Throwing Embroidered Ball
投绣球
Throwing embroidered ball is a traditional game of the Zhuangs in Guangxi Autonomous Region. It has a long a bronze weapon-Feituo used for throwing in the war history. But originally it was and hunting. Later people had changed it into an embroidered bag to throw each other for entertainment. In the Song dynasty, it became a media to express the love between the youth of the Zhuangs. Now it is still popular in the areas such as Baise, liuzhou, Nanning and Hechi etc. in Guangxi province. At each singing party in the traditional festivals such as the Spring Festival, the Third Day of the Third Moon and the Mid-Autumn Festival etc. the youth of the Zhuangs will invite each other at the village side, the edge of the field or on the bank of the river. And then they divide them into the male and female sides. When the two sides decide their places to sing in antiphonal style and throw the balls, they begin to ask each other in songs. The songs include very rich contents of ideals, feelings and the agricultural affairs and so on. They ask and answer while singing. One side rises and the other falls. When they sing to the most exciting moment, the girls begin to swing the balls in their hands and throw them to the boys whom they set their minds on. The boys' are supposed to have quick reaction and catch the balls right. Otherwise the others would laugh. The boys who have caught the balls will enjoy the balls for moment and then throw the balls back to the girls. After a few times the boys will tie their gifts such as the silver ornaments or coins to the balls, and throw back to the girls as gifts if the boys also set their minds on the girls. The more expensive the gift is, the deeper feeling it shows. If the girl accepts the gift it means she agrees the court from the boy and then they will continue to sing in antiphonal style to show their emotions or date to an quiet place to express their heartfelt emotions.
投绣球是广西壮族人民的一项传统体育游戏，它的历史悠久，最早是用青铜铸制的兵器，用于甩投，称为“飞砣”，多在作战和狩猎中应用。后来人们将飞轮改制成绣花囊，互相抛接娱乐。到了宋代，逐渐演变成为壮族男女青年表达爱情的媒介。现在“抛绣球”仍在广西百色、柳州、南宁、河池等区流传。每逢春节、三月三、中秋等传统佳节举行的歌圩中，壮族青年们相邀集村边、地头、河畔，分成男女双方。双方选定对歌抛球的位置后，便开始用歌声相互询问，歌词内容包括理想、情操、农事问答。对歌有问有答，歌声此起彼落，唱至酣畅，姑娘们便运转起手中的绣球，向中意的小伙子抛去，小伙子眼明手快，反应敏捷，准确无误地接过去绣球，否则即会惹起旁人的哄笑，接住绣球的小伙子将它赏玩一番后，又向姑娘抛回去，经过数次往返抛接，如果小伙子看上姑娘，就在绣球上系上自己的小礼物，诸如银首饰或钱币，抛回馈赠女方，馈赠愈重，表明小伙子对姑娘的情意愈重。姑娘若接受礼物，就说明同意小伙子的追求。于是继续对歌互表情意，或相约到僻静处去互诉衷情。
In recent years, after refinement the Mass Sport Bureau of Guangxi Sport Committee developed and decided new competition rules according to its features and makes it a Traditional duel sport.
近年来，广西体委群体处根据投绣球的运动特点，加以整理与发展，制定出规则，使之成为对抗性的传统体育项目。
Throwing the embroidered ball can not only improve one's power, flexibility and speed, but also develop the moral quality to be brave, determined, self-confident and alive and also temper one's spiritual sentiment. The game requires perfect skills. The diameter of the ball is 6 centimeters and it is filled with grains or sand and made with the cover of colorful silk. The bottom of the ball sewed with tens of ribbons of more than l0 centimeters long and weighs 150 grams. In competition, the male team and the female team stand on two sides and throw the balls into the small hole (with a diameter of 60 centimeters or less than that) on the top of the 10-meter high wood post. The competition rules are:
投绣球不但能锻炼提高人的体力和灵敏度及速度，而且能培养果断、坚毅、自信、积极向上的品质，陶冶美好高尚的精神情操。这种活动的技术性要求很高。绣球直径约6厘米，内盛豆类或沙子，以多色的彩绸包制而成;底部缝有数十条长约10多厘米的球顶飘带，重约150克。比赛时，男女各站一方，将绣球投向约10米高的木竿顶上的小圆圈孔（直径60厘米或更小一些）中。比赛规则为:
There are team and individual competitions. In team competition there are five athletes in each of the male and female teams. There are five athletes to take part in each individual competition. Only individual results are counted.
比赛分团体赛和男、女个人赛。团体赛每队由男、女各5人参加;个人赛每次比赛5人，计个人成绩。
Competition: the competition will last for 20 minutes. It had two halves and l0 minutes for each. In the first half the five female athletes throw the balls and the second half the five male athletes do.
比赛时间：团体赛比赛时间20分钟；分两段进行，每段10分钟，第一段为5名女运动员上场抛绣球，第二段为5名男运动员上场投绣球。
In competition, the referee will bring the athletes and the judges together and introduce each other. Then the judges give the balls to the athletes. After one-minute practice, the athletes stand in the throwing areas of the two sides. With the preparation of the judges and the athletes, the competition begins after the whistling the referee. The athlete should pick up his or her own ball and return to his or her own throwing area quickly after each throw. One point for throwing the ball into the hole once. But if the athlete steps on the limit line, or out of the throwing area or use others' balls, he or she will have the deduction of one point for each wrong conducts.
比赛时由裁判长带领比赛的运动员与裁判员认识，由裁判员发给运动员绣球，练球一分钟后，队员分别站在两边的投球区内，待裁判员、运动员做好准备，裁判长鸣笛开始比赛。运动员投圈后飞快捡起自己专用的球返向投圈。中圈一次得1分，如果投球时运动员踩到控制线、越出投球区或拿别人的球投，一次扣1分。
After the competition, the places of the teams and the individuals in the competition will be decided according to their points. Those who score highest marks will be listed front. If they score the same, they will have the one-minute extra period, the one who hits more times wins. If it is still a tie, one more one-minute extra period added till the winner is determined.
比赛结束后，按得分多少排列团体（10人得分相加）和个人名次，得分高者名次列前。如果投球得分相等，再用1分钟时间给相等分数的运动员复赛，投中多者为胜;如果仍相等，再赛1分钟，直至决出胜者为止。
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