Football wey we sabi today get story wey reach more than two thousand years. Plenti people dey think say e start for England, but historical evidence show say e earliest form wey dem dey call Cuju dey China.
FIFA recognize Cuju as the earliest documented kicking game. Cuju na important part of Chinese culture and sport history.
Wetin Be Cuju?
Di word “Cuju” mean “kick ball” for Chinese. Na game wey mix football, basketball, and volleyball togeda. Di aim na to pass ball through one hole for net without using hand, and di ball no suppose touch ground.
Dis game dey like di keepie-uppie or hacky sack wey we sabi now. Old book from Han dynasty, like military manual, talk say Cuju na exercise and play wey people dey do for enjoyment.
How E Start and Grow
Beginnings for Han Dynasty
Cuju start for Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), inside Linzi wey be capital of Qi state. E begin as military training to make soldiers strong and sharp for movement. Later, e turn to game wey everybody, no just soldiers, dey play for fun.
How E Change Through Dynasties
- Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE): Cuju come popular well well dis time. Big big people for society dey play am, and dem dey use am for party and festival. Dem start to use leather ball wey dem blow air inside, no be di old one wey dem stuff with things, so di game sweet pass.
- Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE): Cuju reach im peak for Song dynasty. Dem form professional clubs for big cities, and one wey dem sabi well na Qi Yun She wey dey do national competition called Shan Yue Zheng Sai. Even women join Cuju, dem get dia own clubs and dey play against men sef.
Types of Cuju Game
Cuju get two main types:
- Zhuqiu (筑球): Na di serious type wey dem dey play for big event like court party or meeting with foreign people. Teams wey get 12–16 players go dey try score by kicking ball through net wey dey center.
- Baida (白打): Dis one no be competition, na to show skill and style. Players dey try keep ball for air inside one small space, sometimes with music. Women and book people like dis one well because e dey show class.
Wetin Cuju Mean for Culture
Cuju no be just game, e be big deal for Chinese culture. E do plenty things like:
- Togetherness: Cuju bring different kinds of people togeda, make dem feel like one family with same culture.
- Ceremony: Dem dey play am for big royal party, festival, and public holiday, so e show say e important.
- Art: Cuju make people draw paintings and write poem about am, so e enter deep inside Chinese way of life.
How Cuju Come Die and Wetin E Leave Behind
Cuju start to waka comot for Ming dynasty (1368–1644) when di first emperor ban am, say e dey distract people from military training and government work. Small small, di game just fade comot. But for 2010, Linzi bring Cuju back with one game for both local people and foreigners. Also, one football club wey dem call Zibo Cuju F.C., wey dem start for 1982, carry di name to honor di old Cuju history for Linzi.
Conclusion
Cuju na proof say China get strong history with sports, and dem help create football as we sabi am today. To know Cuju story na to respect di game more and see how different cultures connect through play and di way dem dey try be di best.