Jin cuju league system
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| Country | Da Huang |
|---|---|
| Sport | Cuju[1] |
| Promotion and relegation | Yes |
| National system | |
| Federation | Cuju Association of Jinae |
| Confederation | OAFF |
| Top division | Men Jin Jia Liansai Women Mulan Chaoji Liansai |
| Second division | Men Jin Yi Liansai Women Jin Jia Nuzi Liansai |
| Cup competition | Men Huangguang Bei CAJ Guanjun Bei CAJ Liansai Bei Women Huanghou Bei CAJ Mulan's Guanjun Bei CAJ Nuzi's Liansai Bei |
The Jin cuju league system, or the Jin association football league system, is a series of hierarchically interconnected league systems for club football in Da Huang and Yangcheng run by the Cuju Association of Jinae (CAJ). The Jin cuju league system is organised in a pyramidical shape, with twelve official levels for both the men's leagues women's leagues. The principle of promotion and relegation binds these leagues, and due to their hierarchical format, it is theoretically possible for the lowest amateur club of the lowest level to rise to the very top of their system.
The top three professional levels of the men's leagues contain one division each. Below this, the semi-professional and amateur levels have progressively more parallel divisions, each covering progressively localised regional areas.
The women's leagues follow a similar organisation to the men's leagues, with the top four levels playing professionally with one division each. Below that are levels 5–7 semi-professional leagues administered by the Junuxianzhuang (聚女賢莊; jù nǚ xián zhuāng; lit. Heroine's Gathering Manor), then the regional amateur leagues from levels 8–12 administered jointly by the Liuhumen (六虎門; Liù hǔmén; lit. Six Tigers School) and Junuxianzhuang.
The exact number of clubs at the amateur level varies from year to year as clubs join and leave leagues, merge, or fold altogether. On average, there are 15 clubs per division, with the numbers decreasing further away from the coastal population centre and into Da Huang's interior. The number of clubs between genders also differs significantly, with a 1:2 average ratio of male-to-female clubs registered in the Jin League system. However, as there are no official definitions of any level below levels twelve and ten for the men's and women's leagues, any references to the structure below these levels should not be regarded as definitive.
History
The Jin ball game of cuju has a history dating back over 2,000 years, with mythical origins harking back to an even earlier age. Jin historians and cuju officials claim to have organised the world's first cuju league (or association football as it is known internationally), known as the Shan yue zheng sai (山岳正賽; Shān yuè zhèng sài; lit. Mountain Peaks Grand Tournament), which was opened to clubs of both genders [2], from as early as the 9th century CE. This claim has, however, been disputed by international associations of the sport, and many association football historians have noted similar organised games played in other parts of the world. Nevertheless, the modern Jin cuju league, the Jin Jia Liansai, can be counted among some of the world's earliest men's leagues. Created in 1919 by General Dong Fangzhuo (董方卓; Dǒng Fāngzhuó; born 23 January 1985) of the Republic of Jin (ROJ), the true purpose of the league was more for the ROJ to consolidate and monitor the existing local cuju games and clubs throughout Da Huang that was occasionally used as illegal gatherings by the Jianghu, royalist, criminals, unregistered martial artist sects and clans disguised as cuju clubs. Following the fall of the republic, the men's league became defunct. It was only refounded under the emperor's auspices in 1993, owing to the years of relative stability following the 1991 constitutional reforms.
Similar to the men's leagues, women's cuju shared a common history with the men's game in which the Cuju Youxi Guize (蹴鞠游戏规则; cùjū yóuxì guīzé; lit. Rules of the game of Cuju) were codified in 1919 with the formation of the ROJ Jin Jia Liansai. While the development and popularity of men's cuju fluctuated greatly due to the nation's troubled history, women's cuju has maintained a stable cultural following throughout the centuries, and the sport's popularity peaked in the late 19th to early 20th century[3]. It was not until the reintroduction of the men's Jin Jia Liansai that the popularity of women's cuju declined slightly. However, women's cuju remains a popular sport, with a higher average attendance than the men's league at similar levels. Unlike the men's leagues, the women's leagues continue to be organised under an association of private investors, martial clans, families, schools, sects, merchant unions, and private and community-own organisations, of which the most recent association is known as the Junuxianzhuang (聚女賢莊; jù nǚ xián zhuāng; lit. Heroine's Gathering Manor). Prior to the CAJ restructuring of the Jin cuju league system, the Junuxianzhuang administered the upper levels of the women pro-am Qiushuilian (秋水联; qiū shuǐ lián; Autumn Water Tournament) and Chunhulian (春湖聯; chūn hú lián; lit. Spring Lake Tournament). Together with the Liuhumen (六虎門; Liù hǔmén; lit. Six Tigers School), the two co-administrations administered the Ganzhilian (干支蹴鞠聯; gānzhī cùjū lián; lit. Stem-branches Cuju Tournament) leagues[4]. The two co-administrations enjoyed significant autonomy from the central government until 1993; as part of the CAJ restructuring of the Jin cuju league system, the independence of the two federations was subordinated to the CAJ, making the CAJ the overall governing body of all cuju leagues in Da Huang.
Men's Leagues
|
Level |
League(s)/Division(s) | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional leagues | |||||||||||||
|
1 |
Jin Jia Liansai (JL1) | ||||||||||||
|
2 |
Jin Yi Liansai (JL2) | ||||||||||||
|
3 |
Jin Bing Liansai (JL3) | ||||||||||||
| Semi-professional leagues | |||||||||||||
|
4 |
Jinxia Guanjun Liansai (JCL) | ||||||||||||
| A Zu 24 clubs |
B Zu 24 clubs | ||||||||||||
|
5–8 |
Jinxia Diqu Liansai (JDL) | ||||||||||||
|
Zhongnan Diqu Liansai |
Dongbei Diqu Liansai |
Xibei Diqu Liansai |
Jinbei Diqu Liansai |
Dongnan Diqu Liansai |
Xinan Diqu Liansai | ||||||||
| Non-professional leagues | |||||||||||||
|
9+ |
Jinxia Shenshi Chaoji Liansai (JSCL) | ||||||||||||
| A Bu 4 Divisions (3p, 3r) |
B Bu 3 Divisions (2p, 2r) |
C Bu 1 Divisions |
D Bu 2 Divisions (1p, 1r) |
E Bu 2 Divisions (2p, 2r) |
F Bu 1 Division |
G Bu 1 Division |
H Bu 1 Division |
I Bu 3 Divisions (2p, 2r) |
J Bu 3 Divisions (2p, 2r) |
K Bu 3 Divisions (2p, 2r) |
L Bu 2 Divisions (1p, 1r) | ||
Evolution of the Jin men's league system
| Tier\Years | 9th century |
10th century |
11th century |
12th century |
13th century |
14th century |
15th century |
16th century |
17th century |
18th century |
19th century |
1900–19 | 1919–31 | 1931–43 | 1943–1992 | 1993–2001 | 2001–2013 | 2013–2017 | 2017–2020 | Since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shan Yue Zheng Sai** | Bayarid Invasion |
Yu Jue Sai** | Kra Invasion |
Sa Nam Pa Theut* | Jin Rebellion |
Zhao Xia Qiu Sai** | First Jin Civil War |
Jin Jia Liansai*** | Second Jin Civil War |
None | Jin Jia Liansai*** | ||||||||
| 2 | None | None | None | Sa Nam Pa Man** | Bao Lian Sai** | None | Lower* | Jin Yi Liansai | ||||||||||||
| 3 | None | None | Lower* | Jin Bing Liansai | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Jinxia Diqu Liansai | Jinxia Guanjun Liansai | ||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Lower* | Jinxia Diqu Liansai | ||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Lower* | Jinxia Shenshi Chaoji Liansai | ||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 9+ | ||||||||||||||||||||
* From 1993 to 2020 the Jin pyramid was organised with two simultaneous and independent pyramids, the national pyramid, and the regional pyramid. The regional pyramid was later integrated into the national pyramid as the Jinxia Shenshi Chaoji Liansai.
** Games prior to the 1913 Jin Jia Liansai by the Republic of Jin operate by different sets of rules, varying from dynasties to dynasties. The earliest known cuju league was recorded in the Dongjing Meng Hua Lu[5], organised by the Qi Yun She (齊雲社; qí yún shè; lit. Cloud Unity Society), and was developed in the large Jin cities in Central Jinae. Members were typically local cuju lovers or professional martial art performers. Non-professionals had to formally appoint a professional as their teacher and pay a fee before becoming members. This process ensured an income for the professional players, unlike cuju teams of the earlier dynasties. The Qi Yun She organised annual the national cuju tournaments known as the Shan Yue Zheng Sai (山岳正賽; shānyuè zhèng sài; lit. Mountain Peaks Grand Tournament), the first professional "league" of Jin cuju.
*** The Jin Jia Liansai was first founded by the ROJ Cuju Assciation, but since 1993 is operated by the Cuju Association of Jinae.
Men's leagues structure
The Jin men's cuju league system is held under the jurisdiction of the nationwide Cuju Association of Jinae and its professional body, the J League Co. Ltd., along with its six regional associations and their 37 state associations, and, more recently, the Yangcheng Cuju Federation who governs the amateur non-tier leagues of cuju in Yangcheng and its expatriated clubs[7].
The top levels of the men's cuju league system comprise a total of 80 clubs, all of which are entirely professional, divided into three divisions: Jin Jia Liansai (JL1), Jin Yi Liansai (JL2), Jin Bing Liansai (JL3), and are internationally referred to as the J League 1, J League 2, and J League 3 respectively. The J League Co. Ltd., the commercial branch of the CAJ, holds the competition for the top three flights.
The level four Guanjun Liansai comprises a total of 48 clubs, with 24 clubs each in two divisions: A Zu (lit. Group A) covers the Dongbei, Xibei, and Zhongnan regions. The other division, B Zu (lit. Group B), covers the Jinbei, Dongnan, and Xinan regions. Some of these clubs are full-time professionals, and the others are semi-professional.
The six regional associations govern the various semi-professional divisions at levels 5–8. The regional associations are divided according to the six regions of Da Huang: the Dongbei cuju xiehui for Dongbei, Xibei cuju xiehui for Xibei, Zhongnan cuju xiehui for Zhongnan, Jinbei cuju xiehui for Jinbei, Dongnan cuju xiehui for Dongnan, and Xinan cuju xiehui for Xinan. All regional bodies run levels 5–8 under their jurisdiction, with some states having more divisions than others, while the 37 state member associations' pyramids start at level 9 and beyond. For Yangcheng, the Yangcheng Cuju Federation runs its amateur divisions under its own jurisdiction.
Women's Leagues
Women's leagues structure
|
Level |
League(s)/Division(s) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional leagues | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1 |
Mulan Chaoji Liansai (MSL) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
2 |
Jin Jia Nuzi Liansai (JWL1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
3 |
Jin Yi Nuzi Liansai (JWL2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
4 |
Jin Bing Nuzi Liansai (JWL3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Semi-professional leagues | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
5 |
Qiushuilian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Zhengbaiqi 19 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots ↓ 4 relegation spots |
Zhenghuangqi 19 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots ↓ 4 relegation spots | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
6–7 |
Chunhulian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Xianghongqi 18 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots ↓ 1 relegation spots |
Xiangbaiqi 23 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots ↓ 1 relegation spots |
Xianghuangqi 21 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots ↓ 1 relegation spots |
Xiangliangqi 22 clubs ↑ 2 promotion spots ↓ 1 relegation spots | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-professional leagues | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
8 |
Sifang Liansai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
9 |
Dizhi Lian Jia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
10 |
Dizhi Lian Yi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
11 |
Dizhi Lian Bing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
12 |
Ershisifang Lian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
See also
- Sports in ancient Jinae
- Sports in Da Huang
- Cuju Association of Jinae
- League system
- Cuju in Yangcheng
References
- ↑ OOC: Cuju is Association Football in Da Huang and was originally a ball sport with a completely different set of rules (that was very much like the IRL cuju). In Da Huang's history, the rules and style of play has diverged and developed into something completely different from the IRL sport and into something more similar to IRL association football but not exactly the same. It only got standardised to the IRL rules of modern day association football with Da Huang's interactions with foreign nations and formally codified in 1919 with the Cuju Youxi Guize (蹴鞠游戏规则; cùjū yóuxì guīzé; lit. Rules of the game of Cuju). Its also because of this history of cuju, that Da Huang claims the sport as a 'Jin invention' and insist on calling it 'Cuju' instead of association football or football/ soccer.
- I might work on an actual page for Cuju and its history in Jinae and Da Huang in the future.
- ↑ Cuju clubs during its early history occasionally consisted of mixed gendered clubs. Clubs from both genders would play each other without distinction and the rules was a lot more different from the modern game. See History of cuju in Jinae, Cuju Youxi Guize, and Cuju (Jinae) for more details.
- ↑ Jin men have been historically drafted and conscripted into the nation's military. Thus during long periods of strife and conflict, especially during the 19th–20th century, organised men's sports in Da Huang fell into sharp decline and stagnation. Women's cuju on the other hand, have maintain a signifcant cultural following, and with women training alongside men in sports societies (such as fencing, riding, and gymnastics etc.), helped raised the profile of the game both as a women's sport and more generally. See Women's sports in Jinae, Women in Jinae, and Women's cuju in Jinae for more details.
- ↑ The lower level leagues of the Jin women's cuju leagues are collectively known as the Stem-brances Cuju Tournament, in reference to the 10 Heavenly Branches and the 12 Earthly Branches. The tournament are divided into the 24 cardinal points (lowest league), the 12 earthly branches (middling leagues), and the 4 corners (top league). Originally, the Qiushuilian, the Chunhulian, and the Ganzhilian are organised seperately and are not linked by the system of promotion and relegation.
- ↑ It is to be noted that the Dongjing Men Hua Lu was written by Meng Yuanlao (孟元老; mèng yuánlǎo) (c. 1431-1494) in the 15th century as a memoir, long after the loss of Central Jinae. Due to the significant lapse in time, modern historians have challenged the integrity of his accounts, arguing that Meng's records were more likely a retelling of older historical records or an exaggeration on his part. Modern official Jin historians maintained that Meng's memoirs are accurate and have since used them to justify association football being a Jin invention named cuju.
- ↑ It is planned that the CAJ will ultimately transfer their shares of the J League Co., Ltd. to the clubs, and a professional union which consists of all J League clubs will be established as the league's management entity.
- ↑ As Yangcheng does not have its own domestic professional league, the majority of its professional clubs are expatriated into the Jin league system.
- Prior to the Yancheng Cuju Federation (YCF) induction into the Jin league system in 2015, players from the YCF were considered foreigners in J League Matches. Presently, players who are of Jin descent of Yancheng or permanent residents are not considered foreigners in the J League, but are still regarded as foreigners in OAFF competitions.
- OOC: All matters for the OAFF competitions (itself a topic up for discussions; including its name) are subject to change upon further OOC–IC discussion.
- Prior to the Yancheng Cuju Federation (YCF) induction into the Jin league system in 2015, players from the YCF were considered foreigners in J League Matches. Presently, players who are of Jin descent of Yancheng or permanent residents are not considered foreigners in the J League, but are still regarded as foreigners in OAFF competitions.