Ancient Sports in Dunhuang Murals 2

Bu da qiu

Bu da qiu is a sport similar to golf or hockey, which was prosperous in Tang Dynasty and evolved into Chui wan (strike pellet) in Song Dynasty, which also known as the origin of golf. With two teams in the competition of Bu da qiu in Tang Dynasty, the players struck the pellets with wooden sticks which were crooked in the end and the winner was judged according to the number of pellets in the opponent’s goal.

In the No.15 grotto of Tang Dynasty in Dunhuang, a mural painted with a boy standing on Pure Land Sect (Buddha’s seat in the form of a lotus flower) with a ball in his left hand and a wooden stick in right hand, is a precious historical record to witness the origin of hockey.

Horsemanship

There are many murals about horsemanship in Dunhuang. For example, in the No.61 grotto of Five Dynasty (907-960), a mural was depicted with six pictures to represent horsemanship. The riders in the mural standing straight on the horseback or holding two bows in the hand showcased their ability to keep balance despite the fast speed of the horse. Another picture in the mural portrayed some breathtaking actions performed on horseback.

Wrestling

Wrestling has been a traditional competition since the ancient Olympics came into being. A large amount of murals about this ancient sport have been found in Dunhuang. For example, there are a series of murals on the No.290 grotto of Mogao grottos portraying a fierce wrestling competition and in the No.61 grotto even has a mural painted with ancient sumo.

In Dunhuang mural the sport of vaulting horse is similar to present-day high jump and long jump, which are composed of the motions of run-up, one-foot take-off, flight and landing.

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