Number of Pages: 4

International Journal of Education and Humanities

ISSN: 2770-6702 | Vol. 13, No. 3, 2024 47

Development of Traditional Minority Sports: Based on China's Minority Games

Feifei Zhang 1, *

1 Graduate University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia *Corresponding author: 493455219@qq.com

Abstract:

Traditional sports of Chinese ethnic minorities are one of China's rich and colourful cultural heritages, while the Ethnic Minority Games are an important platform for displaying and passing on traditional sports of ethnic minorities. By analysing the previous Minority Games, this paper discusses the influence of Minority Games on the development of Chinese minority traditional sports, sums up the successes and shortcomings, and puts forward suggestions and outlooks for future development.

Keywords:

Traditional minority sports; minority games; development, impacts.

1. Introduction

The development and influence of minority traditional sports in China's minority games. China has a rich and diverse cultural heritage, among which traditional sports of ethnic minorities, as an important part of ethnic culture, carries ethnic history, regional characteristics and cultural spirit. As a national sports event, the Minority Games are not only an important platform for the inheritance and display of minority cultures, but also an important way to promote national unity and communication. Existing studies have focused on the historical origins of traditional ethnic minority sports, the study of sports programmes and inheritance, and the organisation and impact of ethnic minority games. (Zhang Li, 2006) studied the characteristics and inheritance methods of traditional sports of ethnic minorities, such as Mongolian wrestling, Tibetan archery and other traditional programmes. (Li Xiao, 2008) puts forward the role of minority games on minority cultural inheritance and national unity, but there is a lack of systematic and in-depth research on the specific impact of minority games on the development of minority traditional sports and its revelation. However, (Yao Zhongjun, 2010) suggests that minority games are not only a platform for the display of minority traditional sports, but also a mechanism to promote ethnic communication and cultural integration. Research on the impact of ethnic minority games on the development of ethnic minority traditional sports should be analysed from multiple levels and perspectives in order to fully explore its potential revelations and values. In this context, this study will focus on what specific impacts the successive Minority Games have had on the development of traditional ethnic minority sports in China, and how the experience of the successive Minority Games can inspire and inform the development of traditional ethnic minority sports in the future, and other related issues. Using the method of literature review and analysis, we systematically summarise the impact and inspiration of the Games on the development of traditional ethnic minority sports by combing through the literature related to the previous ethnic minority Games. Firstly, the organisation, content and impact of previous Games are sorted out and summarised; secondly, the display and inheritance of traditional sports of various ethnic groups in the Games are analysed; and finally, the outlook and methodology of future research are proposed through the criticism of existing studies and the overview of cutting-edge views.

2. Development of Minority Games

2.1. History of the Ethnic Minority Games

The history of the development of ethnic minority games can be traced back to the early twentieth century. These games are usually hosted by ethnic minority organisations or local governments and aim to promote cultural heritage, sports development and unity and cooperation among ethnic minorities. The earliest minority games may have appeared in some multi-ethnic countries such as China, Canada and the United States. With the passage of time, these Games have gained more and more attention, and their scale and influence have gradually expanded. Some countries even organise minority games on a national scale to showcase the cultural characteristics and sporting prowess of various ethnic groups and to promote national unity and cultural exchanges. There are 56 ethnic groups in China, and they have nurtured the treasures of ethnic sports and culture in their ordinary but great productive labour year after year. However, for thousands of years, these brilliant pearls of Chinese civilisation have been scattered among the people and left to fend for themselves. The Minority Games rewrote history and opened the door to the profound traditional sports of minority nationalities. When the first National Minority Traditional Sports Games were held on the banks of the Haihe River, minority sports were given a new lease of life. The National Ethnic Minority Traditional Sports Meet was developed on the basis of the National National Ethnic Forms Sports Performance and Competition held in 1953. In the new historical period, in order to thoroughly implement the policy of nationalities, further inherit and develop the traditional sports of nationalities, and enhance the physical fitness of the people of all nationalities, the National Traditional Sports Meetings of National Minorities are held every four years. China's traditional sports for ethnic minorities are held every four years, and there have now been 11 traditional sports events for ethnic minorities. 48

2.2. Status of the Minority Games

Minority sports events are a guide for drawing minority sports out of the cultural community, and a bridge connecting the various ethnic groups in China, as well as the Chinese nation and the world of sports. Minority sports games provide a stage for minority groups to identify themselves, strengthen their sense of national identity, enhance internal cohesion, and promote national unity and social harmony. The Minority Games are an important platform for the cultural heritage and display of ethnic minorities, and a catalyst for the improvement of the lagging status quo of ethnic minority sports development. By showcasing the traditional costumes, dances, music, customs and habits of ethnic minorities, it helps to enhance understanding and exchanges between ethnic groups and promotes the development of cultural diversity. The Games are an event for sports competitions and a focal point for attracting the attention of the whole society to ethnic minority sports. Through participation in sports competitions, young ethnic minorities can show off their sporting skills, strengthen their physical fitness, promote their physical and mental health, and provide them with opportunities to pursue their personal values and achievements. Ethnic minority games also have political significance, as an important component of national unity and social stability, and the Government and the international community often support and advocate such events to promote the protection of the rights and development of ethnic minorities.11 The holding of the ethnic minority games has enhanced national unity and promoted the traditional cultures of ethnic minorities.

3. Basic Information on The Previous Ethnic Minority Games

As can be seen from Table 1, the number of units and people participating in the Minority Games, as well as the competition programmes of the Minority Games, have been increasing year by year, but the development of the programmes fluctuated greatly in the first and second sessions. Compared with the first session, although the number of participants increased in the second session, there was no new breakthrough in the competition programmes, and the number of programmes decreased, which was related to the historical background of China at that time. Overall, the scale and number of participants in the traditional ethnic minority sports games have shown a rising trend year by year.

As can be seen from Table 2, the traditional sports competitions for ethnic minorities are becoming more and more reasonable. In the first session, the stone lock, weightlifting and boxing programmes only existed for one session due to the lack of distinctive features of the ethnic minorities. In the second session, only wrestling and archery were retained, and no new items were added. In the third session, crossbow shooting, horse-racing, swinging, firecracker snatching and goat-carrying were added. After the fourth session, archery and goat-carrying were added to the horse events, and dragon boat racing and pearl ball were added. In the seventh session, the number of competitions reached 14, and the number of competitions continued to increase, indicating that from the third session onwards, the traditional sports of ethnic minorities have paid more attention to the characteristics of ethnic minorities' sports. In addition, the design of the competition items highlights the common characteristics of ethnic minorities, and these items are the items with ethnic minority characteristics, which are more common in ethnic minorities' sports. This shows that the establishment of minority sports has fully taken into account the depth and breadth of the development of minority sports, and that they are widespread and popular. 49

4. Impact of Minority Games on Traditional Minority Sports

4.1. Performance-based games to promote the popularisation of traditional ethnic minority sports

In the past half a century, the ethnic minority games have tapped a large number of new traditional sports along the development direction of inheritance, innovation and development. However, when we look at the programmes of minority games, it is easy to see that there are always more performance programmes than competition programmes. In order for traditional minority sports to take the international stage, it is necessary to combine both performance and competition. Under the impact of western competitive sports, only competition can let the world know the traditional minority sports in the fastest and most intuitive way. However, due to the lack of common ground between the traditional sports of each single ethnic group and those of other ethnic groups, and the lack of competition between the strong and the weak, minority sports are still mainly popular. Minority traditional sports have made a certain contribution to China's mass sports, providing more exercise programmes for national fitness.

4.2. Simultaneous development of performance and competition programmes to stimulate the excavation and collation of minority sports

Although there are more performing sports than competitive sports in the past years, the number of performing sports has increased while the number of competitive sports has also increased steadily. Popularity and standardisation are the necessary conditions for the transformation of minority sports from performance to competition. It is because more and more single minority sports are becoming more and more popular, standardised and accepted by more and more minorities that the number of competition events is increasing, while the newly excavated and organised events of various ethnic groups are enriching the performance events, and some of these events will eventually evolve into competition e