Manchu pearl ball

Name of Chinese national intangible cultural heritage: Manchu pearl ball

Applicant: Jilin City, Jilin Province

Project No.: 810

Project No.: VI - 38

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: traditional sports, recreation and acrobatics

Region: Jilin Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Jilin City, Jilin Province

Protection unit: Jilin Art Research Institute (Jilin Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Research Center)

Introduction to Manchu pearl ball

Applicant: Jilin City, Jilin Province

Pearl ball is one of the competitive activities that Manchu people have inherited for more than 300 years. Its birthplace is now the Manchu town of Wula street, Longtan District, Jilin City, Jilin Province.

The Qing government once set up the governor Yamen in Wula area to collect various local products. Songhua River, which flows through Wula area, is rich in top-grade pearls, known as "Dongzhu". According to the regulations, Wula must collect pearls to pay tribute to the imperial court every year. It's a hard work done by special draughtsmen in late autumn every year when mussels mature. It is necessary to dive 15 meters below the bottom of the water to pick up giant clams and peel pearls, so people die every year. They had to go home for half a year when they were picking pearls. In order to pass the lonely days, they created this pearl ball game. The movement of pearl ball imitates the working conditions of Pearl pickers. During the competition, the players can pass, throw, clap or roll the "Pearl" (ball) at will in the "water area", and strive to let the team members of the hand-held copying website pick the "Pearl". On the field attack and defense reciprocating, silver shuttle flying, four clams Huzhang Huhe, a pair of plagiarism net strive to gain. The whole movement process is intense, wonderful and dazzling. For more than 300 years, as a unique Manchu traditional sports event in Wula area, pearl ball has been highly praised by local people. It is a living fossil of Manchu fishing and hunting life, and has far-reaching historical significance for inheriting Manchu culture.

Nowadays, the Manchu pearl ball activity is far from forming the scale it should have and needs to be carried forward.