Sources
To learn more about Cuju, please consider the following:
Locations:
In Linzi, China, you can meet the Inheritor of Intangible Cultural Heritage for Cuju. A man named Jian Yu (于剑) who continues to make the balls and goals. He can be found at: Linzi Street 780 – 7, Linzi, Zibo (淄博市临淄区临淄大道780-7号)
Also in Linzi, Zibo, you could visit the Linzi football museum, which showcases the origins, development and popularisation of football over the past 2,400 years and has daily Cuju matches for visitors to watch.
The Chinese Sports Museum, Beijing. On display in the Ancient Sports Hall are exhibits portraying sporting activities in Imperial China.
News:
Documents:
A Historical study on the relation between ancient Chinese Cuju and modern day football
Football in the making - research looking at the origin of football around the world
To download a study on the “Evolution of Ancient Chinese Cuju” please click here.
To download a dissertation on Cuju in the Song Dynasty please click here.
Historical Study on the Relation between Ancient Chinese Cuju and Modern Football
Books:
Shilin Guanji《事林广记》- A book/encyclopaedia written in the Yuan Dynasty: 1271 - 1368 by Yuanjing Cheng. Describes the everyday life of people during the Song and the Yuan dynasty, including the game of Cuju during Song dynasty
Illustrated Manual of Cuju - Dun Ju Tu Pu《蹴鞠图谱》- A book written and drawn in the Ming Dynasty by Yuancheng Wang (1506 - 1576). It describes the rules of Cuju during Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties and original pages can be found in the Linzi football museum.
Old stories of Wulin - Wulin Jiushi (武林旧事) - book by Mi Zhou (周密), written around 1290 during the late Song and early Yuan Dynasty. The book describes the daily life of the residents during the Southern Song period including information on Cuju’s rules.
Zhan Guo Ce ("Strategies of the Warring States") - written by Han dynasty scholar Liu Xiang. An ancient Chinese text that contains anecdotes of political manipulation and warfare during the Warring States period (5th to 3rd centuries BC). Modern edition - Purchasable on Amazon.
Meng Yuanlao – The Eastern Capital: A Dream of Splendour. ‘An account of a competitive game of cuju is given in a book written by Meng Yuanlao in 1187, entitled The Eastern Capital: A Dream of Splendour’.
