Information AboutSumo |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT SUMO | |
| sumo wrestling | |
| combat sports | |
| japanese martial arts | |
| sport in japan | |
| japanese words and phrases | |
| chinese ancient games | |
| chinese martial arts | |
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vs. Tamanoshima in May 2005).]] is a competitive , even though the sport has a history spanning many centuries. The sumo tradition is very ancient, and even today the sport includes many ritual elements, such as the use of Salt for purification, from the days sumo was used in the Shinto Religion . ORIGINS OF SUMO ]] Sumo was mentioned in Nihon Shoki , one of the earliest texts in Japan, under its earlier name ''sumai'', from the 8th century A.D. However, these early forms would not be sumo as it is known today, as in many cases the wrestling had relatively few rules and unarmed fights to the death were still referred to as "sumo". In addition to its use as a trial of strength in combat, it has also been associated with Shinto ritual, and even today certain Shrines carry out forms of Ritual Dance where a human ceremonially wrestles with a '' Kami '' (a Shinto divine spirit). It was an important ritual at the imperial court. Representatives of each province were ordered to attend the contest at the court and fought. They needed to pay for their travels themselves. The contest was known as ''sumai'' ''no sechie,'' or "sumai party." Over the rest of Japanese recorded history, sumo's popularity has changed according to the whims of its rulers and the need for its use as a training tool in periods of civil strife. The form of wrestling combat probably changed gradually into one where the main aim in victory was to throw one's opponent. The concept of pushing one's opponent out of a defined area came some time later. It is believed that a ring, defined by more than the area given to the wrestlers by spectators, came into being in the 16th century as a result of a tournament organized by the then-principal warlord in Japan, Oda Nobunaga . At this point wrestlers would wear loose loincloths, rather than the much stiffer '' Mawashi '' of today. During the Edo Period , wrestlers would wear a fringed '' Kesho-mawashi '' during the bout, whereas today these are worn only during pre-tournament rituals. Most of the rest of the current forms within the sport developed in the early Edo Period . can trace its roots back to the Edo Period in Japan as a form of sporting entertainment. The original wrestlers were probably Samurai , often Ronin , who needed to find an alternative form of income. Nations adjacent to Japan, sharing many cultural traditions, also feature styles of traditional wrestling that bear resemblance to sumo. Notable examples include Mongolian Wrestling , Chinese Shuai Jiao (摔角) , and Korea n Ssireum . Examples of Chinese art from 220 BCE show the wrestlers stripped to the waist and their bodies pressed shoulder to shoulder.1 WINNING A SUMO BOUT The winner of a sumo bout is mainly determined by two rules: # The first person to touch the ground with any part of his body other than the soles of his feet loses. # The first person to be pushed out of the ring loses. On rare occasions the referee or judges may award the win to the wrestler who touched the ground first; this happens if both wrestlers touch the ground at the same time and it is decided that the wrestler who touched the ground second had no chance of winning as, due to the superior sumo of his opponent, he was already in an irrecoverable position. The losing wrestler is referred to as being '' Shini-tai '' (“dead body”) in this case. There are also a number of other rarely used rules that can be used to determine the winner. For example a wrestler using an illegal technique (or '' Kinjite '') automatically loses, as does one whose '' Mawashi '' (or belt) becomes completely undone. A wrestler failing to turn up for his bout (including through a prior injury) also automatically loses ('' Fusenpai ''). After the winner is declared, an off-stage '' Gyoji '' (or referee) determines the '' Kimarite '' (or winning technique) used in the bout, which is then announced to the audience. |
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