亚欧传播链上中国古代马球的器材与打法考论

Ancient Chinese Polo Equipment and Playing Techniques Along the Eurasian Transmission Chain

马球运动是一项由人、马、球杆、球等要素组合起来的复杂竞技运动,自公元7世纪开始在亚欧大陆广大区域流行。考证分析中国历史文献和考古出土文物,并对比古代波斯、朝鲜、日本等国的文献、文物资料,在亚欧传播链上考察中国古代马球器材和打法的历史演变。认为:马球比赛中对阻挡“球路”的规则限制是自唐代以来马球竞赛和谐进行的核心条款,其最大限度地避免了双方马匹迎头相撞的伤亡事件,在中国古代出土壁画中也呈现出马头朝向同一方向的竞赛场景;马球能够在亚洲多地流行得益于公元5世纪马镫技术的发明,马镫使“人马合一”,能够完成马球运动所需要的各种高难度技术动作;唐代已降至明代,马球的球杆迭次发生标志性变化,折射出亚洲各地马球运动发展的“同”与“异”,充分说明古代马球运动的跨文化交互影响。

As a complicated sport with the combination of humans,horses,sticks and balls,polo was popular in the vast area of the Eurasian continent.The Chinese historical literature and archaeological artifacts are analyzed with the comparison of the records from ancient Persia,Korea,Japan and other countries,and the evolution of ancient Chinese polo equipment and playing strategies within the transmission chain of Eurasia are examined.It is believed that the rule restrictions on obstructing the"path of the ball"in polo matches have been the core provisions for the smoothness of polo competitions since the Tang Dynasty,effectively avoiding fatal collisions between horses from both sides.And,an ancient Chinese unearthed murals competitive scenes where the horses'heads are facing the same direction can prove it.The widespread popularity of polo in various parts of Asia is due to the invention of stirrup technology in the 5th century AD,which allows the integration of"rider and horse"into one,capable of performing various difficult movements required in polo.From Tang Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty,significant changes occurred in the polo sticks,reflecting both the"similarities"and"differences"in the development of polo in various Asian regions as well as the cross-cultural influence of ancient polo sport.