A Tang Dynasty (618-907) tricolor polo player figurine from the collection of Luoyang City Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute in Henan province. CHINA DAILY
Book sheds intriguing light on polo and its fast-growing appeal in the modern era, Li Yingxue reports.
Once hailed as "the sport of kings", polo, a niche sport with ancient roots, is played on horseback with a ball. Its exact origins remain uncertain, but one early version of the equestrian sport emerged in ancient Persia (modern Iran) around the 6th century BC.
Different cultures developed similar games and, over time, polo evolved into the sport we know today. It also has a deep historical connection with ancient China, as evidenced by numerous artifacts, including murals, stone carvings, mirrors and paintings.
During the 1930s, the modern version of the sport enjoyed a period of popularity, with polo grounds established in cities with foreign populations like Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Qingdao, Shandong province.
Polo's noble and warrior-like characteristics have won it many passionate players, among them Jackie Wang. She and her family have spent the past three years researching and writing Polo in China, a book that chronicles the lengthy history of the sport in China.
Published by the Cultural Relics Press this month, the book gives a detailed introduction to polo in China, with photos of artifacts and events, and an engaging narrative that brings the sport to life.
As a combination of historical reference and artistic portrayal, it serves both as scholarly work and general interest publication, contributing to the academic study of polo in China, while capturing the sport's allure through its design and presentation.
Wang says it contains nearly 500 images, many of which are presented to readers for the first time.
"As polo lovers, our purpose in compiling this book is to show the history of polo in China in both ancient and modern times, to reflect upon the cultural connotations of 'passion, glory, bravery, elegance and team spirit' of polo, so that China's contribution to the sport becomes known to more people around the world," she says.
A female terracotta figurine from the Tang Dynasty unearthed at the tomb of Wei Jiong in Chang'an county, Shaanxi province. CHINA DAILY
Family tradition
The 31-year-old postdoctoral fellow at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and her parents, fell in love with the sport a couple of years ago. Wang took part in polo competitions during her PhD studies in history at the University of Hong Kong.
Polo, she says, is about the unity between rider and horse, and she believes that the sport integrates various elements familiar in other competitive activities, such as equestrianism, field hockey, ice hockey, golf and soccer.
"Polo is a sport in which male and female players can compete on the same field, which fully embodies the spirit of gender equality," she adds.
Wang cofounded the 1003 POLO club in Beijing in 2017 and, since then, has participated in several tournaments, both in China and abroad.
In September 2021, Wang and her mother Luan Yi published China's first bilingual (Chinese and English) Polo Rule Handbook.
Luan, who has two master's degrees from both Tsinghua University and Wake Forest University in the United States, is a trailblazing figure and was China's first female polo commentator. She has hosted and provided commentary for significant polo events across the country, and has earned the title of Best Commentator on multiple occasions.
Wang's father, Wang Guohua, who has a doctoral degree from Tianjin University and is a dedicated enthusiast, collector and advocate of polo history and culture, also worked on the book.
The trio wholeheartedly embrace and promote the sport and its culture.
In November 2019, Jackie Wang traveled to Argentina to watch the finals of the Argentine Open. During her time in Buenos Aires, she picked up Passion &Glory: A Century of Argentine Polo, a history of Argentine polo over the past century.
"After I returned, we read through the book together, and we had an idea — we should write a book about the history of polo in ancient China and the development of modern polo in the country," Jackie Wang says.
She started researching polo in ancient China, developing a better understanding of its history. From there, she decided to write the book with her parents.
Writing in the midst of the pandemic presented challenges. The family's initial impulse to publish gradually evolved into a passion, a responsibility, and eventually a mission, Jackie Wang says, adding that the time commitment went from the original 10 months to more than 36.
Obtaining authorization from institutions like world-renowned museums, archaeological organizations and private collections, was another major challenge. The photos contained in the book come from some 40 museums and cultural institutions around the world, including the Palace Museum in Beijing, the National Museum of China, the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Guimet Museum in Paris.
More than just a history, the book is a visual narrative of polo's evolution. Through a timeline, it gives an overview of the history of polo in ancient China and its dynamic development in the modern era, differentiating between the two eras by using distinct typography.
Jackie Wang in action, playing the sport she fell in love with a couple of years ago. CHINA DAILY
The historic section follows the traditional Chinese format, with vertical text. In contrast, the modern section adopts a contemporary style, with horizontal text. The historic section divides polo cultural heritage into four periods. Jackie Wang thinks that, as one of the most representative sports in ancient China, polo has great historical significance.
"We hope that this book will help the world better understand the sport and culture of polo in China, and provide a historical and cultural impetus for the revival and development of the sport in China today," she says.
The family has studied a great deal of historical material, academic works, research papers and articles on polo in ancient China, and received assistance from well-known historians of the sport.
"There are many ancient Chinese polo artifacts owned by individuals that are not found in museums. As science and technology progress, in the future, more polo artifacts will be unearthed. There is still more historical material waiting to be discovered," Jackie Wang says.
Wang Guohua is well-versed in the stories behind each image, many of which have involved arduous journeys to track down the precious historical materials.
For example, there are photos of Tang Dynasty (618-907) bronze mirrors with polo motifs that are held in the collections of various museums.
During one expedition to Tianjin, Wang Guohua stumbled upon a Japanese book about a polo-themed bronze mirror in Luoyang, Henan province.
He was able to confirm that the mirror is kept at the Luoyang City Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute, but is no longer on display due to damage. "This finding expanded the book's collection of mirrors to five," he says.
Additionally, Tang Dynasty bronze mirrors with polo motifs can be found in private collections and at auctions. "However, due to the lack of reliable excavation and archaeological data, they have not been included in the book to ensure accuracy and authenticity," Wang Guohua explains.
The cover of Polo in China. CHINA DAILY
Deep roots
During the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), modern polo was introduced by foreign residents of cities like Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin.
The modern polo section presents the development of the sport in China, from its introduction during the late Qing Dynasty to 2005.
During the 1930s, it enjoyed a period of popularity in China and, in 1959, during the first-ever National Games, polo was included as an official sport.
The Wang family extensively researched old newspapers and publications to find information about polo events, including about Chinese polo players, teams and trophies.
They also searched overseas databases and conducted on-site research to gather firsthand information.
Their efforts resulted in the assembly of about 300 vintage photos, which provide a look at how modern polo arrived and developed in China, offering readers a unique glimpse of this history.
Wang Guohua says that, even though there are many academic monographs and papers on the history of polo in ancient China, there is little research on modern polo.
Polo players compete at the first National Games in 1959. CHINA DAILY
"We visited many historical sites including those in Tianjin, Shanghai and Hohhot in the Inner Mongolian autonomous region, and consulted with experts and descendants of polo players," he says, adding that, while the sport was popular in ancient China, it remains a relatively niche pastime today.
"Argentina's polo standards are globally top-notch, akin to China's excellence in table tennis. In contrast, China's polo standards are more comparable to Argentina's table tennis proficiency," Wang Guohua says.
He says that, despite the nearly 4,000 equestrian clubs in the country, there are only a handful of polo clubs.
"China's polo history and culture have deep roots, with close ties to many historical events.
"Through the book, we hope to give the world a glimpse into that history," Wang Guohua explains, adding that his daughter is currently working on publishing an English version of the book and that the family's future plans involve publishing ancient Chinese poems about polo.
