Editing Manchu people (section)

===Traditional activities===
====Riding and archery====
[[File:Hunting Journey on Horseback.jpg|thumb|left|Painting of the [[Qianlong Emperor]] hunting]]
Riding and archery ({{manchu|m={{ManchuSibeUnicode|lang=mnc|ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠮᠨᡳᠶᠠᠨ}}|v=niyamniyan|a=niyamniyan}}) are significant to the Manchus. They were well-trained horsemen from their teenage{{sfn|Yi|1978|p=44}} years. [[Hong Taiji|Huangtaiji]] said, "Riding and archery are the most important martial arts of our country".<ref name=jiang1980/>{{rp|46}}<ref name=various/>{{rp|446}} Every generation of the Qing dynasty treasured riding and archery the most.<ref name=liu2008>{{cite book |first = Xiaomeng |last = Liu |script-title = zh:《清代八旗子弟》 |trans-title = the Bannermen in Qing Dynasty |publisher = Liaoning Nationality Publishing House |year = 2008 |isbn = 978-7-80722-563-8 |url = http://book.douban.com/subject/3135967/ }}</ref>{{rp|108}} 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 [[Chinese nobility|nobility]].<ref name=liu2008/>{{rp|93}} The Manchus of the early Qing dynasty had excellent shooting skills and their arrows were reputed to be capable of penetrating two persons.<ref name=liu2008/>{{rp|94}}

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 at night.<ref name=liu2008/>{{rp|95}} 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.<ref name=liu2008/>{{rp|95}} After the [[Qianlong Emperor|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,<ref name=liu2008/>{{rp|94}} but the traditions are still kept among some Manchus even nowadays.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.manchus.cn/plus/view.php?aid=9404|script-title=zh: 文化遗产日——香山团城演武厅“访古·论箭”|trans-title=Manchu Archery in Heritage Day|date=2012-06-03|publisher=Manchus.cn|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-10-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010182255/http://www.manchus.cn/plus/view.php?aid=9404}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Hunting party1.jpg|Manchu Hunting party
File:Hunting party2.jpg|Manchu Hunting party
File:Hunting party3.jpg|Manchu Hunting party
File:Hunting party4.jpg|Manchu Hunting party
File:Hunting party5.jpg|Manchu Hunting party
File:Hunting party6.jpg|Manchu Hunting party
File:Hunting party7.jpg|Manchu Hunting party
File:Hunting party8.jpg|Manchu Hunting party
File:Hunting party9.jpg|Manchu Hunting party
File:Hunting party10.jpg|Manchu Hunting party
File:Hunting party11.jpg|Manchu Hunting party
File:Hunting party12.jpg|Manchu Hunting party
</gallery>

==== Manchu wrestling ====
[[File:Banquets-at-a-frontier-fortress.jpg|thumb|Manchu wrestlers competed in front of the Qianlong Emperor]]

Manchu wrestling ({{manchu|m={{ManchuSibeUnicode|lang=mnc|ᠪᡠᡴᡠ}}|v=buku|a=buku}})<ref name=jinkaihe/>{{rp|118}} is also an important martial art of the Manchu people.<ref name=jinkaihe/>{{rp|142}} Buku, meaning "wrestling" or "man of unusual strength" in Manchu, was originally from a Mongolian word, "[[Mongolian wrestling|bökh]]".<ref name=jinkaihe/>{{rp|118}} The history of Manchu wrestling can be traced back to Jurchen wrestling in the Jin dynasty which was originally from Khitan wrestling; it was very similar to Mongolian wrestling.<ref name=jinkaihe/>{{rp|120}} In the [[Yuan dynasty]], the Jurchens who lived in northeast China adopted Mongol culture including wrestling, bökh.<ref name=jinkaihe/>{{rp|119}} In the latter Jin and early Qing period, rulers encouraged the populace, including aristocrats, to practise buku as a feature of military training.<ref name=jinkaihe/>{{rp|121}} At the time, Mongol wrestlers were the most famous and powerful. By the Chongde period, Manchus had developed their own well-trained wrestlers<ref name=jinkaihe/>{{rp|123}} and, a century later, in the Qianlong period, they surpassed Mongol wrestlers.<ref name=jinkaihe/>{{rp|137}} The Qing court established the "Shan Pu Battalion" and chose 200 fine wrestlers divided into three levels. Manchu wrestling moves can be found in today's Chinese wrestling, ''[[shuai jiao]]'', which is its most important part.<ref name=jinkaihe/>{{rp|153}} Among many branches, Beijing wrestling adopted most Manchu wrestling moves.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://epaper.qingdaonews.com/html/qdwb/20120306/qdwb386565.html|script-title=zh:摔跤历史挺悠久不同流派有讲究|trans-title=Wrestling has a long history and different genres are exquisite|publisher=Dynamic Weekly|date=2012-03-06|access-date=18 March 2015|archive-date=9 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309081545/http://epaper.qingdaonews.com/html/qdwb/20120306/qdwb386565.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==== Falconry ====
As a result of their hunting ancestry, Manchus are traditionally interested in falconry.<ref name=liu2008/>{{rp|106}} [[Gyrfalcon]] ({{manchu|m={{ManchuSibeUnicode|lang=mnc|ᡧᠣᠩᡴᠣᡵᠣ}}|v=šongkoro|a=xongkoro}}) is the most highly valued discipline in the Manchu falconry social circle.<ref name=liu2008/>{{rp|107}} In the Qing period, giving a gyrfalcon to the royal court in tribute could be met with a considerable reward.<ref name=liu2008/>{{rp|107}} There were professional falconers in Ningguta area (today's Heilongjiang province and the northern part of Jilin province). It was a big base of falconry.<ref name=liu2008/>{{rp|106}} Beijing's Manchus also like falconry. Compared to the falconry of Manchuria, it is more like an entertainment.<ref name=liu2008/>{{rp|108}} Imperial Household Department of Beijing had professional falconers, too. They provided outstanding falcons to the emperor when he went to hunt every fall.<ref name=liu2008/>{{rp|108}} Even today, Manchu traditional falconry is well practised in some regions.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.jl.xinhuanet.com/tese/2011-01/10/content_21821594.htm |script-title = zh:新华网吉林频道 |access-date = 18 March 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040403/http://www.jl.xinhuanet.com/tese/2011-01/10/content_21821594.htm |archive-date = 4 March 2016 |url-status = dead }}</ref>

==== Ice skating ====
[[File:《冰嬉图》.jpg|thumb|The performance of Manchu palace skaters on holiday]]

Ice skating ({{manchu|m={{ManchuSibeUnicode|lang=mnc|ᠨᡳᠰᡠᠮᡝ<br />ᡝᡶᡳᡵᡝ<br />ᡝᡶᡳᠨ}}{{citation needed|date=September 2017}}|v=nisume efire efin|a=nisume efire efin}}) is another Manchu pastime. The [[Qianlong Emperor]] called it a "national custom".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/edu/2012-08/08/c_123551557.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830132907/http://news.xinhuanet.com/edu/2012-08/08/c_123551557.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 August 2012|title=Xinhua: How Did Chinese Emperors Award Athletes? (simplified Chinese)|agency=Xinhua News Agency}}</ref> It was one of the most important winter events of the Qing royal household,<ref name=bingxi>{{cite web |url = http://www.chinanews.com/cul/news/2010/01-20/2083099.shtml |script-title = zh:“冰嬉”被乾隆定为“国俗” 清军有八旗冰鞋营(5)|trans-title="Bingxi" was designated as a "national custom" by Qianlong, and the Qing army had eight flag skate camps (5)|date=2010-01-20|publisher = Chinanews.com |access-date = 18 March 2015}}</ref> performed by the "Eight Banner Ice Skating Battalion" ({{lang|zh-hans|八旗冰鞋营}})<ref name=bingxi/> which was a special force trained to do battle on icy terrain.<ref name=bingxi/> The battalion consisted of 1600 soldiers. In the [[Jiaqing Emperor|Jiaqing period]], it was reduced to 500 soldiers and transferred to the Jing Jie Battalion ({{lang|zh-hans|精捷营}}) originally, literally meaning "chosen agile battalion".<ref name=bingxi/>

In the 1930s–1940s, there was a famous Manchu skater in Beijing whose name was Wu Tongxuan, from the Uya clan and one of the royal household skaters in [[Empress Dowager Cixi]]'s regency.<ref name=imanchu>{{cite web |url = http://www.imanchu.com/a/people/200801/2577.html |script-title = zh:李敖记起的北京滑冰老人吴雅氏 |access-date = 18 March 2015 |archive-date = 2 April 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150402111913/http://www.imanchu.com/a/people/200801/2577.html |url-status = dead }}</ref> He frequently appeared in many of Beijing's skating rinks.<ref name=imanchu/> Nowadays, there are still Manchu figure skaters; world champions [[Zhao Hongbo]] and [[Tong Jian]] are the pre-eminent examples.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}