User:Yhlee83/Jegichagi

Jegichagi is a Korean traditional game which requires the use of people's foot and Jegi, an object used to play jegichagi which is made of a small coin (quarter size), paper, or cloth. In Korea, children usually play alone or with friends in Winter seasons. Especially on Lunar New Year, people used to play Jegichagi with family and friends. The origin of Jegichagi is that people had their own play or game in the past. When they got bored, they might have used small rocks, a piece of wood, or even animal's excrement as jegi. This has developed, and people combined two or three materials and made new kind of jegi to play with. As society developed, people found and used new materials such as coins, feather, or cloth with dried dirt or excrement to make Jegi. Though jegichagi used to be a game mostly played in winter, it has become a year-round game.

History

Though there is no written record about the origin of Jegichagi, one of the legends states that the game was developed from young martial artists’ training which involved kicking a small leather pouche. Often, people refer jianzi, which is one of Chinese games using shuttlecock, synonymously with Jegichagi. However, Jegichagi was developed in its own unique way.

In Samguk Yusa, a collection of Korean historical legends, states that Goguryeo people was good at Cuju, which developed to be jegichagi in Korea. Also, it says that Kim Yushin of Silla under the mask of playing jegichagi, stepped on and tore off Kim Chunchu's otgoreum and had his sister sew it back on. Through this event, Kim Yushin's sister eventually married and became the queen of Kim Chunchu, later Muyeol of Silla.

How to Make Jegi

Traditional way to make Jegi

Things to prepare: 1 Korean traditional paper (Hanji), 1 Coin with a hole in the middle(Yeopjeon)

                  1. Fold the paper in half (Horizontally)
                  2. Place the coin in the middle of the folded paper 
                  3. Fold the paper several times again with the coin still inside the paper
                  4. Use something pointy to make a hole through the paper
                      (match it with the coin's hole) 
                  5. Insert each end of the folded paper into the hole
                  6. Unfold the ends and tear it into thinner strands

Easy way to make Jegi[1]

Things to prepare: plastic bags, 2~3 coins, string, scissors, and scotch tape.

                  1. Pile the coins and tape them together
                  2. Prepare the plastic bag by cutting into a square about ~25cm wide
                  3. Place the coin at the middle of the plastic bag
                  4. Hold the coin inside the plastic bag and tie it using a string 
                  5. Cut the untied part of the plastic bag into thinner strands(~1.5cm) using scissors.

Rules and Kinds of Jegichagi

Basic Rule

Players kick the jegi (paper shuttlecock) into the air using instep of the foot. The winner is the player who kicks jegi the most times without letting it fall.

Kinds of Jegichagi

According to Korean Jegichagiai Association, there are 6 kinds of single / multiplayers Jegichagi: Putting the target, kicking jegi farther, putting on the edge, running while kicking, Jegichagi with performance, and Jegi Volleyball.

1. Putting the target: On a 1.6m diameter circle, draw four smaller circles 20cm each like archery target. Keep distance from the target 5m. Within 30 seconds, kick the Jegi into the air 3 times/ more, and hit the target with the Jegi. From the center, the score is given 120, 90, 60, 30 and when the Jegi did not hit the target, 5 point is given. Using different legs 3 times and the winner is the one who scored the most.

2. Kicking Far: Kick the Jegi into the air 3 times or more within 30 seconds, then kick the Jegi as far as you can to the front. Repeating 3 times, the winner goes to the player with the most in sum.

3. Putting on a basket: On a pillar with height of 150cm, put a 20cm x 20cm basket. Kicking the jegi 3 times/more into the air and then put the jegi into the basket.

4. Kicking while Hitting 40m single trip and round trip: For each 10m, the player should switch his foot. If the player drops the jegi, he should go back to the last 10 meter line and then play.

5. Jegichagi with performance: In a 5m x 5m square, each player kicks the Jegi with performance. At least 3 judges should watch. The score is given in average.

6. Jegi Volleyball: 3 players/ 5 players make a team. Set a net with 120 cm. Each team players should kick the ball upon the net to the opposite side. For 3 players' game, the squre should be 5m by 5 m, (7m x 7m for 5 players) The rule is very similar to common volleyball rules. When the player is defensing, he can use any part of his body except hands.

The first person/team to earn 7 points wins each set, and there are 5 rounds.

Different Ways to Play Jegichagi

1. Hullangyi(헐랭이): Use of the inner side of the foot to kick 'jegi' while the other foot balances the body. The foot used to kick jegi should remain in air without touching the ground.

2. Ddangganghji(땅강아지): Similar to #1; however, the the foot kicking jegi touches the ground each time before kicking again.

3. Left-right foot(우지좌지): similar to #2, but both feet are used to kick Jegi alternatively with either the inner surface of both feet (or one inner and the other outer)

4. Appchagi(앞차기): Use of the top of foot to kick jegi.

5. Ditbalchagi(뒷발차기): Use of the top lateral side of the foot to kick jegi.

6. Kigeegi(키지기): each lift of Jegi must be higher than one's own height.

7. Mulgeegi(물지기):continuously kicking jegi and catch it with your mouth.

How to Select Jegi and Practice

What is a good Jegi?

Illustration of jegi

The most important factor of good Jegi is its weight. If it is too light, it is very hard to control Jegi since it falls to the ground before the next kick is ready. If it is too heavy, it is hard to kick the jegi high enough. Thus, a good Jegi should be the one of proper weight. (About 10g)

Practice using a tied Jegi.

Because it is difficult to do Jegichagi at a first try, it is very helpful to use a tied Jegi. Simply you tie one end of the string to a jegi and the other end to somewhere high enough to hold the jegi in the air. In this way, you can continue hitting it without having to pick up the jegi every time it falls to the ground. Although you fail to kick, the Jegi will always come back to the good position.

Practice while holding your pants.

Beginners have a habit of placing the arm towards the front while kicking Jegi with the thought that the arm helps balancing the body. However, it does not. Thus, if you are using the right foot to kick jegi, it is better for your right hand to hold the right side of your pants when doing Jegichagi.

Effects of Jegichagi.

1. Improves leg's muscular strength.

2. Improves agility.

3. Improves concentration.

4. Prevents obesity.

5. Improves patience and stamina.

The fact that Jegichagi uses muscles you rarely use, it stimulates the brain coordinated to those rarely used parts. Especially, the movement of right and left side of the body equally uses the right and left brain. Also, what side of the foot you use to kick jegi gives various health benefits to your body. When you use the inner part of your foot, it benefits your kidney, liver, and spleen. Further, when you use the outer part of foot, it benefits your bladder and stomach.

Jegichagi in Today

In 2000, Korean Jegichagi Association was founded to make new rules in order to fit this traditional game well into today’s generation. Although Jegichagi is well known as many of other famous traditional games in Korea, the game is losing its popularity. In effort to keep traditional Jegichagi alive within children’s mind, the Board of Education in South Korea ordered Jegichagi as one of the required activities in physical education courses in school, usually 3rd or 4th grade.

References

• Dynamic Korea, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the United States of America.<http://www.dynamic-korea.com/>
• Official Seoul City Tourism, Seoul Metropolitan Government.<http://english.visitseoul.net>.
• 엑스포과학공원- ExpoPark INC. "전통제기 만드는법- How to make Traditional Jegi". http://www.expopark.co.kr/. 2010-02-27
• 이이화, I-hwa Yi. 한국사이야기, Korean History. vol. 14. Seoul, Korea: 한길사, HanGilSa, 2001.
• 제기차기 동호회. http://cafe.daum.net/zegee. 2010-02-28