White chuiwan ball

Chuiwan, which means striking a ball with a stick, was the ancient Chinese equivalent of golf. According to Wan Treatise (Wan Jing Ji Xu), “both Emperor Huizong of the Song dynasty and Emperor Zhangzong of the Jin dynasty enjoyed playing chuiwan. They kept the balls in silk bags and used colored sticks ornamented with pure gold on the side and jade on the top. They made the ball and the stick in accordance with ancient recordings, only they made them more refined.” During the Northern Song, chuiwan became an individual sport. The sport was favored by the rulers of the Song dynasty, and subsequently became popular with the elite as a symbol of an elegant lifestyle.