Competitive Sports and Imperial Stars in the Tang Dynasty

Part of the "Bow Drawing" by Zhao Hongyu, the master of tin embroidery), uses superb embroidery skills to reproduce the polo sport advocated by the court of the Tang Dynasty.

Modern competitive sports have created countless all-powerful stars who charm fans. Competitive sports in ancient China were not bad either.

In the Tang Dynasty, many imperial stars also appeared, such as Li Longji of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, Li Chen of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, and Li Wei of Emperor Xizong of the Tang Dynasty, all of whom had outstanding skills.

[1]

Tang Xuanzong Stadium was invincible, and Tang Jingzong died because of the ball

Ancient emperors who loved sports were among the Tang Dynasty. They like many sports: polo, Cuju football, foot ball, tug-of-war, horny wrestling, shooting, lifting weights, fencing, swimming, Go, etc.

The Tang Dynasty polo competition set up double goals, divided into two teams, flying horses and waving sticks, and the confrontation was fierce. It is not only a kind of military training, but also a high-level leisure and entertainment, which is deeply loved by emperors. A dedicated polo course and a professional polo team were established in the palace. Many emperors were both fans and "stars". Li Longji of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, Li Chen of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, and Li Wei of Emperor Xizong of the Tang Dynasty all had outstanding skills.

In the Tang Dynasty's performance of "Wen Jian Ji of Feng's Family", it is recorded in the third year of Jinglong of Emperor Zhongzong of the Tang Dynasty (709). Tubo Zampu sent his minister Shang Zan Duh named Xila to welcome Princess Jincheng. Tang Zhongzong Li Xian invited them to watch the polo match at the Liyuan Ball Court in the palace. Unexpectedly, the wedding team brought a ten-person horse team and asked to face off with the Han team.

Therefore, Emperor Zhongzong of the Tang Dynasty ordered the Royal Horse Racing Team and the Shence Army Horse Racing Team to face each other, but both lost to the Tubo Horse Racing Team. The emperor also ordered Li Longji, who was only 24 years old, and the then King of Linzi, to form a noble horse team with Li Yong, the son-in-law Yang Shenjiao, Wu Yanxiu and others to compete with him. On the court, Li Longji rode his horse to defeat his opponent,"driving the east and west, returning the wind and lightning, and moving forward without moving forward wherever he went." Shang Zan Duh's name was Xila, and he had to admit defeat.

In order to play polo, Tang Jingzong Li Zhan also lost his life. Li Zhan ascended the throne at the age of sixteen. He was "good at shooting balls and fighting with hands. The Imperial Army and all the roads competed to offer strong men." He spent a lot of money in the palace to recruit strong men and play ball and worship him, and stayed by his side day and night. However, Li Zhan was narrow-minded and impatient, and he was slightly dissatisfied. He often sent out the strong men to exile, or even banished them, and beat and whip the officials around him. The attendant was resentful and afraid.

In December of the second year of Baoli (826), 18-year-old Li Zhan returned to the palace after hunting at night. Before his life was over, he summoned eunuchs Liu Keming, Tian Wucheng, Xu Wenrui and others to play polo. Finally, he drank and had fun with the eunuchs who played ball and twenty-eight people, including Su Zuoming, Wang Jiaxian, and Shi Dingkuan. When Li Zhan was drunk and entered the room to go to the toilet, he was killed by Liu Keming, Su Zuoming and others.

Even emperors used playing polo to select officials. Li Wei, Emperor Xizong of the Tang Dynasty, ascended the throne at the age of twelve. He is also a master at playing polo. He boasts that if the court established a golfing Jinshi section, he will be the top scorer in high school.

In March (880, the first year of Guangming), the position of Xichuan Jiedushi became vacant. For a time, there were many candidates for official positions, and Li Yan could not make a choice, so he ordered the four generals of the Left Shence Army, Chen Jingxuan, Yang Shili, Niu Yan, and Luo Yuangao, to play polo to bet on winning or losing. When the ball is placed in the field, the generals will rush for it at the command, and the winner will be the one who hits the ball first and scores the goal. As a result, Chen Jingxuan won the top spot and won the Xichuan Jiedushi.

[2]

The tug-of-war competition between palace ladies and ministers, the source of tug-of-war for thousands of people in Okinawa

Playing polo requires raising special horses, building special courts, organizing professional teams, etc., which is costly and is only popular among emperors, aristocrats and the army, making it difficult for the common people to set foot in. Tug-of-war is different, it is a popular sport among the people.

In ancient times, the tug-of-war was called "pulling the hook". During the Spring and Autumn Period, Chu used a towing rope with a hook at one end to drag enemy chariots or warships during combat. In ordinary times, this rope is used to train soldiers. The tug-of-war movement originated from this kind of military training. At the beginning of the tug-of-war, thin strips were used, which was later changed to large hemp ropes.

The hemp rope used for tug-of-war in the Tang Dynasty was forty to fifty feet long, and hundreds of small ropes were tied to each side of the large rope for tug-of-war practitioners to hang on their chests. In the big rope, a big flag is set as a boundary, and the two teams work together to draw each other."Those who refuse will win, and those who refuse will lose." This sport was rumored to pray for a good harvest and was later introduced to the court.

During the reign of Emperor Zhongzong of the Tang Dynasty, one said it was Qingming Festival in the second year of Jinglong (708), and the other said it was February in the fourth year of Jinglong (710). Tug-of-war competitions were held in the palace between palace ladies and ministers. At the Liyuan Ball Field in Jinyuan, Tang Zhongzong Li Xian, Empress Wei and their beloved daughter Princess An Le watched the palace ladies tug of war.

When ministers from the court entered the palace to celebrate the festival, Emperor Zhongzong of the Tang Dynasty ordered friends above the third rank to divide the war of war, wishing them a bumper harvest this year. According to reports, Empress Wei appointed on the spot: three ministers from the Ministry of Zhongshu, Xiao Zhizhong, Wei Juyuan, and Tang Xiujing as the western team, and seven ministers from Shangshu Province and two son-in-law as the eastern team.

Seeing that most of the western team were old men in their sixties and seventies, and there was still one less person, Xiao Zhizhong hurriedly petitioned for a new division. Princess Anle was eager to protect her husband, but because her son-in-law Wu Yanxiu was participating in the East Team, she took the lead and refused to change. The emperor saw that his beloved daughter insisted, so he was not allowed to change it. Zhi Zhizhong had no choice but to obey the order and compete.

With the sound of a drum, both parties pulled the rope together. After a while, the Western team lost miserably. Poor Tang Xiujing and Wei Juyuan, who were in their sixties and seventies, fell to the ground with the rope and could not get up for a long time. Emperor Zhongzong of the Tang Dynasty, Empress Wei, the princess and the palace maids all burst out laughing.

Tang Xuanzong Li Longji also liked tug-of-war competitions. According to the Tang Dynasty's performance of "Feng's Wen Jian Ji", Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty held a tug-of-war competition with thousands of people in the capital of Chang 'an. Thousands of people gathered,"the noise shook the ground, and all the tourists and scholars were shocked." Using thousands of troops to engage in tug-of-war is called praying for a good year, but in fact it is "called tug-of-war on the inside, but it actually shines on the outside."

At that time, Li Longji wrote a poem "Watching the Tug-of-War Folk Opera", which described the grand occasion of the tug-of-war with thousands of people: "It is rumored that this play will bring about a bumper year, so he ordered the Northern Army to seek a bumper year. The strong disciples were always brave, and they resisted and reached the Changhe River. If you want to practice heroic aspirations, you must know that there are many wins and losses. The noise of Qi Mountain is noisy, and the gas makes water surge. Expect the age to be ripe, let's enjoy the harmony first."

The recent traditional "Naha Tug-of-war" in Okinawa can also find its source from the tug-of-war competition in the Tang Dynasty.

[3]

Sports are related to military affairs, and entering the palace becomes the emperor's entertainment

Wrestling was called "Jiao Jiao" in the Tang Dynasty. Hand-to-hand combat has always been an important item in infantry training. Later, it was integrated with northern wrestling, adding a lot of excitement and enthusiasm. It has even become an indispensable entertainment program for the imperial banquet in the palace. Therefore, wrestling masters were often stocked in the Tang Dynasty palace for the emperor to appreciate.

Shooting was especially a cool sport enjoyed by the emperors of the Tang Dynasty. History records that from the second year of Wude (619) to the eighth year of Wude (625), Tang Gaozu Li Yuan held six large-scale hunting activities. Tang Taizong Li Shimin even held hunting twice a year, or twice a month.

For example, in the fourth year of Zhenguan (630), in October, Xin Chou was hunting in Guiquan Valley. In Jiachen, the school hunted in Yulong River." Another example is the 16th year of Zhenguan (642) in November, hunting in Qishan, now northeast of Qishan, Shaanxi); in December, hunting in Lishan, now southeast of Lintong, Shaanxi).

Wu Zetian, in the second year of Chang 'an (702), opened a martial arts exercise. "Tang Liu Dian" states,"Martial arts exercises are judged in seven categories: one is shooting at the best of me... the second is shooting on horseback... the third is shooting on horseback... the fourth is shooting on foot... the seventh is lifting weights, which is called lifting the pass, and the rate is five times." Weightlifting is officially included in the examination content of the martial arts exercise.

The so-called "crossing the pass" method is to grab the gate and lift it with one hand. "City Gate Pass" means the big bolt of the city gate. Confucius, a great scholar in the Spring and Autumn Period, was able to transcend the barriers in those days. The "crossing pass" of the martial arts examination in the Tang Dynasty was "the pass is ten feet long and seven feet long and three and a half inches in diameter, with a total of ten lifts. The distance between the back hand and the source is no more than a foot." It's a very test of arm strength.

The sports favored by the emperors of the Tang Dynasty were all related to military training. After being introduced into the court, it became the emperor's leisure and entertainment.