A Status Quo Investigation And Countermeasure Study Of Folk Sports In Southern Shanxi

China, an ancient country of over 5,000 years history and culture, has a profound traditional cultural foundation. Throughout the history, the 56 ethnic groups have created brilliant and rich folk culture. Folk sports, as an important part of folk culture, constitute a major part of Chinese traditional culture and reflect the historic culture, national psychology, and social life of different ethnic groups. In the current time of globalization, with the rapid development of economy and the invasion of western culture, local culture is severely impacted. Folk sports in southern Shanxi, though include colorful and rich folk sports activities, also face the same situation. As a result, this paper mainly focuses on the current situation of folk sports in southern Shanxi and puts forward some countermeasures according to the research findings, in an attempt to promote the sustainable development of folk sports in southern Shanxi.Based on sports science, sociology and folklore, this paper uses documents, questionnaires, mathematic statistics and logical analyses to investigate the current situation of folk sports in southern Shanxi. Based on the analysis, the paper aims to find some deficiencies in southern Shanxi folk sports and put forward some countermeasures accordingly. Specific research designs are as follows:In the first chapter, the rationale, research purpose and significance of the present study are explained. Objects of study and methods of study are chosen. By collecting and classifying related literature, the notion of folk-custom, folk sports, and folk sports in southern Shanxi are also put forward.The second part introduces the geographical conditions and cultural traditions in southern Shanxi, clarifies its area coverage and describes the general distribution of folk sports in southern Shanxi. Cultural characteristics of southern Shanxi folk sports culture including its geographical characteristics, historical inheritance, entertaining function, together with its diversity, variability and adherence are analyzed. Through analysis, the writer finds that folk sports in southern Shanxi have the social value of inheriting the national culture, developing entertainment fitness, promoting economic development and building a harmonious society.Based on different origins, the third part classifies the folk sports in southern Shanxi into four groups, namely folk!custom sports, daily sports, entertaining sports and intangible cultural heritage sports. An analysis of the most widely distributed folk sports is also carried out.In this part, a status quo investigation of southern Shanxi folk sports is conducted. The investigation mainly studies the population structure of the subjects; the relationship between education background and family income; the relationship between age and cognitive path; the organization of folk sports in southern Shanxi; people s attitude of folk sports and people s participation in folk sports. According to the findings, motivations for people in southern Shanxi to take part in sports are: to please body and mind, to expand personal hobbies, to enrich life, to inherit culture, to promote interpersonal communication and to increase income. The research findings also show that the major impediments that hinder the development of southern Shanxi folk sports are the aging population of inheritors; the lack of government support; the low awareness of people; the lack of innovation and the imperfection of laws and regulations.Finally, based on the research findings, this paper reveals the existing problems of folk sports in southern Shanxi which includes the change of ecological environment; the declining inheritance in the process of urbanization; the lack of government support and professional guidance; the utilitarianism and commercialism of folk sports and the imperfection of laws and regulations. Moreover, the present paper puts forward some development countermeasures: to give full play to the leading role of the government and create a good environment for folk sports; to balance urban and rural integration development and create new tourism culture; to give play to the role of school education and let folk sports into the classroom; to accelerate the construction of national legal system and perfect the folk sports management system; to look for easy folk sports and integrate them into the national fitness service system.