Abstract: Square, theater and stadium are terms in ancient Chinese literature. This present paper distinguishes their functions and nature by means of literature analysis and cultural relic verification. It is found that square, stadium, and theatre were the main physical platforms for sports games in ancient China and they, functioning as different spaces, carried different symbolic meanings. Sports show on the Royal Plaza might be a grand ritual ceremony; stadium was the sports venue exclusive to descendants of royal families and aristocrats, both GouLan and Wasi were markets where professional entertainers presented commercial performances to earn their living. It is clear that playgrounds had a direct influence on modes of sports games. and the social institutions such as the spatial distribution and opening degree of playgrounds were a revelation of the changing times. The differentiated functions of square, stadium, theatre in ancient China were in line with feudal etiquette and blood links. The closed playgrounds prevented the formation of public competition mechanism, making many sports games held on square and theater as skillful leisure performances. In modern times, the construction of public stadiums has fundamentally changed the forms of sports. Currently, the design of landscape cities and the improvement of sports environment in China indicate that the form of social sports has come to the new node of historical changes.