Traditional Sports

The traditional sports of Shui are a form of ethnic culture that has developed with the production and living practice ofthe Shui people. Its inheritance and development is closely related with the language and customs, festivals, living habits, moral principles, religious belief, code of conduct, values, ideology and feelings of the Shui people. It’s not only a socializing platform for the Shui people to express trust, friendship, harmony and mutual benefit, but more an important part oftraditional sports ofChina.

The traditional sports of the Shui people carry typical farming culture characteristics,which are mainly leisure and entertainment items and related to their farming production mode, lifestyle, folk customs and habits. The characteristic sport activities include shouldering poles twisting, waist wrestling, horse racing, lion climb, table turning, ox fight and copper drum dance, which have deeply blended into the life of the Shui people and become their important lifestyle.

Lion Climb

The Shui people like lion dancing, so the lion climb has become a common sport game among the Shui people.

The performer of the lion head is mostly a person with superb martial art skills. In the performance, the “lion” performed by several players climbs onto five or six-table-height.Some even climb to the height of over ten tables. The highest table is usually upside-down,with four legs towards the sky. The performers have to realize a tacit cooperation while performing many breath-taking stunts. Only in this way can it show the bravery and superb skills of the Shui people. Every time when the lion performs a unique stunt in the air, the audiences return with thunderous applause.