Tag: East Asian Sports

Kemari (Japanese Football Code) 794-Present

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Kemari is an ancient Japanese Football game resembling hacky-sack or keepy-uppies. The aim of the players is to keep the ball in the air by kicking it with the leg or feet, either to another player or to themselves. It is the achievement of the highest artistic performance that is important rather than winning. It is played by 6-8 players and is not limited by time. In the Modern Era it is usually stopped by one of the players selected as the game leader and resumed after a break. Each game usually lasts 10-15 minutes. It is played by both men and women and is considered a national sport, enjoyed by families, three generations sometimes playing at the same, which is not unusual to see. It dates from the Heian Period (794-1195).

Video of Kemari 201

Kemari 2011 [References: 3]

Please Note: this game gets off to a slow start, like a Japanese Tea Ceremony. Jump to about 2 minutes in to see how similiar to the modern game of hacky sack it is.

References

Bibliography

[1] Wojciech Liponski (2003) “Kemari” World Sports Encyclopedia pg. 316. MBI Publishing, St. Paul. Minnesota, USA.

[2] Encyclopaedia Brittanica (2021) Kemari [Internet] Available from: https://www.britannica.com/topic/kemari [Accessed 18 May 2021]

Social Media

[3] You Tube zaicushastyj Channel (2011) Kemari (Japanese: 蹴鞠) is a form of football that was popular in Japan during the Heian Period. Kemari has been revived in modern times. This game was played in Sniramine-jingu, Kyoto [Internet] Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MGp_sQHQLc [Accessed 18 May 2021]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Caoilfhionn Nic Fhearai

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 18 May 2021

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.

Cuju (Chinese Football Code) 770 BC – Present

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Cuju is an Ancient Chinese code of Football, whose origins are unclear but maybe in Lanzi, the capital of Qi State during the Spring and Autumn Period 770 bc – 476 bc. After attending the Chian World Football Exhibition in 2004, President Sepp S. Blatter of FIFA, the world governing body of Soccer, declared that it was the origins of the present game of soccer.

It appears to have had religious symbolism, the football field represented the earth, and the football represented the celestial bodies. It is estimated that there are approximately 5,000 players of Cuju in Linzi distict. During the Northern Song Dynasty 960-1126 football pitches were laid out and professional Cuju football teams played at the court of the emperor. During the earlier Han dynasty the sport had poetic writing about it and had military significance as well as recreational. ‘Ju’ means a rubber ball covered in leather or an animal bladder stuffed with feathers. Cuju means to ‘Kick a ball with the foot’.

According to the World Sports Encyclopedia, the number of players in team was not fixed, and the numbers varied from 2-10. Teams could only pass to teammates in their own half, and by the time the border was crossed had to kick towards the goal, which was two poles adorned with coloured ribbons. It involves an aspect of keepie-uppies, like in Marn Grook.

Video

Cuju Video [References: 3]

References

Websites

[1] Oxford Reference (2021) Cuju [Internet] Available from: https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095652439 [Accessed 25 March 2021]

[2] Wojciech Liponski (2003) “Cuju” World Sports Encyclopaedia pg. 150.

Media

[3] You Tube (2021) Aug 19, 2018 “Man finds joy playing cuju, the parent of modern soccer” [Internet] Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUBWojS3kH4 [Accessed 25 March 2021]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Caoilfhionn Nic Fhearai

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 25 March 2021

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Resereved.