(汤姆斯杯)ninetimes,theUberCup(尤伯杯)12timesandtheSudirmanCup(苏迪曼杯)ninetimesby2013.VolleyballChinahaslonghadoneofthebestwomen’svolleyballteamsintheworld.TheywonthechampionshiptitleoftheWorldChampionshipsheldin1982and1986,theOlympicgoldmedalinLosAngelesin1984,twoWorldCupchampionshiptitlesin1981and1985,andthenagainthegoldmedalatthe2004AthensOlympicGames.TheChinesewomen’svolleyballteamanditsstruggleforsuccesswasaninspirationtoChinesepeopleduringthe1980s.GymnasticsChinaexcelsinternationallyinGymnastics.TheChineseteamwontheteamchampionshiptitleforthefirsttimeatthe22ndWorldGymnasticsChampionshipsheldin1983.Sincethen,Chinesegymnasticshasbeendevelopingrapidly.Atthe2008BeijingOlympicGames,theChinesegymnasticteamwonunprecedentedlyninegoldmedals.AnAmericangymnasticsexpertoncecommentedthatChinesegymnasts“makehardgymnasticslookeasy...Theyaretalentedandtheyarehardworking”.DivingChinahasundisputeddominationindiving.Chinesediverstookthreegoldmedalsatthe2ndWorldCupDivingChampionshipsin1981.Theythencarriedoff10goldmedalsfromthe5thto7thWorldSwimmingChampionshipsandwonninegoldmedalsfromthe23rdto26thOlympicGames.SincetheBarcelonaOlympicGames,theChinesedivingteamhasbecomeoneoftheworld’sleadingdivingteams.GymnasticsChinaexcelsinternationallyinGymnastics.TheChineseteamwontheteamchampionshiptitleforthefirsttimeatthe22ndWorldGymnasticsChampionshipsheldin1983.Sincethen,Chinesegymnasticshasbeendevelopingrapidly.Atthe2008BeijingOlympicGames,theChinesegymnasticteamwonunprecedentedlyninegoldmeda