Men playing Chinlon

Chinlon is the traditional sport of Burma (Myanmar). Chinlon is a combination of sport and dance, a team sport with no opposing team. In essence Chinlon is non-competitive, yet it’s as demanding as the most competitive ball games.

The focus is not on winning or losing, but how beautifully one plays the game.

Traditionally playing Chinlon was strictly a man's pastime for exercising the body when the back and limbs got cramped due to long sitting, standing or working.

But since post-war times the fairer gender has broken this masculine monopoly to display feminine body elasticity and skill in playing it.

Because Chinlon is played basically with foot and other parts of the body - head, shoulder, elbow, knee, heel, sole etc. except for the hands, foreigners look upon it as Myanmar football. But there is no goal to shoot in Chinlon playing and no fixed number of players needed to play it. The main object of Chinlon playing is to keep it as long as possible in the air without touching it with the hand.

It may be played by a single individual all by himself or by a team of players in circle, catching the chinlon as it comes round their way and keeping it as long as possible in the air by tossing it up with leg, heel, foot, sole, knee, shoulder, head but not with the hand. Players usually play with bare feet and have their waistcloths (longyi) tucked up close round the middle. But to day both men and women players wear shorts and canvas shoes.

If Chinlon is played as an entertainment at a festival, it is accompanied by music. A band of percussion and wind instrumentalists continuously play while the Chinlon play is on, and the music changes its tempo in harmony with the movements of Chinlon and players. A skilful player can play with four to eight Chinlons using all possible tactics to keep them on or around his or her body.

In 1908 a Sports Competition was held at the Rangoon (Yangon) Government High School Chinlon was first introduced as a game and competition was by a marking system. In 1940, the All Burma (Myanmar) Chinlon Competition was held at BAA Burma (Myanmar) Athletic Association. When the Second World War broke out, endeavours to further develop Chinlon came to a halt. But on 29, June 1953 the All Burma (Myanmar) Chinlon Conference was held at Rangoon (Yangon).

Delegates from 33 districts attended the conference and they unanimously laid down and approved the game law and regulations whereby Chinlon games were prescribed by the Chinlon game law, namely (1) Individual competition for Chinlon tossing, Single (2) Individual competition for Chinlon tossing, Double (3) Chinlon competition by team of players in circle and (4) Chinlon competition by team of players in circle for displaying skill, posture and beauty of style. All together 15 styles were registered by the game law according to the movement of Chinlon (1) fall (2) rise (3) give (4) take (5) control (6) toss (7) turn-up (8) coming in (9) going out (10) cornering (11) attack (12) cut (13) support (14) touch the ground and (15) up lift.

Chinlon means “cane-ball” in Burmese. The ball is woven from rattan, and makes a distinctive clicking sound when kicked that is part of the aesthetic of the game. Players use six points of contact with the ball: the top of the toes, the inner and outer sides of the foot, the sole, the heel, and the knee. The game is played barefoot or in Chinlon shoes that allow the players to feel the ball and the ground as directly as possible. The typical playing circle is about 22 feet in diameter. The ideal playing surface is dry, hard packed dirt, but almost any flat surface will do.

Chinlon is over 1,500 years old and was once played for Burma royalty. Over the centuries, players have developed more than 200 different ways of kicking the ball. Many of the moves are similar to those of Burma dance and martial arts. Some of the most difficult strokes are done behind the back without seeing the ball as it is kicked. Form is all important in Chinlon, there is a correct way to position the hands, arms, torso, and head during the moves.

Burma is a predominantly Buddhist country, and Chinlon games are a featured part of the many Buddhist festivals that take place during the year. The largest of these festivals goes on for more than a month with up to a thousand teams. An announcer calls out the names of the moves and entertains the audience with clever wordplay. Live music from a traditional orchestra inspires the players and shapes the style and rhythm of their play. The players play in time to the music and the musicians accent the kicks.

To play Chinlon well, the whole team must be absolutely in the moment – their minds cannot wander or the ball will drop. All serious players experience an intensely focused state of mind, similar to that achieved in Zen meditation, which they refer to as jhana.

Chinlon is one of a family of football games played throughout the world. It is related to similar games in Southeast Asia known as Takraw in Thailand, sepak raga in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, sipa in the Philippines, kator in Laos and da cau in Vietnam. A competitive variation of the game played over a net, called sepak takraw was developed in Malaysia in the 1940’s.

The origins of Chinlon may be related to the ancient Chinese game of cuju or tsu chu, which is acknowledged by FIFA as being the oldest form of soccer. A similar game is also played in Japan where it is known as kemari. Chinlon is also related to the family of sports played by kicking a shuttlecock, know as jianzi in China and Taiwan, and jegichagi in Korea. And there is some evidence to suggest that a variation of these games travelled across the Bering Straits and influenced Native Americans, who also played a variety of games keeping a ball up with the feet. These games are thought to be the origin of footbag, also known as hacky sack.