COCKFIGHTING IN KAIFENG-AN ANCIENT-STYLED GAME Cockfighting is indeed a unique game of China, which has a history longer than any other animal fight in the world. From Song Dynasty up to the present day, cockfighting has been popular in Kaifeng. In Kaifeng, the cockfighting enthusiasts are called "cockfighting players". They take cockfighting as a pleasure. Most of the enthusiasts love wushu and drinking. They are loyal to their friends and strict to discipline. They have their own tradition, i.e. they consider principles more important than favoritism . If you really love his gamecock, through a friend's introduction, he can present it to you freely, but you must strictly observe the rules: you may raise it, but you cannot transfer it to others, nor can you breed it with hens. If you are unable t o continue to raise it for one reason or another, you might as well kill it and have its meat, but you must give its head and paws back to its original owner to show your good faith. If you are not a cockfighting enthusiast, the owner will not give his gamecock to you even if you are his close relative or friend. It is said that the enthusiast would rather offer you one thousand dollars than give you a gamecock. It is no exaggeration to say that the enthusiasts love their cocks more than their children. They always show their deep concern for the cocks. The feed is repeatedly washed before the cock eats it. They spread some fine coal cinder in the cage every day, for fear the cock's feet might be frozen. In winter, which is the cockfighting season, they will cover the cock cage with a cloth hood or with their clothes, or even put the cock into their bosom so as to keep the cock in good health and vigorous fighting will. The gamecocks of Kaifeng are characterized by their pure breeding. The breeding selection is very strict. The enthusiast must know his cock's five older generations. No close breeding is allowed. The purpose in raising the cock is for fighting. The enthusiast has systematic methods in raising and training it. The training of a gamecock is very interesting. At dawn every morning, the trainer will "drive" the cock. The cock runs in the front and the trainer runs after it. They run faster and faster and the training time is longer and longer. twenty days later, this training will last one hour or so. After the training, he will let the cock have a rest and drink some water. At about 10 o'clock in the morning, the cock will be let free from the cage "for a walk" on an open ground so as to relax its tension of spirit. The cock will be fed at about 12 and then it will have a rest in the cage. At 3 or 4 o'clock the cock will have another walk and then it will be trained for another hour. Before the evening, the cock will be given an additional meal. This method of training can make the cock strong and quick for fighting. Cockfighting is indeed a unique game of China, which has a history longer than any other animal fight in the world. From Song Dynasty up to the present day, cockfighting has been popular in Kaifeng. In Kaifeng, the cockfighting enthusiasts are called "cockfighting players". They take cockfighting as a pleasure. Most of the enthusiasts love wushu and drinking. They are loyal to their friends and strict to discipline. They have their own tradition, i.e. they consider principles more important than favoritism . If you really love his gamecock, through a friend's introduction, he can present it to you freely, but you must strictly observe the rules: you may raise it, but you cannot transfer it to others, nor can you breed it with hens. If you are unable t o continue to raise it for one reason or another, you might as well kill it and have its meat, but you must give its head and paws back to its original owner to show your good faith. If you are not a cockfighting enthusiast, the owner will not give his gamecock to you even if you are his close relative or friend. It is said that the enthusiast would rather offer you one thousand dollars than give you a gamecock. It is no exaggeration to say that the enthusiasts love their cocks more than their children. They always show their deep concern for the cocks. The feed is repeatedly washed before the cock eats it. They spread some fine coal cinder in the cage every day, for fear the cock's feet might be frozen. In winter, which is the cockfighting season, they will cover the cock cage with a cloth hood or with their clothes, or even put the cock into their bosom so as to keep the cock in good health and vigorous fighting will. The gamecocks of Kaifeng are characterized by their pure breeding. The breeding selection is very strict. The enthusiast must know his cock's five older generations. No close breeding is allowed. The purpose in raising the cock is for fighting. The enthusiast has systematic methods in raising and training it. The training of a gamecock is very interesting. At dawn every morning, the trainer will "drive" the cock. The cock runs in the front and the trainer runs after it. They run faster and faster and the training time is longer and longer. twenty days later, this training will last one hour or so. After the training, he will let the cock have a rest and drink some water. At about 10 o'clock in the morning, the cock will be let free from the cage "for a walk" on an open ground so as to relax its tension of spirit. The cock will be fed at about 12 and then it will have a rest in the cage. At 3 or 4 o'clock the cock will have another walk and then it will be trained for another hour. Before the evening, the cock will be given an additional meal. This method of training can make the cock strong and quick for fighting. << BACK |