How to play Cuju

The rules below have been concluded from reviewing the many sources cited on this site.

The set up:

  • Two teams of seven people, though there can be up to 9 substitutes.

  • Positions include: 

    • Qiu Tou (captain)

    • Xiao Se

    • 2x Zheng Fu (center back?)

    • 2x Fu Xie (R/L back?)

    • Zhuo Wang (“keeper”)

The ball

I recently had the pleasure of making my own Cuju balls (see the images below). If you’d like to do the same, you can take the following steps:

Prepare the Leather:

Cutting the Leather: Cut the leather into 8 or 12 panels, depending on the design period you wish to replicate. Each piece should be shaped to form part of a sphere when stitched together. Early designs used 8 pieces, while later designs used 12 for a rounder shape.

Punching Holes: Punch small holes along the edges of each leather piece where they will be sewn together.

Sew the Panels Together:

Stitching: Use strong thread and a sturdy needle to stitch the leather panels together. Begin by joining two pieces and continue adding pieces until you form a spherical shape. Ensure that the stitching is tight and secure to withstand the impact during play.

Leaving a Gap: Leave a small gap unstitched to insert the inner filling.

Prepare the Inner Filling:

Feathers: For a traditional approach, fill the ball with a sufficient amount of feathers to provide the desired weight and firmness.

Animal Bladder: Alternatively, if replicating later designs, use an air-filled animal bladder. Clean and dry the bladder thoroughly, then inflate it and insert it into the leather casing.

Final Assembly:

Sealing the Ball: Once the inner filling is in place, stitch the remaining gap carefully to ensure the ball is fully sealed.

Shaping: Roll and press the ball gently to ensure an even distribution of the inner material and to achieve a spherical shape.

Finishing Touches:

Quality Check: Inspect the ball for any weak points or uneven stitches. Ensure that the ball is uniformly round and that the stitching is secure.

Optional Treatment: You may treat the leather with natural oils to preserve its flexibility and durability.

The gameplay

Both teams draws lots to start

  • The Qiu Tou (captain) starts and kicks or heads the ball to Xiao Se (often the most skillful player on the team)

  • Xiao Se keeps the ball off the ground, dribbling to the right side of Qiu Tou and passing it to his knee

  • Qui Tou then distributes the ball to another player

  • Once everyone in the team has touched the ball at least once the captain has permission to try and shoot the ball through the hole in the net.

  • If the ball misses the hole either:

    • Zhuo Wang (the keeper) can keep the ball alive as long as the ball does not touch the ground.

    • Zhuo Wang can then pass to Xiao Se who can pass to Qiu Tou’s knee and Qiu Tou has another chance to score

  • If the ball passes through the hole or misses but goes to the other side of the net, then it passes to the other team:

    • Anyone can receive the ball and pass it to Zheng Fu

    • Zheng Fu will pass to Xiao Se

    • Xiao Se will pass the ball to the knee of Qiu Tou

    • And Qiu Tou can try to score

Possession changes teams if the ball is kicked out of bounds or touches the ground.

To win the game, one must kick the ball through the hole a fixed number of times (can be 3, 5 or more).

The winners are rewarded with silver bowls and brocades. The losers would have their face smeared with a grayish-white powder to humiliate them.