Experiencing the “Past and Present” of Shanghai’s sports and carrying forward the spirit of Chinese athletics — The “Mobile Sports Museum” rolls onto the SUIS Qingpu Campus

To bring sports artifacts to life and permit museum collections to be seen by a wider audience, the “Mobile Sports Museum” recently hit the road! The travelling exhibition made its way to SUIS Qingpu where teachers and students had the chance to experience the century-long journey of Shanghai’s sports culture up close. On the day of the museum’s arrival, representatives from the Shanghai Sports Promotion and Education Center and SUIS Qingpu exchanged gifts on behalf of the Shanghai Sports Museum and the school.

Dialogue with a Champion, Understanding the Spirit of Chinese Sports

At the opening ceremony for the museum’s arrival, we were honoured to host three-time gymnastics world champion and China’s “King of the Rings”, Mr. Yan Mingyong. He gladly shared memorable moments from his sports career as well as tips and techniques that are essential in athletic training. For athletes, it is crucial to have the ability to self-adjust when facing injuries, possess strong self-regulatory powers, and maintain mental resilience under high pressure. He inspired the students to turn effort into an attitude, persistence into a habit, and to bravely face all challenges, ensuring that they will achieve success through learning.

“Though it’s tough, I would still choose that kind of scorching life.” This might well be a portrayal of the life of everyone involved in sports. It is this fearless, never-give-up sporting spirit that illuminates the path of life, allowing the storied chapter of New China’s sports movement to be passed on from one generation to the next, never ceasing to shine.

In this event, the students’ face-to-face interaction with Mr. Yan became an unforgettable experience. Their excitement could not be concealed, and Mr. Yan’s resilience and talent deeply captivated every student.

“Today I had the opportunity to interview the champion, Mr. Yan Mingyong, which was like fulfilling a dream. It was only after listening to Mr. Yan’s words that I realized what truly lies behind the title of “champion” – it’s countless years of hard work, pushing forward despite injuries, persisting in training even with a pulled leg muscle; it’s about moving forward under pressure, turning defeat into victory against the strong scores of other teams. This is the true spirit of sports: Never give up!”

—— 严思贻 Sammi Yan

“After speaking with Mr. Yan Mingyong, I felt the hardship of his training and his spirit of perseverance despite being injured. This made me realize that in regular training, I need to be more diligent and work harder to improve my performance to the level I aspire to. I hope that I also have the opportunity to represent a Chinese team in competitions.”

—— 孙佳霖 Alice Sun

“After meeting Mr. Yan, I have become even more determined in my love for the sport I am passionate about – basketball. It is only when you have a passion for something that you find the motivation to learn and practice autonomously and can persist in doing what others may find tough. Love for a sport is what drives you to delve deeper into it. At the same time, sports also require a nimble mind; the higher the level of the athlete, the better their intellect needs to be. Therefore, it’s important to keep up with your academic performance as well, as the two complement each other.”

—— 贠正卿 Jonathan Tai

I am very honoured to have talked with champion Mr. Yan Mingyong. During our interaction, I learned that behind the glamorous image of a champion, there lie many difficulties. He bravely overcame these challenges step-by-step, and his never-give-up spirit is worth learning from!

—— 吴柏霆 Max Wu

Appreciating the Charm of Red Sports Culture Through a Mobile Exhibition

The spirit of sports and sports culture were brought vividly to teachers and students through a “Mobile Sports Museum” exhibition vehicle, which presented a thrilling history of sports and splendid athletic culture right before their eyes. The vehicle displayed sports medals, trophies, the journey of modern Shanghai sports towards dreams, and exciting moments from competitions.

Guided by two young volunteers, Alex Shen and Gloria Shan, Mr. Yan Mingyong accompanied the students into the “Mobile Sports Museum” exhibition vehicle. From the delicately selected highlights of the exhibits, they learned about the past and present of Shanghai sports, experiencing the rich diversity of Chinese sports, the vigorous brilliance of modern sports, and the elegance of contemporary sports achievements. The timeline of “A Century of Chinese Sports” and the detailed introduction of “The Dream-Chasing Road of Modern Shanghai Sports” provided a deeper understanding of the origins and development of Chinese sports. Precious collections, such as medals from the National Games in ancient China, Olympic torches, and various moments from competitions, were all on display in this mobile space.

The Mobile Sports Museum remained at the school for two weeks, and twenty-five enthusiastic young volunteers told their peers stories that belong to Shanghai and even to the whole of China. This was not only a journey across time and space but also a vivid patriotic education class.

Through the “Mobile Sports Museum’s” time on campus, SUIS Qingpu students not only experienced the profound history of sports, but also deeply understood the spirit of never giving up and perseverance through personal experience. This close encounter with history and direct interaction with champions will become a treasured memory for every student, inspiring them to carry forward the spirit of persistence and resilience in their future lives.