Hockey: Tradition's pivotal in mastery of Chinese

De Jiaojiao (left), of China, is a Daur descendant here with team manager Wang Tong.

The compass, gunpowder, papermaking and printing (woodblock and movable type) are among some of the world-renowned inventions from China.

But did you know the Daur people of China have been playing a game remarkably similar to field hockey for about 1000 years?

De Jiaojiao, a member of the China women's hockey team in Hawke's Bay for the annual Eight Nations Hawke's Bay Cup tournament, belongs to the ethnic group of "minorities" living in inner Mongolia, an autonomous region of China (one of the 56 ethnic groups the People's Republic of China recognises).

"Her minority group traditionally played the game which is very similar to field hockey," Bay-based translator and team liaison officer James Guan explained yesterday.

Pool A top qualifiers China face arch-rivals Japan, who finished last in pool B, in the opening quarterfinal at 1.30pm today.

Jiaojiao started playing when she was 13 and just two years later turned professional.

The 25-year-old leftback, who hails from Tian Jin City, has been in the national squad for five years and appreciates the innate skills that stem from her people's favourite pastime.

Jiaojiao's father and an aunt played the game to an elite level.

Boikoo tarkbei or Daur hockey involves a ball-like knob of apricot root and long wooden branches in a game reportedly lasting two 15-minute spells on grassy paddocks.

In fact the traditional game is equally popular at night, with a felt-covered ball set alight for sharper visibility.

According to historical references, when the contemporary field hockey arrived in China the Daur people embraced it with enthusiasm and were instrumental in helping the nation gain global respect and recognition.

At the 2008 Summer Olympics, a third of the Chinese men's team came from Morin Dawa, a city in the inner Mongolia region. The men today are ranked No31 in the world.

The World No7 Chinese women have made significant inroads as they use the Bay tourney to prepare for the Olympic qualifiers in June-July on the foundation of a solid defence.

"Every team is different and they have a different way of attacking so we have to change our direction and position," said Jiaojiao, revealing they make up for any loss of size in seeking a centre of gravity by exerting weight with a lower body stance.

"We are preparing for every match to do 100 per cent because we believe good cause will deliver good results."

While China had claimed top spot, she felt the Hockeyroos and the Americans were "too strong and capable of outclassing us".

The Chinese have pipped India and the US 2-1 in pool play and held the Aussies to a 2-2 draw.

Team manager Wang Tong, through translator Guan, said there were no secrets to their success but sticking to a regimented training ritual.

"We play Japan all the time but in October last year, in the Asian Cup, we went past them, 1-0," Wang said.

The Asian rivals, who often compete in a similar fashion to Australia and New Zealand, played against each so frequently that it was too close to call today's result despite the pool favouritisms and Japan's world ranking three rungs below them, he said.

Said Jiaojiao: "In fact, in this tournament there are no weak or strong teams. Every team is so tight therefore we don't have any preferences [on who to play]."

The winners of this quarterfinal will play the winners of Argentina v Australia, while the winners of the New Zealand v India match-up will face the winners of the US and Korea on Saturday.

Tomorrow is a rest day, with the final on Sunday.