To help celebrate with the Chinese Calendar on February 12, we will have a look at baoding balls in our collection.
Baoding balls are believed to have existed for as long 3000 years and were first referenced during the Han Dynasty between 26 AD and 220 AD. They are named after Baoding city in the Hebei province of China where it was common practise amongst all classes of people to train their hands using walnuts. Taking two or more walnuts in one hand the exercise was to balance walnuts in a rotating motion by pushing your thumb and pinky simultaneously inward causing the walnuts to revolve; the most experienced of handlers would never let the balls touch. Centuries later, during the Sung Dynasty (960-1279 AD), walnuts were replaced by solid iron balls that were adopted by martial artists for combat weaponry/training and acrobats for performances.
Emperor Jia Jing (1522-1567 AD) was said to have his entire court study the benefits of the iron balls resulting in the invention of a hollow design that was easier to manipulate and intended for medicinal purposes. More specifically, hollow baoding balls were used on the meridians for resistance training, dexterity, and anxiety, similar to our modern day fidget toys. Some were made with miniature spikes that would lightly penetrate the palms to activate acupressure points connected to memory.
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Another elaborate baoding ball manufacturing technique is called cloisonné in which decorates metalwork with coloured materials like agate, gemstone, marble and jade that are secured with metal wire strips, like gold or silver. Today, they are recognized as one of the “Three Treasures of Baoding” along with flour sauce and potherb mustard. So go, have a ball this Chinese New Year and welcome in the Ox zodiac.
Originally published in the Wetaskiwin Times, February 10, 2021.
