Cockfighting in China has a history of more than 2,800 years. According to historical texts, as early as ancient China's Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC and 476 BC), cockfighting was already a popular game among the nobility.
There are conflicting accounts of the origins of cockfighting (and where chickens came from), with one theory suggesting that it originated in north-eastern India and later spread to China. However, this theory has yet to be universally accepted. It could also be the other way around. Basically, no one knows! The first record of cockfighting is found in Tso Chuan (左传) (an important historical document for the Spring and Autumn Period). It states that two people (Ji Pingzi and Houzhaobo) had a cockfight, and both cheated; Ji Pingzi slathered glue onto the chicken's feathers to harden them like armour, and Houzhaobo put metal blades in his chicken's claws. Very naughty indeed.
Ji Pingzi failed in the cockfight and was so angry that he invaded the territory of Hou Zhaobo. After a complicated series of affairs, not much happened. Accept, an entire state just imploded: the state of Lu (a vassal of the Chinese Zhou Dynasty). The lesson? Chickens are mighty beings, destroyers of worlds.
During the Warring States period ( 475 BC to 221 BC), cockfighting remained popular and gradually became a social custom. The Zhuang Zi (庄子) (a Taoist text) states that when raising a cockfighting chicken, it becomes very agitated after 10 days of training. After 20 days, it jumps to shadows. By 40 days, it wouldn't respond to the other chickens' chirps. Fellow chickens ran away at the sight of the cockfighter.
During the Han Dynasty (206 BC to 220 AD), cockfighting developed into one of the most popular folk games. Many placed bets on which cock would win. The custom of cockfighting continued and appeared in a large number of poems and songs by literati in the Wei, Jin, and North-South Dynasties (220 and 589 AD). At the same time, many writers paid attention to the concept of freedom of expression. Cockfighting acted as a metaphor for these writers to express their ideas. As they were disliked by the nobility, cockfighting, which was a common practice done by the masses too, could be seen by writers first-hand.
Literary descriptions of cockfighting continued into the Tang Dynasty (618 and 907 AD), which was where it reached its apex. In the Tang Dynasty, cockfighting could influence a person's fate. Wang Bo, a poet, is a good example. During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, two kings (King Pei and King Ying) were having a cockfight. Wang Bo jokingly wrote an article slagging off King Ying's chickens and cheering for King Pei's. This article was seen by the Emperor who thought the article to be fictitious. The Emporer was so angry he expelled Wang Bo on the same day! Cockfighting was not only a game for the nobles but also an expression of power and identity.
While Wang Bo lost out because of his involvement in cockfighting, others gained from it. It acted as a way for the nobility to play power politics. Mighty chickens indeed…
Cockfighting entered official ceremonies by the Song Dynasty (960–1279). For aeons, this ‘art’ was honed by the nobility, so much so it was embedded in court identity.
Even in the 21st century, cockfighting continues in many countries (including China). While to many it is a cruel sport, its legacy as an expression of power and martial skill has cast a long shadow throughout world history; including the national narrative of China.
What do you have to say about cockfighting? Should it stay illegal, like it is in some countries, or does it have a place in modern society?
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