Tianqiao Wrestling
01 · Historical Records
According to relevant cultural relics and historical records, wrestling already existed in China more than two thousand years ago. By the Qing dynasty this sport had developed greatly: the Qing court established the Shanpu Battalion, a palace corps of wrestlers, wrestling was known as 'official wrestling', and it reached a fairly high level. After the Qing dynasty was overthrown, Rui the Fifth and Wan the Eighth (Wan Yongshun), the head 'official-leg' wrestlers whose fame had shaken the Shanpu Battalion, opened a wrestling school at the Hongmiao (Red Temple) in Tianqiao, a branch of the Jinzhong Temple, taking on disciples including Zhu Liu, Wei Dehai, Li Lianfeng, Shen Yousan, Man Guangtian, Bao Shanlin, Sun Baocai and He Sheng. In the 1920s, Bao Shanlin (1900–1965), a disciple of Wan the Eighth, set up a wrestling ground at Tianqiao in Beijing, creating a distinctive guanjiao (folk wrestling) style marked by flexible and varied movement, a handsome physical form, humorous commentary, and a combination of civil and martial elements with zhongfan (the feat of balancing and manipulating a large banner pole).
02 · Core Techniques & Process
From then on, official wrestling merged into the folk milieu and came to be known collectively as 'guanjiao' (folk wrestling). The training method of guanjiao emphasizes the 'three tiers' (sanpan — high, middle and low), and its techniques emphasize thirty-six major trips (dabanzi), with minor trips as numerous as the hairs on an ox. Its performance forms are varied: ad-lib topical banter ('lianghuo', also called 'xiangua'), comic patter ('guankou') and continuous punchlines ('baofu') follow one another in an unbroken stream, the talk being witty and humorous. The competition rule is best of three falls, and every bout must be fought through the full three throws. Guanjiao is divided by body weight into lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight classes; the wrestling mat is laid according to the style of wrestling; and in the contest the emphasis is on 'quick grips, accurate moves, and holding on once you have seized your man'. The referee is played by the wrestling-ground boss (batou) together with seasoned hands among the spectators, who announce each throw and add running commentary.
Three levels of training and thirty-six throws
Training stresses three levels of body work, and the throwing repertoire is summed up as thirty-six big throws and countless small ones.
Repartee and verbal tricks at the ring
Fights are interlaced with improvised banter and comic patter, a blend of martial and verbal performance.
Best of three, always three falls
Matches run to the best of three rounds and always go the full three falls.
The imperial wrestling brigade
The Qing court's Shanpuying made wrestling an official art; after 1911 its members brought it to the marketplace as guanjiao.
Wrestling paired with the banner pole
Bao Shanlin's Tianqiao ring combined wrestling with the balancing banner pole, giving the show its signature flavour.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The Tianqiao wrestling ground was part of the 'laodi' (open-air street performance) entertainment of Tianqiao, Beijing, in the first half of the 20th century. Rui the Fifth, head 'official-leg' wrestler of the Shanpu Battalion, and Wan the Eighth (Wan Yongshun) opened a wrestling school at the Hongmiao (Red Temple) in Tianqiao, a branch of the Jinzhong Temple, taking on disciples including Zhu Liu, Wei Dehai, Li Lianfeng, Shen Yousan, Man Guangtian, Bao Shanlin, Sun Baocai and He Sheng. In the 1920s Bao Shanlin (1900–1965) set up a wrestling ground at Tianqiao, creating a distinctive guanjiao style marked by flexible and varied movement, a handsome physique, humorous commentary, and a civil-military combination with zhongfan (banner-pole balancing). In the same period, wrestling grounds in Tianjin, Baoding, Jinan and elsewhere maintained exchanges with Beiping; wrestlers moved from fair to fair, often sharing the stage with acrobatic acts such as zhongfan and feicha (flying forks). Inside the wrestling ground, ropes were looped to mark out a circle; spectators stood in a ring; and technical exposition and wrestling commentary proceeded in turn. Today the protecting unit is the Beijing Fushi Tianqiao Baosan Folk Culture and Art Troupe.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Wrestling · Wrestling · Wrestling · Wrestling.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
As an outstanding mode of expression of ethnic culture, Tianqiao wrestling has research value in many respects: folk custom, art, sport, culture, society and history. At present, as the older generation of renowned wrestlers has passed away one after another, the wrestling world lacks successors; added to this, there is no fixed venue for training and performance, and market operation is difficult. This ancient art already faces the danger of dying out, and strengthening its protection is a task of pressing urgency.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Li Yong 05-2543
- Li Yougui 05-2544
- Miman Aimila 05-2545
- Guan Guilin
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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