It’s been close to three years now, so hopefully people are finally over their 2008-lag enough to stomach Olympic sports again. More than three decades ago, China was still in the embryonic stages of amateur sport, the first realm of endeavor for a country with something to prove. In 1979, Ye Jianying, Chairman of the National People’s Congress, took it upon himself to pen Springtime for Sports in China.
In the Foreword, the good Chairman recalls that “sports stagnated under the decadent social system of old China.” He goes on to note that party-mandated sports participation has rid China “once and for all of the derogatory nickname of ‘sick man of East Asia’ imposed by the imperialists.” Presciently, he predicts that “with the rapid upswing of the national economy there are bound to be leaps forward in the field of sports.” Let’s take a look at China’s big four: table tennis, diving, volleyball, and gymnastics, back in China’s sporting springtime.
Table Tennis
“Our national table tennis team was brought up under the personal care of the late Chairman Mao Zeddong, Premier Zhou Enlai and Vice-Premiers Chen Yi and He Long, who received the players on many occasions and frequently gave instructions concerning their training and competition.”
Ping pong is sex, drugs and rock n’ roll in one for the pupils at this factory-run middle school in Shandong Province.
Li Furong, left, known for fast attacks, led the men’s team in winning titles at the 27th and 28th World Table Tennis Championships. His teammate Zhang Xielin was known as the “Chopping Player”, with a spin fiercer than Fox News’.
That’s not a rhythmic dance event; that’s Zheng Migzhi helping capture the women’s team title at the 28th World Table Tennis Championships. Equally graceful with a paddle is her doubles partner Lin Huiqing. They took the doubles title at the 31st Championships.
Finished with the Nixon preliminaries, Zhou Enlai hosts the U.S. table tennis delegation in 1972. Here, he snaps his fingers for more tea to wet the whistles of ping pong diplomats from not just America but also Canada, Colombia, England, and Nigeria.
In October 1978, the CCP awarded both the men’s and women’s table tennis teams with medals of honor for being “pace-setters” in sports, and face-savers for China.
Table tennis star and national hero Huang Xiping returns to her alma mater to demo her backspin for some lucky kids.
Diving
“In September 1978 many newcomers came forth with highly difficult movements, which indicates that Chinese divers are hopeful of climbing a new high.”
Hey, it was the disco 70s. Divers break into spontaneous poolside boogie at the International Swimming and Diving Friendship Invitational Meet in Beijing, 1975.
China’s first three diving champions, who brought home medals at the Seventh Asian Games (from left): Li Kongzheng – 10m platform; Zhong Shaozhen – 10m platform and 3m springboard; Xie Caiming – 3m springboard.
Zhong Shaozheng shows the girls some proper tuck form.
Technicolor action: Chen Xiaoxia, left, busts a forward dive with a half-twist, while Shi Meiqin launches into a backward dive piked.
Volleyball
“Generally speaking, the style in the south is characterized by speed and variation whereas that in the north by height and power. The different styles have all contributed to the development of the game.”
Guangdong’s Taishan County was known as China’s “home of volleyball”. Here, the long-legged students at Taishan’s ‘Spare-time Sports School’ get in a 4-hour PE session.
Cao Huiying spikes over a pair of “typically tall Americans” at the ’77 Volleyball Worldcup.
Ms. Cao took home three trophies at the Worldcup: “best fighting spirit”, “best player”, and “best blocker”.
Gymnastics
“With their highly difficult and graceful movements, the gymnasts produced unique exercises of their own. Fourteen-year-old Ma Yanhong earned 9.95 points at the Shanghai Invitational for her exquisite performances on the uneven bars.”
That’s right, fourteen. Her birth certificate has been temporarily mislocated amongst the files. Ma Yanhong waves to the crowd after scoring her 9.95, for which she would take home a gold medal.
Her teammates were more chatty but no less youthfully skilled (from left): Ma, Li Cuiling, Ma Wenju, Liu Yajun, and Zhu Zheng.
If Ma Yanghong was China’s champion at the Shanghai Invitational, Liu Yajun was her princess of the beam. Here she is executing handsprings, followed by a stag leap.
Cai Huanzong lets his monster biceps do the work as he bangs out a straddle “L” support. He won the all-around, horizontal bar and parallel bars at the Shanghai Invitational. Sadly, he never became interested in the manufacture of athletic footwear.
Cai hands an autograph up to a stylishly-sideburned 70s fan at the Seventh Asian Games.
At another ‘Spare-Time Sports Sports School’, students find the spare time for a two-hour stretching session.
Recognize the intense Romanian mug, second from left? That’s Nadia Comaneci, marching towards socialist sporting glory with Liu Yajun, Ning Xiaolin, and teammate Anca Grigoras.
love the old photos… just letting you know that you do have readers!!!
A lot of my friends read China Expat. Its more formal and academic not like blogs trolling for comments. First class job Ernie I always read here.
That explains the lack of non-commercial comments! Don’t let that stop you, Vasin. Thanks for reading!