Cuju, literally means ball kicking, is an ancient Chinese game which is regarded as the origin of present-day football.
Cuju has a long history in China. Legend has that it was invented by the Yellow Emperor, the legendary ancestor of the Chinese nation. He then used it to train his soldiers. However, some believed that it first appeared during the Warring States Period (476-221 BC).
Originally, Cuju was indeed used for military training purpose. Later, it gradually became popular in the royal courts and upper classes. It was commonly played at court feasts in the purpose of the celebration for great events. Generally, it could be a competitive match between two teams with a goal on each side. However, it also could be the single-player or two-player activity and in this way, no goal would be set and only the score decided the winner.
On July 15, 2004, FIFA declared officially to the world on the Third China International Football Exposition that football was originated from China.
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#1 by vince delmonte on August 27, 2010 - 2:18 pm
Excellent post, bookmarked the site for interest to see more!
#2 by sharon on August 28, 2010 - 6:37 am
Thanks!