Step Ball: Ancient Chinese Field Hockey

Step Ball (Bu Da Qiu) evolved from polo into a game played on foot with a stick and ball, resembling modern field hockey. 

In its early days, the playing field was typically laid out in front of palace halls, which is why historical records frequently mention games held at various halls and palaces. 

During the Tang Dynasty, both men and women in the imperial court enthusiastically played Step Ball. The Tang poet Yu Xuanji wrote a poem titled Playing Ball, which depicts men playing the game. Later, the sport developed into additional forms, including Xiaoda (Small Play), played on donkeys, and a version of Step Ball designed for women and played on foot. 

Around the 8th century, Chinese Step Ball was introduced to Japan. Two Tang-dynasty felt tapestries, each measuring 2.36 meters long and 1.24 meters wide, are still preserved in the North Storehouse of the Shōsō-in at Tōdai-ji Temple in Nara. Each tapestry depicts a child holding a curved stick in a pose as if receiving a ball, surrounded by floral motifs.