Jianzi, The Favored Sport of China

Jianzi, The Favored Sport of China
Kicking around over 2,000 Years of History

If you've been to China you may have seen them practicing on the street corners, in the play grounds and the parks. They execute moves that would put college hacky sackers to shame, and most of the players are over 50 years old. I’m talking, of course, about jianzi, perhaps better known as shuttlecock or Chinese hacky sack. In the last thirty years this game has become wildly popular throughout Asia as both a nationally recognized sport and a favorite pastime.

The rules are fairly simple; you can use any part of your body except the hands to keep the jianzi airborne. Since the feathers on the tail end slow down the projectile’s flight, the various kicks used can be extremely acrobatic and complex. Hundreds styles have been formed for this purpose, often involving leaping into the air or wrenching a limb to an impossible angle. One such move is called xiannu xianhua, which roughly translates to “fairy lady scattering flowers”. This kick involves bending over completely horizontal, arcing one leg up over your back and blindly hitting the incoming jianzi with the bottom of your shoe. 

Though jianzi has only recently become a national sport, it is one of China’s oldest games, dating back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). Many believe that the game evolved from a military exercise called Cuju, which was outlined in a book from that period called “Zhang Guo Ce”, or Strategies of a Warring State. Throughout the succeeding dynasties, jianzi was encouraged by emperors and generals to keep the soldiers entertained and help them improve their hand eye coordination.

Players young and old still use jianzi for this purpose today, though they now follow royalty of a different sort. At 72 years old, Fen Tianyuan is the undefeated champion of over seventeen hundred competitions, leaving no question as to why they call him the King of Jianzi.

“Playing jianzi brings me happiness, friendship as well as health,” says Tianyuan as he recounts his formidable 40 year history with the sport in an interview. He has been the key role model for the game, inspiring others with his dedication to jianzi even after his battle with cancer. Though Tianyuan still plays regularly today, the King has begun to groom his son to be the heir of the honorary title, saying that already, “In some respects, he has exceeded me.” With this vote of confidence, it seems likely that the sport will be in good hands in the years to come.

For more on the King of Jianzi, go to http://212.226.170.150/7146/2011/05/30/2001s640109.htm