**50 traditional Chinese folk games**
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Writer AndyKim Hit 1,210 Hit Date 25-01-17 17:55Content
**50 traditional Chinese folk games** that reflect China's rich cultural heritage. These games encompass physical, strategic, cooperative, and seasonal activities, many of which have been enjoyed for centuries.
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### **Physical Games**
1. **Diabolo (抖空竹)**
- A traditional juggling toy spun and tossed using two sticks and a string.
- **Cultural Note**: Often performed during festivals for entertainment.
2. **Ti Jianzi (踢毽子)**
- A shuttlecock-kicking game where players use their feet to keep the shuttlecock in the air.
3. **Dragon Dance (舞龙)**
- A group performance where players manipulate a dragon figure on poles.
- **Purpose**: Performed during festivals like Lunar New Year to bring luck.
4. **Lion Dance (舞狮)**
- A coordinated dance where two performers mimic a lion's movements.
5. **Zhuanzhuan (转圈)**
- Spinning tops, where players compete to see whose top spins the longest.
6. **Flying Kites (放风筝)**
- A beloved outdoor activity, especially in spring.
7. **Rolling Hoops (滚铁环)**
- Players guide a rolling metal hoop with a stick.
8. **Jumping Rope (跳绳)**
- A game of coordination and agility with single or group variations.
9. **Catch the Duck (捉鸭子)**
- A game played in water where participants try to catch ducks.
10. **Shuai Pao (摔炮)**
- A physical game where small firecrackers are thrown to the ground to create sound.
---
### **Strategic Games**
11. **Weiqi (围棋)**
- Known as "Go," a board game focusing on territory control using black and white stones.
12. **Xiangqi (象棋)**
- Chinese chess, a strategy game played on a unique board with pieces representing a battlefield.
13. **Tiaoqi (跳棋)**
- Chinese checkers, a game where players move marbles across a star-shaped board.
14. **Mahjong (麻将)**
- A tile-based game played with four players, involving strategy and luck.
15. **Dou Shou Qi (斗兽棋)**
- Animal chess, a strategy game where pieces represent animals with hierarchical strengths.
16. **Zhuo Gui (捉鬼)**
- A ghost-catching game that combines strategy and stealth.
17. **Paohu (跑胡)**
- A dice-based game requiring quick calculations and decision-making.
18. **Jianzi Chess (毽子棋)**
- A creative hybrid game using chess principles and shuttlecocks.
19. **Tiao Tiao Board Game (跳跳棋盘)**
- A simplified checkers-style game for children.
20. **Chi Zhi (吃子)**
- A capturing game where players aim to eliminate opponents' pieces on a board.
---
### **Group or Partner Games**
21. **Hide-and-Seek (捉迷藏)**
- A universal game with variations across Chinese regions.
22. **Chasing the Ball (追球游戏)**
- A group game where players try to grab a ball thrown randomly.
23. **Catch the Handkerchief (抓手绢)**
- A chasing game where players use a handkerchief as a marker.
24. **Passing the Parcel (传递包裹)**
- A game where players pass an object while music plays and complete tasks when it stops.
25. **Blindfolded Tag (盲人摸象)**
- One player, blindfolded, tries to catch others in a limited space.
26. **Dragon Tail Game (龙尾游戏)**
- Players form a line, and the "head" tries to catch the "tail" without breaking the chain.
27. **Rope Pulling (拔河)**
- Tug-of-war, a test of team strength.
28. **Clapping Games (拍手游戏)**
- Partner games with rhythmic clapping patterns.
29. **Three-Legged Race (三脚跑)**
- Two players tie one leg together and race as a team.
30. **Circle Dance (圈舞)**
- A group dance game where participants move rhythmically in a circle.
---
### **Focus or Coordination Games**
31. **Finger Guessing Game (猜拳)**
- A game like rock-paper-scissors, often used to decide turns.
32. **Pitch-Pot (投壶)**
- A traditional game of throwing arrows into a narrow-necked pot.
33. **Cup Ball (杯球)**
- A game where players try to catch a ball in a cup attached by a string.
34. **Pinching Clay Figures (捏泥人)**
- A creative game involving molding clay into various shapes.
35. **Blowing Feathers (吹羽毛)**
- Players blow a feather or lightweight object to keep it afloat.
36. **Thread the Needle (穿针引线)**
- A focus game involving threading a small needle quickly.
37. **Throwing Pebbles (扔石子)**
- A game testing aim and strength.
38. **Balance Beam Walking (走平衡木)**
- Players walk across a narrow beam without falling.
39. **Catch the Falling Stick (接棒游戏)**
- Players try to catch a stick dropped by another player.
40. **Knock the Pot (击壶)**
- A blindfolded game where players use a stick to hit a pot based on sound.
---
### **Seasonal or Festival Games**
41. **Lantern Riddles (猜灯谜)**
- A game of solving riddles written on lanterns, popular during the Lantern Festival.
42. **Dragon Boat Racing (赛龙舟)**
- A competitive rowing race during the Dragon Boat Festival.
43. **Chasing Fireflies (追萤火虫)**
- A summer activity where children catch fireflies at night.
44. **Throwing Beanbags (扔沙包)**
- A game of aiming beanbags at a target, popular during spring outings.
45. **Kite Battles (风筝对战)**
- Competitions where players try to cut opponents' kite strings.
46. **Snowball Fights (打雪仗)**
- A fun winter game involving throwing snowballs.
47. **Fishing Game (捕鱼游戏)**
- A traditional activity using nets or hands during summer.
48. **Plum Blossom Stilt Walking (踏梅花桩)**
- A balance and agility game performed on stilts during festivals.
49. **Mooncake Guessing (月饼竞猜)**
- A guessing game played during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
50. **Harvest Dance (丰收舞)**
- Group performances celebrating the harvest, often involving symbolic gestures of planting and reaping.
---
These games showcase the diverse aspects of traditional Chinese culture, combining fun with skill, teamwork, and cultural values. Many are still enjoyed during festivals and family gatherings, while others have become iconic symbols of Chinese heritage.
---
### **Physical Games**
1. **Diabolo (抖空竹)**
- A traditional juggling toy spun and tossed using two sticks and a string.
- **Cultural Note**: Often performed during festivals for entertainment.
2. **Ti Jianzi (踢毽子)**
- A shuttlecock-kicking game where players use their feet to keep the shuttlecock in the air.
3. **Dragon Dance (舞龙)**
- A group performance where players manipulate a dragon figure on poles.
- **Purpose**: Performed during festivals like Lunar New Year to bring luck.
4. **Lion Dance (舞狮)**
- A coordinated dance where two performers mimic a lion's movements.
5. **Zhuanzhuan (转圈)**
- Spinning tops, where players compete to see whose top spins the longest.
6. **Flying Kites (放风筝)**
- A beloved outdoor activity, especially in spring.
7. **Rolling Hoops (滚铁环)**
- Players guide a rolling metal hoop with a stick.
8. **Jumping Rope (跳绳)**
- A game of coordination and agility with single or group variations.
9. **Catch the Duck (捉鸭子)**
- A game played in water where participants try to catch ducks.
10. **Shuai Pao (摔炮)**
- A physical game where small firecrackers are thrown to the ground to create sound.
---
### **Strategic Games**
11. **Weiqi (围棋)**
- Known as "Go," a board game focusing on territory control using black and white stones.
12. **Xiangqi (象棋)**
- Chinese chess, a strategy game played on a unique board with pieces representing a battlefield.
13. **Tiaoqi (跳棋)**
- Chinese checkers, a game where players move marbles across a star-shaped board.
14. **Mahjong (麻将)**
- A tile-based game played with four players, involving strategy and luck.
15. **Dou Shou Qi (斗兽棋)**
- Animal chess, a strategy game where pieces represent animals with hierarchical strengths.
16. **Zhuo Gui (捉鬼)**
- A ghost-catching game that combines strategy and stealth.
17. **Paohu (跑胡)**
- A dice-based game requiring quick calculations and decision-making.
18. **Jianzi Chess (毽子棋)**
- A creative hybrid game using chess principles and shuttlecocks.
19. **Tiao Tiao Board Game (跳跳棋盘)**
- A simplified checkers-style game for children.
20. **Chi Zhi (吃子)**
- A capturing game where players aim to eliminate opponents' pieces on a board.
---
### **Group or Partner Games**
21. **Hide-and-Seek (捉迷藏)**
- A universal game with variations across Chinese regions.
22. **Chasing the Ball (追球游戏)**
- A group game where players try to grab a ball thrown randomly.
23. **Catch the Handkerchief (抓手绢)**
- A chasing game where players use a handkerchief as a marker.
24. **Passing the Parcel (传递包裹)**
- A game where players pass an object while music plays and complete tasks when it stops.
25. **Blindfolded Tag (盲人摸象)**
- One player, blindfolded, tries to catch others in a limited space.
26. **Dragon Tail Game (龙尾游戏)**
- Players form a line, and the "head" tries to catch the "tail" without breaking the chain.
27. **Rope Pulling (拔河)**
- Tug-of-war, a test of team strength.
28. **Clapping Games (拍手游戏)**
- Partner games with rhythmic clapping patterns.
29. **Three-Legged Race (三脚跑)**
- Two players tie one leg together and race as a team.
30. **Circle Dance (圈舞)**
- A group dance game where participants move rhythmically in a circle.
---
### **Focus or Coordination Games**
31. **Finger Guessing Game (猜拳)**
- A game like rock-paper-scissors, often used to decide turns.
32. **Pitch-Pot (投壶)**
- A traditional game of throwing arrows into a narrow-necked pot.
33. **Cup Ball (杯球)**
- A game where players try to catch a ball in a cup attached by a string.
34. **Pinching Clay Figures (捏泥人)**
- A creative game involving molding clay into various shapes.
35. **Blowing Feathers (吹羽毛)**
- Players blow a feather or lightweight object to keep it afloat.
36. **Thread the Needle (穿针引线)**
- A focus game involving threading a small needle quickly.
37. **Throwing Pebbles (扔石子)**
- A game testing aim and strength.
38. **Balance Beam Walking (走平衡木)**
- Players walk across a narrow beam without falling.
39. **Catch the Falling Stick (接棒游戏)**
- Players try to catch a stick dropped by another player.
40. **Knock the Pot (击壶)**
- A blindfolded game where players use a stick to hit a pot based on sound.
---
### **Seasonal or Festival Games**
41. **Lantern Riddles (猜灯谜)**
- A game of solving riddles written on lanterns, popular during the Lantern Festival.
42. **Dragon Boat Racing (赛龙舟)**
- A competitive rowing race during the Dragon Boat Festival.
43. **Chasing Fireflies (追萤火虫)**
- A summer activity where children catch fireflies at night.
44. **Throwing Beanbags (扔沙包)**
- A game of aiming beanbags at a target, popular during spring outings.
45. **Kite Battles (风筝对战)**
- Competitions where players try to cut opponents' kite strings.
46. **Snowball Fights (打雪仗)**
- A fun winter game involving throwing snowballs.
47. **Fishing Game (捕鱼游戏)**
- A traditional activity using nets or hands during summer.
48. **Plum Blossom Stilt Walking (踏梅花桩)**
- A balance and agility game performed on stilts during festivals.
49. **Mooncake Guessing (月饼竞猜)**
- A guessing game played during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
50. **Harvest Dance (丰收舞)**
- Group performances celebrating the harvest, often involving symbolic gestures of planting and reaping.
---
These games showcase the diverse aspects of traditional Chinese culture, combining fun with skill, teamwork, and cultural values. Many are still enjoyed during festivals and family gatherings, while others have become iconic symbols of Chinese heritage.
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