Chinese traditional wrestling struggles for survival
Chinese traditional wrestling, which was invented about 4,000 years ago, has struggled to survive as similar melee sports like judo and western-style wrestling took ground in the country.
The plight of Chinese-style wrestling was underlined at the ongoing Ordos International Nadam Fair, where the traditional wrestling contest featured only 76 competitors, of which 63 are from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the rest hail from Mongolia.
"Chinese traditional wrestling has been at a low ebb since it was kicked out of the National Games in 1993," said Wang Chengyun, a wrestling referee.
"Most Chinese-style wrestlers switched to judo and freestyle wrestling because those sports can get more funding from the government due to their status of Olympic sport."
Compared with Greco-Roman wrestling and freestyle wrestling, Chinese-style wrestling, which in the past owned some different names like put-down wrestle or fling wrestle, has the better skills and visual satisfaction. As long as either of the wrestler's hand touched the floor, he loses.
Once a way of living for many in old China, the traditional wrestling had its heyday between the 1960s and early 1990s. According to the State General Administration of Sports (SGAS), there were more than 2,500 professional wrestlers at that time in the country.
Things changed, however, when all non-Olympic sports including traditional wrestling were dropped from the Chinese National Games in 1993 as China stepped up efforts for Olympic success.
"For almost a decade, Chinese-style wrestling was on the brink of extinction. Its survival was down to the popularity among residents in Inner Mongolia," said Shen Zhigang, an official at SGAS's wrestling center.
To the relief of Chinese-style wrestling fans, some 70 universities and colleges across China have opened courses on the sport since 2003. As a result, the number of practitioners has increased by folds in recent years.
But, Dong Yachen, who was formerly a national wrestling champion and is a professional promoter now, insists more work needs to be done.
"If Chinese traditional wrestling can return to the National Games, I am sure, it will prosper again," said Dong, who has initiated a series of wrestling events in China.
He was echoed by Hu Jianguo, director of SGAS' non-Olympic sports center.
"Olympic sports mainly originated from the West, so we should put more efforts in promoting and popularizing our own sports," said Hu. "The Chinese National Games should not be a replica of the Olympic Games."
The plight of Chinese-style wrestling was underlined at the ongoing Ordos International Nadam Fair, where the traditional wrestling contest featured only 76 competitors, of which 63 are from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the rest hail from Mongolia.
"Chinese traditional wrestling has been at a low ebb since it was kicked out of the National Games in 1993," said Wang Chengyun, a wrestling referee.
"Most Chinese-style wrestlers switched to judo and freestyle wrestling because those sports can get more funding from the government due to their status of Olympic sport."
Compared with Greco-Roman wrestling and freestyle wrestling, Chinese-style wrestling, which in the past owned some different names like put-down wrestle or fling wrestle, has the better skills and visual satisfaction. As long as either of the wrestler's hand touched the floor, he loses.
Once a way of living for many in old China, the traditional wrestling had its heyday between the 1960s and early 1990s. According to the State General Administration of Sports (SGAS), there were more than 2,500 professional wrestlers at that time in the country.
Things changed, however, when all non-Olympic sports including traditional wrestling were dropped from the Chinese National Games in 1993 as China stepped up efforts for Olympic success.
"For almost a decade, Chinese-style wrestling was on the brink of extinction. Its survival was down to the popularity among residents in Inner Mongolia," said Shen Zhigang, an official at SGAS's wrestling center.
To the relief of Chinese-style wrestling fans, some 70 universities and colleges across China have opened courses on the sport since 2003. As a result, the number of practitioners has increased by folds in recent years.
But, Dong Yachen, who was formerly a national wrestling champion and is a professional promoter now, insists more work needs to be done.
"If Chinese traditional wrestling can return to the National Games, I am sure, it will prosper again," said Dong, who has initiated a series of wrestling events in China.
He was echoed by Hu Jianguo, director of SGAS' non-Olympic sports center.
"Olympic sports mainly originated from the West, so we should put more efforts in promoting and popularizing our own sports," said Hu. "The Chinese National Games should not be a replica of the Olympic Games."
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