Liu Changchun
Encyclopedia
Liu Changchun was a Chinese athlete.
Liu was the first athlete to represent China in competition at an Olympic Games
. He was the sole competitor from the Republic of China at the 1932 Summer Olympics
in Los Angeles
; four years later he again represented the Republic of China at the 1936 Summer Olympics
in Berlin
. He was also an athletics coach and physical education teacher and a sports administrator.
, the Kuomintang
of the Republic of China
decided to abstain from attending the Games of the X Olympiad (1932 Summer Olympic Games) in Los Angeles
.The Japanese puppet state in Manchuria
and eastern Inner Mongolia
, Manchukuo
, announced that two athletes, Liu Chang-chun and Yu Xi-wei would represent Manchukuo
in the 1932 Summer Olympics
through the de-facto government-controlled newspaper. In May 1932, Liu proclaimed that as a Chinese person, he would never represent the puppet state of Manchukuo
in the Olympic Games in Ta Kung Pao
, a Chinese newspaper. Liu refused to represent Manchukuo
, and instead decided to represent China. Liu found it difficult to participate in the 1932 Summer Olympic Games as the Kuomintang
refused to finance his journey. General Zhang Xueliang
(Chang Hsüeh-liang) provided 8,000 Silver Dollars (Yin-yuan) to Liu which made it possible for him to compete in the 1932 Summer Olympic Games.
On the July 31, 1932, Liu attended the 100m preliminaries, and he was assigned to group 2, which had 6 athletes. Liu wrote about the race in his diary: "The winner ran faster than me about 4 yards at the end, his time was 10.9 sec. I was the fourth runner-up, the time was about 11 sec. In this competition, I got ahead before 60m, however, other competitors overtook me after 80m. I cannot get a better result due to exhaustion from a month-long journey to U.S.,and lack of exercise during the journey." Liu registered for the Men's 100m, 200m, and 400m; however, he did not compete in the Men's 400m due to exhastion. Liu failed to qualify for the Finals of the Men's 100m and 200m. After the games, he left Los Angeles on August 21, and arrived in Shanghai on September 16.
The Liu Changchun Gymnasium at Dalian University of Technology
is named in honor of Liu.
As a sports administrator, Liu served in many capacities:
Liu is the author of the books Track and Field Instructional Methodology and Track and Field Judging Methodology .
in 1981. He had two wishes: He wished that the Chinese would win a gold medal, the Chinese national flag would fly, and the national anthem of China would be played at an Olympic Games. His second wish was that China would host the Olympic Games. He died in 1983, just a year before China won its first Olympic Gold Medal, during the course of the 1984 Summer Olympics
, China won not only one but 15 gold medals. His second wish was fulfilled 25 years after his death when China hosted the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
Liu's life became a subject of a film entitled The One Man Olympics released in 2008. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1065330/
Liu was the first athlete to represent China in competition at an Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. He was the sole competitor from the Republic of China at the 1932 Summer Olympics
Republic of China at the 1932 Summer Olympics
China, as the Republic of China, competed in the Summer Olympic Games for the first time at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States.-Delegation:...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
; four years later he again represented the Republic of China at the 1936 Summer Olympics
Republic of China at the 1936 Summer Olympics
China, as the Republic of China, competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. The team is the inspiration for the 2008 film, Champions.-References:**...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. He was also an athletics coach and physical education teacher and a sports administrator.
1932 Summer Olympics
Due to the Sino-Japanese WarSecond Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
decided to abstain from attending the Games of the X Olympiad (1932 Summer Olympic Games) in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.The Japanese puppet state in Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
and eastern Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
, Manchukuo
Manchukuo
Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
, announced that two athletes, Liu Chang-chun and Yu Xi-wei would represent Manchukuo
Manchukuo
Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
in the 1932 Summer Olympics
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
through the de-facto government-controlled newspaper. In May 1932, Liu proclaimed that as a Chinese person, he would never represent the puppet state of Manchukuo
Manchukuo
Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
in the Olympic Games in Ta Kung Pao
Ta Kung Pao
Ta Kung Pao is the oldest active Chinese language newspaper in China. It is based in Hong Kong and has been funded by the government of the People's Republic of China since 1949...
, a Chinese newspaper. Liu refused to represent Manchukuo
Manchukuo
Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
, and instead decided to represent China. Liu found it difficult to participate in the 1932 Summer Olympic Games as the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
refused to finance his journey. General Zhang Xueliang
Zhang Xueliang
Zhang Xueliang or Chang Hsüeh-liang , occasionally called Peter Hsueh Liang Chang in English, nicknamed the Young Marshal , was the effective ruler of Manchuria and much of North China after the assassination of his father, Zhang Zuolin, by the Japanese on 4 June 1928...
(Chang Hsüeh-liang) provided 8,000 Silver Dollars (Yin-yuan) to Liu which made it possible for him to compete in the 1932 Summer Olympic Games.
On the July 31, 1932, Liu attended the 100m preliminaries, and he was assigned to group 2, which had 6 athletes. Liu wrote about the race in his diary: "The winner ran faster than me about 4 yards at the end, his time was 10.9 sec. I was the fourth runner-up, the time was about 11 sec. In this competition, I got ahead before 60m, however, other competitors overtook me after 80m. I cannot get a better result due to exhaustion from a month-long journey to U.S.,and lack of exercise during the journey." Liu registered for the Men's 100m, 200m, and 400m; however, he did not compete in the Men's 400m due to exhastion. Liu failed to qualify for the Finals of the Men's 100m and 200m. After the games, he left Los Angeles on August 21, and arrived in Shanghai on September 16.
Teaching and Sports Administration Career
Liu began his teaching career in the 1930s. He taught as an assistant instructor, lecturer, associate professor, and professor of physical education at- Northeastern University ,
- Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing Normal UniversityBeijing Normal University , colloqiually known as 北师大 or Beishida, is a public research university located in Beijing with strong emphasis on basic disciplines of humanities and sciences...
, - Northeastern Chung-Cheng University , and
- Dalian University of TechnologyDalian University of TechnologyDalian University of Technology , colloquially known in Chinese as Dagong , is located in Dalian, Liaoning, People's Republic of China and directly administered by the state Ministry of Education.-Introduction:...
.
The Liu Changchun Gymnasium at Dalian University of Technology
Dalian University of Technology
Dalian University of Technology , colloquially known in Chinese as Dagong , is located in Dalian, Liaoning, People's Republic of China and directly administered by the state Ministry of Education.-Introduction:...
is named in honor of Liu.
As a sports administrator, Liu served in many capacities:
- In 1964 Liu was elected as a Member of the Fourth Committee of the All-China Sports FederationAll-China Sports FederationThe All-China Sports Federation is a national non-governmental, non-profit sports organization in China. It oversees a wide array of sports associations in the country....
( http://www.sport.org.cn/), and later became a permanent committee member of the sports federation. - In 1978 Liu served as Member of the Fifth Chinese People's Political Consultative ConferenceChinese People's Political Consultative ConferenceThe Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference [], shortened as 人民政协, Rénmín Zhèngxié, i.e. "People's PCC"; or just 政协, Zhèngxié, i.e. "The PCC"), abbreviated CPPCC, is a political advisory body in the People's Republic of China...
. - Liu was vice chairman of the Chinese Olympic CommitteeChinese Olympic CommitteeChinese Olympic Committee represents the People's Republic of China in international affairs related to the Olympic Movement.-Timeline concerning Olympic recognition:...
(http://en.olympic.cn/china/index.html).
Liu is the author of the books Track and Field Instructional Methodology and Track and Field Judging Methodology .
Liu's wishes for the future of sports in China
According to Liu's son, hot tears welled up in Liu's eyes when the Chinese women's team won the Volleyball World CupVolleyball World Cup
The FIVB World Cup is a men's and women's volleyball competition. Created in 1965 and 1973 , it is an international qualification event for the Olympic Games...
in 1981. He had two wishes: He wished that the Chinese would win a gold medal, the Chinese national flag would fly, and the national anthem of China would be played at an Olympic Games. His second wish was that China would host the Olympic Games. He died in 1983, just a year before China won its first Olympic Gold Medal, during the course of the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
, China won not only one but 15 gold medals. His second wish was fulfilled 25 years after his death when China hosted the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
Liu's life became a subject of a film entitled The One Man Olympics released in 2008. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1065330/
See also
- Republic of China at the 1932 Summer OlympicsRepublic of China at the 1932 Summer OlympicsChina, as the Republic of China, competed in the Summer Olympic Games for the first time at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States.-Delegation:...
- Republic of China at the 1936 Summer OlympicsRepublic of China at the 1936 Summer OlympicsChina, as the Republic of China, competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. The team is the inspiration for the 2008 film, Champions.-References:**...
- Yang Chuan-KwangYang Chuan-KwangYang Chuan-kwang, or C.K. Yang , was an Olympic decathlete from the Republic of China....
, recognized by both the Republic of ChinaRepublic of ChinaThe Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
and the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
as the first Chinese Olympic medalist, represented the Republic of China at the 1960 Summer OlympicsRepublic of China at the 1960 Summer OlympicsThe Republic of China competed at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. The nation won its first ever Olympic medal. This time the ROC used the name "Formosa" .- Silver:...
and won the silver medal in the decathlon