Becoming a Polo Professional Without Horses

Tianjin University, China.

While polo is often synonymous with the British nobility or the Argentine pampas, its roots in Central Asia and China run deep. In June 2024, Tianjin University (TJU) officially established the Polo Studies Center, a pioneering academic institution dedicated to the study of the sport’s history, culture, and art.

Global Precedents: From Management to Training

The path to academicizing polo has seen various iterations. Approximately 10 years ago, the University of Palermo in Buenos Aires—leveraging Argentina’s reputation for having the "best polo in the world"—launched programs in Polo Management. Despite having a faculty of seasoned experts and journalists, the initiative struggled to find a foothold, partly due to the niche demand polo generates within the global sports economy, where it remains a minor player compared to mass-market sports.

Years later, the Argentine Polo Association (AAP) refined this educational approach. By partnering with Polo University (polouniversity_aap), they established a certification and training program specifically tailored for the sport's active protagonists—players and trainers—rather than the general administrative market.

The Chinese Approach: A Cultural Renaissance

Tianjin University has taken a fundamentally different path. Rather than focusing solely on current management or athletic performance, its program immerses students in the sport's ancient Chinese origins.

Known in ancient China as jiju, jiqiu, or daqiu, polo originated during the Han Dynasty and flourished during the Tang and Song Dynasties. In this context, polo is viewed not merely as a game, but as a "shining fragment" of Chinese history. During the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), it was the preferred pastime of emperors and the aristocracy, valued as rigorous military training that required immense skill to handle both horse and mallet. Notably, terracotta figures from the era reveal that court women also played, reflecting the vibrant and relatively inclusive nature of Tang culture.

A Modern Academic Framework

As a multidisciplinary platform, the Polo Studies Center at TJU operates on four primary pillars:

Academic and Historical Research: Investigating the "Golden Age" of polo and its societal impact.

Archiving and Collection: The systematic gathering of historical records and artifacts.

International Collaboration: Establishing links with prestigious polo clubs and universities in nations with strong traditions, such as Argentina, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Cultural Diffusion and "Living Heritage": Using research to inspire modern innovation and public understanding of the sport.

The "First" University

Tianjin University is a fitting home for such a center. Founded on October 2, 1895, as Peiyang University, it is officially China’s first modern university, marking the transition from traditional Confucian classics to modern science and engineering.

Located in Tianjin—a vital logistics hub and one of China’s four direct-administered municipalities with a metropolitan population of 14.9 million—the university currently hosts one of the country's largest academic communities. For the 2025–2026 period, it recorded over 39,000 full-time students hailing from more than 140 countries.

Researching the Silk Road

The Center serves as more than a museum; it is a rigorous research hub. One of its primary objectives is to trace the "Polo Route" along the Silk Road, documenting how jiju influenced Chinese art, literature, and diplomacy. By combining its historical past with 21st-century academic rigor, Tianjin University is ensuring that one can now become a polo professional through the lens of history, culture, and expertise, regardless of whether they own a horse.