Huapao is known as Chinese rugby. It is an event of the National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities. Yesterday, the 2022 National Huapao Invitational kicked off in Wuzhishan City, Hainan Province. More than 100 athletes from five provinces and autonomous regions including Zhejiang, Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan and Ningxia are attending the competition.

As the whistle sounded, the Hainan Normal University team and the Zhejiang team started a fierce contest. Huapao is similar to football. The players of both sides will score if they get the huapao into the basket of the other side. The contest consists of 2 halves, 20 minutes for each. The National Huapao Invitational lasts for 2 days.

“The Hainan team has trained for nearly a month, and the invitational will examine the results of our training,” said Tang Shixia, a member of the Hainan team.

Wei Kaixuan, the leader of Guangxi team, said, “Usually, there may be few competitions of huapao. As the organizer of the 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities, Hainan’s holding of this invitational helps our team’s preparation for the games a lot. Our team can learn more skills from others.”

Huapao is a traditional male folk sports popular among Dong, Zhuang and other ethnic groups in China. It has a history of more than 500 years. During the invitational, training courses for referees and coaches will also be held simultaneously.

“After a day and a half of study, I have a basic understanding of the competition rules of huapao. This invitational is a platform for learning and exchange and to prepare for the games to be held next year,” stated Yang Songtao, a referee.

“The invitational inherits and carries forward the traditional sports spirit of ethnic minorities, and helps make full preparations for the successful holding of the 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities in Hainan,” said Yang Keming, director of the Culture, Education and Publicity Division of the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission of Hainan Province.