I watch Chinese sports

Author: Wei Jizhong
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-07-01
Features: Through the author's over 50 years in sports, this book examines the current state of China's sports development. It collects over 210 articles by the author, serving as both a textbook on Chinese sports and a collection of essays with remarkable literary talent. The book narrates the journey of Chinese sports as it grows and strengthens on the international stage. Wei Jiuzhong was tasked with establishing and serving as the chairman of China's Sports Industry Group. He was a true pioneer in the sports industry, daring to take risks. In his article "The Difference Between Sports and Sports Industry," the author wrote: "Sports organizations are primarily dedicated to development and service, while sports industry enterprises should focus on balancing social benefits and profitability." Therefore, during his two terms as chairman, China Sports Industry Group developed multiple industries, including real estate, events, fitness, advertising, and insurance. Not only did it double the original 90 million yuan assets, but Wei Jiuzhong also became a true expert in the sports industry, embodying the interplay and necessity of spiritual and material civilization through his personal experiences.
After serving as chairman for seven years, Wei Jiuzhong wrote a book titled I See Chinese Sports. Many people eagerly offered to write the preface, but Wei politely declined, asking me specifically to write a piece titled "About Wei Jiuzhong" as the preface. "Since 1981, when I coached the Chinese women's volleyball team, Xiao Bi has been in touch with me. Over the past 20 years, we've maintained contact. He knows me, and I know him. We get along well, and it's a pleasure to talk. I asked him to write it." Wei is straightforward, but he made me feel quite honored. I said, "Please review and finalize it after you finish." "No need, I don't need to see it!" This was Wei's reply. A man of character, indifferent to fame and fortune.
After stepping down from his position as chairman of China Sports Industry Group in 2004, Wei Jiuzhong, despite the persistent requests of the General Administration of Sport of China to stay on, frankly stated, "I can do whatever I can, and if I can't, I won't. But I will continue to read and collaborate with the media. In short, I must continue to fulfill the responsibilities of an intellectual to our country." This was Wei's mindset. Worthy of others, serene and far-sighted.
Born into a prosperous family of national bourgeoisie, Wei Jiuzhong received a good education from a young age. In 1954, he attended Nanjing University. Tall and athletic, he became a star on the Nanjing University volleyball team, later joining the city and provincial teams. His major was French literature, but due to frequent absences for sports and training, he feared not graduating. During elective courses, he chose French classical literature and drama. Wei had a simple reason: it was a niche subject with few students, making graduation less of a concern. This choice pleased the renowned Professor He Ru, who was delighted to have students in his class. Impressed, the professor actively sought him out. This led Wei to truly immerse himself and excel in the subject.
After graduating, Wei Jiuzhong joined the State General Administration of Sport of China. Although his major didn't align with his work, his proficiency in French allowed him to excel in the International Department. As the saying goes, "In books, one finds beauty and wealth." Once learned, it is certainly useful. In the early 1980s, People's Literature Publishing House asked Wei to translate a work by Sartre and serve as the chief editor. During the translation process, he discovered several errors in a reference book by a French academic and wrote to him, pointing them out. To his surprise, the academic approved, writing in his reply, "I never expected there were so many experts in classical French in China." At the time, during a professional title evaluation, Wei Jiuzhong, relying on his work as the chief editor of Sartre's book and a letter from the French academic, was promoted to a senior title. As the saying goes, "A blessing in disguise." Though it seemed like luck or coincidence, it proved the adage, "Diligence rewards the hardworking." It also highlighted Wei's rigorous scholarship and meticulous approach to work.
Rigor and diligence don't necessarily mean being stern or pretentious. Wei is very down-to-earth. He was discovered and brought to the General Administration of Sport of China by former volleyball pioneer Qian Jiaxiang. In 1981, Wei Jiuzhong served as the head coach of the Chinese women's volleyball team, partnering with Yuan Weimin. He never engaged in formalities like ceremonies but instead showed care and concern, ensuring the players were happy and relaxed. During the World Cup in Japan, every time a meeting was held, Yuan Weimin asked the head coach to speak, but Wei would say a few words and leave to make purchases. He remembered the preferences of players like Sun Jinfang, who loved dried squid, Chen Zhaoqi, who loved large cherries, and Mao Mao and Cao Huiying, who loved peanuts. After the players finished their meetings, they would go to Wei's office for snacks. "Girls can't help but chatter. With such intense competition, training all day, and after the preparatory meeting, a tasty snack helps them relax, making them less tense when playing." Some called Wei a lucky coach; in his 40 years at the General Administration of Sport of China, he had smooth sailing. Take his work with volleyball, for example. The Chinese women's team won five consecutive championships under his leadership, and he remains an International Volleyball Federation vice president. When he turned his attention to taekwondo, the sport won consecutive Olympic gold medals, and he is still a member of the World Taekwondo Federation executive committee.
Looking at his career, he soon joined the General Administration of Sport of China and worked in the International Department, enjoying Western meals, speaking foreign languages, traveling abroad, and living in style. Therefore, whenever people saw him, he was always smiling. These are just surface-level matters. In reality, Wei didn't have it so smooth. He also faced many hardships, two of which left a deep impact on his soul and remain unforgettable.
The first was in the late 1950s, during an annual department review. The then-leader publicly criticized Wei Jiuzhong in front of all colleagues in the International Department, saying, "Since liberation, Wei Jiuzhong has never advanced in thought, always showing the tragic sigh of a declining bourgeoisie." In that extreme left environment, there was nothing he could do. Wei remained silent but firmly believed his colleagues wouldn't agree with such a judgment. From then on, he devoted himself to studying his profession. Besides French, heed English, Spanish, and Romanian. Leveraging his language skills, he handled the work of several people. Soon, he became an indispensable expert at the General Administration of Sport of China. As the saying goes, "Purify the heart to govern, be straightforward in life. A fine tree will become a pillar, and fine steel won't be used as a hook."
The second was in 1993 in Monte Carlo, when Beijing's bid for the Olympics failed. The young girls of the Chinese girl's choir from the delegation cried uncontrollably. Seeing their pain, Wei couldn't help but shed tears. He felt he had failed in his duties, hurting the feelings of the Chinese people. In his eyes, nothing was worse than hurting the nation's heart. From then on, he carried a heavy burden in his heart. Only in 2001 in Moscow, when Beijing successfully bid for the 2008 Olympics, did he feel the weight lifted, his sorrow turning to relief, as if he had repaid a debt.
Anyone who has interacted with Wei Jiuzhong will conclude that he is a skilled conversationalist. Once he starts talking, it's hard to stop him. However, he rarely goes off-topic. When discussing serious matters or work, he speaks fluently but never offensively. He is particularly principled, never saying what he shouldn't and never revealing information prematurely. In 2001, during the Beijing Olympics bid in Moscow, Wei Jiuzhong spoke for seven or eight hours at a broadcast site by the Lenin Canal, braving the sun and rain. Though he was confident in Beijing's success, he never revealed a word before the official results were announced. No matter how journalists prodded, he remained tight-lipped, only revealing the truth when it was certain. He spoke with wit and depth, never boring his audience. This is skill, wisdom, and experience.
There are also times when Wei Jiuzhong doesn't speak. I remember in 1997, when he first became the chairman of China Sports Industry Group, he quietly prepared for three days before his first board meeting, shutting himself off from the outside world. As he put it, "We studied French, work in sports, and never imagined we'd be running a business or being a CEO. The board members aren't just from the General Administration of Sport of China; if I were to reveal my nervousness in front of outsiders, it wouldn't just be my face I'd lose." According to regulations, CEOs of listed companies must pass a business assessment by the China Securities Regulatory Commission within two years to qualify. To truly step into the role and take on such responsibilities, the 64-year-old Wei Jiuzhong worked hard to study for over a year, saying, "In this year, I read more books than in my entire life." The result was that he scored above 90 in every subject of the assessment. As the saying goes, "Heaven rewards the diligent," and with this determination, Wei Jiuzhong, during his two terms as chairman, led China Sports Industry Group to develop multiple industries, including real estate, events, fitness, advertising, and insurance. Not only did it double the original 90 million yuan capital, but Wei Jiuzhong also became a true expert in the sports industry, ultimately leading to the publication of I See Chinese Sports.
When speaking of this book, Wei humbly, "This isn't a theory—it's just my perspective. Using economic and legal perspectives to explain sports issues. It aims to change the habit of the sports industry, which has relied solely on administrative views to address problems. From an economic perspective, my views are not mainstream, but they don't oppose the mainstream." Don't underestimate these views. Wei spent eight years in market economy practice, studying and researching, combining them with his 40 years of sports experience to form a new way of thinking for the sports industry in China. It provides both theoretical basis and strong practicality, paving a path for China's sports reform. This is why He Zhenliang called him a "pioneer of the Chinese sports industry." This is high praise and a fair assessment.
Although so far, Wei Jiuzhong's efforts, views, and ideas have not been widely recognized in the Chinese sports community, and they are sometimes distorted or resisted. Nevertheless, they still shine like the phoenix's rebirth and are a product of progress. They are a necessary course for improving governance. In the future, China's sports reform and the development of its sports market will prove Wei's value. As the saying goes, "History leaves lessons for future generations, so as not to shame them." This is the sense of responsibility of an old intellectual toward his country and his mission toward his career.
Diligent in scholarship and dedication, Wei Jiuzhong has never stopped learning. Even when working late, he would enjoy a large plate of beef and two bottles of beer, showcasing his natural boldness. When reading and thinking, the melodies of classical European music filled his surroundings, reflecting his character and cultivation. When taking time to relax, he would immerse himself in his wife's music, appreciating poetry and art, quietly pouring a cup of hot tea, conveying his affection for her. In this way, Wei cherished his family and loved it. He enjoyed Peking opera but never went to the theater—just watched it on TV. His wife was a musician, and every time Wei traveled abroad, he would bring back many CDs of classical music. A piano, a story of The Butterfly Lovers; a television, two segments of Xipi; several CDs, hundreds of classics; a pot of hot tea, sitting across from his wife, sharing his love. The two elderly couple relished the pleasures of life and shared endless warmth.
This is Wei Jiuzhong in my eyes—a 68-year-old man who has weathered storms, lived a down-to-earth and sincere life, and remained elegant and carefree. Unburdened by fame and preoccupied with profit, he is worthy of his country and his conscience.