Thick stick pushing and swinging of Lisu Ethnic Group

The Lisus’ traditional sports games mostly come from production and life. The games have rich style and content, mixing entertainment and exercise together. Popular ones are: pushing thick stick, swinging, climbing knife-pole, wrestling, acting bamboo pole, crossing water by overhead cable, taking stones, etc.

Pushing thick stick is very simple, convenient and interesting sports activity. Sports ground and instruments are not needed except a thick stick and a small piece of land. It can be hold after dinner and tea, or during work intervals. Details are: a wood, two meters long and as thick as the open side of a bowl, is used as a pushing stick. In the game, two persons hold either side of the stick and gore it at the upper part of the navel. They stand with arched legs: the forward leg keeps body stable, and the backward leg presses the ground strongly. Their bodies lean forward and push the stick. One wins until the other is pushed out of the fixed limits.

This game seems simple, but one can’t win unless he is powerful, skillful and experienced. These two factors should be combined ingeniously. For example: when both sides are in a stalemate, one can turn his body or the stick immediately, so as to upset the stability of the other side, and try to push the other one out by chance. Or one can make use of the lever principle: the front hand lifts the stick up and the other hand pushes the bottom of the stick. This can function as four liangs (Chinese traditional unite of weight) beating one thousand jins (Chinese traditional unite of weight and one jin equals ten liangs).

Swinging is the most popular sports and entertainment activity joined by the most people. Lisus’ swings are divided into “waving swing”, ” spinning wheel swing” and “mill swing”.

“Waving swing” is made when ropes or rattans are fixed on a high tree bough or specially set swing rack. Single or double persons can play it. The competing method is that the one who bites off the ordered leaves or swings the highest wins. 

“Spinning wheel swing” is named after its shape resembling a spinning wheel. The “spinning wheel” is made by two rectangle wood frames vertically crossed. The crossing point is crossed by an axle, which is put on a wood stick and revolves. The four sides of the frames are tied with a stool on each one. The competing method is: four people make one team and sit separately on the four stools. They revolve with the ” spinning wheel” around the axle and press with feet when reaching the ground, so as to keep the ” spinning wheel” turning. The team that revolves the most rounds in a limited time wins.

“Mill swing” is composed of an upright post and a horizontal stick. The post is 1.5 meters high and at the top of it is a little mill axle. The stick is 5-6 meters long with a hole in the middle and is put on the axle at the top. Then it can revolve around the axle. It is so named because the two ends move up and down like a swing and turns around like a mill. When using it, the number of persons on two ends is equal, and they lean on the stick with hands holding it. The persons whose feet touch the ground press strongly, and the mill swing revolve quickly. The two ends move up and down in turn, which is both astounding and interesting. It can not only exercise one’s body but also train the spirit of being courageous.