1、CUJU,Cuju(蹴鞠)is an ancient sport similar to soccer, played in China as well as Korea and Japan.In Chinese,“蹴“ means kick while “鞠“ means ball,The ball was made of leather,filled with hair. Its weight was about 500g,During the Han Dynasty(206 BC-220 AD), the popularity of Cuju spread from the army to
2、 the royal courts and upper classes. It is said that the Han Emperor Wu Di enjouyed the sport.,Cuju games were standardized, and rules were established. Football matches were often held inside the imperial palace.Atype o court called “Jucheng“(鞠城) was bulit eapecially for Cuju matches,which had six
3、crescent-shaped goal posts at each end.,Cuju was improved during the Tang Dynstay(618-907 AD).First of all, the feather-stuffed ball was replaced byan air-filled ball with a two-layered hull. Also,two different types of goal posts emerged:one was made by setting up posts with a net between them, and
4、 the other consisted of just one goal in the middle of the field. The level of female Cuju teams also improved. Records indicate that oncea 17-year-old girl beat a team of army soldiers.,Cuju Flourished durig the Song Dynasty(960-1279) due to social and economic development, extending its popularity
5、 to everyclass in society. Professional Cuju players were quite popular, and the sport began to take on a commercial edge.,In the Song Dynasty only one goal post was set up in the middle of the field. Cuju organizations were set up in large cities and were called Qi Yun She(齐云社) or Yuan She(圆社)-now known as the earliest professional performers.,Cuju began its decline during the Ming Dynasty(1368-1644) due to negelct, and the 2,000-year-old sport finally faded away.,
