Ancient Chinese Polo Equipment and Playing Techniques Along the Eurasian Transmission Chain

As a complicated sport with the combination of humans, horses, sticks and balls, polo was popular in the vast area of the Eurasian continent. The Chinese historical literature and archaeological artifacts are analyzed with the comparison of the records from ancient Persia, Korea, Japan and other countries, and the evolution of ancient Chinese polo equipment and playing strategies within the transmission chain of Eurasia are examined. It is believed that the rule restrictions on obstructing the "path of the ball" in polo matches have been the core provisions for the smoothness of polo competitions since the Tang Dynasty, effectively avoiding fatal collisions between horses from both sides. And, an ancient Chinese unearthed murals competitive scenes where the horses' heads are facing the same direction can prove it. The widespread popularity of polo in various parts of Asia is due to the invention of stirrup technology in the 5th century AD, which allows the integration of "rider and horse" into one, capable of performing various difficult movements required in polo. From Tang Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty, significant changes occurred in the polo sticks, reflecting both the "similarities" and "differences" in the development of polo in various Asian regions as well as the cross-cultural influence of ancient polo sport.