What is patriotism? What is social cohesion?
Not long ago, on September 18—a special day—the Chinese men’s basketball team lost to Japan by a wide margin, and they lost to Japan’s substitute lineup.
At the same time, in an unnoticed corner, the Chinese men’s national football team’s performance surpassed the basketball team for the first time. This was the first time in 52 years.
Economic, cultural, and sports attention are naturally interlinked.
In the years when the economy was booming and everyone was looking forward to tomorrow, the Sports Weekly could sell hundreds of thousands of copies in a single week. Because Chinese football made it to the World Cup, and because Yao Ming entered the NBA. That sense of pride needs no further explanation.
Recently I went to Vietnam. They were winning games then, and the whole country was celebrating—people spontaneously painted national flags on themselves. That joy was pure and from the heart.
Compare that with us. In my memory there was also one such occasion—actually the only one: in 2001, when China’s national football team beat Oman and qualified for the World Cup.
That day, the whole country was celebrating. Streets in Beijing were lively and buzzing; cars honked their horns all the way, and even Chang’an Avenue wasn’t controlled—anyone could toot their horn. How relaxed and open-minded that was.
Such a scene was even bigger than the Olympic bid success.
At that time I was still in primary school. I thought that when I grew up, I would definitely go and watch the national football team play in the World Cup on site.
But up to today, it hasn’t happened. I do have the financial means now, but the national football team still can’t seem to get tough.
If you can win at a high level on the big stage, the nation will naturally have confidence, the people will naturally come together, and society will naturally generate a sense of cohesion.
This is hundreds of times better than making any number of “Wolf Warrior” films, or shouting as many brainwashing slogans like “still far ahead.”
Not long ago, on September 18—a special day—the Chinese men’s basketball team lost to Japan by a wide margin, and they lost to Japan’s substitute lineup.
At the same time, in an unnoticed corner, the Chinese men’s national football team’s performance surpassed the basketball team for the first time. This was the first time in 52 years.
Economic, cultural, and sports attention are naturally interlinked.
In the years when the economy was booming and everyone was looking forward to tomorrow, the Sports Weekly could sell hundreds of thousands of copies in a single week. Because Chinese football made it to the World Cup, and because Yao Ming entered the NBA. That sense of pride needs no further explanation.
Recently I went to Vietnam. They were winning games then, and the whole country was celebrating—people spontaneously painted national flags on themselves. That joy was pure and from the heart.
Compare that with us. In my memory there was also one such occasion—actually the only one: in 2001, when China’s national football team beat Oman and qualified for the World Cup.
That day, the whole country was celebrating. Streets in Beijing were lively and buzzing; cars honked their horns all the way, and even Chang’an Avenue wasn’t controlled—anyone could toot their horn. How relaxed and open-minded that was.
Such a scene was even bigger than the Olympic bid success.
At that time I was still in primary school. I thought that when I grew up, I would definitely go and watch the national football team play in the World Cup on site.
But up to today, it hasn’t happened. I do have the financial means now, but the national football team still can’t seem to get tough.
If you can win at a high level on the big stage, the nation will naturally have confidence, the people will naturally come together, and society will naturally generate a sense of cohesion.
This is hundreds of times better than making any number of “Wolf Warrior” films, or shouting as many brainwashing slogans like “still far ahead.”