Artistic Burmese ball game
- Thein Phyu Street X Strand Road
- typically in the evening
Foot volley Myanmar style
Come here in the morning or evening and you’ll find a group of men kicking around a small rattan ball. This is Chinlone, Myanmar’s national game. The purpose is to keep the ball high with the feet, head, shoulders, elbows, knees, heels and soles; anything except the hands. The incredibly skilful players are barefoot and wear little more than a longyi. Unlike football, there is no goal and no score. Chinlone is all about style.
Chinlone is an alluring game that requires Zen-grade powers of concentration.
Elegance, balance and power
Chinlone is over 1500 years old and was once the game of Burmese royalty. Over the centuries players have developed more than 200 different ways of kicking the ball. Many of the moves are similar to those of Burmese dance and martial art. It is an alluring game that requires Zen-grade powers of concentration.