China News Service Client, Beijing, July 23 (Reporter Bian Liqun) Bow bearers, Liu Changchun manuscripts, women's volleyball trophies... From ancient times to modern times, sports cultural relics are like a picture of Chinese history.
It records the vicissitudes of China from the perspective of sports, and also witnesses the great achievements of China's take-off.
What kind of beauty of Chinese civilization is recorded by sports cultural relics?
What kind of Chinese story and spirit does it contain?
A reporter from Chinanews.com recently interviewed Jin Jin, deputy director of the China Sports Museum.
He introduced that as early as ancient China, sports activities had already appeared, and many cultural relics had vivid records of this.
And sports cultural relics record far more than just sports.
Behind the breakthroughs again and again are the perseverance of the Chinese people and the footnotes of national rejuvenation.
Bow holder used in archery activities during the Warring States Period.
Photo by Chinanews reporter Bian Liqun
The ancient sports civilization of ingenuity
At the end of the 19th century, the Frenchman Coubertin put forward the concept of the modern Olympic Games in the name of "restoring the ancient Olympic Games". After more than 100 years of development, the Olympic Games as a global sports event has developed to this day.
In fact, sports activities have already appeared in ancient China.
"Chinese culture is five thousand years old, and sports culture is rooted in it, such as archery, horseback riding, Baixi, Cuju, etc. They have gradually evolved to the present in production practice and daily activities." Jin said.
He showed reporters the bow-receiving device of the Warring States Period, a collection closely related to archery activities, more like a work of art.
"Gold and silver are inlaid and polished, and the decoration is very delicate. There is also a leopard head designed in front of the bow carrier, which is a symbol of speed and majesty." Jin introduced.
Gold said frankly that it is difficult to reproduce this level of mosaic art with current craftsmanship, which shows the craftsman spirit and skill level of that era.
Ming Dynasty pot throwing utensils.
Photo by Chinanews reporter Bian Liqun
Among the more than 10,000 pieces in the collection of the China Sports Museum, there are many vivid records of ancient sports scenes.
For example, on the vase of the Han Dynasty, the ancestors more than 2,000 years ago carved the sports element of riding and shooting on the body of the vase.
Similar sports elements also appeared in the bronze mirrors of the Tang Dynasty.
In addition, some calligraphy and paintings also have records of ancient sports activities.
"We received a long scroll of dragon boat racing and horse riding in the Ming Dynasty some time ago, which is very beautiful." Jin revealed.
Su Dongpo also wrote in "Watching Chess": "Victory is gratifying, and defeat is also gratifying."
"Sports competition is not always able to win, how to face failure and turn it into victory is also part of sports, and it also teaches us the truth of being a human being." Gold said.
The Chinese team won the World Table Tennis Championships men's team championship trophy for the first time.
Photo by Chinanews reporter Bian Liqun
Sports spirit is also Chinese spirit
From Jin’s point of view, ancient sports collections mostly reflect history, cultural craftsmanship and the background of the times, while in modern times, especially after the founding of New China, sports collections mainly show athletes’ hard work, patriotism and national spirit.
The gold shows the trophy that the Chinese team won the men's team championship of the World Table Tennis Championships for the first time in 1961.
In that competition, the Chinese team represented by Rong Guotuan joined the Japanese team in the final. It was before this game that Rong Guotuan proposed the well-known "how many times in life can you fight back".
"As the first batch of athletes cultivated in New China, their spirit in competition and training has actually influenced subsequent generations of athletes. The determination, desire for victory and fighting spirit at that time have also become our sportsmanship and An important part of the national spirit," Gold said.
Gold introduces the first World Cup trophy won by the Chinese women's volleyball team (right).
Photo by Chinanews reporter Bian Liqun
In addition to table tennis, the Chinese women's volleyball team is also a representative of Chinese sports. The spirit of the women's volleyball team is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and has influenced generations after generations.
The China Sports Museum holds the 1981 World Cup championship trophy for the Chinese women's volleyball team.
"We always talk about the spirit of the women's volleyball team. In fact, this trophy is the earliest witness." Jin said.
He also revealed that Wei Qiuyue, who won the Rio Olympics championship with the Chinese women's volleyball team, was very excited after seeing the monument of her predecessors. She donated the gold medal she won at the Rio Olympics to the China Sports Museum for free.
In the eyes of gold, this is a very good way of spiritual inheritance, and it is very rare.
Data map: The Chinese women's volleyball team won the Olympic Games in Rio.
Photo by China News Service reporter Du Yang
Sports cultural relics record China's take-off
From the glory of the national table tennis and Chinese women's volleyball team, to the continuous breakthroughs in the track and field and the Winter Olympics... The take-off of Chinese sports is also the take-off of the Chinese nation.
In the Tokyo Olympics last year, Su Bingtian entered the final with 9.83 seconds, and led the Chinese team to a historic medal in the 4×100 meters.
Back in time nearly a hundred years ago, in that era when the mountains and rivers were broken, the track and field athlete Liu Changchun refused to represent the "pseudo Manchukuo" to participate in the competition.
Under the difficult circumstances of lack of funds and traveling through mountains and rivers, he represented China in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games and became the first Chinese Olympic Games player.
Liu Changchun handwritten a letter.
Photo by Chinanews reporter Bian Liqun
47 years later, when China regained its legal seat in the International Olympic Committee, Liu Changchun wrote a letter to Zhong Shitong, the then chairman of the Chinese Olympic Committee, and attached materials, describing his personal experience of participating in the Olympic Games that year.
This manuscript is now preserved in the China Sports Museum.
"It used to be said that it was good for Chinese athletes to hear the second gunshot (semi-final) in the track and field competition, and even thought that track and field was a Western sport, but now with the blessing of technology, we have made great progress. From Liu Changchun to Su Bingtian is in the same line, and it also shows that our country is becoming stronger step by step." Jin said.
Data map: The closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
At this year's Beijing Winter Olympics, the Chinese sports delegation achieved the best results in history with 9 golds, 4 silvers and 2 bronzes. This is also the result of the hard work of generations of ice and snowmen.
The 11 sets of signed clothing, torches, podiums and other Beijing Winter Olympics collections in the China Sports Museum echo the helmets worn by Yang Yang who won China's first Winter Olympics gold medal at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics 20 years ago.
Huang Jin revealed that in the future, they will hold a comprehensive exhibition of sports culture in the National Stadium "Bird's Nest", to carry forward the spirit of the "Double Olympics" in the "Double Olympics" landmark, and to show the oriental beauty contained in sports cultural relics.
(Finish)