| Wang Zhengting, also called Wang Rutang, was born in Fenghua in Zhejiang province. Although known as the famous diplomat home and abroad in the period of the Republic of China, he was enthusiastic about the development of sports cause in modern China. As a member of the first China International Olympic Committee, he established the China Sports Association, the Far Eastern Sports Association, participated in the National Games, the Far Eastern Games, and the International Olympic Games twice personally and led the application for hosting the Olympic Games. Therefore, he was renowned as "the father of Olympic Games" in China. However, during the period of the Republic of China, people had undergone social unrest, regime instability and weak diplomacy. The development of sports was also in a state of disorder. As a prominent diplomat, Wang Zhengting tried to change the weak position of the country’s diplomacy and the disordered state of the national sports. He wanted to reshape the country’s image by the means of sports, which became China’s new step towards the world. Because of his contribution to the diplomacy and sports, he became the perfect combination of political giant and sports giant. As a result, it is of historical significance and practical significance to study Wang Zhengting’s sports diplomacy. This paper is divided into five chapters, which demonstrate the following ideas:Chapter1focuses on the reasons for the formation of Wang Zhengting’s sports diplomacy. They were closely related with the foreign invasion and the weak situation since the late Qing Dynasty. Meanwhile, the sports of the modern China developed slowly and were controlled by foreign countries. These inspired his enthusiasm to save sports and diplomacy in the period of the Republic of China. Time also provided a new opportunity for Wang Zhengting to develop the country’s diplomacy by using the sports platform because of the new situation after the revolution of1911and the rejuvenation of the modern Olympic movement.Chapter2discusses Wang Zhengting’s ideas of sports diplomacy. His ideas originated from the patriotic thinking " the development of sports is related with the national prosperity". He raised sports to the height of national rejuvenation. In addition, he believed that the Olympic Games were the best recipes for the national salvation and prosperity. It would not only include the development of the Chinese sports into the world field, but also strengthen sports exchanges with other countries, achieving new diplomatic relations.Chapter3is about Wang Zhengting’s practices of sports diplomacy. The activities Wang Zhengting engaged in were a process of establishing the national sports organizations, participating in the Olympic Games and leading the Chinese sports into the world. He won the national unity in the diplomatic interaction with Chinese and overseas Chinese. He also obtained the recognition of identity in the diplomatic field in the sports exchanges with foreign countries.Chapter4digs the resistances of Wang Zhengting’s sports diplomacy. From Yuan Shikai to Chiang Kai-shek, different rulers’attention for the national sports and diplomacy varied at different times. The inner conflict, the lack of funds and obstruction from the international diplomatic community also became the main resistances.Chapter5is about the effects of Wang Zhengting’s sports diplomacy. Wang Zhengting’s sports diplomacy influenced politicians and sports figures, prompting them to improve the dilemma of Chinese sports and diplomacy spontaneously. Meanwhile, the development of sports diplomacy led to the development of the sports, which became China’s new step towards the world by reshaping the national image. |
