Chinese bull wrestling tradition faces challenges despite recent competition

Yahoo Sports1 min read • Latest: Jun 28, 2026, 3:23 AM

Last updated Jun 28, 2026

Chinese bull wrestling tradition faces challenges despite recent competition
Summary

In Jiaxing, eastern China, 20-year-old Wang Shuangshuang recently showcased his skills in bull wrestling at a local amphitheater. While the competition featured nine university students, the sport, known as guanniu, is struggling for recognition and support. With origins over 600 years old, guanniu has seen a decline in participation and funding, making it difficult for practitioners to pursue it as a full-time career. Competitors like Wang express passion for the sport but often contemplate other career paths. Master Han Haihua, who runs the training facility, is committed to preserving guanniu despite the challenges faced by the tradition.

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By the Numbers
  • Wang Shuangshuang and Xu Zhiqian competed in a local guanniu event.
  • Chinese bull wrestling dates back over 600 years but is little-known domestically.
  • Only nine students participated in this year's competition.
  • Master Han Haihua emphasizes the need for more funding to sustain the sport.
  • Li Bo is one of the few who has made a career in guanniu.
Latest Updates
  • 3:23 AMYahoo SportsChina's bull wrestlers fight to keep tradition alive
What they're saying
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In a half-covered amphitheatre in eastern China, 20-year-old Wang Shuangshuang locked his shoulder against the neck of a bull, grappling with its horns to force it to its knees."You have to go with its flow, shift your shoulders constantly to follow its resistance, lock its neck, and then throw it down," Wang said.

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