Cuju culture highlighted in UK

The fourth World Football Culture Summit, which originated in Zibo, Shandong province, was held on Oct 23 in Manchester, in a bid to promote football-related cultural and educational exchanges between China and Britain.

Jointly hosted by the National Football Museum of England, China’s Linzi Football Museum, and the Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, the event was themed around “China’s Cuju Culture and World Football”.

Linzi, a district in Zibo, was designated in 2004 by world soccer body FIFA as the original wellspring of soccer and the true home of football.

The world cuju, literally translated as “kick ball”, is an ancient iteration of one of the world’s favorite sports. According to historical records, it was first played as public entertainment in Linzi, before later being used for military fitness training.

Cuju was listed as a Chinese intangible cultural heritage item in 2006.

During the event, a series of events were held to promote traditional cuju.

Cuju players from Linzi played the sport at the Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, and a cuju exhibition was held as well.

Patrick Quirk, a senior employee at the Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, said that they will strengthen communication and cooperation with the Linzi Football Museum to further expand the club’s influence around cuju culture.

Sports in China have entered a new historical stage, bringing about unprecedented opportunities, said an official from Zibo.

The two sides also discussed further cooperation and signed a memorandum of understanding.

Wang Kejie (left), deputy mayor of Zibo, presents a hand-made cuju to Russell Jones, a senior employee of the Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club. [Photo/qingk.cn]

Cuju players from Linzi participate in a cuju activity at the Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club. [Photo/qingk.cn]

A cuju exhibition is held. [Photo/qingk.cn]