The Chinese women's volleyball team poses for a photo at the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup in Osaka, Japan, September 28, 2019.
"Volleyball is not only our work, but also our whole lives," croons iconic Chinese actor Gong Li in the tear-jerking trailer for the new film "Leap", which is scheduled for release during the 2020 Spring Festival. Gong plays Chinese volleyball legend Lang Ping in this much-anticipated biopic directed by Peter Chan, and a teaser clip instantly went viral after it dropped this week.
Gong Li stars in "Leap", a hotly anticipated movie which tells the behind-the-scenes story of Chinese women's volleyball.
Rarely has a sports team in China elicited praise and admiration as effusively as the Chinese women's volleyball team. It has evoked strong emotions among Chinese people from all walks of life, regardless of their age, gender, or socio-economic backgrounds.
The spirit of the team goes beyond the mere sportsmanship; more importantly it represents national pride, which has inspired Chinese across generations.
A bright spot in hard times
If there is one group of heroines that can transcend generations in China's sporting history, it's the Chinese female volleyball team.
In 1981, the team beat Japan 3-2 and won the FIVB Women's World Cup for the first time in history. The victory tremendously boosted Chinese people's patriotism and morale in an age when the country's might was hardly recognized in the world.
Chinese women's volleyball players are seen on the victory podium after their team beat Japan 3-2 in the final to win the FIVB Women's World Cup for the first time in history in 1981.
They went on to clinch gold medals at the 1982 World Championship, the 1984 Olympic Games, the 1985 FIVB Women's World Cup and the 1986 World Championship.
For all their indisputable dominance on the global stage, the team still had to train under arduous conditions due to a lack of financial support at the time. The floor of their training court was made of cement and was full of potholes. The players were often hurt after rolling on the ground in training to recover the ball.
Despite all the challenges facing the squad, they did not complain, but instead chose to move on. Their incredible title-winning run galvanized the whole nation, which admired their remarkable resilience, dedication and unyielding spirit.
Chinese women's volleyball players are seen celebrating victory.
A timeless symbol
The Chinese women's volleyball team touched the heartstrings of the whole nation again during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, where they beat Russia in a thrilling final.
Russia won the game's first two sets, and seemed on the way to victory. However, China managed to stage an amazing comeback, fighting tenaciously to tie the score set score 2-2. During the tiebreaker, China made no mistakes and emerged triumphant from the title-deciding final set.
Millions of Chinese people watching the game on television witnessed the exhilarating moment when all Chinese players rushed onto the court, cheering and celebrating after sealing the title.
After defeating Russia 3-2 in the final, China's women's volleyball team claimed the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.
Newer Chinese women's volleyball teams have echoed the success stories enjoyed by teams before them. But, what's different now is that China has become known as a sporting power. For observers, if the world titles won in the 1980s showed the world that China had what it took to become a sports power, achievements earned in the new era are a symbol of China's continued progress and unstoppable preeminence in sport.
Passing the torch in a new era
On December 10, Lang Ping celebrated her 59th birthday. Nicknamed the "Iron Hammer" during her playing days, she is considered one of China's greatest sporting figures. Lang captained the Chinese women's volleyball team that won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and then as a coach, led Team China to victory at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
No-one seems more appropriate than her to pass the spirit of Chinese women's volleyball on to the younger generation and luckily enough, there is already a torch bearer in Zhu Ting.
The 25-year-old ace spiker has already become a household name in China through her outstanding leading role in winning the finals at the Rio Olympics, the 2019 World Cup in Osaka as well as her three glittering years at the Turkish club Vakifbank in Istanbul.
Chinese women's volleyball player Zhu Ting (L) lifts the trophy together with head coach Lang Ping (R) after the team claimed the championship title at the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup in Osaka, Japan, September 29, 2019.
Zhu first crossed paths with Lang eight years ago when the veteran tactician coached Guangdong Evergrande in the Chinese Volleyball Super League and quickly spotted Zhu's talent. In 2013, Zhu was called up to the national team as soon as Lang took it over. "She is gifted, flexible, and is exactly the same type of player as I was when I was young," beamed Lang who could not disguise her delight and high expectations of Zhu.
Zhu certainly lived up to expectations. Despite all her sporting accolades, she has stayed grounded and humble, displaying a voracious hunger for improvement. "I'm committed to my goals and dreams. And passing on the spirit of the Chinese women's volleyball team really stands me in good stead," she said.
The Chinese women's volleyball team stands on top of the podium after claiming the championship title at the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup in Osaka, Japan, September 29, 2019.
The sentiment was echoed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who greeted Team China at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on September 30 after they returned home from a resounding triumph at the World Cup in Japan.
"The people love the Chinese women's volleyball team, not only because you have won the championship, but also because you have displayed the spirit of putting the motherland first, through unity, cooperation, tenacity and never giving up," said Xi.
"You have bolstered the whole country's patriotic spirit and enhanced people's confidence and national pride," he added. "The ever-evolving spirit of the Chinese women's team represents a new era, and embodies the strongest will of the Chinese nation to rejuvenate itself."
Surely, that spirit will live on.