Chinese Traditional Swimming
传统的中国游泳
Swim in military affairs
游泳在军事上的应用
The earliest records about swim in the history of China is in the books of the Spring-and-Autumn Period. It says in "The Book of Odes" " Row across it if it is deep and swim across it when it is shallow."
中国历史上关于游泳的记载可从《诗经》中读到：“就其深矣，方之舟之；就其浅矣，泳之游之。”
China has a lot of rivers and lakes, especially, in the south, which is called "A Southern land that abounds in rivers and lakes." Wars broke out frequently during the periods of the Spring-and-Autumn and the Warring States. Some states then discovered water communication faster and safer than land communication and founded the special forces-water-borne forces, which is same to the modern navy. The water-borne forces were to fight on water specially, so falling into water was unavoidable. Those who could not swim would certainly be drowned. Thus, the water-borne forces stressed the soldiers' swimming training. The pictures on a bronze kettle in the Warring States Period that is unearthed in Sichuan describe the scenes of water and land wars then. In them, it can be seen some warriors backstroking, some swimming underwater and some fighting at close quarters with weapons.
中国是一个多江河湖泊的国家，尤其是中国的南方，历来有“江南泽国”之称。春秋战国时期战争频繁，一些国家看到水路运输比陆路运输快捷、安全，便建立了特殊的部队——水师，就是现代的海军。水师是专门在水上作战的部队。既然在水上作战，就难免于落水。如果落水者不会游泳就必死无疑。所以，水师对士兵的游泳训练极为重视。在四川出土的一个战国时期的铜壶上的图案向我们展示了当时水陆攻占的场面。图中，有的战士在浮永，有的在潜泳，有的在水中厮杀。
From then on, water-borne force is an important part in the arrmy in Chinese history. Records show in the reign of Emperor Wudi of the Western Han, he was about to send armed forces to suppress Kunming State, so a 40-li squared Kunming Lake in the southwest of Chang'an was dug to make the warriors practice swimming, rowing and underwater swimming etc. there every day. When it came to the Northern Song, in order to suppress the Southern states, a man-made lake-Jin-ming Lake of 9 li in girth was dug particularly in the Northwest of the Capital Bianliang training the water-borne forces there. Besides, the functions of those soldiers who were good at swimming can be seen in the wars, such as the war in Chibi in the period of the Three Kingdoms, the war between Tand and Liang in the period of Five Dynasties and Ten States, and the Anti-Japanese Pirates War in the Ming dynasty etc.
在中国历史上，水师一直是军队中一支重要的力量。根据历史记载，西汉武帝时，因准备南下讨伐昆明国，就在长安西南开凿了方圆达40里的昆明池，天天让水师在里面联系游泳、划船、潜水等技术。北宋时，出于平定南方诸国的需要，也专门在汴梁的西北挖了一个周长九里的湖——金明池，专门操练水师。除此之外，三国时期的赤壁之战，五代十国时期的唐梁之战，明朝时期的抗倭战争，等等，都可以看到擅长游泳的战士在其中所起的作用。
Special Function of Underwater Swimming
潜泳
Underwater swimming means to dive under water and swim. Underwater swimming as a branch of swimming comes into being together with swimming. There was no special trainning about it in ancient China, and it appeared spontaneously while the swimmers swam, which was a highly practical skill in fishing for things from water or in the military affairs.
潜泳作为游泳运动的一个分支与游泳同时产生。在中国古代并无专门的潜泳训练，基本上是游泳者在游泳时自然培养而成的一种技能。其实用性较强，可用于捞取水中的物品，或者用于军事行动。
Rich or abundant products exist in water. Those who were good at swimming scooped them and exchanged for money and materials. Historical records show that there was a peaerl lake in Hepu of Guangxi, and the pearls were in teh depth of it. The pearls in Hepu were very dear, and quite a number of good swimmers dived under the water to look for them at the risk of their lives.
水中拥有丰富的物产。擅长游泳的人就能把这些东西捞上岸换取财物。据史书记载，在广西合浦有珠池，在海下很深的地方有珍珠。因为合浦的珍珠很贵重，有不少擅长游泳的人不顾生命危险潜入深海捞取珍珠。
There are countless examples about the application of underwater swimming in military affaris in the history of ancient China. It is recorded in "History as a Mirror" that in the period of Five Dynasties, the officer of the Later Zhou dynasty Zhang Yongde commonded his troops to fight with the water-borne forces of the Southern Tand dynasty. One night, Zhang Yongde sent the soldiers who were good at swimming to dive secretly to the boats of the navel force of the Southern Tang dynasty and tied them all together with an iron chain. The following day, Zhang sent his men to attack the enemy. Since the boats were stuck in the water, the southern Tang wasdefeated completely. Furthermore, it is recorded in "The History Of The Old Five Dynasties" that, during the Five Dynasties, there was a war between Tand State and Liang State. Once the force of Liang State cut off the communication between the south and the north camps of the Tang State with warships, which made them can not help each other. Then, the army of Tang State sent the brothers of Ma Wan, who were good at swimming, to carry messages between the two camps with their diving skills. In the end, they burned the boats of Liang State and relieved the siege.
在中国历史上把潜泳用于军事中的例子更是不胜枚举。《资治通鉴》中有这样的记载，五代时，后周将领张永德率兵与南塘水军交战。一天晚上，张永德派擅长游泳的士卒偷偷潜泳到南塘水军的船下，用铁索把南塘水军的船只系在一起。第二天，张永德派兵攻打南塘水军，南塘水军因船只无法划动而大败。另据《旧五代史》记载，五代时，梁唐两军交战，梁军利用战船将唐军的南北两寨隔绝，使其无法相互支援。这时，唐军启用军中擅长游泳的马万兄弟，利用潜泳技术，在南北两寨间来回传信，并最终火烧梁军战船，解除了围困。
Masters in Swim
游泳高手历代倍出
The excellent natural conditions in China have fostered groups of top swimmers with superb skills. A man of Luliang is recorded in the book " Zhuangzi. Dashengyuan", who could swim easily in the great waterfall, where no fish or furtles could exist. It says in the book, "Confucius visited Luliang and found the height of the water was 30 ren (a Chinese measurment in ancient time), the currents were swift with a speed of 40 li in a split second, so no soft-shelled furtles, Chinese alligators, and fish so on could swim in it. Suddenly he found a man in water and thought he must have sufferings and wanted to commit suicide. Confucius asked his pupils to rescue him. However, the man emerged after swimming hundreds of feet, wearing his hair down, and singing. In fact, he was swimming in the pond."
中国优越的自然环境培养出了大批游泳技术出神入化的游泳高手。在《庄子·达生》中记载了一位吕梁壮士，能在连鱼鳖都无法生存的巨大瀑布中自如游泳：“孔子观于吕梁，县水三十仞，流沫四十里，鼋鼍鱼鳖之所不能游也。见一丈夫游之，以为有苦而欲死也，使弟子并流而拯之。数百步而出，披发行歌而游于塘下。”遗憾的是，中国没有发展处系统的游泳竞技理论和游泳竞技活动。现代竞技游泳活动起源于英国，并于19世纪末20世纪初传入中国。近年来，中国游泳健儿在国际游泳大赛中屡屡夺冠，逐渐显示出中国作为一个游泳大国的实力。
It's a pity that systematical swimming theory and competitive sports have not come into being in China. The modern swimming competition was initiated in England and were introduced into China at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. In recent years, the Chinese swimming athletes have won the gold medals frequently in the world competitions, which shows the strength of China as a swimming power.
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