Cuju, the ancient form of soccer has launched a campaign for a recognition as world's nonmaterial heritage on Tuesday in its birthplace Linzi District, east China's Shandong province.

Officials from Linzi government offered mimic of Cuju balls and books on the ancient game respectively to representatives from UNESCO and the Ministry of Culture of China, who were attending the ceremony for starting the campaign, vowing to make years of efforts to have Cuju enlisted among the world nonmaterial heritages.

Cuju is the oldest form of modern soccer games. FIFA President Sepp Blatter acknowledged in 2004 that China's Linzi is the birthplace of the sport and it was then spread abroad to Egypt, Rome, France and the rest of the world.

According to historical records, Cuju was a very popular game in China's Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC) in Linzi, the capital of the Qi State (479 AD-502 AD) and one of the largest cities in the world at that time.

But officials with the Linzi government said that the game was hard to be revitalized as it had lost popularity during the reign by minorities in Yuan (1279-1368) and Qing Dynasties (1644-1911). And some master-hands who knew how to play the game died without passing the skills on to next generations.

Earlier this year, Cuju has been recognized as China's national nonmaterial heritage, enabling the endangered game to be under national protection, with a fixed amount of protection fund from the Ministry of Culture every year.

Currently, Linzi District has set up Cuju courses in the urban primary and middle schools and the number of Cuju players in Linzi has totaled about 5,000.

Brendan Menton, director with development section of AFC, said, "We should cheer for Cuju, cheer for Linzi. Cuju does not only belong to China, it belongs to all of us. It is the treasure of the world culture. "

Zhu Guoping, vice director of culture development center with General Administration of Sport of China, said, "Linzi has been growing to be the culture center of Cuju and modern soccer games, with its construction of international soccer museum, a great push to revitalize the ancient game."

FIFA, Football Association of China (CFA) and Cuju reservation association in Kyoto sent congratulation letters to Linzi to support the campaign and Cuju teams from Linzi and South Korea also played an exhibition game during the ceremony.