1960s – 1970s
During Imperial China, sports were not held in high esteem even though its athletes were highly skilled. The perception of sports began to change following Chinese Revolution in 1911 and the rise of the Republic of China. In the early years of the Republic, athleticism was regarded as a necessity for a country to modernize. In 1917, Mao Zedong published a piece in the influential journal New Youth (新青年) entitled “A Study of Physical Culture” (体育之研究) that emphasized the benefits of regular exercise. During his life, Mao practiced what he preached and was an avid swimmer.
As the Cultural Revolution developed in the 1960s, the strong physique of the workers and peasants served as a propagated metaphor for a strong and healthy working class. Physical exercise and sports were not only seen as a way to promote people’s health, national defense, and overall productivity, but also influencing a collective work spirit that would fuel industrialization and modernization. To achieve this, everyone was expected to participate in some form of physical education.
