Chinese Traditional Sports - Color Illustration Edition

Author: Feng Guochao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: The Tang Emperors Who Loved Polo
Tang Dynasty was the period of greatest prosperity for polo in Chinese history. The sport originated with Emperor Taizong of Tang. According to the Fengshi Wenjianji (Records of Feng Shi), Emperor Taizong heard that the Tibetan people enjoyed playing polo and ordered his men to learn the game. However, he was very cautious about this decision, as playing polo was merely a form of entertainment. The self-disciplined Emperor Taizong did not want the Tibetans to discern his true feelings, so when they presented him with a polo ball, he burned it instead:
"Emperor Taizong was at Anfu Gate and said to his attendants, 'I have heard that the Western tribes enjoy playing polo. I have already ordered my men to learn it, and I will watch it once. Yesterday, when ascending the Shengxian Tower, I saw a group of Tibetan tribespeople playing polo in the streets. They wanted to show it to me, but I feared they would suspect my fondness for it. Thus, I have reflected that the actions of an emperor are not to be taken lightly. I have burned this ball as a self-restraint.'"
However, regardless of Emperor Taizong's true intentions, once polo spread to the Central Plains, it quickly became popular among the military and aristocracy. The polo balls of the Tang Dynasty were made of lightweight yet durable wood, similar in size to a fist, hollowed in the middle, and painted red or decorated with colors. The mallets had a crescent-shaped tip. The playing field was rectangular, with either a single gate in the center or two gates on either side. The gates were made of wooden boards with a hole about one foot in diameter, covered with a net behind. The players were divided into two teams, and the game was won by the team that scored the most goals.
Many Tang emperors were passionate about polo. For example, Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi loved watching polo matches but found them unsatisfying when learned from the Tibetans. Thus, he invited the Tibetan polo team to the palace to perform their authentic style. Emperor Zhongzong Li Xian also personally attended a match between Han and Tibetan teams at the Liyuan Pavilion polo ground. Moreover, some emperors not only enjoyed watching polo but even took part in playing it themselves.
Emperor Jingzong Li Zhan, for instance, was an avid polo player. Whenever he felt like it, even late at night, he would gather his men for candlelit matches, only to be killed by a professional polo player on the field. Emperor Xuanzong Li Chen was exceptionally skilled at polo, and even the professional players of the Shencai Army were inferior to him. Emperor Xizong Li Xuan was also highly confident in his abilities, as recorded in the Zizhi Tongjian: "If there were an imperial examination for polo players, I would surely be the top candidate."
Among the Tang emperors who loved polo, the true master was Emperor Xuanzong Li Longji. First, his polo skills were outstanding. According to historical records, in the third year of the Jinglong era (709 AD), Emperor Zhongzong watched a match between the Tibetan team and the imperial team. The imperial team lost every game, much to Emperor Zhongzong's anger. At that time, Prince Lixing Li Longji, along with three other imperial members, formed a four-player team to compete against the Tibetan team of ten. Li Longji dominated the field, moving effortlessly like a ghost in the night, and ultimately won decisively. Even Tibetan officials praised his skills.
After ascending the throne, Emperor Xuanzong continued to play polo without stopping, sometimes even missing court sessions for it. Second, Emperor Xuanzong not only played polo himself but also promoted it in the military. In the sixth year of the Tianbao era (747 AD), he issued an edict declaring polo a "martial art" and ordering its promotion in the army. Afterward, polo became a regular pastime for military personnel.
Lastly, Emperor Xuanzong lived to the age of 77, one of the longest-living emperors in Chinese history. Even at the age of 62, he still wanted to play polo on the field. Therefore, he was truly a