Chapter 6　The Inheritance and Development of Ethni...

Chapter 6　The Inheritance and Development of Ethnic Sports in Yunnan

Yunnan is rich in resources of ethnic sports since there are 51 ethnic groups in the Province. There are 25 indegious ethnic minorities and 15 unique ethnic minorities. Apart from the Manchu, 24 indegious ethnic minorities in Yunnan boast 388 ethnic sports events in total, while 15 unique ethnic minorities have 236. Ethnic sports, to a certain extent,reflect the society, history, politics, economy, culture, religion, customs and psychology of all ethnic groups. It is an important part of traditional cultures of all ethnic groups and a treasure of the splendid culture of the Chinese nation. There is a long way to go forward for the inheritance and development ofYunnan traditional ethnic sports. We should do the following work below:

First of all, the Yunnan ethnic resources database, especially the part about 15 unique ethnic minorities, should be systematically and comprehensively established. Digging and sorting out the traditional sports of ethnic groups and their culture are the part of human cultural heritage. There are many traditional sports and cultural resources that have remained original. With the development ofurbanization, there are many omissions, biases and mistakes in the historical records of some ethnic sports events in ethnic areas. Thus, it is difficult to see the whole picture, and some events are now lost.

Therefore, it is necessary to carry out on-the-spot investigation in the “originally ecological” ethnic inhabited areas, excavate and sort out the original materials on the basis of maintaining their characteristics, as well as systematically sort out and scientifically process the original historical records. Collecting and sorting out the historical data ofethnic groups in Yunnan Province have such merits as convenience for researchers to retrieve,consult and pick up references, for the public who are interested in ethnic groups and their culture in Yunnan to know and understand the pertinent knowledge so that communication and cohesion between ethnic groups and the Han can be improved, for educators who study this topic to get teaching resources provided, for ethnic sports to be more popular and perfected so as to develop comprehensively and cohesively.

Second, the theoretical research of traditional ethnic sports should be strengthened and the theoretical researchers should be fostered. The research ofthe theory of ethnic sports in China, currently, lags behind the actual needs ofthe development oftraditional ethnic sports and cannot provide timely, scientific or effective guidance for the development oftraditional sports of ethnic groups. It is urgent to build up the theoretical research of traditional sports for ethnic minorities: We should strengthen the scientific research of ethnic traditional sports, establish excellent project evaluation system and objectively evaluate and analyze traditional ethnic sports. We should also actively improve and carry forward the sports that embody the ethnic characteristics integrated with the competitiveness, fitness, entertainment and education. But for those sports that have historical value but can no longer exist and develop in the future society, we can only take the similar methods to preserve them as the memory of traditional civilization for educating future generations. Since the 1980s,China has accelerated the development of traditional ethnic sports. However, the pace of the development oftraditional ethnic sports is based on the concept for developing modern sports. It simply copies the “higher, faster, stronger” integrated model ofcompetitive sports,or regards the matter as a simple return to the ancient traditional sports, which causes the underdevelopment of traditional ethnic sports and seriously hinders the sustainable development of traditional ethnic sports. Therefore, we should abandon the modern sports concept, establish the Chinese view on the ethnic sports, as well as develop the traditional sports of ethnic groups in a diversified way. Moreover, it is necessary to establish a scientific theoretical system of ethnic sports in Yunnan Province, and work out the shortterm, medium-term and long-term development strategies and implementation approaches of ethnic sports in Yunnan Province. Yunnan Normal University, Yunnan Minzu University and Yunnan Social Development Research Center should be taken as the leaders, and the teachers in colleges and universities should be viewed as the subjects to speed up the scientific research ofethnic sports in Yunnan.

Third, the leadership of national sports work in this province should be stressed. Third,strengthen the leadership of national sports work in Yunnan Province. The successful holding of all previous Yunnan Traditional Ethnic Sports Games reflects the leading role of the provincial government. However, the development of ethnic sports can not only rely on the Games held once every four years. During the no-Game period, individual competitions should be arranged, and different levels of invitational competitions,games for communications and knockout matches should be organized. The government departments in charge ofthat are supposed to formulate appropriate incentive policies, give more autonomy to the grass-root organizations, and give economic support to mobilize their enthusiasm to hold various national sports events.

Fourth, the funding of traditional ethnic sports should be increased, and the protection,inheritance and development of these sports should be largely support. Local governments at all levels should found special training funds during non-competition period, and adopt multi-channel fund-raising methods to increase the investment in traditional ethnic sports,so as to provide necessary conditions for daily training of ethnic athletes, ensure the longterm uninterrupted training oftraditional ethnic athletes in Yunnan Province and ensure that traditional sports of less-population ethnic groups can be inherited; on the other hand, a special ethnic sports fund and a national sports training base should be established to make ethnic sports an integral part of the national fitness activities. After more-than-50 yeardevelopment, Yunnan Ethnic Traditional Sports Games have had its norms and a relatively large scale. Yunnan Ethnic Traditional Sports Games has played a indispensable role in promoting the development of local economy and society. Therefore, when exploring and solving the problems in the development process of traditional ethnic sports games, we seek that the state and local governments can give financial and policy support, such as extracting part of the funds from the issuance of sports lottery for the development and spread of traditional ethnic sports. In addition, we should vigorously support the ethnic sports industry, explore a new industrial structure combining sports with tourism industries,and cultivate a market-oriented development system with the main content of ethnic sports competition performance, national fitness and entertainment and national sports tourism.We should encourage and guide the state, enterprises and individuals to invest and set up the market ofethnic sports industry. Employing all types ofsocial resources to actively hold individual games is to accelerate socialization ofethnic sports.

Fifth, the development of economic construction in ethnic areas should be promoted.Since the reform and opening up, many ethnic regions have successfully explored the industrialization of national sports. For example, it has become a common practice in ethnic regions to cooperate with tourism departments to carry out sports performances during holidays and to arrange traditional sports performances in ethnic traditional festivals.Since the reform and opening up, many ethnic regions have successfully explored the industrialization ofnational sports. For example, it has become a common practice in ethnic regions to cooperate with tourism departments to carry out national sports performances during holidays and to arrange national traditional sports performances in national traditional festivals. Now national sports performances and competitions, especially in large-scale sports games, can obtain considerable economic benefits. The direct income is from selling tickets and souvenirs, publishing advertisements, acquiring TV transmission rights, selling ethnic sports clothing and sports equipment, etc., and the indirect income is from the development oflocal tourism, transportation and communication.

The construction of ethnic traditional sports training base can be more effectively selected and developed. Sports with fitness and artistic values, rich entertainment and educational functions can be developed, which can not only make the ethnic sports move towards the road ofsustainable development, but also provide good content for industries in the ethnic areas, so that the ethnic sports can better serve the local economic construction.

Sixth, the development of Yunnan ethnic sports must be combined with the school physical education. We should attach importance to the introduction of national sports into the classes of schools’ physical education, which can not only carry out physical education work in ethnic areas according to local conditions, but also enrich the content of physical education at schools, promoting the inheritance, development and promotion ofthe ethnic traditional sports. Now an increasing number of people are aware of the importance of mutual promotion between school education and ethnic traditional sports. Through school sports and folk activities, ethnic sports will be inherited and spread in a wider range. The ethnic exercises of the Primary School Affiliated to Yunnan Normal University and the ethnic fitness exercises ofYunnan University are products ofthe combination oftraditional ethnic sports and school education. In Yunnan Province, the traditional sports games of ethnic groups have been participated by college students and the fruits are very prominent.

In view of the actual situation ofYunnan Province, it is suggested that traditional sports of ethnic groups in various schools in Yunnan Province should be gradually carried out. On the basis of popularization, we should strive for forming a long-term talent training mode of “primary schools, middle schools and universities”. The traditional ethnic sports games at all levels are supposed to be enriched, and a complete system of development and talent training for ethnic traditional sports should be formed.

Seventh, the modern forms of ethnic cultural life, entertainment and stage should be touched to construct modern sports. Ethnic sports are a comprehensive culture, which contains people’s values, ethics, aesthetics and behavior patterns. Ethnic sports are mainly featured with entertainment, and now it is integrated into the competitiveness of modern sports, making it more in line with the needs of modern society and having a broad social foundation. Among many forms of ethnic culture, the functions of inheritance, infection,strong fitness, kinship, guidance and aesthetic education of the sports are incomparable to other forms ofculture.

The establishment of the traditional sports training base for ethnic groups has provided a stage for the spiritual culture in ethnic areas and played a positive role in inspiring the ethnic spirit and enriching the people’s spiritual and cultural life. However, with the arrival of modernization in ethnic areas, the masses, especially the young generations, are facing the impact of modern sports. Thus, some ethnic sports are neglected due to the lack of a sense ofthe times.

Speaking of this phenomenon, we must consciously abandon some activities that are against scientific principles or even harmful to our health, learn from the scientific theories and methods ofmodern sports and transform some items with distinctive characteristics and obvious fitness effects, so as to make them rich in the characteristics of the times and also maintain the ethnic characteristics, realizing the innovation of the integration of tradition and modernization, embarking on the road of scientization and modernization, and finally becoming integrated with modern sports. The ethnic sports will head to the international sports arena and become the common wealth ofall the people in the world.

Eighth, development ofthe cultural diversity ofhuman sports should be improved. In the development process ofmodern society, there are many ethnic sports activities that can only be preserved as “living fossil”. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, its sports have continuously strengthened a “national system” for promoting the development of modern competitive sports. This system and the corresponding operational mechanism are basically to adapt to the development of western modern sports. Compared with the development of competitive sports, our country’s ethnic sports culture has been relatively weakened.

For Yunnan Province whose major goal is to develop ethnic sports culture in Yunnan Province: the first thing is to establish an organization to promote the operation of traditional ethnic sports games; the second is to put forward the innovative planning of the development modes of the traditional ethnic sports games; the third one is to realize the promotion and development of traditional ethnic sports games; the rest of the goal is to focus on the surrounding countries holding such international sports events as“Lancang- Mekong sub-regional national sports games” and “Southeast Asian National Sports Culture Festival”. In recent years, Yunnan Province has made a great progress in economic cooperation with ASEAN countries around the Lancang Mekong sub regions,which provides a good condition for the traditional ethnic sports games. In terms ofcultural environment, the ethnic groups in Yunnan and some ethnic groups in Southeast Asian areas share the same cultural and ethnic origins, religious beliefs, ethnic custom, languages and even traditional sports activities. That makes Yunnan closely connected with some Southeast Asian areas. The development of the international national sports games can expand the mutual recognition with these countries and people, and then create a good social environment for construction of culture of Yunnan Province and implementation of the strategy of international channels connecting Southeast Asian countries with Yunnan home and abroad.

Ethnic sports, to a certain extent, reflect the society, history, politics, economy, culture,religion, customs and psychology of all ethnic groups. It is an important part of traditional cultures of all ethnic groups and a treasure of the splendid culture of the Chinese nation.There are many sorts of sports activities of ethnic groups. We should pick out some of them, highlight their special functional characteristics, and spread them to all parts of the world according to different types including competition, leisure, entertainment and physical fitness. And the Ethnic Games, Ethnic Sports Festival, folk activities about custom and festivals, ethnic tourism activities and sports visiting groups should be organized to publicize and promote ethnic sports. We can gradually hold some cross-border sports competitions and international invitational competitions with neighboring countries, so as to promote the international exchange and dissemination of China’s ethnic sports culture.Simultaneously, we should also actively explore, sort out, reform and improve ethnic sports activities, and enhance the scientific, standardized and socialized degree of national sports.We firmly believe that ethnic sports in Yunnan and even southwest China will stride to the world in a new era in the 21st century.