In the long history of Chinese table tennis, Xu Yinsheng's name is like a bright star. His brilliant achievements of winning the World Table Tennis Championships four times have made him a hero in the hearts of countless people. However, this former overlord on the field chose a completely different path after retiring, working his way up to the deputy ministerial level, achieving a magnificent transition from sports to politics.
What is even more eye-catching is that there is also a good story in his personal life. He married a beauty in the dance world as his wife. Her elegant dancing complemented Xu Yinsheng's court style. How did this legendary figure create glory in the table tennis world, how did he continue to write a legend in the political world, and how did his love story with the dancing beauty begin?
Table tennis prodigy Xu Yinsheng: The counterattack from the alley to the world
In 1956, the spring breeze in Shanghai was mixed with a little tension and expectation. 18-year-old Xu Yinsheng, a young man whose benchwork skills in the workshop had reached the peak of Level 8, suddenly received an unexpected notice.
The workshop director came in a hurry, and the news he confided seemed to be a bombshell: "Xu Yinsheng, the Municipal Sports Committee is looking for you. The Romanian table tennis team is coming to play a friendly match, and you have to go and fight!"
This news was like a bomb in an alley. A sudden whirlwind swept across Shanghai quickly. People are talking a lot about whether this young man who came out of the alley can bring glory to the country in the international table tennis event.
And all this, to Xu Yinsheng, seemed to be the god of fate teasing him. He grew up in a poor family and was almost given away. When he was three years old, he picked up a simple table tennis racket for the first time and played with his friends in the alley. Table tennis became a part of his life. Five or six hours of hard training every day made him forget about hunger and fatigue.
When he was in junior high school, he occupied the simple table tennis table in the school. Every morning and dusk, his thin figure could be seen jumping in front of the table. A match between Shanghai famous player Liu Guozhang made his love for table tennis reach a fever pitch.
Now, standing at the crossroads of destiny, Xu Yinsheng is faced with a choice. On the one hand, he has a stable fitter job with a high salary of 85 yuan per month; on the other hand, he has an uncertain future in sports, with no salary and needing support from his family. The Xu family's parents hesitated, but seeing the determination and enthusiasm in their son's eyes, they finally chose to support him.
The rise of a new table tennis star: a decisive battle in the star field, carrying the country's honor and expectations
In the spring of 1961, the Beijing Workers' Gymnasium was crowded and lively. Table tennis masters from all over the world gathered together to compete for the title of the 26th World Table Tennis Championships. In this battle of honor, there is one name that attracts special attention - he is Xu Yinsheng.
Recalling the moment when Xu Yinsheng first entered the national team, that was in 1958. At that time, he was just a fledgling newcomer, neither technically nor mentally mature. Therefore, at the 25th World Table Tennis Championships in 1959, he could only be a spectator, watching his teammates fight on the field.
In that competition, the Chinese men's team unfortunately lost to the Hungarian team and lost the chance to compete with the Japanese team for the championship. But it was this defeat that made Xu Yinsheng secretly determined: one day, he would personally take back this honor for the national team.
Time flies, and in a blink of an eye, it is 1961. This year's World Table Tennis Championships were held in Beijing, China. For New China, this was a major breakthrough in hosting a world-wide individual sports competition.
In order to achieve good results, the National Sports Commission conducted a nationwide table tennis competition and selected batches of outstanding athletes. And Xu Yinsheng is one of the best.
During the preparations for the competition, the National Sports Commission attached great importance to the athletes' food and nutrition. Although it was during the three-year difficult period and the food supply was very tight, Chairman Mao, Premier Zhou and other central leaders personally gave instructions: to ensure the food and nutrition of the athletes. As a result, athletes can eat delicious canned meat every day, and the fat and thin taste still makes them have endless aftertaste.
Finally, the day of the competition has arrived. The Chinese men's and women's teams went all the way and both reached the finals. In the men's team finals, the Chinese team had a fierce battle with the Japanese team. Xu Yinsheng, Rong Guotuan, and Zhuang Zedong were arranged to play against the famous Japanese players Hoshino, Kimura, and Di Cun.
The game entered the fourth game, Xu Yinsheng faced Hoshino. This is a game related to the fate of the Chinese team. If Xu Yinsheng loses this game, the Chinese team will only be ranked second.
Faced with such tremendous pressure, Xu Yinsheng behaved extremely calmly and firmly. He is fully aware that he shoulders a heavy responsibility and that every effort he makes is related to the honor of the country.
After a fierce competition, Xu Yinsheng finally defeated Hoshino and won a valuable point for the Chinese team. Although the Chinese team failed to win the championship in the end, Xu Yinsheng's performance allowed people to see the hope and future of Chinese table tennis.
A new star in table tennis shines, defeating Hoshino and becoming a legend
Looking back on that exciting era, the changes in the table tennis arena seem like just yesterday. Hoshino, a well-known opponent, has rich experience in competitions and is skilled in skills, but he did not expect that he would meet a new-born opponent on the field who is not afraid of tigers - Xu Yinsheng.
In an important match, Xu Yinsheng had a bad start and lost the first game 17-21. But he was not discouraged, but strengthened his belief. In the second game, he adjusted his condition and won the game 21-14, showing his extraordinary strength. In the deciding game of
, the competition between the two sides became even more intense. Xu Yinsheng led 20-18. As long as he scored 1 more point, he could tie the score at 2-2.
At this time, Hoshino was unwilling to fail. After he served, Xu Yinsheng turned sideways to attack, and Hoshino retreated to defend. Xu Yinsheng dunked hard, and Hoshino was forced to lob the ball. As the game progressed, Xu Yinsheng's spike force became stronger and stronger, firmly controlling the situation.
Hoshino could not find a breakthrough and could only passively shoot high balls. Xu Yinsheng, on the other hand, became more and more courageous as he fought, jumping up and smashing, and his ball path became more and more tricky. The audience was deeply attracted by this exciting duel. Tens of thousands of people shouted one after another: "8 boards, 9 boards, 10 boards, 11 boards, 12 boards!" After Xu Yinsheng dunked the 12th board, Hoshino returned the ball. Out of bounds, Xu Yinsheng won the 3rd game and defeated Hoshino 2-1.
This game not only made Xu Yinsheng famous, but also became a classic battle in the history of the Chinese men's team. In the end, the Chinese men's team defeated the Japanese team 5-3 and won the championship. Xu Yinsheng also won the third place in men's singles with his outstanding performance.
After the game, Xu Yinsheng’s name resounded throughout the country. In just over a month, he received more than 20,000 letters from all over the country, expressing their respect and love for him. His game experience, training stories and growth history have also become popular topics.
At the same time, Xu Yinsheng's talent was also recognized by his leaders. He not only plays the ball well, but also has active thinking, good eloquence and good writing skills. He was invited to pass on scriptures and treasures to the women's team to help the women's team improve its strength. The summary he wrote was highly praised by the leaders, and he instructed the National Sports Commission to print it out for the team members to study.
As time goes by, Xu Yinsheng's influence gradually expands. In January 1965, Chairman Mao saw Xu Yinsheng’s competition summary and instructed the People’s Daily to publish it. On January 17, "People's Daily" published the full text of Xu Yinsheng's article "On How to Play Table Tennis" and added an editor's note. This article quickly aroused widespread attention and enthusiasm across the country.
People's Sports Publishing House also printed and distributed Xu Yinsheng's articles in single volumes, with sales reaching 36.5 million copies. For a time, Xu Yinsheng became a well-known table tennis star, and his name and story have been circulated in the table tennis world to this day.
Legends in Table Tennis: Small Balls Changed to Big Balls, Rotating Life Without Forgetting the Original Aspiration
In the 1960s, Xu Yinsheng's name was well-known in the table tennis circles. In the 1965 World Table Tennis Championships in Yugoslavia, as the main force of the Chinese men's team, he teamed up with his teammates to win the men's team championship, and also won the men's doubles gold medal with Zhuang Zedong.At that moment, he became a hero in the hearts of the Chinese people, and the rotation of the table tennis ball seemed to fly to the world with his glory and dreams.
However, at the peak of his career, Xu Yinsheng chose to retire and became the coach of the national table tennis team. His decision surprised many people, but he said with a smile: "I want to continue my table tennis career in another way."
The current situation is turbulent. The Chinese team missed two World Table Tennis Championships, but Xu Yinsheng's heart has never left table tennis. In 1970, he served as the head coach of the national table tennis team and shouldered heavier responsibilities. At the 1971 World Table Tennis Championships in Nagoya, he led the Chinese team to the top of the men's team again. At that moment, his smile was brighter than ever.
At this World Table Tennis Championships, a major event that shocked the world happened - American athlete Cohen mistakenly got into the Chinese team's car. This small episode unexpectedly kicked off the ping-pong diplomacy between China and the United States. Xu Yinsheng witnessed this historical moment as a witness, and his heart was full of emotion and pride.
In the years that followed, Xu Yinsheng rose through the ranks, from deputy director of the National Sports Commission to chairman of the China Table Tennis Association to chairman of the ITTF. Every step he took was firm and powerful. Faced with the situation where China's table tennis is dominated by one player, he did not choose to rest on his laurels but actively sought reform.
In the end, the "small ball to big ball" plan he advocated successfully changed the table tennis ball from 38 mm to 40 mm, which reduced the rotation speed, increased the back and forth of the game, and improved the viewing experience. This reform not only made table tennis more exciting, but also made Xu Xu Yinsheng's name has been recorded in the annals of history.
Xu Yinsheng did not stop after his retirement. He was still active in the table tennis world. Establishing cross-border joint training camps, opening branches of table tennis academies, and participating in various folk competitions... He was so busy that he seemed to have returned to those passionate years. Whenever someone asked him why he was so obsessed with table tennis, he always said with a smile: "I persist because of my love."
The cross-border love between dancers and table tennis legends
Under the lights of the stage, Chen Liwen looked like a A bright star, her dance is poetic and picturesque, intoxicating. Who would have thought that this elegant dancer would spend his life with table tennis legend Xu Yinsheng?
Chen Liwen, a Shanghai girl, has shown extraordinary talent in dancing since she was a child. At the age of 12, she was admitted to the Beijing Dance School and embarked on the road of dance.
She plays an important role in classic musicals such as "The Fish Mermaid", "The Bow Dance" and "The Red Silk Dance", and every performance captivates the audience. Her dance is not only superb in technique, but also full of emotion, as if every movement is telling a moving story.
And Xu Yinsheng, the legend in the table tennis world, is also writing glory in his own field. His skills are superb and he has brought glory to the country many times. However, away from the court, little is known about his personal life. It wasn't until they met Chen Liwen that people began to get a glimpse of another side of this famous table tennis player.
In 1967, Xu Yinsheng and Chen Liwen met through introduction. The two met as if they were destined, and they quickly fell in love. A year later, the two tied the knot in Beijing and started their happy life. After marriage, they had a son, Xu Huazhang, and the family was full of warmth and joy.
However, the nature of Xu Yinsheng's work makes him often busy with competitions and training, leaving him little time to spend with his family. Chen Liwen silently supports her husband's career behind the scenes, while taking on the heavy responsibility of taking care of her family and children. She is not only an excellent dancer, but also a virtuous and virtuous wife and mother.
After retiring, Xu Yinsheng finally had more time to spend with his family. He began to learn to do housework and did his best to make up for his past debts to his family. And Chen Liwen has always been by her husband's side, spending every ordinary and warm day together.
Time flies, and in 2020, Xu Yinsheng is already 82 years old. The recurrence of an old waist injury made it difficult for him to move, but Chen Liwen always took care of him. Her love and companionship became Xu Yinsheng's greatest comfort in his later years.
With the encouragement of Chen Liwen, Xu Yinsheng completed the autobiographical work "My Table Tennis Career" in 2021. This book records his lifelong love affair with table tennis and his journey, and also embodies his deep gratitude to his wife and family.
The golden wedding years, the deep first love
The years are like a song, and time flies by. The bell of 2024 has just sounded, and Xu Yinsheng and his wife Chen Liwen have been together for more than fifty years. Their story is like an old song that never fades, singing softly in the corner of every memory.
Speaking of Xu Yinsheng and Chen Liwen, we have to mention their first love. At that time, they were young and fell in love at first sight. From then on, the two hearts were closely linked to each other and never separated again. Their married life is like the calm lake surface, calm and calm, but with endless affection hidden deep inside.
Chen Liwen, a gentle and jade-like woman, has won wide acclaim in the dance world for her kindness and low-keyness. Although her husband Xu Yinsheng holds a high position, she has always maintained her original intention, being kind to others, humble and polite. In the community, she was always the neighbor who greeted her warmly; in the workplace, she got along harmoniously with her colleagues, winning everyone's respect and admiration.
And what about Xu Yinsheng? His love for his wife is deep and passionate. He knows that his wife's virtuousness is his life's wealth. Therefore, he cherishes this hard-won relationship even more. During the ups and downs, they supported each other and faced the challenges of life together.
Today, Xu Yinsheng is 86 years old, but his love with his wife is still as good as ever. On their golden wedding anniversary, the house was full of children and grandchildren, laughing and laughing. Recalling those unforgettable past, their eyes sparkled with happiness. Those warm moments seemed like just yesterday, and they seemed to have been integrated into their lives.
Some people say that first love is the most beautiful scenery. The first love between Xu Yinsheng and Chen Liwen is a beautiful landscape that spans more than half a century. Their love story, like that classic old song, will always echo in people's hearts.
