50 years ago, in March 1971, the Chinese table tennis team participated in the 31st World Table Tennis Championships held in Nagoya, Japan for the first time after six years of absence from the world table tennis arena. It was also during that tournament that American athlete Cohen mistakenly got on the bus of the Chinese table tennis team, thus opening up people-to-people exchanges between the Chinese and American table tennis teams, and then promoting the development of Sino-US diplomatic relations, which was later known as "small balls pushing big balls". In April 1971, the American table tennis team was invited to visit China. In April 1972, the Chinese table tennis team returned to the United States.
This year coincides with the 50th anniversary of the "ping-pong diplomacy" between China and the United States, what is the background of this history that has been rumored to be a good story? Why did Zhuang Zedong go up and talk to Cohen? In the book "The Cradle of National Ball: Interview with Famous Players of Shanghai Table Tennis", Li Furong, Zhang Xielin, Yao Zhenxu, Zheng Minzhi and many other witnesses revealed the front and back of the stage, restoring the past 50 years ago for us.
Inadvertently, small things become big things
[Li Furong, born in 1942, is a major member of the men's team championships of the 26th, 27th, 28th and 31st World Table Tennis Championships, and has won the men's singles runner-up, mixed doubles runner-up and men's doubles runner-up several times.] Since 1974, he has been coaching the national table tennis team. He was the deputy director of the State General Administration of Sport, the vice chairman of the Chinese Olympic Committee, and the chairman of the Asian Table Tennis Federation. He is currently the honorary president of the Asian Table Tennis Federation for life. 】
Li Furong: During the 31st World Table Tennis Championships, the famous "table tennis diplomacy" incident occurred. Zhuang Zedong is the party, and I am the witness and beneficiary. That day, we were going to take a ride to the race, the car had already started, and the single American athlete Cohen jumped on our car. At this time, the people in the car each thought about their own thoughts, nothing more than a normal hitchhiking, or it seemed that it was an American, and the speech and demeanor should pay attention to points, etc., not like Zhuang Zedong said later: Suddenly an American popped up, and no one dared to pay attention to him. At that time, Zhuang Zedong brought an interpreter, went forward to talk with Cohen, and gave a piece of brocade as a gift.
In 1972, a delegation of the Chinese table tennis team visited the United States and was received by President Nixon in the Rose Garden of the White House. (Third from the left is Li Furong)
The sense of smell of the people who do journalism is the spirit, and as soon as our car stopped, a group of reporters surrounded us. Zhuang Zedong and Cohen suddenly became the focus, and the photo of Cohen showing everyone the tapestry was left behind. In fact, the reason why it has attracted so much attention is that on the one hand, Zhuang Zedong is a three-time world champion, on the other hand, he likes to come out when things happen in his personality, and he also dares to come out, saying that he will go up. As for the later legends, he must have a diplomatic mind, which is impossible considering the overall situation of Sino-US relations. It's just that inadvertently, small things become big things.
For other people, this matter cannot be "fried"
[Zhang Xielin, born in 1940, won the men's team championship, the third place in men's singles, the men's doubles championship and the mixed doubles championship at all world table tennis championships. From 1972 to 1995, he served as the head coach and head coach of the Chinese women's table tennis team. He was the deputy director of the Table Tennis Badminton Management Center of the National Sports Commission and the vice chairman of the Chinese Table Tennis Association. 】
Zhang Xielin: In the 31st World Table Tennis Championships, Zhuang Zedong's interaction with American athlete Cohen caused a sensation in the world. I was present when this happened, which seemed to me to be a coincidence, or providence, without any prior arrangement.
Our bus to the stadium hadn't been driven yet, and the other shuttles were running, and Cohen jumped up when he saw that our door was still open. At first, we sat in our respective positions talking and laughing, and we were all quite relaxed. As soon as Cohen came up, he turned his face toward the door, and the BACK of his clothes was printed with USA. In an instant, everyone looked at me, I looked at you, and the carriage stopped for a while. At this time, Zhuang Zedong talked to him, and Xiao Zhuang asked the translator, do you have a souvenir? The translator said there was a silk fabric from Hangzhou.
On April 13, 1972, a delegation of the Chinese table tennis team flew to Detroit for a return visit to the United States. The team members are walking out of the cabin to greet the welcoming crowd. (The first on the right in the second row is Zhang Xielin)
As for why Zhuang Zedong greeted Cohen in this car? One reason is that he likes to talk; more importantly, according to his own account, before the trip, we studied, including Chairman Mao's saying that the US government should be different from the Americans. This is not false at all, it is indeed a fact, and Zhuang Zedong should understand it better. At the same time, Zhuang Zedong, as a world champion, has great influence; if he changes the general staff, this matter will not be "fried".
Cohen walked into a Shanghainese house to eat braised pork
[Yao Zhenxu, born in 1947.] Since 1962, he has been an athlete for the Shanghai table tennis team, the People's Liberation Army and the national team. Since 1985, he has successively served as the deputy leader and leader of the national table tennis team, the deputy director of the table tennis badminton management center of the State General Administration of Sports, and the vice chairman and secretary general of the Chinese Table Tennis Association. 】
Yao Zhenxu: The 31st World Table Tennis Championships opened the "table tennis diplomacy", and table tennis teams from Canada, britain, Colombia, Australia, and the United States all came to Shanghai. There is usually a welcome banquet and a game, which is then accompanied by a visit in Shanghai. I also participated in the reception and competition of the American table tennis team. I saw the red-headed document of the Municipal Revolutionary Committee banqueting the American table tennis team, the standard was three yuan and five corners per person except for drinks, it should be said that it was quite good at that time. He accompanied the American table tennis team to visit Malu Commune before the game and visited Pengpu New Village after the game. The instruction given to me by the army representative during the game was to get as close as possible to the score, but in the end, I must win.
In 1971, Yao Zhenxu competed with Cohen of the American team at the Jiangwan Stadium in Shanghai
I came out when the total score was 2-2, and the opponent was Cohen, who shook hands with Zhuang Zedong, who was the number one player on the American team. Since the leader said to win, I always maintained a 4-8 point lead, winning 21-12 and 21-14 in two sets. Cohen said, "Thank you so much for having a serious game with me."
Farewell to the U.S. table tennis team. On the field are opponents, off the court are friends. (In the front row, the first from the right is American athlete Cohen, the second right is Yao Zhenxu, the third right is Shanghai athlete Wu Xinmin, and the fourth right is American athlete Resek)
After the game, I accompanied Cohen to Pengpu New Village. Americans believe that these visits are pre-arranged. For this reason, the Americans themselves pointed out that they could go up to which building and which floor and which window they wanted. Cohen clicked a window, and I went up with him, while the family was getting ready for lunch and braised pork. Cohen asked: Can you eat it? The host replied happily, yes! Cohen actually ate a piece of braised pork, and while eating it, he said", "Very fragrant and fragrant". At the time, I did not think that I was participating in "ping-pong diplomacy", which was part of a major historical event in the world.
Going to the United States is still the name of Premier Zhou
[Zheng Minzhi, born in 1945.] She is the main member of the women's team championship of the 28th World Table Tennis Championships and won the women's doubles championship. After 1974, he served as the coach, deputy team leader and deputy head coach of the national table tennis women's team. He was the deputy director of the second department of training and competition of the National Sports Commission and the vice chairman of the Chinese Table Tennis Association. 】
Zheng Minzhi: At the 31st World Table Tennis Championships, Zhuang Zedong made a contribution. I thought that what Zhuang Zedong did and said was actually the result of the premier's education. I remember that before leaving, the prime minister told us that the people are good and that we should distinguish the government from the people. What is people-to-people diplomacy? People-to-people diplomacy is people's diplomacy, and people's diplomacy is friend diplomacy. We athletes are doing the work of the people. Therefore, when Zhuang Zedong did this, it should be very natural, not very deliberate.
In 1972, Zheng Minzhi participated in the Chinese table tennis team delegation to visit the United States.
Soon, the premier held a foreign affairs meeting of various departments in the Great Hall of the People and also informed us that the main members of the table tennis team had gone. We sat in the back rows and listened to the Prime Minister talk about the diplomatic situation.
I remember the premier saying: The American table tennis team visits China, and our Chinese table tennis team can also go! Zhuang Zedong, Li Furong, Lin Huiqing, Zheng Minzhi can also go! This visit to the United States is not Ji Peng flying, it is our athletes who go. In fact, if we want to go to the United States, we all want to go, but no one dares to say that I want to go. Because the prime minister will name me at the meeting, this is justified, otherwise it may not be my turn.
The first stop on a visit to the United States is The Motor City of Detroit, the hometown of American Table Tennis Association President Stinghoven. We are still a little nervous when we get off the plane, and the US side also attaches great importance to it, even if there will be problems in any aspect. The delegation held a press conference at the airport, and ms. Suga, a translator from the United States, told me that because I had been accustomed to talking about the "Republic of China" for the past two decades, I was afraid that if I wanted to call it the People's Republic of China, I was afraid that I would miss the word "people". However, the less she wanted anything, the more she came from something, and this Lady Suga really once omitted the word "people" when translating. Because we have a fully inclusive mindset, the slip of the tongue has passed. This is also a small episode.
In 1972, the Chinese table tennis team visiting the United States played an exhibition game in the conference hall of the United Nations Headquarters. (On the right side of the table are Zheng Minzhi and Lin Huiqing)
(Editor's note: "The "Cradle" of the National Ball: Interview with Shanghai Table Tennis Famous Players" was collected by Shanghai Tongzhiguan and China Table Tennis Academy over a period of four years, collecting oral materials on three generations of Shanghai table tennis celebrities, edited by Jin Zhou, Wu Sihai, and published by Fudan University Press. ）
Column Editor-in-Chief: Chen Hua Text Editor: Qin Dongying Inscription Source: ITTF Museum China Table Tennis Museum
Source: Author: Qin Dongying