Those involved in the ancient form of soccer known as Cuju
launched a bid for the game to be recognized as part of the world's
intangible heritage on Tuesday in Linzi District, east China's Shandong Province, where the game was first
played.
Officials from Linzi government gave copies of the balls used in
Cuju and books on the ancient game to representatives from UNESCO
and the Ministry of Culture of China who attended the ceremony
which signaled the start of the Cuju campaign. Promises were made
that whatever effort was required to have Cuju listed among world
intangible heritages would be made.
Cuju is though to be the oldest form of modern soccer. FIFA
President Sepp Blatter acknowledged in 2004 that China's Linzi
District was the birthplace of the sport and it had then spread
abroad to Egypt, Rome, France and the rest of the world.
According to historical records Cuju was a very popular game in
China's Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC) in Linzi, the
capital of the Qi State (479 -502) and one of the largest cities in
the world at that time.
But officials with the Linzi government said it was difficult to
revitalize the game as it had lost popularity during the reign by
minorities in Yuan (1279-1368) and Qing Dynasties (1644-1911). And
some masters of the sport died without passing their skills on to
the following generations.
Earlier this year Cuju was recognized as being part of China's
national intangible heritage which resulted in the game being given
protection with annual funding from the Ministry of Culture
identified to keep it alive.?
Linzi District has set up Cuju courses in the urban primary and
middle schools and the number of Cuju players in Linzihas now
totals around 5,000.
Brendan Menton, director with the development section of AFC
said, "We should cheer for Cuju, cheer for Linzi. Cuju doesn't only
belong to China it belongs to all of us. It's a treasure of world
culture. "
Zhu Guoping, vice director of the culture development center
with the General Administration of Sport of China said, "Linzi has
been growing to be the cultural center of Cuju and modern soccer
with its construction of an international soccer museum. There's a
great push to revitalize the ancient game."
FIFA, the Football Association of China and the Cuju
Preservation Association in Kyoto sent letters of congratulation to
Linzi in support of the campaign and Cuju teams from Linzi and
South Korea played an exhibition game at Tuesday's ceremony.
(Xinhua News Agency September 14, 2006)
