Author: Li Jingze

　　The movie "Win the Championship" was hit, and the women's volleyball girl and the spirit of the women's volleyball team once again sparked heated discussion.

　　At the beginning of the film, the audience's thoughts were brought back to the training base in Zhangzhou, Fujian, where the Chinese women's volleyball team was established, and the women's volleyball player's "natal family".

　　Photographed by Li Jingze at the Bamboo Shed Training Hall in the early days of the base

　　In 1972, when the National Sports Commission was preparing to build a women's volleyball training base, Gu Huaqun came here to take care of logistics. When he was busiest, he had to take care of the food, clothing, housing and transportation of more than 200 players. Everyone called him "Uncle Gu."

After retiring, Gu Huaqun did not leave the training base. He picked up a camera to record the training, competition and life of the women's volleyball team from generation to generation.

　　At home not far from the base, he was nearly 90 years old and opened a thick photo album, telling many stories that were not shown in "Win the Championship".

In the story, the training conditions of the old women's volleyball team are more difficult than those seen by movie audiences. There are also moments of joy in life. It is a passionate time full of youth.

　　The elderly Gu Huaqun tells the women's volleyball story for the visiting group at the Zhangzhou training base. Photo by Li Jingze

The spirit of women's volleyball originated from the bamboo shed

　　Walls covered with ball prints and simple equipment are what the women's volleyball stadium looks like in the movie.

In fact, this has been a qualitative change compared to the venue conditions in the early days of the base.

　　According to Gu Huaqun's recollection, in the initial stage of preparing the women's volleyball base, the relevant departments only allocated 30,000 yuan for the construction. At that time, the troops stationed in Zhangzhou brought in 500 large bamboos as the main material for the construction of the stadium.

After that, another piece of coal cinder was laid and covered with a "sand" ground made of compacted sand, white ash, and red soil. A bamboo shed training hall was built in less than 30 days.

　　The athletes trained to roll on it, rolling off the upper layer of soil, exposing cinder, "That cinder is like a knife," Gu Huaqun said. Girls’ legs and elbows are often worn to bleed, which makes him look very much. Distressed.

　　At that time, there was a five-sentence summary of the women's volleyball team's arduous training: Roll on the mud, grind away several layers of skin, not be afraid of hardship, practice skills and tactics hard, and resolve to climb the peak.

　　From the "bamboo shed spirit" to the "women's volleyball spirit", the spirit of never giving up and working hard is in the same continuous line.

　　The dormitory built at the Zhangzhou training base after the women's volleyball team won five consecutive championships was named "Champion Building".

Photo by Li Jingze

Girls who refuse to admit defeat

　　"None of the more than 200 athletes retreated. Their goal is to raise the five-star red flag on the international stadium."

　　Gu Huaqun said that the old women's volleyball players train for 8 to 10 hours a day, and some even up to 12 hours. They let Uncle Gu arrange a timetable and practice harder one by one.

　　What impressed him the most was Cao Huiying, who is known as "Desperate Saburo", "This girl is too hard to endure. During training, she broke her finger, injured her meniscus, and had a steel plate inserted in her waist and still insisted on training."

　　In addition to Cao Huiying, the 16-year-old Cao Shufang from the Shaanxi women's volleyball team is also an "iron man". She fainted on the court with a thigh injury when she rolled over. After being sent to the doctor, the doctor washed out more than 40 grains of sand on her thigh.

　　After arduous training, in the 3rd World Cup in 1981, the Chinese women's volleyball team defeated the defending champion Japanese team in the final battle and reached the top of the world for the first time.

　　Volleyball model signed by women's volleyball players in Zhangzhou training base. Photo by Li Jingze

　　The whole country celebrated that night.

At the Zhangzhou training base, Gu Huaqun and a dozen staff members heard the news around the radio, and then received confirmation on the phone from the National Sports Commission.

The staff ran outside excitedly and set off the firecrackers that had been prepared for celebration.

　　Gu Huaqun said that it was a sleepless night.

He heard from a friend in Beijing that many people ran to the street to beat gongs and drums. Those who didn't have gongs and drums would just take the washbasin to beat them.

　　The women's volleyball victory boosted the morale of the Chinese.

In the following many years, the countless victories of this national team affected the joy and pride of the people of the country.

　　The training uniform worn by the female volleyball player Li Jingze

National team favored by Zhangzhou

　　"Uncle Gu, is there anything delicious?"

　　This is what the women's volleyball girls like most to ask Gu Huaqun. For these players who are about the same age as his children, he always tries to save them some snacks.

　　When asked every time, Gu Huaqun would point to his drawer, which always contains some fruits and pastries, and would not let the girls go home empty-handed.

　　When the women's volleyball team goes to Xiamen and other cities to compete, the organizers will put some fruits and snacks on the table, and the players are shy and will not take them by themselves.

"They are embarrassed, I am embarrassed," Gu Huaqun picked up the fruit and stuffed them into their coats, and muttered as they stuffed them, "You are training hard. It's okay to eat."

　　Women's volleyball training venue, film "Win the Championship" filming location by Li Jingze

　　Gu Huaqun remembers that in the 1970s, each female volleyball team member of the national team paid two yuan for food a day.

What is the level of food expenses for two yuan?

He made a comparison. At that time, a dime could buy 7 or 8 catties of water spinach, and a dime could buy a catty of rice.

A month’s food expenses for a team member is equivalent to a month’s income for a person or even a family.

　　In Zhangzhou, only patients and pilots from PLA Hospital have the same preferential treatment.

　　In the era of scarce materials, this is unavoidably questioned by some people.

To this end, the government specially organized leading cadres to the base to watch women's volleyball training during a weekend.

"Seeing the athletes falling, rolling, and climbing on the ground, everyone was convinced," Gu Huaqun said. After the visit, some people even offered to give the athletes more supplies.

　　On New Year's Eve in the movie, the girls saw their families waiting for their dumplings after finishing their training, which is not common in reality.

Most of the time, they were accompanied by Gu Huaqun and staff on New Year's Eve.

In order to alleviate their homesickness, Gu Huaqun arranged full activities for the night.

　　After the girls have finished training, they will watch a movie first, set up a table of delicious food near twelve o'clock, and then there will be a literary and artistic evening, accompanied by the game project of blowing chicken feathers and sticking noses.

After it was over, it was two o'clock in the morning, and when everyone was tired of playing, they brought the thoughts of home into their dreams.

　　Gu Huaqun organizes team members and staff to play the game "Blowing Chicken Feather" Photo by Li Jingze

Lang Ping treated like a daughter

　　Lang Ping and Gu Huaqun’s sons and daughters are about the same age and have kept in touch with him for many years.

　　Gu Huaqun remembered seeing this child from Beijing for the first time. She wore two small braids and was tall but thin.

Like everyone else, the question most willing to ask him is whether there is any delicious.

　　"She doesn't want to kill her when she practices." On several occasions when Lang Ping practiced too hard, Gu Huaqun couldn't help asking her why she was doing this. Lang Ping told him that he was playing volleyball to get on the championship podium to win glory for the country.

　　Lang Ping's message to Zhangzhou training base Photo by Li Jingze

　　"She showed extraordinary perseverance at that time. She was never afraid to compare with others. If you are better than me, I will practice harder, and I must surpass you and never accept defeat."

　　Every time Lang Ping returned to Zhangzhou Gu Huaqun, he had to take photos of her, and Lang Ping appeared in his family album many times.

After becoming the head coach of the national team, Lang Ping brought the women's volleyball team to the base for training. With a severe waist injury, she would personally demonstrate passing and receiving.

　　Photo by Li Jingze when Lang Ping returned to Zhangzhou

　　Gu Huaqun had learned that Lang Ping had suffered even turning over at night due to physical injuries. He reminded Lang Ping to try his best not to hurt his body when he saw her personally perform actions. However, Lang Ping replied, "Uncle Gu, I also know that I am not in good health. When the players' movements are irregular, they can't help showing them."

　　"Don't look at Lang Ping's always smiling face. When she is really serious, many players are afraid of her three-pointer. Her team talks about technology and strategy, and pays more attention to thinking and style. I think these are the reasons for becoming a champion," Gu Huaqun said.

　　Photo by Li Jingze in the current Zhangzhou Base Training Center