The Origin, Present Situation and Countermeasures of Football Development in Modern China

Liang Junqi and Ma Doucheng

Football originated in China. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, "Cuju" or "Collapse Ju" appeared. The earliest statement can be found in Qi Ce, the Warring States Policy: "Being rich is very blessed and real …… it collapses". In the Han Dynasty, cuju got a greater development due to the prosperity of social economy, which was almost empty, and cuju became the main sports activity of the court. Modern football originated in Scotland, and since it was introduced to China at the end of 19th century, it has been widely welcomed by Chinese people with its unique charm. Li Huitang, a player who was active in modern China football, was once rated as one of the "top five ball kings in the world" by an authoritative magazine in the Federal Republic of Germany. However, as football has become one of the most popular sports in China, the development of football in China has been ill-fated and has failed to live up to the support and love of Chinese people. Exploring the development history of football in China and putting forward targeted opinions and suggestions have certain reference significance for promoting the development of football in China.

1. Shanghai has become the birthplace of modern football in China.

When it comes to modern football in China, we can’t help but mention Shanghai. As the earliest gateway city to open concession in modern China, Shanghai was inhabited by westerners, with numerous church organizations, and was deeply influenced by the west in all aspects of social life. Therefore, it became one of the main windows for modern China to introduce western things, including sports, and was once known as "the cradle of China football" and "the important football town in the Far East", just after Hongkong. It can be said that Shanghai is the birthplace of modern football in China and the cradle of the development of modern football in China.

In 1848, when the Cambridge Rules, the first written rule of football, was born, Shanghai, known as the "ten-mile foreign field", was also influenced by missionary schools, which opened a new era of modern competitive sports in China. In November 1867, Shanghai Westerners established a football association, also called a football club, and formulated some football rules. Later, according to their respective units, they gradually split into different teams, such as navy football club, police football club and so on. However, Shanghai Football Club still undertakes the responsibility of leading and organizing all the western football clubs in Shanghai. At the end of 19th century, football was included in the teaching content of Westernization schools and missionary schools.

In 1895, St. John’s College established the first all-face of china football team in Shanghai. Although I dare not say that this is the first football team in China, it is also one of the early modern football teams in China, and it is known as the "St. John’s Braid Army". Shortly thereafter, Shanghai Nanyang College also set up its own football team. In 1902, the two schools imitated the football team competition between Oxford and Cambridge, and began to hold a series of competitions that could be recorded in the history of China. As a result, football became a popular sport in various famous universities in Shanghai at that time, and even major middle schools such as the famous Xuhui College became "trendsetters" in this "new sport".

In 1902, the Shanghai Football Association was founded (referred to as "Western Union") and began to hold the Scooter Cup. As the most influential football match in Shanghai that year, participants in the Scooter Cup are not allowed to have China teams or face of china. To this end, Shanghai students and the people jointly established the East China Inter-school Football League, in which soccer teams from eight schools participated. In order to fight against the Western Union, the All-China Sports Association was established in 1924, with Zhang Boling as the chairman and Wang Zhengting as the honorary president. In the same year, the Chinese Football Federation was established in Shanghai, which was a milestone in the development of modern Chinese football. Since then, with the holding of the national sports meeting and the national sub-regional football match, it indicates that football has gained extensive attention and gradually spread throughout the country.

Second, modern football in China went from glory to decline.

Football is an emotional sustenance and a historical inheritance. A philosopher once said: There are only two common languages of human beings, one is music and the other is football! As the "world’s first sport", football is very popular all over the world. Especially in some European and American countries, the level of football is relatively high, and the development of football and football industry is relatively mature. But little known is that the popularity of football in modern China is not inferior to that of today, and it represents the highest level in Asia at that time.

On the history of modern football development in China, Li Huitang is an unavoidable figure. In 1922, at the age of 17, Li Huitang was selected as the main striker of South China Team, the most famous football team in Hong Kong. In 1925, Li Huitang was invited to Shanghai to prepare for the Shanghai Lehua Football Team. In 1927, he led the team to win three championships, namely, the first-class tournament held by the Western Federation and the first-class tournament held by the Chinese Football Federation. Although they didn’t win the Scooter Cup, Li Huitang and Lehua football have already become the symbols of China football. In the 1920s, there was a saying in China: "It’s up to Mei Lanfang to watch the play and Li Huitang to watch the ball." In old China, it is really extraordinary that a football star can be compared with the name of Mei Lanfang, a master of Peking Opera. He won the title of "Asian Ball King" with tenacious struggle and superb skills. In 1976, an authoritative football magazine in the Federal Republic of Germany organized a selection campaign, and Li Huitang was named "the top five soccer kings in the world" along with Brazil Pele, England Matthews, Spain Stifano and Hungarian Serbs.

In 1924, the Football Association of the Republic of China was established, and China football was truly systematized and institutionalized. For the first time, a regular team representing the country’s foreign wars appeared. In 1924, it was also regarded as the founding year by the national football team, marking the beginning of football in China and becoming a standardized competition in China. Joining FIFA in 1931 also confirmed the recognition of China football by the international community. At that time, China football began to enter the "golden age" of strong development in Asia. Together with Li Huitang, the first groundbreaking pioneers emerged. From 1915 to 1934, China won nine consecutive championships in the Far East Games, and was shortlisted for the Olympic Games twice in 1936 and 1948. At this time, China football is a well-deserved overlord in Asia. Later, due to political and other reasons, there was a vacuum in the whole world football, and China football was no exception.

After the founding of New China, the China Football Association was established in 1955. After failing to hit the 1958 World Cup finals, it withdrew from FIFA. Then came the ten-year Cultural Revolution, when football was banned. After the reform and opening up, he rejoined FIFA in 1979. Since then, China failed in the 1982 World Cup finals. This is the first time that China’s football has been closed for a long time, and it has hit the World Cup qualifying right since it returned to FIFA. In essence, it is the beginning of the modern history of China’s football. Since 1976, China team has participated in the Asian Cup for nine times in a row, and reached the finals twice in 1984 and 2004, but both of them came back with a grudge. Their debut in the first World Cup was the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, but they lost all three games and conceded 9 goals without scoring a goal.

1992 was the first year of football professionalization in China. The "Hongshankou Conference" held in June, 1992 was hailed as the Zunyi Conference of China Football. The conference decided to take professionalization as the breakthrough of football reform, and it was also supported by national leaders. In 1994, the first League A began, and China Football Year officially entered the professional road. After the end of the 2003 season, League A and League B were transformed into the first-class football leagues in chinese super league and China. Entering the 2002 China-Japan World Cup finals was the heyday of Japanese football. Since then, the achievements of the "National Brand" team have been lackluster, but Evergrande Football Club won the AFC Champions League twice in 2013 and 2015 respectively, saving some face for China football.

Revitalizing and developing football is the ardent expectation of the whole country, which is related to the physical and mental health of the masses and the cultivation of excellent culture, and is of great positive significance for building a sports power, promoting economic and social development and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. On March 16th, 2015, the highly anticipated Overall Plan for Football Reform and Development in China (hereinafter referred to as the Plan) was officially announced. As a programmatic document of China’s football reform and development, there are 50 reform measures in the plan, which can be called the most important reform in the history of new China football in terms of content and scale. It also means that China’s football reform has entered a "deep water area", and the future reform road has attracted more attention. In April 2016, the Medium-and Long-term Development Plan of China Football (2016-2050) (hereinafter referred to as the Plan) was issued. The plan is divided into three periods: short-term, medium-term and long-term. In the near future, it is necessary to achieve the development goal of ensuring basic, strengthening grassroots and laying a foundation; In the medium term, it will achieve the development goal that China football is more dynamic, more energetic and more influential, and ranks among the top teams in the world; In the long run, it is necessary to achieve the goal of being a first-class football power, and China’s football will achieve all-round development.

If the Plan is the "program" of football reform and development in China and the Plan is the "goal" of football reform and development in China, the future development of football in China will usher in a clearer timetable and a clearer road map.

Third, it is a long way to go to realize the revitalization of football in China

Since China football has been concerned by the public, tragedy and tragedy have become synonymous with them. China men’s soccer team took part in international competitions and capsized several times at the last minute, and performed a series of "black three minutes", which seemed to be an insurmountable psychological barrier for the China team. "5.19 tragedy", "Irbid tragedy", "Golden State tragedy", Yangcheng tragedy, borhani’s humiliation, World Cup tragedy … have impacted the fragile hearts of China fans again and again. "If you are not happy, just watch the national football game!" "If you want to be in a bad mood, go and see the Super League!" ….. netizens commented like this.

Of the three big balls, only football was invented by China. At present, China men’s soccer team can only be regarded as a third-rate team in the world and a second-rate team in Asia. China is the birthplace of football, and now China’s backward football achievements and status are not commensurate with the status of the birthplace of football and China’s status as a big country in the world. Popularize football on a large scale, greatly improve the level of football, and make China a world football power, so as to match the historical and realistic status of this birthplace.

一是加强青训体系建设。良好的青训体系是足球人才的最根本的来源。在欧洲乃至世界足坛,几乎每一家球队都非常看重自家的青训营,比如巴萨拉玛西亚青训营、阿贾克斯青训营、曼彻斯特联青训营、拜仁慕尼黑青训营等,培养和出产了大批享誉世界的足坛巨星。曾经,支撑着中国足球的是举国体制的培养训练模式,为中国足球输送了不少人才。但2004年之后,足协把青训的任务交给了市场,原有青训体系崩塌,多年来青训的进展发展缓慢,甚至原地踏步,甚至不断倒退。实现中国足球腾飞的梦想,就要牢记习近平总书记对校园足球及中国足球发展的殷切希望,牢记立德树人、全面发展的核心目标,进一步完善校园足球制度体系和治理体系,探索和建立一个符合我国国情和特色的青训体系,为中国足球的腾飞壮骨强筋、固本培元。

The second is to popularize football for all. At present, there are less than 7,000 young players registered by China Football Association, accounting for 1.4% and 1% of Japanese 600,000 and Spanish 620,000 respectively. There are 8,000 registered professional players, and the quarterly shortage of football population seriously affects the development of football in China. Popularizing football by the whole people and increasing the football population base will naturally increase the number of outstanding players. It is necessary to actively integrate into the top-level design, conscientiously implement the requirements of the "Program" and "Planning", and provide strong support for vigorously popularizing social football. It is necessary to increase financial input, extensively carry out mass amateur football leagues, and drive social football events to go deep into the masses. It is necessary to promote the construction of venues, improve the utilization rate of campus football fields, further improve the hardware facilities of football venues, and provide a strong guarantee for the extensive development of social football. It is necessary to solve the defects in the management system, solve the problem of backward system and mechanism, separate management from office, de-administer, and overcome the tendency of "pseudo-professionalism".

Third, we must strengthen the construction of the league. By other’s faults, wise men correct their own. The experience of European and American football powers tells us that high-level leagues are the only way for football development. League is the foundation of football development in China. Players of our national team are selected, improved and grown in the league. The progress of the national team cannot be separated from the healthy development of the league, which is the basis for the survival and development of the national team. League standards should be in line with international standards, adhere to openness and innovation, and constantly absorb and learn from international advanced experience to transform and upgrade the league level. League organization should be more scientific, and club construction should be more standardized and healthier. It is necessary to increase the construction of professional league culture and professional ethics, improve the all-round and three-dimensional supervision system of the football industry, and resolutely prevent the recurrence of problems such as "fake gambling". It is necessary to adhere to the principle of "football starts with dolls", promote the development of youth training from "quantity" to "quality", effectively improve the club’s own hematopoietic function, realize a virtuous circle and long-term sustainable development, and train and transport outstanding talents for the national team. It is necessary to enhance the awareness of the overall situation, jointly build a national team that can recruit good fighters and have a good style of work, and strive to achieve results that satisfy the broad masses of the people.

(Liang Qiqi, School of History, Qingdao University; Professor Ma Doucheng, School of History, Qingdao University)

How much do you know about the origin and customs of Lantern Festival?

the Lantern Festival
Lantern Festival, also known as Shangyuan Festival, Xiaoyuanyian Festival, Yuanxi Festival or Lantern Festival, is the 15th day of the first lunar month every year, which is the last important festival in China Spring Festival. Lantern Festival is one of the traditional festivals in China, Chinese character cultural circle and overseas Chinese. The first month is the first month of the lunar calendar. The ancients called "night" "night", so the fifteenth day of the first full moon in a year is called the Lantern Festival.
In the ancient customs of China, Shangyuan Festival (Tianguan Festival), Zhongyuan Festival (Diguan Festival, Yulanben Festival) and Xiayuan Festival (Shuiguan Festival) are collectively called Sanyuan. The formation of Lantern Festival custom has a long process. According to general data and folklore, the fifteenth day of the first month has been paid attention to in the Western Han Dynasty. The activities of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to sacrifice "Taiyi" in Ganquan Palace on the night of the first month are regarded by later generations as the first sound of offering sacrifices to the gods on the fifteenth day of the first month. However, the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month was really a folk festival after the Han and Wei Dynasties.
Since ancient times, the Lantern Festival custom has been dominated by the warm and festive custom of watching lanterns. Traditional customs include going out to enjoy the moon, burning lanterns and setting off flames, enjoying solve riddles on the lanterns, eating Yuanxiao together and pulling rabbit lanterns. In addition, in many places, traditional folk performances such as playing with dragon lanterns, playing with lions, walking on stilts, rowing dry boats, dancing yangko and playing Taiping drums have been added to the Lantern Festival.
In June 2008, the Lantern Festival was selected as the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage.
Origin of festivals
The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival, also known as Shangyuan Festival, Lantern Festival and Lantern Festival. The first month is the first month of the lunar calendar. The ancients called the night "Xiao", so they called the fifteenth day of the first month the Lantern Festival. The 15th day of the first month is the night of the first full moon in a year, and it is also the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty. On the night in spring returns, people celebrate this and celebrate the continuation of the Spring Festival. Sima Qian founded taichu calendar, which listed the Lantern Festival as a major festival. Since the Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties, it has been in full swing. "Sui Shu Musical Records" Day: "Every time in the first month, all nations come to Korea and stay in Jianguomen, outside Duanmen, until the 15th, which stretches for eight miles." Tens of thousands of people participated in singing and dancing, from faint to dull. With the changes of society and times, the customs of Lantern Festival have changed greatly, but it is still a traditional folk festival in China.
Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China, and the formation of Lantern Festival custom takes a long time. According to general data and folklore, the 15th day of the first month has been paid attention to in the Western Han Dynasty. The activity of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty offering sacrifices to the "Taiyi" in Ganquan Palace on the night of the first month is regarded by later generations as the forerunner of offering sacrifices to the gods on the 15th day of the first month. The introduction of Buddhist culture in the Eastern Han Dynasty is of great significance to the formation of the Lantern Festival custom.
Yuanxiao originally meant "the night of Shangyuan Festival", because the main activity of Shangyuan Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month was to eat glutinous rice balls and enjoy the moon at night, and later the name of the festival evolved into "Lantern Festival". On the night of Lantern Festival, the streets are decorated with lanterns, and people enjoy lanterns, solve riddles on the lanterns and eat Lantern Festival, which will push the celebration activities that began on New Year’s Eve to another climax and become a custom that lasts for generations. Yuanxiao was only called the 15th day of the first month, the first half of the first month or the full moon when the early festivals were formed, and it was called Yuanxi or Yuanye after Sui. Influenced by Taoism in the early Tang Dynasty, it was also called Shangyuan, and it was only in the late Tang Dynasty that it was occasionally called Yuanxiao. But it has also been called Dengxi since the Song Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, it was also called Lantern Festival. In foreign countries, Yuanxiao is also known as The Lantern Festiva.
Other legends
In memory of "Pinglu"
Legend has it that the Lantern Festival was set up in memory of Pinglu when Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty. After the death of Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang, Lv Hou’s son Liu Ying became Emperor Hui of Han Dynasty. Huidi was born weak and indecisive, and the power gradually fell into the hands of Lv Hou. After Emperor Huidi died, Lv Hou monopolized the state affairs and turned Liu’s world into Lu’s world. The old courtiers and Liu’s imperial clan were deeply indignant, but they were all afraid of Lv Hou’s cruelty and dared to speak out.
After Lv Hou’s death, Zhu Lv was in a state of anxiety, afraid of being hurt and excluded. So, they secretly assembled in the home of Lv Lu, the general in the world, and conspired to make an insurrection, so as to completely seize Liu Jiangshan. The matter reached the ears of Liu Xiang, the king of the imperial clan of Liu. In order to protect Liu Jiangshan, Liu Xiang decided to attack Zhu Lv and then got in touch with zhou bo and Chen Ping, the founding elders, and designed to lift Lv Lu. The "Zhu Lv Rebellion" was finally completely put down.
After the rebellion, all the ministers made Liu Heng, the second son of Liu Bang, ascend to the throne, calling him Emperor Wen. Deeply impressed by the hard-won peace and prosperity, Emperor Wen designated the 15th day of the first month to quell the "Zhulu Rebellion" as a fun day with the people, and every family in Beijing decorated with lanterns to celebrate. Since then, the fifteenth day of the first month has become a popular folk festival-"Lantern Festival".
During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the sacrificial activities of "Taiyi God" were scheduled for the 15th day of the first month. Taiyi: the God who rules everything in the universe. When Sima Qian founded the "taichu calendar", he had identified the Lantern Festival as a major festival.
Torch Festival
Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China since ancient times. Lantern Festival viewing began with ancient people holding torches in rural fields to drive away insects and beasts, hoping to reduce pests and pray for a good harvest. To this day, people in some areas in southwest China still make torches out of reeds or branches on the fifteenth day of the first month, and hold them high in groups and dance in fields or grain drying fields. Since the Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties, it has been in full swing. Tens of thousands of people took part in singing and dancing, from faint to dull. With the changes of society and times, the customs of Lantern Festival have changed greatly, but it is still a traditional folk festival in China.
"three-yuan theory"
The custom of burning lanterns in Lantern Festival originated from the Taoist "Sanyuan Theory". Shangyuan means the first full moon night in the new year. The origin of Shangyuan Festival is recorded in Miscellanies at the Age of Years, which is a Taoist stereotype. Taoism once called the fifteenth day of the first month of the year Shangyuan Festival, the fifteenth day of July as Zhongyuan Festival, and the fifteenth day of October as Xiayuan Festival, which were collectively called "Sanyuan". The gods worshipped by Wudou Midao, an important faction of Taoism at the end of Han Dynasty, were Tianguan, Diguan and Shuiguan. They said that heavenly god blesses the people, the Diguan pardoned sins and Shuiguan relieved Eritrea, and they matched three officials with three yuan, saying that Shangyuan Tianguan was born on the 15th of the first month, Zhongyuan Diguan was born on the 15th of July and Xiayuan Shuiguan was born on the 15th of October. In this way, the fifteenth day of the first month is called Shangyuan Festival. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Wu Zimu said in Dream Liang Lu: "On the fifteenth day of the first month, it is the day of heavenly god blesses the people in Shangyuan." Therefore, the lantern festival should be lit.
Ming Di respects Buddha.
Originated from Buddhism. This statement is mainly in "300 Topics of Social Customs" edited by Mr. Hu Shensheng: "In Buddhist teachings, the fire is compared to the mighty god of Buddha, and the Infinite Life Sutra has the statement that’ infinite flame shines on infinity’. In Buddhist teachings, the lamp has always been one of the offerings before the Buddha. Moreover, Buddhist classics have repeatedly publicized: "Repentance of a Thousand Lights", "Buddhist Scriptures", "The Best Light for the World" and "Infinite Life Sutra". Bright lights are needed in every Buddhist event. In Buddhist legends, the story of the Buddha’s transformation is related to the fifteenth lantern in the first month. According to "A Brief History of Monks", the Buddha Sakyamuni showed the change of gods and surrendered to demons on December 30 in the west, that is, on the 15th day of the first month of the first month in Dongtu. In order to commemorate the change of gods of Buddha, a lantern-burning ceremony was held on this day. When Emperor Hanming came to the East to preach, Morten Zhufalan ordered Emperor Hanming to light lanterns on the 15th day of the first month when the Buddha changed, and personally went to the temple to display lanterns to show his respect to the Buddha. Since then, Lantern Festival lanterns have become a common practice. " However, some scholars believe that this view is untenable and that Buddhism only uses people’s festive atmosphere to expand its influence on this day.
Festival and custom
The festivals and customs activities of the Lantern Festival are extended and expanded with the development of history. As far as the length of the festival is concerned, it was only one day in the Han Dynasty, three days in the Tang Dynasty, and five days in the Song Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, the lights were lit from the eighth day of the eighth day until the night of the seventeenth day of the first month. It is the longest lantern festival in China history, which is connected with the Spring Festival, and the day is the city. It is very lively and spectacular. Especially the exquisite and colorful lights make it the climax of entertainment activities during the Spring Festival. By the Qing Dynasty, there were more "hundred plays" such as dragon dancing, lion dancing, roller boating, walking on stilts and dancing yangko, but the festival period was shortened to four to five days.
In the Tang Dynasty, when the national strength was unprecedentedly strong, Lantern Festival was very prosperous. Whether in the capital or in towns and villages, lanterns were hung everywhere, and people also made huge lantern wheels, lamp trees, lamp posts, etc. The city was full of fire trees and silver flowers, which were very lively.
In the Song Dynasty, in addition to the carnival of "women traveling in the streets and lanes, women and men are confused", there are also officials who distribute profits, and the king and the people enjoy the Lantern Festival together; Even with horror, prison institutions will use lighting and images to interpret the stories of prisoners or display prison equipment. The Lantern Festival developed into the most lively secular carnival in the Song Dynasty, and the Lantern Festival was more colorful. The Lantern Festival lasted for five days, and the styles of lanterns were complicated and varied. It was a very pleasing thing to visit the lantern market. Xin Qiji, a poet, wrote: "Thousands of trees bloom in the easterly night, and the stars are like rain", which means that there are countless lanterns and fireworks like rain in the Lantern Festival in the Song Dynasty. At that time, solve riddles on the lanterns also emerged, that is, all kinds of riddles were written on paper and pasted on lanterns, and the person who guessed correctly could get a small reward. This kind of entertainment and educational activity is loved by people and widely circulated.
By the Yuan Dynasty, most holidays were cancelled, and the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty believed that life was in exercise and work was rest, and the annual holidays were only 16 days.
The Lantern Festival in the Ming Dynasty lasted longer, from the eighth day of the first month to the seventeenth for ten days, to show the crowing.
In the Qing Dynasty, Manchu entered the Central Plains, and the court no longer held lantern festivals, but the folk lantern festivals were still spectacular. The Lantern Festival in the Qing Dynasty lasted only three days, but the lights were bright, more exquisite and fantastic, and it was still very attractive.
Lantern accommodation
People should set up a "Heaven and Earth Hall" when offering sacrifices to God on New Year’s Eve. People put up a small shed in the yard, and a small table in the shed stands the god’s throne of "Heaven, Earth, Three Realms, Ten Thousand Spirits"; There are incense burners and offerings in front of the shrine, and a lantern is hung, which represents Jiang Taigong’s seat. It is said that when Jiang Taigong was a deity, everyone else was sealed, but he forgot to seal himself, so he had no seat and had to sit with God.
Lanterns are related to gods, so they are also endowed with many symbolic meanings.
In ancient times, in order to drive away the fear of darkness, lanterns were derived to have the meaning of exorcising evil spirits and praying for light.
In Minnan dialect, the pronunciation of "Deng" is similar to that of "Ding", so lanterns are also used to pray for children to add Ding, seek fame, and avoid evil spirits.
There is a kind of "light lamp". At the end of the year and the beginning of the year, lanterns are placed in temples, so that the Buddha’s magic can make the year safe and smooth.
There are also farmers who hang a lamp on a long bamboo pole in the field to observe the fire color to predict the flood and drought in a year, with a view to a bumper year.
The reason for "setting off sky lanterns" is that people used to set off sky lanterns as a signal of mutual peace after fleeing from bandits. Since the day of refuge and returning home is the Lantern Festival, since then, people have celebrated it with the ceremony of putting on the sky lanterns every year, so they are also called "blessing lanterns" or "safety lanterns". Later, it gradually evolved into a folk activity of praying and wishing for heaven. The sky lanterns are filled with all kinds of wishes in my heart, hoping that the sky lanterns can reach heaven and bring infinite hope and light to people.
Legend has it that Emperor Taizong of Li Shimin encouraged reading, and all the people sent their children to school. The first program of admission is called "Turn on the light", which is to bring lanterns made in advance to school and ask a learned old gentleman to light them to symbolize a bright future. In the past, most private schools started school later on the fifteenth day of the first month, so the lanterns that started school became an ornament of the "Shangyuan Festival".
There are many kinds of Lantern Festival lanterns, or image lanterns modeled after the image of things, such as dragon lanterns, tiger lanterns, rabbit lanterns, etc., or movable lanterns based on folk stories, such as Cowherd and Weaver Girl, Twenty-four Filial Piety, etc., which show the national spirit of loyalty, filial piety and righteousness. All kinds of lanterns are skillfully made, showing the wisdom and skills of craftsmen.
With the development of the times, the Lantern Festival has become more and more grand, with more and more national characteristics and longer time. The Lantern Festival in the Tang Dynasty was one day and three days before and after Shangyuan. In the Song Dynasty, two days were added after the sixteenth, which was five days. In the Ming dynasty, it was extended to ten days from the eighth day to the eighteenth. Because of the different lighting periods, the first day of lighting is called "trial lighting", the fifteenth day is called "positive lighting", and the last day is called "residual lighting" and "stop lighting". It is also called "magic lamp", "human lamp" and "ghost lamp". On the 14th night, it is a "magic lamp", which is placed in front of the shrine and ancestral hall at home to worship the ancestors of the Ming Dynasty. It is called "human lamp" at night on the fifteenth day, and it is placed on doors and windows, bedspreads, several cases, etc. to avoid scorpions and insects; On the 16th night, it is a "ghost lamp", which is placed in the tomb of Qiu and Yuan Ye, so that you can get rid of the ghost domain for wandering souls. Pray for God’s will, protect the common people, the gods, ghosts and animals, and do everything.
folk custom
China has a vast territory and a long history, so the customs of Lantern Festival are different all over the country, among which eating Lantern Festival, enjoying lanterns, dancing dragons and lions are several important folk customs. Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China, so it is celebrated all over the country. The customs in most areas are similar, but each area still has its own characteristics.
eat yuanxiao
Eating Yuanxiao on the fifteenth day of the first month, as a food, has a long history in China. In the Song Dynasty, a novel food for the Lantern Festival was popular among the people. This kind of food was first called "Floating Yuanzi" and later called "Yuanxiao", and businessmen also called it "Yuanbao". Yuanxiao, or "Tangyuan", is filled with white sugar, rose, sesame, red bean paste, yellow cinnamon, walnut kernel, nuts, jujube paste, etc., and wrapped in glutinous rice flour into a round shape, which can be vegetarian and has different flavors. It can be boiled in soup, fried and steamed, which means a happy reunion. Shaanxi dumplings are not wrapped, but "rolled" in glutinous rice flour, or boiled or fried, hot and round. As a food, Yuanxiao has a long history in China. In the Song Dynasty, a novel food for the Lantern Festival was popular among the people. This kind of food was first called "Floating Yuanzi" and later called "Yuanxiao", and businessmen also called it "Yuanbao". In ancient times, the price of "Yuanxiao" was relatively expensive, and a poem said: "Guests look at the Imperial Street with a hook curtain, and the treasures in the city come at one time. There is no way to go in front of the curtain, and no money can be returned. "
The North "rolls" Yuanxiao and the South "wraps" Tangyuan, which are two foods with different practices and tastes.
lantern festival
The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival, which is also called Lantern Festival because there are folk customs of hanging lanterns, lighting lanterns and watching lanterns.
Lantern Festival is a traditional festival custom, which started in the Western Han Dynasty and flourished in Sui and Tang Dynasties. After the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the wind of lights prevailed in past dynasties and was passed down to later generations. The fifteenth day of the first month is the climax of the annual lantern fireworks. Therefore, the Lantern Festival is also called "Lantern Festival". In the county-level city walls and even townships and towns in Shanxi, these residents are concentrated in the bustling and lively areas. Before the arrival of the fifteenth day of the first month, the streets are full of lanterns, flowers are everywhere, and lights are swaying, reaching a climax on the fifteenth night of the first month. On the fifteenth day of the first month, "watching lanterns" has become a spontaneous activity of Shanxi folk people. On the fifteenth night of the first month, red lights are hung high in the streets and lanes, with palace lanterns, animal headlights, lantern lanterns, flower lanterns, bird lanterns and so on, attracting people to watch lanterns. In Taiyuan area, the lights in Taigu County are very famous. Taigu lamps are famous for their variety, exquisite production and attractive appearance.
solve lantern riddles; guess riddles on hanging lanterns
Solve riddles on the lanterns, also known as playing riddles, is a unique form of traditional folk entertainment with rich national style in China. It is a characteristic activity of Lantern Festival that has been circulating since ancient times. On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, traditional folks hang lanterns and set off fireworks. Later, some busybodies wrote riddles on paper and posted them on colorful lanterns for people to guess. Because riddles can enlighten wisdom and cater to the festive atmosphere, so many people responded, and then guessing riddles gradually became an indispensable program of the Lantern Festival. Lantern riddles add to the festive atmosphere, showing the intelligence and wisdom of ancient working people and their yearning for a better life.
Play dragon lantern
Playing dragon lantern, also known as dragon lantern or dragon dance. Its origin can be traced back to ancient times. Legend has it that as early as the Yellow Emperor’s period, in a large-scale song and dance of Qing Jiao, there was an image of a leading bird played by a man, and then a dance scene with six dragons interspersed with each other was arranged. The dragon dance recorded in writing is Zhang Heng’s "Xijing Fu" in the Han Dynasty. The author vividly describes the dragon dance in the description of hundreds of plays. According to the Records of Sui Shu Music, Huanglongbian, which was similar to the dragon dance performance in one hundred plays during Emperor Yangdi’s reign, was also very wonderful, and dragon dance was popular in many places in China. The Chinese nation advocates dragons and regards them as auspicious symbols.
walk on stilts
Walking on stilts is a popular folk mass performance. Stilts, originally one of the hundreds of ancient dramas in China, appeared as early as the Spring and Autumn Period. China first introduced stilts in Liezi Shuofu: "In Song Dynasty, there were lanzi, who used their skills to dry Song and Yuan Dynasties. Song and Yuan Dynasties summoned them to see their skills.
lion dance
Lion dance is an excellent folk art in China. Every Lantern Festival or assembly celebration, people always come to entertain with lion dance. This custom originated in the Three Kingdoms period and became popular in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. It has a history of more than 1000 years.
"Lion Dance" began in the Wei and Jin Dynasties and flourished in the Tang Dynasty. It is also called "Lion Dance" and "Taiping Music". Generally, it is completed by three people. Two people dress up as lions, one acts as the lion’s head, one acts as the lion’s body and hind feet, and the other acts as a lion leader. The dance method is divided into civil and military. The dance shows the gentleness of the lion, shaking its hair and rolling. The martial lion shows the ferocity of the lion.
Dry boating
Rowing a dry boat, folklore is to commemorate Dayu who has made great contributions to water control. Rowing a dry boat, also known as running a dry boat, is to imitate the boat on land, and most of the performers are girls. A dry boat is not a real boat. It is made of two thin sheets, sawed into a boat shape, tied with bamboo and wood, covered with colored cloth, tied around the girl’s waist, just like sitting in a boat, rowing with paddles in hand, singing and dancing while running. This is a dry boat. Sometimes, another man dressed as a boatman and performing with a partner, mostly dressed as a clown, amused the audience with all kinds of funny actions. Dry boating is popular in many areas of China.
Sacrifice door and household
In ancient times, there were "seven sacrifices", which were two of them. The method of sacrifice is to insert poplar branches above the door, insert a pair of chopsticks in a bowl filled with bean porridge, or put wine and meat directly in front of the door.
Rat chase
Rat-chasing is a traditional folk activity during the Lantern Festival, which began in Wei and Jin Dynasties. Mainly for sericulture families. Because mice often eat silkworms in large areas at night, it is said that mice can stop eating silkworms by feeding them rice porridge on the fifteenth day of the first month.
The Chronicle of the Age of Jingchu says that on the fifteenth day of the first month, a fairy descended to a family named Chen and said to them: If you can sacrifice to me, let your silkworms have a good harvest. Later, customs were formed.
Send a child lamp
Referred to as "sending lanterns" for short, it is also called "sending lanterns", that is, before the Lantern Festival, the bride’s family sends lanterns to her newly married daughter’s home, or ordinary relatives and friends give them to the newly married infertile home in order to add good luck, because "lamp" is homophonic with "Ding". This custom is found in many places. In Xi ‘an, Shaanxi Province, lanterns are given during the eighth to fifteenth day of the first month. In the first year, a pair of palace lanterns and a pair of glass lamps with colorful paintings are given. I hope that my daughter will be lucky and have children early after marriage. If the daughter is pregnant, in addition to the big palace lantern, one or two pairs of small lanterns should be sent to wish her a safe pregnancy.
Yingzigu
Zigu is also called Qigu, and in the north, it is called toilet aunt and pit aunt. The ancient folk custom is to offer sacrifices to Ce Shen Zigu on the 15th day of the first month, and to divine silkworm and mulberry, which accounts for many things. Legend has it that Zigu was originally a concubine and was envied by the eldest woman. She was killed in the toilet on the fifteenth day of the first month and became Ce Shen. On the night of greeting Zigu, people tie up a portrait of Zigu with straw and cloth heads, and greet it with a pigsty in the toilet at night. This custom is popular all over the north and south, and it was recorded as early as the Northern and Southern Dynasties.
Walking sickness
"Walking through all diseases", also known as swimming through all diseases, dispersing all diseases, baking all diseases, walking across the bridge, etc., is an activity to eliminate disasters and pray for health. On the night of Lantern Festival, women meet and travel together, and when they see a bridge, they must cross it, thinking that this can cure diseases and prolong life.
Walking away from all diseases is a custom in the north since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, some of which are carried out on the 15th, but most of them are carried out on the 16th. On this day, women dressed in festive costumes went out of their homes in droves, crossed the bridge to cross the danger, went to the city, and begged for children until midnight.
On this Lantern Festival
I wish you all a happy family reunion.
People are round, things are round and round;
The popularity, happiness and fate are constant;
Wish, wish, wish!
Source network
Spread ideas and practice ideals
Reporting/feedback

1.134 million people participated in the 2018 national examination, and the recruitment ratio was 40: 1.

  (Reporter Xie Li) Yesterday, the annual national examination war started again. More than 1,100 test sites in 53 cities in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) were opened at the same time, and 1.134 million people actually took the exam, with a reference rate of about 88%. The ratio of the number of candidates to the number of employment plans was about 40: 1. Among them, there are 16 examination areas, 109 test sites and 2,481 examination rooms in Beijing, and more than 73,000 people have registered for reference.

  It is understood that more than 120 central authorities, their directly affiliated institutions and units managed according to the Civil Service Law participated in this examination. It is planned to recruit 28,500 people, with a total of 1,659,700 people passing the qualification examination of the employer, and 1,292,200 people paying for the written examination. The actual reference number is 1.134 million.

  Real-time monitoring of various anti-cheating tools in the examination room

  Yesterday, at a test center in Shijingshan District, the Beijing Youth Daily reporter saw that the distance between each seat in the examination room was 80 cm, so it was really difficult to sneak a peek at other people’s test papers with your eyesight. At the same time, real-time monitoring cameras can be seen on the ceiling in front of the examination room, and the wireless signal shielding instrument is also started.

  On the display screen of the examination office of the test center, the monitoring situation of each examination room is played in real time. The examination toolbox standing next to it is also equipped with various anti-cheating tools. For example, the ID card recognizer is mainly used to identify the authenticity of candidates’ ID cards and prevent them from taking exams instead of using other people’s ID cards. A long metal detector can detect invisible headphones and prevent wireless headphones from cheating; Law enforcement recorder, which can collect evidence on the spot for violations. The most powerful and widely used is the white box-shaped wireless earphone detector. "Although it is small, it has a positioning function, which can locate the radio equipment brought by the candidates, and at the same time, it can monitor the sound of transmitting answers in the middle of the exam." The relevant person in charge said.

  It is understood that in recent years, the national examination has not only been equipped with a variety of high-tech anti-cheating weapons in the examination room, but also increased the intensity of cracking down on cheating in the examination. Peng Zhongbao, inspector of the examination and employment department of the National Civil Service Bureau, pointed out that there is "zero tolerance" for cheating in exams. Cheating for others, providing equipment, selling or providing answers to test questions to others; Those who take exams for others or let others take exams for themselves are included in the scope of criminal punishment. If the cheating company organizes cheating, it will be sentenced to more than 3 years and less than 7 years; Provide test questions and answers, and if the circumstances are serious, they will be sentenced to more than 3 years and less than 7 years. It is reported that the overall order of the exam is good.

  Artificial intelligence test questions

  In the morning test, candidates generally reported that it was not difficult, but they read a lot and were more inclined to science and engineering. Hot topics of current affairs include military reform, combat equipment, constitutional amendment, rural reform, etc. At the same time, scientific and technological examination questions also account for a large proportion, including dragon diving, artificial intelligence, stealth aircraft, etc. The General Principles of Civil Law of People’s Republic of China (PRC), which was just implemented in October this year, also entered the examination questions.

  In terms of common sense judgment, legal questions account for almost half of the city-level examination questions, which makes many candidates feel: "You can’t be legal blind!" To the surprise of the candidates, the examination questions didn’t mention anything about the 19th National Congress. "The 19th National Congress is so important, I didn’t take a test, and I recited so many knowledge points in vain. I really want to cry to death."

  In this regard, Chinese public education experts pointed out that the examination questions in 2018 are closer to life, and the common events in daily life are used to examine the knowledge points of various disciplines, such as taking tourist routes to lead to the test sites of world geography. "This reflects that the accumulation ability of candidates’ basic literacy is extremely high, not only to master conventional knowledge points, but also to have a macro knowledge structure and the ability to play on the spot."

  In addition, there are many high-frequency idioms in this year’s exam questions, such as inseparable, mutual reflection, sharing weal and woe, conscientious, enough is enough and so on.

  Pay attention to imagination in the application

  Yesterday afternoon’s national examination application was very different between the sub-provincial level and the prefecture-level level. The sub-provincial examination paper is entitled "Investigating the role of science, art and ancient culture on imagination". Chinese public education experts pointed out that combining science, art and ancient culture with imagination has continued the proposition of the national examination, such as the investigation of water wisdom in 2017 and the investigation of humanization of science and technology in 2015. The entry of "imagination" into the scope of the proposition is in line with the state’s emphasis on innovation.

  Among the examination papers at the municipal level, the theme of the application focuses on urban and rural development, which is closely connected with the current social development situation. It is a reflection on various problems existing in cities and villages at present, and at the same time, I should apply Laozi’s thought of "being or not" to the concept of urban development.

  "The report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China pointed out that the rural revitalization strategy should be implemented. This topic reflects the response to the report of the 19 th National Congress. " Huatu education experts pointed out.

  Check the results in the middle and late January next year

  According to the previously published announcement of the national examination, after the written examination of public subjects in the national examination, relevant departments will study and determine the minimum qualified score line. There will be differences between the qualified scores of posts above the provincial level and those below the prefecture level.

  In addition, positions in the western region and hard and remote areas, grass-roots positions and special professional positions, etc., will be given policy inclination when drawing the minimum qualified score line.

  In the middle and late January of 2018, candidates can log on to the special website with their ID number and admission ticket number to inquire about the written test scores of public subjects, the minimum qualified scores and the list of interviewers.

  After the written test results are announced, the competent department of the central civil servant will determine the list of interviewers according to the interview ratio determined in the Recruitment Guide. The specific interview time will be determined by the recruitment agency, and it will generally be conducted before the end of March 2018. Photography/Our reporter Hao Yi

The change of golf class

Home > cover story > body

2006-10-31 11:56 Author:Miao Wei Xie Heng No.41, 2006


On October 27th, Mr. Xu Zhihong, president of Peking University, said in an interview with the media that Peking University had stopped the construction plan of the golf driving range because there were too many objections. President Xu said that I don’t play golf and I don’t know anything about golf. However, it used to be said that tennis was an aristocratic sport, and now almost all universities have tennis courts.


In Zhangzhou Campus of Xiamen University, a "most beautiful" golf driving range is under construction. The driving range started construction in the second half of last year and is expected to be completed in December this year. There is also a mini-court, 5 holes, 4 par-3 holes and 1 par-4 hole, with a total length of 622 yards, with bunkers, water obstacles and fairways. Mr. Zhu Chongshi, president of Xiamen University, said that they built "the most beautiful driving range in China", which is not an exaggeration. It is really rare to have a driving range with a length of 312 yards and a par-4 hole in China.


This summer vacation, Beijing and other cities started many golf summer camps, and parents spent thousands of dollars to sign up and let their children get in touch with golf. In the new semester in September, the students of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics found that the elective course of physical education included golf. The teacher said, "We are a university of finance and economics, and students have more opportunities to get in touch with economic figures after graduation. Now many businesses are negotiated on golf courses, so I hope students can get in touch with the society as soon as possible, understand this sport and lay a foundation for future business activities." Beijing University is going to build a driving range, and Xiamen University is going to link golf with elite education. All these news have caused debates, and golf is once again regarded as a symbol of "rich class" or "social elite".


At the end of October, news came from Tianjin that Tianjin Water Park, which has a history of more than 50 years, began to build two golf driving ranges. The person in charge of the park said that renting some venues was to alleviate the pressure of operation. But the parks enjoyed by the citizens are occupied by the stadiums and clubs of businessmen. In fact, many public sports facilities in Beijing have long been contracted as driving ranges, and the originally planned parks have also become stadiums. Spencer Robinson, the publisher of Asian Golf Monthly, said: "There are many inappropriate courses in Asia. In those places where courses should not be built, people have built courses, while those places that should be natural courses have not been used." He said that golf in Chinese mainland is full of commercial interests.


On November 9th, the "HSBC Championship" will be held in Sheshan Club, and Tiger Woods will come to China again. When HSBC planned this event, it proposed to IMG, an international management group, that tigers should participate in the event with the highest prize in China and even in Asia. As one of the largest financial services institutions in the world, HSBC sponsors top-class golf tournaments in Europe and the United States. Mr. Weng Fuze, president of HSBC China business, said in an exclusive interview with this reporter: "Compared with last year’s tournament, the number of golfers this year has grown even stronger, and many world experts including Tiger Woods, David Howell and jim furyk have confirmed their future in Shanghai. Another notable difference is that our investment in golf development in China is increasing. The HSBC Tomorrow Champion Training Camp project initiated by us in cooperation with the China Golf Association will be first carried out in four cities: Beijing, Chengdu, Shenzhen and Shanghai. " Mr. Weng Fuze said, "Golf is the only sport that HSBC invests in the world at present. Sponsoring golf gives HSBC the opportunity to talk directly with customers, and there are more and more golf lovers among our customers. "


A professional magazine once verified that in 1953, the Shanghai municipal government razed the golf course belonging to HSBC at that time and built a zoo there. After many years, the story seems to have a new cycle. Last year’s "HSBC Championship" promoted the sales of high-end villas in Sheshan Club, and professional reporters recorded the landing point of every shot of Tiger Woods. His influence in the golf crowd can be confirmed in many driving ranges. Those who discuss the technical details will discuss: You swing like a tiger, and you swing like a Florrick. On weekends, friends and relatives can be seen in many golf driving ranges. "Elder sister, swing a shot" and "Slow down, children". They are holding complimentary tickets or newly-established practice cards to experience their newly-started golf trip. Golf courses were once the exclusive territory of the rich, but more and more people began to try this sport and change its face.


How many golfers do we have?


CCTV Sports Channel has a "Golf Match" program every Monday night. The person in charge of the channel said that the "World Football" program on Monday night has a high audience rating, but when it comes to broadcasting golf, the audience rating suddenly drops. But the ratings of less than 1% can also be explained in this way. The director of CCTV Digital Golf and Tennis Channel stated that the number of viewers can often reach more than 1 million. In May this year, the Golf and Tennis Channel was revised and unveiled, and all major competitions will be broadcast live. And from next season, try to broadcast 24 hours a day.


As far as the number of golf courses is concerned, there are 300 to 400 golf courses in China, which is already the second largest golf country in Asia and the fifth largest golf country in the world. Spencer Robinson of Asia Golf Monthly said, "We estimate that there are 300,000 golfers in China at present, including foreigners in China, but course operators and some related people think that the golf population in China should be more. Some people even think that after five years, the golf population in China can reach 4 million-this is obviously an unrealistic figure. "


Li Yan, the boss of Baijiatong, said: "I think the golf population in China is only 500,000, which is still high. Excluding those foreign businessmen who play in China, they can play golf three times a month, and the country will not exceed 500,000." However, what Li Yan counted most was another account. "There are 250 million people in the United States, 30 million of whom play golf; There are 120 million people in Japan, 16 million of whom play golf; There are 48 million people in South Korea, 5 million of whom play golf. The golf population in these countries is more than 10% of the total population. You calculate the population of more than 300 million cities in China, and 10% of them have an annual income of more than 10,000 dollars. The consumption concepts and habits of this income group will undergo fundamental changes. " Li Yan is in charge of "Baijiatong", which is to promote golf clubs and practice cards for beginners. "Now all courses, driving ranges, clubs and clothing companies claim that China has a golf population of 1 million, and they are all staring at this 1 million, and banks, cars and real estate companies are all doing activities for them. But my target market is 30 million people. "


There was an article in Golf Digest magazine that golf is a "national entertainment" in America, because you can play golf no matter how old you are. "You can not only play like a professional player, but also play on the courses they have played, and even occasionally play the same swing as them." In 1972, an article in this magazine said that golf is the "official sport" of our time. "When people work on farms, they are too scattered to play golf; When people work in factories, they are too tired to play golf; When people work in the office, they have time and energy to play golf, because it is one of the few fitness opportunities they can get, even if they are getting older. "


Li Yan’s judgment is that the golf craze in the United States began in the 1960s and 1970s, when the economy was developed. The golf craze in Japan and South Korea was also related to economic development. Mr. Xing Gongjie, President of Bank of Montreal, Canada, Beijing Branch, also supports this statement: "Golf has become a fashion trend. Japan was more than 30 years ago, South Korea was more than 20 years ago, and Hong Kong was more than 10 years ago, all of which were accompanied by economic growth, and the popularity of tennis will be several years earlier than golf. I think golf has also become a fashion in the mainland. "


Let some people fight first.


In 1994, Chia Tai International released a record called "Let me fool myself again". The singer "Transocean" was named "Liu Guoliang". "My goodness is the goodness of a good citizen, which is different from that of table tennis coach Liu Guoliang. However, the two of us have played ball, and I can let him play golf as much as he wants me to."


When Liu Guoliang filled that record, he was in the United States, and he came into contact with golf in Los Angeles. After practicing for a year and a half, he passed the PGA Playability Test. According to the American golf professional qualification regulations, after passing the ability examination, you are a professional trainee. Liu Guoliang said, "I gave up later. Professional players, this road is too difficult. If you really want to enjoy golf, don’t go in the direction of career. Later, I decided to use my skills and contacts to do some business related to golf. "


In 2000, Liu Guoliang met John Reynolds III, vice president of American Club Car Cart Company, and he soon became the company’s agent in China. Reynolds III is a member of the American Masters Augusta Stadium. In January 2006, he finally took Liu Guoliang to Augusta to play a game.


Liu Guoliang’s best partner is Dai Ningwei. In the late 1990s, Dai Ningwei contracted the project of Shenzhen Golf Club, and later began to play golf. He said, "Liu Guoliang is a player I respect very much, and he is my predecessor. He has passed the American professional ability test at the age of 34, and when I was 34, I had not touched the club." Dai Ningwei’s ability to read lines is a must. He laughed at himself as "drainage buried lines, so he can read lines accurately". Zhang Lianwei specially invited Dai Ningwei to caddy at the Volvo China Open held in Shenzhen Golf Club last year. In 2001, Tiger Woods went to Mission Hills in Shenzhen to play ball. It was a big party for businessmen. Many businessmen spent tens of thousands of dollars to get the chance to play a hole with Tiger Woods. Duan Yongping, the boss of BBK, sponsored the tournament and got the chance to play 18 holes with Tiger Woods. Liu Guoliang served as a caddy for Duan Yongping. "Actually, I watched the tiger play ball when I was in the United States, but it was still fun to play a game with him and have a chance to chat with him."


"If you must compare golf in China and the United States, it is obvious that playing in the United States is cheaper. But this comparison is meaningless, and the main difference is the historical and cultural accumulation of golf. A club like Augusta does not have money to become a member. In China, few people play golf, and few people know about golf. Therefore, their views on golf are one-sided, as if they are rich or expensive, and it is an aristocratic sport. Or golf is gambling. In fact, life is not a gamble. You bet 5 yuan on it, and people bet 100,000 yuan on it. It is obvious how much money golf professionals can get when they play first place. The prize list is a reference for the level of players. I would rather say that amateurs gamble a little, which is modeled after professional players. " Liu Guoliang is a well-known amateur in China. When interviewed, he was making preparations for the "Global Connect" competition organized by China Mobile. He did not deny that his cart business was getting better and better, precisely because there were more stadiums and more people playing. "I feel that there are more people who know about golf now. This is an inevitable trend. Everyone can see more games, middle-and upper-income people have begun to play, and public courses have also increased."


"Golf is more difficult for most people. Talent, physical condition, social atmosphere, environment and economic foundation are just like the barrel theory. If there are fewer places, you can’t play golf well. However, the vitality of golf is different from other sports in that it is not a direct confrontation, but rather leisurely. People of different levels can also play together, TEE off on different tees, make shots, and play fairly. "


The driving force of golf


In 2005, the total prize money of the Asian Tour of Golf was 20 million dollars, the European Tour was 200 million dollars, and the American Tour was 250 million dollars. If all the expenses such as appearance fee, publicity fee, license fee and operation fee are included, holding a top-level professional event is costly, and the generosity of sponsors has contributed to the prosperity of golf events. In the eyes of sponsors, sponsoring a golf tournament is like digging a gold mine, because the most targeted customers and people with the most purchasing power are gathered here.


Sponsorship from financial institutions accounted for 21% of the PGA Tour. Financial giants with strong financial resources such as Zurich Bank, Wachovia Bank, Barclays, Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, American Express, MasterCard and Morgan Stanley generously contributed to the high title fee. The total prize money of American Express Championship is $7.5 million, Wachovia Championship is $6 million and Barclays Classic is $5.75 million. Enterprises’ sponsorship of sports events always starts from their own target consumers and corporate culture concepts, and the financial industry is keen on sponsoring golf. "In our financial business, UBS Group AG’s success depends on providing high-quality services. The same is true of golf. It requires decisive decisions, as well as professionalism, professionalism and partnership. " Kathryn Shih, CEO of UBS Group AG Asia-Pacific Region, told this reporter that UBS Group AG was named as the Hong Kong Open, and the prize money in 2006 increased by 66% to 2 million US dollars compared with last year. "Although our customers come from different backgrounds, the popularity of golf in the Asia-Pacific region makes it increasingly an effective way to communicate with customers."


"There are so many poor students, how can you learn golf in the university? How can you play golf when there are so many people who still have not enough to eat? In the political context of China, such remarks are always correct. " Mr. Xing Gongjie said, "However, it should be noted that in the world, golf or golfers have the healthiest image. They are elegant and gentlemanly. Occasionally, a few golfers with poor image will be classified as’ bad’ just because of smoking and drinking. So I will take my children to play ball games. When I go back to Canada, they will also say, Let’s play ball together. That feeling is very happy. It is often seen on the court that a family plays together. "


"It’s certainly a good thing to learn to play in college. Perhaps because a student doesn’t have such good economic conditions, he will put down his studies and have no chance to play, but if he has the opportunity and ability to get in touch with golf after working for a period of time, he will get started faster." Mr. Xing Gongjie said, "Before the IT bubble burst, golf was booming in Beijing. In the late 1990s, many automobile brands started to hold their own golf tournaments, and later real estate companies joined in. There are many kinds of amateur competitions, and various chambers of commerce will organize competitions. Playing ball can really expand their social aspects, but playing that kind of’ social ball’ is also very tiring. "


Before becoming the editor of Golf Master, Eco worked in Xubao Stadium in Shanghai for 4 years. In Eco’s observation, the bags of Shanghai amateur masters and Beijing amateur masters are somewhat different. Beijing masters are almost all Honma hardcore. "Probably northerners make public that golf is expensive, so they all use the most expensive clubs. In the bag of Shanghai masters, Mizuno, TaylorMade and other brands are available, which is more practical. " Besides, the masters in Beijing don’t want to talk about business with you. Some people will say, "I used to swing a sledgehammer when I was a worker in Daqing. That arm strength and that accuracy will definitely help me play golf now, and it is also accurate and ruthless." In Shanghai, there is no contradiction between golf and business. The teams in Shanghai were first organized by Taiwanese businessmen. Later, amateur players in the transportation industry formed the "747 Team", which not only strengthened the contact with peers, but also gave people who wanted to make friends with this circle some opportunities. People in IT circles form quanta team, while polar bears are in the paper and stationery business. In 2002, the friendly competition of golf teams in Greater Shanghai was formally established, and cars and real estate were sponsored in succession. In that year’s competition, someone won a Mercedes-Benz in one hole.


Shanghai Xubao Golf Course is not supported by real estate projects, but the club has achieved brand success by holding Volvo China Open in succession. Echo said that the most exciting experience in her work is also holding competitions, but the Shanghai golf course emphasizes the international background, and most of the senior managers are foreigners, so she turned to be a reporter. My first job as a reporter was to interview the global BMW Owners Amateur Competition held in Thailand in 2005. A marketing manager of BMW said that the reason for organizing the BMW Asian Open in Shanghai is simple, but the market research conducted by the company shows that 50% of BMW owners in China love golf. Although BMW has a F1 team, the public will really accept F1 only when China has its own first-class F1 drivers.


In Apotheker’s judgment, golf is no longer an "aristocratic sport". "A few years ago, in the office building over there in Shanghai Jinmao Center, there were often stadiums to put up small advertisements and sell annual cards for 2,800 yuan or 4,800 yuan, which could play more than 10 games. The purpose of the stadium is to let more white-collar workers start playing golf. Playing golf can help them’ climb up’ and have the opportunity to play with customers and bosses, which is good for the career development of white-collar workers. Moreover, they can afford this kind of consumption. In Beijing and Shanghai, they can find a stadium that costs 200 yuan to play a game. A game takes four hours, which is only 50 yuan per hour. How much is it for you to rent a court for playing tennis? For the golf driving range, an annual card may be 3,000 to 5,000, which is similar to the price of a fitness card. "


There are always more people outside the door than inside.


Chang ‘an Street, 2nd floor of Ocean Building, the headquarters of Baijiatong, the office of boss Li Yan is like a warehouse, and packages of TaylorMade clubs are being repackaged. In July, "Baijiatong" and TaylorMade reached an agreement on joint promotion. The new card launched by "Baijiatong" includes a set of TaylorMade clubs, driving range and green coupons, and the price is more than 10,000 pieces. Li Yan said: "So many people in China know about Adidas, but most people don’t know that Adidas has acquired golf equipment TaylorMade. This brand is known to players. The reason why they cooperate with us is that they have taken a fancy to those who haven’t played yet and are preparing to play."


Most people know "Baijiatong" through advertisements on the radio. In Beijing, it is FM91.5, in Guangzhou, there are Pearl River Economic Station and Guangzhou Golden Melody, and in Shanghai, there are "EASY FM" and "879". The most attractive part of advertisements is that you can get a club and experience golf at one time for only 99 yuan. Of course, as soon as you go to play ball, you will find that the budget may have to be doubled. If you buy a pair of gloves for playing ball, you may have to pay another 99 yuan.


On October 1, 2003, Li Yan swung his first shot at Beijing Wanliu Club. At that time, a friend asked him to play ball on October 8. He felt that he would not play and had no face, so he went to make a surprise attack in advance. In Wanliu, I first bought a course of 20,000 yuan, a set of poles of 30,000 yuan, and a driving range card of several thousand yuan. "To make golf bigger, we must first solve the price problem. If you learn golf, you will spend half a car’s money, which is certainly unrealistic. What we need to do is to make information transparent, because I have taken a lot of wrong paths when learning the ball, so I can consider it from the perspective of consumers, and I will do whatever consumers need. I just broke the concept of golf’ high’. "


In April 2005, "Baijiatong" Golf had its own platform and began to sell practice cards at various prices. Thousands of them were launched in Beijing that year. Li Yan found that the proportion of group buying is high, which shows that many companies regard playing ball as a means to entertain customers or train employees. He heard many people criticize "Baijiatong" for "abusing" golf, but his goal is obviously to "abuse" golf more: "Just look at friends around you, some of them are traveling, indicating that the tourism market is good, some are going to restaurants, indicating that the catering market is good, and some are going to play golf, indicating that golf is getting hot. But even if there are 2 million private cars in Beijing, there are still many people who want to learn to drive, and the business of driving schools is still good. Mobile phones are popular enough, right? There are 400 million users in China, but there are still many people who don’t have mobile phones. So what we have to do is to increase the market. This year’s’ first package’ is calculated according to 1 million, which is not an exaggerated figure. China sells 5 million cars and more than 30 million credit cards every year. I tell others about my Baijiatong revolution every day. Last year, the space we expanded was only in Beijing. This year, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chengdu and Chongqing all opened. We have to jointly issue with auto dealers and banks as the mainstream channel. 1 million is not impossible. As long as 10% of these 1 million people continue to buy our products, we will succeed. "


Like Baijiatong, Golf Zone and Zhonggaowang are also engaged in golf service industry, but they mostly provide booking service, aiming at "stock market". During this year’s World Cup, Eagle Golf’s 1872 hotline entered the market. Their slogan was "China Golf Booking Operator" and "Eleventh" Golden Week. The number of people who booked the next game through 1872 was 1,767. Their business model was simple: the hotel had Ctrip, and the course reservation was 1872. The manager of Eagle Golf said: "Our target customers are those who have already been exposed to golf."


"As long as you pick up the phone and can book a stadium, it should be regarded as a public stadium." Echo said, "At the beginning of opening, many courses claimed to be the Augusta of China and take the elite route. Unless their matching villas sell well and the owners don’t need the return of the courses, otherwise, the operating pressure will make these courses receive individual customers. Although they don’t call for’ public courses’, the price of sending green tickets is gradually acceptable."


Li Yan believes that golf membership only buys "hitting right" and has no feeling of "shareholder", so most people don’t need to buy membership. He has lived in Beijing for more than 20 years and played golf for more than 10 years, but Mr. Xing Gongjie doesn’t have a membership card. "I think it has something to do with the level and way of club management. In the United States and Canada, many clubs have a long history, and membership is a very serious matter. As members of this club, everyone will have a say in how this club develops. If you want to join a new member, then the old members will discuss together whether to absorb this new member. Does he fit into this circle? Just because a club in China bought a membership card doesn’t mean you can make irresponsible remarks about the operation of the club. "


The membership card price of Beijing Taiwei Club is RMB 1.2 million, while the membership price of Shanghai Tomson and Xubao exceeds US$ 80,000. As the HSBC Championship attracted Sheshan of Tiger Woods, the membership card price has now risen to US$ 180,000. At the same time, there are also "civilian" clubs in Shanghai, and Binhai Club has launched an annual membership card of 1780 yuan. In the "University Town" and other stadiums near Beijing, the price of playing a ball is 200 yuan. A frequent golfer once said, "The golf course in China has a very strange phenomenon. No matter whether it is well maintained or not, there is a common price: the green fee for members and guests is 300 yuan. If one day, the pricing of these courses starts to range from $20 to $200 like that of the United States, the golf courses in China will see hope. "


Song Liangliang, Deputy Secretary-General of China High-Tech Association, was the general manager of a golf club in Beijing 10 years ago. At that time, he introduced a business mode called "100 yuan All-in", which was limited to China people, and everyone could play a game only by 100 yuan, and included all the expenses such as transportation, golf rental and lunch. But only one person signed up for that activity. Now, if any stadium launches the "all-in 150 yuan", there must be more than one applicant.
(Thanks to Golf Masters magazine Huang Qing and Eco for their help in this article)