This game might not be as popular as watching the World Cup, but in China, it’s a folk sport: Jianzi kicking. Also known as ‘hacky sack’, ‘featherball’, ‘shuttlecock’, ‘footbag’, ‘Chinese JJJ’ or ‘kinja’. Either way, just walk into any park in China and you’ll see people playing it. Usually kicking the shuttle from one person to the next while standing in a circle. While the game originated in the 5th century BC in China, a guy called Jan Weber is currently the World Footbag Champion. Which might make you think the Dutch are world champion in a Chinese folk sport, but Jan is from Czechoslovakia. Too bad.
We decided to go offroad and kick the Jianzi around China. Or specifically, around the provinces of Gansu, Qinghai and Inner-Mongolia in our #trialtrip. Enjoy the video!
Youku (Inside China):
Vimeo (Outside China):