| Badminton’s origins have roots in the game of Ti Jian Zi, played in ancient China as early as 500 years before the birth of Christ. The game consisted of kicking the shuttlecock (birdie) without the use of racquets.
Around the time of the birth of Christ, a game with a battledore and shuttlecock was played in China, Japan, and Greece. It is likely that this game was a direct descendent of Ti Jian Zi. The game consisted of hitting the shuttlecock back and forth with a battledore. The battledore was used similarly as today’s racquets are used.
By the mid 1800’s, a game called ‘Poona’ that had resemblance to today’s badminton became popular in India. During the 1870’s, English army officers stationed in India brought the game home to the United Kingdom.
Popularity of Poona grew in England where it was known as 'Battledore and Shuttlecock'. It was not long until the Duke of Beaufort started the first club at his country estate in 1873. The name of the country club was called the 'Badminton House'. The name badminton was derived from the name of the country estate. This first club at the 'Badminton House' was where most of the modern rules were conceived. |