Chui Wan Handscroll

Introducing the Scene of Chui Wan

The first object is a handscroll painting that shows a group of figures playing chui wan, a golf-like game that was popular in China during the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties. Scenes like this are described in historical sources as taking place in controlled, almost staged environments, where players stood on open ground with attendants nearby holding extra clubs and watching each shot.¹ In the painting, a small group focuses on the ball while one player prepares to strike, and the others follow the action closely. The setup does not feel random or casual. Instead, it looks organized and deliberate, with each person playing a specific role, which already starts to suggest that the activity was more structured than just a simple pastime.

Rules, Strategy, and Skill

That sense of structure becomes clearer when looking at how chui wan was actually played. According to Yan, Zhang, and Han, the game included defined rules, equipment, and strategies, all of which were recorded in the historical text Wan Jing.² The existence of a written guide is important because it shows that the game had reached a level of development where it needed to be standardized and taught.

Players used different types of clubs depending on the situation, which meant that they had to make decisions about technique rather than simply repeating the same motion.³ The game also required aiming for specific targets or holes, which introduced a level of precision and control.⁴ These details show that success depended on practice and skill, which are key characteristics of a sport. The same source emphasizes that players had to consider terrain and shot selection, which adds another layer of complexity and reinforces the idea that the game was highly developed.⁵

Elite Participation and Social Setting

Another important aspect of chui wan is who was playing it. Many historical descriptions and visual depictions show that the game was most commonly associated with elite groups. Yan notes that it was especially popular among “royal and aristocratic people or other rich people from the upper classes,” which suggests that participation required both time and resources.⁶ In some cases (like in this handscroll), attendants are shown carrying equipment or assisting players, which further highlights the social hierarchy connected to the activity.⁷ The setting of the handscroll reflects that environment, since the game takes place in a controlled and well-maintained space rather than an open or public area. The structure of the game and the setting together suggest that chui wan was not just about recreation, but also about displaying refinement, discipline, and status.

Silk Road Context and Early Ball Games

The broader Silk Road context helps explain why the object matters beyond its immediate setting. While chui wan is associated with China, the idea of organized ball games was not limited to one region. Archaeological evidence from Central Asia shows that ball games existed as early as the first millennium BCE and were often connected to physical exercise and social interaction.⁸ These earlier games were likely different in form, but they show that structured play was already part of the region’s culture. The same research suggests that ball games were connected to the development of horseback riding and mobility, which places them within a larger network of movement and exchange.⁹ When chui wan is viewed within that broader framework, it can be understood as part of a longer process rather than an isolated development.

Connections to Polo and Cultural Exchange

The connection becomes even stronger when considering how chui wan may relate to other sports. The same source suggests that the game could have been influenced by earlier activities such as polo, which spread across Central Asia and into China.¹⁰ That relationship shows how sports could evolve as they moved across regions, adapting to new environments while maintaining certain core features. In that sense, the handscroll represents more than a single moment of leisure. It reflects how organized sport developed within a larger network of cultural exchange, where ideas about competition, skill, and structure were shaped by the movement of people and practices along the Silk Road.

Bibliography

• Wertmann, Patrick, Xinyong Chen, Xiao Li, Dongliang Xu, Pavel E. Tarasov, and Mayke Wagner. “New Evidence for Ball Games in Eurasia from ca. 3000-Year-Old Yanghai Tombs in the Turfan Depression of Northwest China.” Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 34 (2020): 102576. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102576.
• Yan, Gui, Zhang Tianju, and Han Liebao. “The Study of Chui Wan, a Golf-like Game in the Song, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties of Ancient China.” Journal of Sport History 39, no. 2 (2012): 283–297. https://cdm17103.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p17103coll10/id/14107.