中华民族有灿烂辉煌的古代文化，丰富多彩的古代体育是中国古代文化的重要组成部分。

　　中国古代体育从远古人类的生存活动中逐渐独立出来的时候，便被赋予了游戏的、竞技的、健身的以及教育的内涵和功效，并与人类的其他文化一样，开始了自己的历史进程。

　　数千年的历史长河中，中国古代体育经过不同时期的流传融汇，逐渐地在广袤的中华大地上生根发展了起来，传承不绝。这些传统的体育活动，既有体现军事特点的身体训练内容，又有以延年益寿为特征的养生保健形式，同时还包括了消闲、娱乐性的特点。这些由中华各民族创造的传统体育活动，共同绘成了中国体育文化绚丽多彩的历史画卷。

　　与人们生产、生活密切相关，为人们的生活提供积极健康、快乐的方式，使根植于民族文化土壤之中的中国古代体育，为中华民族不断注入青春活力。在中华民族漫漫的历史长河中，中国古代体育无论是活动形式，还是技术方法，都在不断地变化、发展着，为中华体育文化筑起了一座令人称羡的丰碑，成为支撑世界体育文化辉煌殿堂的一根重要支柱。

　　Ancient Period (Before 1840)

　　As an integral part of the splendid Chinese culture, sport is deeply rooted among the labouringly people and may be traced back to time immemorial-indeed as early as hoary past when our ancestors learned how to subsist, when the Chinese civilization had just begun to take shape. Yet sport was a human activity on its own, as a means to keep fit, to improve skills, to recreate, and to educate. It also developed in a course of its own on the Chinese soil, taking a great variety of forms, spreading far and wide, finding favor with and with different communities and age groups, amusement an Oriental color, and serving multiple purposes- for physical fitness, longevity, amusement, and military training. With their contents constantly enriched and instilled with youthful vitality, the traditional games and sports have prospered and come down to us as glittering gems in the treasure house of physical culture-not only of China, but also of the whole world.