In ancient Chinese agricultural societies, however, crickets were appreciated for an entirely different reason — their chirping was a crucial indicator of climate change. When farmers heard the Jingzhe (the waking of the insects) in spring, they knew that the time was right to begin plowing the fields. To pay tribute, farmers wrote proverbs and songs about the insects, artists rendered paintings of them, and children were told cricket fables. There was even the belief that, because crickets lay hundreds of eggs, the key to success in life was to have as many children as possible.
Cricket Fighting in the Snowy Season
China developed the sport of cricket fighting during the Song dynasty (960–1279 AD); the fight is a natural outgrowth of interaction between two males who are competing for territory. The brave and valiant warrior spirit of a cricket in battle captivated audiences — and the cricket’s reputation as an intelligent and competitive insect with an added talent for making beautiful sounds grew.
Fighting was at first a sport for the upper class, as a means to display wealth. The lower class was attracted to the gambling element, though, and eventually the sport became aligned with slackers and societal problems. When the government prohibited the fights, the sport went underground. Only in recent years has the sport of cricket fighting again been officially allowed, and then only if no gambling is involved — or discovered.
Such "luxury games" were only held in the "snowing season". Only those crickets who survived the cold had proven themselves tough enough to compete.
People put these "treasured" insects in quality foam boxes with ice-filled insulation, because crickets like a cold environment. The bottom of the boxes was cushioned with springs to prevent sudden jolts harming the crickets.
Cricket fighting is wide spread although mainly found in the large cities of Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong. There are cricket fighting clubs and societies that cater to members interest at all levels of intensity. With the migration of Chinese to other parts of the world, cricket fighting can be found in New York and Philadelphia, although the species used differ.
Cricket fights, between two male crickets, is an amusement especially popular among urban dwellers. In the past it was followed by the emperor and the nobility, by the rich and by intellectuals such as the literati. Because of this, previous research into Chinese culture has tended to emphasize only the glamorous side of cricket fighting and paid scant attention to those who sustained it in the background.
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