Definition and General Overview
Jiao Li (角力) is one of the earliest documented forms of organized unarmed combat in Chinese history. The term is usually translated as “wrestling” or “grappling,” but according to researchers such as Kang Gewu, it covered a broader range of physical methods than modern sport wrestling. It involved throwing, controlling, lifting, and off-balancing.
Early Written Sources
The earliest textual references to Jiao Li date to the Zhou dynasty. The Zhouli mentions physical training activities and uses terms associated with grappling; scholars debate the precise meaning of the relevant term in that text. Although the text does not explain techniques, it confirms the existence of structured grappling during that period.
The Shiji 1provides accounts of strongmen and contests involving grappling actions. While the term Jiao Li does not appear in every case, the descriptions align with later understandings of the activity. Scholars such as Ma Mingda consider these sections important because they demonstrate the early cultural presence of organized unarmed contests.
Han Dynasty Development
The Han dynasty offers clearer documentation. Court records note public displays of strength and grappling, and according to historian Wang Shixiang, these likely involved Jiao Li. Relief carvings from tomb sites in Sichuan, Shandong, Henan, and Shaanxi show grappling postures; scholars compare these postures visually to later Shuai Jiao techniques, but the exact moves cannot be identified from the images.
Some reliefs include
