Table tennis, the great popular sport
The first Chinese world champion was Rong Guotuan, who won the 25th World Table Tennis Championships in Germany in 1959. Perhaps he was particularly motivated by Mao's words: "Think of the ball as the head of your capitalist enemy. Hit it with your socialist racket, and you will have won a point for the motherland"! Table tennis was also used as a political tool to bring about reconciliation between China and the United States in the early 1970s (Nixon's famous "ping-pong diplomacy"). Much less diplomatic in international competitions since then, China has reigned unchallenged in world table tennis for several decades. At major international competitions - Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cups - Chinese ping-pongers regularly take first place, whether in singles, doubles or team events. Legends such as Ma Long, Zhang Jike, Ding Ning and Sun Yingsha have left their mark on the history of the sport. China's supremacy is based on ultra-demanding training, an impressive pool of players and a culture deeply rooted in the country. Even today, Chinese table tennis players continue to dominate the world stage: they took all 5 gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. What remains for the other nations (and our Lebrun brothers in particular!) is the permanent challenge of dethroning them.
Other popular sports
Badminton. China is one of the most successful nations in the history of world badminton. For several decades, its players have shone in all the major international competitions: Olympic Games, World Championships, Thomas Cup (men), Uber Cup (women) or Sudirman Cup (mixed). Legends such as Lin Dan, Chen Long, Li Xuerui and Chen Qingchen have left their mark on the history of the sport. Although competition has intensified in recent years with Indonesia, Japan and Denmark, China remains a badminton giant, capable of claiming major titles every year.
Basketball. China has a strong tradition in basketball, especially on an Asian scale. The men's team has largely dominated regional competitions, accumulating 16 Asian championship titles (in 2025). On the world stage, results are more measured. The men's team's best finish at the World Cup remains an 8th place in 1994. At the Olympic Games, they reached the quarter-finals in 1996 and, above all, in 2008 in Beijing, on home soil and buoyed by their superstar of the time, Yao Ming. As for the women's team, they are among the best in the world. The Chinese players won the silver medal at the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992, and will do so again at the World Cup in 2022.
Soccer. On the world stage, China has only participated once in the FIFA World Cup, in 2002. The team was eliminated in the group phase, without scoring a single goal. Since then, they have been trying in vain to return to the competition. Chinese women's soccer, on the other hand, has been shining for decades. Today, in fan bars and restaurants, the Chinese are more enthusiastic about matches from the Italian, English, Spanish or French leagues (broadcast almost in their entirety) than about their local teams.
The importance of traditional games
Mah-jong. Mahjong is without doubt the national game and favorite pastime of the Chinese! Mahjong is a traditional game of dominoes (and money!) played by four players with pieces engraved with characters. The game consists of 144 special tiles divided into 6 categories: supreme honors (seasons and flowers), superior honors (red, green and white dragon), simple honors (east, south, north and west wind), rounds (numbered from 1 to 9), bamboos and finally characters. At the start, each player has 13 or 14 tiles. By taking or discarding tiles, players try to create combinations (pairs, threes, squares). The first player to obtain 4 combinations and 1 pair with 14 tiles announces "mah-jong" and ends the round. The points are then counted: the tiles have a value, but so do certain combinations (winning or not). Today, mahjong is one of the most popular games on the Internet. Its origins are very unclear, but it is generally accepted that the game derives from an ancient card game and originally comprised 40 pieces called pai. In the 18th century, the number of tiles was increased to 108 (representing the heroes of a famous classic novel Au bord de l'eau). The number of tiles increased until it reached 160. Eventually, reformers decided to remove some of the tiles to make the game more playable. Since then, the rules have remained unchanged. After its blossoming in China, mahjong was introduced to Japan in 1907. Its success was immediate. Clubs still exist, and major competitions are still organized between the two countries.
Go game. Originating in China several thousand years ago, the game of go is played with black and white stones (representing soldiers) and a board called a goban (on which 19 horizontal and vertical lines are drawn). The aim of the game is to build territories. The basic rules are easy enough to learn, but beginners quickly come to appreciate the complexity of the techniques and the richness of the game of go. The game is reputed to be more complex than chess. When it first appeared, the game of go was played by cultured people and was considered an art form on a par with painting, poetry and music. Highly prized by warriors (for its military aspect), the discipline acquired its letters of nobility among Buddhist monks. Very popular in China, Japan and Korea, the game of go has also been exported to the West. France has its own Go Federation (ffg.jeudego.org).
The assault on nature!
Southern China is a paradise for Sunday strollers and seasoned hikers alike. The diversity of landscapes, the multiplicity of villages and unusual encounters are all invitations to discover these provinces, some southern, some landlocked, on foot. So summon up your courage and take to the back roads of these lands, home to no less than half of the country's 56 different ethnic groups and one of the world's most singular collections of landscapes. Yunnan alone bears witness to the originality of these wide-open spaces, with ancestral tropical forests and eternally snow-capped peaks in the same province. From the high plateaus of Guizhou, your gaze can sweep down terraced fields, into a labyrinth of valleys, and end in limestone caves. In Guangxi, the Li River between Guilin and Yangshuo offers breathtaking scenery for hikers. But the whole of southern China also boasts some of the most beautiful, partly or wholly protected sites, rich in exceptional flora and fauna. The Wuyi Mountains (Fujian province) and their Unesco-listed Wuyishan National Park, the Lushan landscape region (Jiangxi province), Lake Dian (Yunnan province), the 3 parallel rivers of Yunnan (Yangtse, Mekong and Salouen) and the tropical region of Xishuangbanna (southern Yunnan) are just some of the playgrounds that will delight walkers. They can also discover the limestone landscapes of Guizhou, Guangxi and Yunnan provinces, some of the most beautiful in the world. Over time, the limestone has been polished, sculpted and eaten away by time and erosion. The result: caves, stone forests, cliffs and caverns seem to appear by magic. These astonishing karsts of southern China are now listed as Unesco World Heritage sites. Among the most beautiful, the Shilin stone forest (Yunnan), the landscapes and frescoes of Huashan (Guangxi) and the Longgong cave (Guizhou) should leave you breathless. A must-see!
By bike. Exploring these southern Chinese landscapes by bicycle is also an unmissable experience for visiting tourists. The Yangshuo region in Guangxi, for example, is a cyclist's paradise: quiet roads, emerald rice paddies, karst peaks and traditional villages punctuate the route. Alternatively, along the Li River or through remote valleys, each pedal stroke reveals a new scenery. Accessible to all, cycling is one of the best ways to discover this authentic countryside. For an active, gentle and ever-changing journey.
Rafting and water sports
For thrill-seekers, caving, zip-lining and rafting are all on the agenda, especially in the karst massifs of Guizhou. The rivers wind their way between karst cliffs and verdant forests, offering routes that are as technical as they are spectacular. The Nanpan and Maling rivers are particularly popular for their rapids and impressive scenery. Another not-to-be-missed spot is the Yulong River Gorge, near Yangshuo in Guangxi. More accessible, this route is ideal for a leisurely descent, surrounded by karst peaks and traditional villages. For a more challenging experience, some mountain rivers in Yunnan offer more sporting descents, in the heart of unspoilt wilderness.
The calmer Li River, between Guilin and Yangshuo, offers kayaking and stand-up paddling, while further south, in Guangdong or on Hainan Island, you can enjoy kayaking or paddling, being towed by all kinds of buoys or diving and snorkeling in warm, tropical waters.
Good climbing spots
Southern China, and in particular the Yangshuo region in Guangxi, is a veritable Eldorado for climbing enthusiasts. This small town has established itself as one of Asia's climbing hotspots, thanks to its impressive, sculpturally-shaped limestone cliffs. The karst peaks rise above the rice paddies, offering a multitude of routes suitable for all levels, from novice to experienced climber.
Among the must-see sites, Moon Hill and its spectacular natural arch attract climbers from all over the world. But the surrounding area also abounds in more confidential sectors, perfect for getting away from it all and climbing in the heart of nature. Here, every climb is an adventure, between technical challenge and breathtaking panoramas.
