"Nightwatchman (cricket) In the sport of cricket, a nightwatchman is a lower-order batsman who comes in to bat higher up the order than usual near the end of the day's play. The nightwatchman's job is to maintain most of the strike until the close of play (remaining in overnight, hence the name) and so protect other, more capable batsmen from being out cheaply in what may be a period of tiredness or in poor light at the end of the day, and then again the following morning when the batsmen have not yet ‘got their eye in', or when the"
"watch, thereby gaining favor during exhibitions and competitions. This has led to criticisms by traditionalists of the endorsement of the more acrobatic, show-oriented Wushu competition. Historically forms were often performed for entertainment purposes long before the advent of modern Wushu as practitioners have looked for supplementary income by performing on the streets or in theaters. Documentation in ancient literature during the Tang Dynasty (618–907) and the Northern Song Dynasty (960–1279) suggests some sets, (including two + person sets: ""dui da"" also called ""dui lian"") became very elaborate and 'flowery', many mainly concerned with aesthetics. During this time, some martial arts"
"males (cocks or roosters) are set to fight each other, and will do so with great vigour until one is critically injured or killed. Breeds such as the Aseel were developed in the Indian subcontinent for their aggressive behaviour. The sport formed part of the culture of the ancient Indians, Chinese, Greeks, and Romans, and large sums were won or lost depending on the outcome of an encounter. Cockfighting has been banned in many countries during the last century on the grounds of cruelty to animals. Ducks are medium-sized aquatic birds with broad bills, eyes on the side of the"
"a six over competition annually till 2012. The Hong Kong Cricket Team qualified for 2014 ICC World Twenty20 and caused a major upset by defeating hosts Bangladesh. The traditional Chinese sport of dragon boat racing was originally held as part of the Duan Wu festivities in Hong Kong. It is now spread internationally with races held all around the world. The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Association was a founding member of the international and regional governing bodies for dragon boat racing: The International Dragon Boat Federation and Asian Dragon Boat Federation. The oldest International Festival Races are those held in"
"of wild finches. Vinkensport Vinkensport (Dutch for """"finch sport"""") is a competitive animal sport in which male common chaffinches are made to compete for the highest number of bird calls in an hour. Also called vinkenzetting (""finch sitting""), it is primarily active in the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders in Belgium. Vinkensport traces its origins to competitions held by Flemish merchants in 1596, and is considered part of traditional Flemish culture. As of 2007, it was estimated that there are over 13,000 enthusiasts, called ""vinkeniers"" (""finchers""), breeding 10,000 birds every year. Animal rights activists have opposed the sport for much of"
"Five Animals In the Chinese martial arts, imagery of the Five Animals ()—Tiger, Crane, Leopard, Snake, and Dragon—appears predominantly in Southern styles, especially those associated with Guangdong and Fujian Provinces. An alternate selection which is also widely used is the crane, the tiger, the monkey, the snake, and the mantis. The Five Animal martial arts supposedly originated from the Henan Shaolin Temple, which is north of the Yangtze River, even though imagery of these particular five animals ""as a distinct set"" (i.e. in the absence of other animals such as the horse or the monkey as in T'ai chi ch'uan"
"Vinkensport Vinkensport (Dutch for """"finch sport"""") is a competitive animal sport in which male common chaffinches are made to compete for the highest number of bird calls in an hour. Also called vinkenzetting (""finch sitting""), it is primarily active in the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders in Belgium. Vinkensport traces its origins to competitions held by Flemish merchants in 1596, and is considered part of traditional Flemish culture. As of 2007, it was estimated that there are over 13,000 enthusiasts, called ""vinkeniers"" (""finchers""), breeding 10,000 birds every year. Animal rights activists have opposed the sport for much of its history. In"
"the Qing dynasty treasured riding and archery the most. Every spring and fall, from ordinary Manchus to aristocrats, all had to take riding and archery tests. Their test results could even affect their rank in the nobility. The Manchus of the early Qing dynasty had excellent shooting skills and their arrows were reputed to be capable of penetrating two persons. From the middle period of the Qing dynasty, archery became more a form of entertainment in the form of games such as hunting swans, shooting fabric or silk target. The most difficult is shooting a candle hanging in the air"
"Animals can be on either side of a hunt, assisting the hunters or being hunted themselves. Fox hunting has been a controversial issue, particularly in the United Kingdom, regarding its necessity and the cruelty involved (See Fox hunting legislation). Fishing is somewhat different from other sports and is most commonly a pastime or hobby. However, it can also be a competitive sport. Pigeon shooting was one of the shooting events of the 1900 Summer Olympics. Competitors in these events had to kill as many live pigeons as possible. Birds were released one at a time from 'traps' in front of"
"may ensue. Courtship flights are common in the morning and evenings mostly, where the duck is followed in a short rapid flight by one or more (usually two) drakes. This tests the speed and agility of the drakes. The duck may be biased in picking the 'winner' in these tests however, especially if she has paired with one of the competitors. She will even sometimes excrete mid-flight on a pursuing male if he is especially not to her fancy. There is a clear and unexplained sex ratio difference with a lot more males to females. This difference is not present"
"() and ""yang"" () respectively stand for male and female mandarin ducks. In traditional Chinese culture, mandarin ducks are believed to be lifelong couples, unlike other species of ducks. Hence they are regarded as a symbol of conjugal affection and fidelity, and are frequently featured in Chinese art. A Chinese proverb for loving couples uses the mandarin duck as a metaphor: """"Two mandarin ducks playing in water"""" (). A mandarin duck symbol is also used in Chinese weddings because in traditional Chinese lore, they symbolize wedded bliss and fidelity. Because the male and female plumages of the mandarin duck are"
"as [[mammoth]]s, horses and deer are among the earliest subjects of art, being found in [[Upper Paleolithic]] [[cave painting]]s such as at [[Lascaux]]. Major artists such as [[Albrecht Dürer]], [[George Stubbs]] and [[Edwin Landseer]] are known for their portraits of mammals. Many species of mammals have been [[hunting|hunted]] for sport and for food; deer and [[wild boar]] are especially popular as [[game (hunting)|game animals]]. Mammals such as [[horse racing|horses]] and [[greyhound racing|dogs]] are widely raced for sport, often combined with [[gambling|betting on the outcome]]. There is a tension between the role of animals as companions to humans, and their existence"
"future life companions. Groups would assemble in a courtyard and exchange verses of song while gazing at the moon. Those who performed poorly were sidelined until one young man and one young woman remained, after which they would win prizes as well as entertain matrimonial prospects. During the 1920s and 1930s, ethnographer Chao Wei-pang conducted research on traditional games among men, women and children on or around the Mid-Autumn day in the Guangdong Province. These games relate to flights of the soul, spirit possession, or fortunetelling. A unique tradition is celebrated quite exclusively in the island city of Xiamen. On"
"checkers"" or ""Chinese fire drill"", the name identifies it as an ""exotic"" or confusing variation on something more familiar to westerners. A 2010 PBS documentary, ""New York Street Games"", shows people playing Ace-King-Queen. Chinese handball Chinese handball (known in its 3-or-more-player forms as ""Ace-King-Queen"", ""King(s)"", ""Down the River"" or ""Slugs""), is a form of American handball popular on the streets of New York City, Philadelphia, and Bridgewater, New Jersey during the 1960s, '70s, and '80s and is still played today, mostly in New York City, Philadelphia, and San Diego. Different variations are played around the world. Its defining feature is"
"kind of dance to flush out the aquatic inhabitants. Skimmers have different-sized mandibles, the lower one being used to skim the water's surface for small fish. Ducks have developed an assortment of angling skills. Some dabble, like the mallard, while others are of a more streamlined design and are at home underwater, such as the merganser. Waders, which specialise in feeding on mud flats at low tide, include avocets, godwits, dowitchers and sanderlings. The pelican feeds in groups, their pouch-like bills being more successful when used collectively. Boobies fish in the open ocean and are shown dive-bombing shoals ""en masse""."
"in other parts of the world, including some cultures of Central Asia. Baiting (blood sport) Animal-baiting is a blood sport where animals are worried or tormented, such as by being pitted against each other. It may be for the purpose of entertainment or gambling. During various periods of history and in different cultures around the world, various types of baiting, named for the species used, have been confirmed. These include badger-baiting, bear-baiting, bull-baiting, donkey-baiting, duck-baiting, hog-baiting, human-baiting, hyena-baiting, lion-baiting, monkey-baiting, rat-baiting, and wolf-baiting. Much of what is known about baiting comes from England in the Middle Ages, although it has"
"the Western Zhou dynasty. Swordplay (""jiànshù"") and cuju, a sport loosely related to association football date back to China's early dynasties as well. Physical fitness is widely emphasized in Chinese culture, with morning exercises such as qigong and t'ai chi ch'uan widely practiced, and commercial gyms and private fitness clubs are gaining popularity across the country. Basketball is currently the most popular spectator sport in China. The Chinese Basketball Association and the American National Basketball Association have a huge following among the people, with native or ethnic Chinese players such as Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian held in high esteem."
"Jiguang deployed his soldiers in a 12-man 'mandarin duck' formation, which consisted of four pikemen, two men carrying daos with a great and small shield, two 'wolf brush' wielders, a rearguard officer, and a porter. Archery with bow and crossbow was considered a central skill despite the rise of gunpowder weapons. During the Ming dynasty, most soldiers did not wear armour, which was reserved for officers and a small portion of the several hundred thousand strong army. Horse armour was only used for a small portion of cavalry, which was itself a minute portion of the Ming army. Brigandine armour"
"duck. At night, the elderly usually prefer to indulge in outdoor games, games that are often quite ancient: Mahjong: a game made of bamboo, bone or plastics, each mahjone set consisting 136 tiles (about more than 3000 years old). Spinning top: A game mostly played by old men in public squares, that consists in whipping, with a cable, a kind of spinning top. Square dancing: middle aged and elderly people dance in the square to relax or exercise. Transportation in Guiyang consists of an extensive network of roads, railways, river and air transport as well as public transportation system with"
"Shin-kicking Shin-kicking, also known as hacking or purring, is a combat sport that involves two contestants attempting to kick each other on the shin in order to force their opponent to the ground. It has been described as an English martial art. It originated in England in the early 17th century, and was one of the most popular events at the Cotswold Olimpick Games until the Games ended in the 1850s. It also became a popular pastime among Cornish miners. In the 19th century the sport was also practised by British immigrants to the United States. It was included in"
"native birds, so feathers less extravagant than those of the peacock may once have been a part. The Captains can be identified by their long capes and often carry a whip to control the troupe or an unruly crowd; The Bowman or Lead Indian carries a bow and arrow often going slightly ahead of the troupe to scout the way on long marches; and the Warriors carry a tomahawk (axe) which they place on their shoulder and use during ""cockfights"" when they face off against each other to display their expression of the dance. ""Freedom dance, junkanoo, cockfights, biblical stories,"
"Chicken fight Chicken fight, also known as shoulder wars, is an informal game, often played in a lake or swimming pool, characterized by one team member sitting on the shoulders of his or her teammate or riding piggy-back. The object of the game is to knock down or separate an opposing team through team effort. The person on top is considered to be the ""attacker"" while the person below is considered to be the ""vehicle"". The person below may not use arms or hands and must rely on momentum to attack by running into the other team. The person on"
"Waterfowl hunting Waterfowl hunting (also called wildfowling or waterfowl shooting in the UK) is the practice of hunting ducks, geese, or other waterfowl for food and sport. In many western countries, commercial waterfowl hunting is prohibited, and duck hunting is primarily an outdoor sporting activity. Many types of ducks and geese share the same habitat, have overlapping or identical hunting seasons, and are hunted using the same methods. Thus it is possible to take different species of waterfowl in the same outing. Waterfowl can be hunted in crop fields where they feed, or, more frequently, on or near bodies of"
"also co-existed with a variety of including the more standard 18 arms. Legendary and controversial moves like Dim Mak are also praised and talked about within the culture. Martial arts schools also teach the art of lion dance, which has evolved from a pugilistic display of Kung Fu to an entertaining dance performance. A number of and pastimes are popular within Chinese culture. The most common game is Mah Jong. The same pieces are used for other styled games such as Shanghai Solitaire. Others include pai gow, pai gow poker and other bone domino games. Weiqi and xiangqi are also"
"for his work on flood control. In this dance, 64 performers danced bare-chested wearing fur caps and white skirts. The movements of the dance may imitate the manual labour performed during flood control. These formal dances were divided into two types, civil and military. In a Civil Dance (文舞), dancers held item such as feather banners in their hand, and Military Dance (武舞) involved brandishing of weapons. ""Dawu"" was an important dance in six parts describing the military exploits of King Wu of Zhou, and may involve martial elements such as the use of weapons. Another six formed what was"
"Chinese checkers Chinese checkers (US and Canadian spelling) or Chinese chequers (UK spelling) is a strategy board game of German origin (named ""Sternhalma"") which can be played by two, three, four, or six people, playing individually or with partners. The game is a modern and simplified variant of the American game Halma. The objective is to be first to race all of one's pieces across the hexagram-shaped board into ""home""—the corner of the star opposite one's starting corner—using single-step moves or moves that over other pieces. The remaining players continue the game to establish second-, third-, fourth-, fifth-, and last-place"
"have competed in South Korea and Europe. Mathematics, calligraphy, literature, equestrianism, archery, music, and rites were the Six Arts. At the Guozijian, law, mathematics, calligraphy, equestrianism, and archery were emphasized by the Ming dynasty Hongwu Emperor in addition to Confucian classics and also required in the Imperial Examinations. Archery and equestrianism were added to the exam by Hongwu in 1370 like how archery and equestrianism were required for non-military officials at the 武舉 College of War in 1162 by the Song Emperor Xiaozong. The area around the Meridian Gate of Nanjing was used for archery by guards and generals under"
"and tuna, to freshwater fish such as trout and carp. Birds such as partridges, pheasants and ducks, and mammals such as deer and wild boar, are among the terrestrial game animals most often hunted for sport and for food. Animals, often mammals but including fish and insects among other groups, have been the subjects of art from the earliest times, both historical, as in Ancient Egypt, and prehistoric, as in the cave paintings at Lascaux and other sites in the Dordogne, France and elsewhere. Major animal paintings include Albrecht Dürer's 1515 ""The Rhinoceros"", and George Stubbs's c. 1762 horse portrait"
"Now Ducks Unlimited has thousands of members that donate millions of dollars for buying waterfowl habitat in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Ducks Unlimited has many dinners and other fund raisers throughout the year in each state. Waterfowl hunting Waterfowl hunting (also called wildfowling or waterfowl shooting in the UK) is the practice of hunting ducks, geese, or other waterfowl for food and sport. In many western countries, commercial waterfowl hunting is prohibited, and duck hunting is primarily an outdoor sporting activity. Many types of ducks and geese share the same habitat, have overlapping or identical hunting seasons, and"
"at night. Gambling was banned in the Qing dynasty but there was no limitation on Manchus engaging in archery contests. It was common to see Manchus putting signs in front of their houses to invite challenges. After the Qianlong period, Manchus gradually neglected the practices of riding and archery, even though their rulers tried their best to encourage Manchus to continue their riding and archery traditions, but the traditions are still kept among some Manchus even nowadays. Manchu wrestling () is also an important martial art of the Manchu people. Buku, meaning ""wrestling"" or ""man of unusual strength"" in Manchu,"
"the second Games, in Xiaogan in Hubei province, the alignment with 'peasant activity' began. Traditional pastimes of xiangqi (Chinese chess) and t'ai chi were added, while football was omitted and shooting was replaced by the 'militiaman triathlon' (shooting, grenade throwing and a five-kilometre cross-country race). The 1996 Games, in Shanghai, introduced dragon dancing as an event, and attracted foreign media coverage. At the fourth Games, in Mianyang in 2000, dragon boating, kite flying and jianzi (kick shuttlecock) were added as events. The fifth National Peasants' Games were held in October 2004 in Yichun, in Jiangxi province, with the participation of"
"pleasure or for food. Cockfighting is an ancient spectator sport. It formed part of the culture of the ancient Indians, Chinese, Greeks, and Romans. It continues to be practised in South America and across South and Southeast Asia, often combined with betting on the result. It is practised in religious ceremonies in Hindu temples in Bali, but is now banned in many countries on grounds of cruelty. Pigeon racing involves releasing specially trained racing pigeons to return to their homes over a measured distance of between and . The sport was popularised in Belgium in the 19th century, and is"
"Big-game hunting Big-game hunting is the hunting of large game, almost always large terrestrial mammals, for meat, other animal by-products (such as horn or bone), trophy or sport. The term is historically associated with the hunting of Africa's ""Big Five"" game (lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros), and with tigers and rhinoceroses on the Indian subcontinent. Along with the big five animals, many other species are hunted including kudu, antelope, and hartebeest. Moose, elk, caribou, bison, mule deer, and white-tailed deer are the largest game hunted in North America, which is where most big-game hunting is conducted today."