When the IOC granted China’s men’s hockey team a spot at the 2022 Olympics, many questioned whether they deserved it, citing the country’s supposed lack of hockey tradition. But the sport’s roots in China run deeper than critics think.
Chinese hockey even had its golden era, which was sparked by the legendary 1981 C-Pool World Championship held in Beijing. According to Yunjie Zhou (1), a hockey enthusiast and the leader of ORG Technology, the largest metal packaging company in China, the significance of this tournament far exceeded the world of ice hockey:
This statement is also supported by the hockey portal EZHockey (2):
Are these statements merely the exaggerated claims of enthusiastic fans, or do they truly reflect historical reality? Let’s take a closer look together…
Winter Sports in China in a Broader Context
After 1949, China went through an incredibly complex period, full of new opportunities but also significant challenges. This was reflected in sports, which initially developed rapidly. This also applies to hockey, which surprisingly has deep roots in China – the first official game was played as early as 1935. However, greater attention was given to the sport only after 1949. In 1953, hockey became part of the first National Winter Games in Harbin, and since 1955, a national hockey competition was held regularly.(3)
However, the turbulent 1960s and 1970s, marked by the “Great Leap Forward,” natural disasters, and the Cultural Revolution, significantly slowed the development of Chinese sports. A rapid resurgence of the sports sector occurred in the late 1970s as a result of China’s new reform and opening-up policy under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping.
Chinese Hockey Debuts on the International Stage
At that time, Chinese hockey was already becoming involved in the international scene – between 1972 and 1978, the Chinese national team participated in the C-Pool of the World Championship four times. In 1979, they even made their debut in the second-highest B-Pool, although they had not originally qualified. (4)
At the 1979 B-Pool Championship in Romania, the Chinese team did not make much of an impact, losing all four of their games, three of them by a wide margin. They returned to where they qualitatively belonged – the C-Pool. And it was here that the story of the “golden Chinese generation” unfolded.
Ice Hockey World Championship in China for the First Time
In 1980, China appeared on the world’s biggest stage for the first time in 28 years – at the 13th Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid. The Chinese delegation consisted of 28 athletes, though, unsurprisingly, no hockey players were among them. Their results were far from impressive, and they failed to win a single medal – such was the reality of Chinese winter sports at the time. The only notable achievement remained speed skater Lu Zhihuan’s victory at the World Championships in 1963. (5, 6)
However, this does not mean that the Chinese were not interested in winter sports at the time – after all, the northern regions, as well as the capital Beijing, had always had a strong connection to them. A testament to this was the 1981 C-Pool Ice Hockey World Championship, which drew a total of 300,000 spectators to Beijing’s Capital Indoor Stadium, an incredible average of over 10,000 fans per game.
For the first time ever, China hosted a World Ice Hockey Championship, and only the second time Asia saw one – Tokyo, Japan, had hosted a C-Pool World Championship four years earlier. (7)
1981 C-Pool Ice Hockey World Championship in Beijing: Participants, Favorites, Expectations
In addition to host nation China, the tournament featured strong European teams such as Austria, Hungary, Denmark, France, and Bulgaria. The lineup of eight participants was completed by underdogs Great Britain and North Korea.
The top favorites were Austria, which at the time oscillated between the B- and C-Pool, and Hungary, which had recently spent several consecutive years in the second-highest world group. However, in the late 1970s, both Denmark and Bulgaria had also managed to break into the B-Pool, even if only briefly. As for the host nation, China, they were expected to compete alongside France for a steady mid-table position.
The favored European teams were not only more experienced and technically superior but also had significantly better physical attributes. The harsher material conditions in China were reflected in the physique of the home team’s players, who averaged only 174 cm and 71 kg, compared to the European participants, who averaged 180 cm and 81.7 kg. In addition to being the lightest team, China, with an average age of 23.16 years, was also the third-youngest squad in the tournament. (8)
Speed as the Main Weapon
Team leader Yu Zaizhou and head coach Wan Chi Li were well aware of these challenges. That’s why they built their strategy around highly skilled skaters with strong character. The core of the team consisted of players who had been part of the national squad since 1978, and the coaches knew they had the ability – and the mindset – to skate hard and put in the work for a full game.
This demanding style of play was drilled into them during training camps and tune-up games in Europe and North America, which served as a crucial springboard for their development.
“We Must Win for Our Motherland!”
The tournament was a great opportunity to introduce hockey to millions across the country. Moreover, it took place at a time when Beijing – and the rest of China – was experiencing a wave of optimism driven by reforms and opening-up policies.
This atmosphere translated into unwavering belief among fans, who genuinely thought China could secure promotion to a higher division. Although hockey had traditionally been popular only in the northeastern regions, the championship ignited a hockey fever in Beijing. The Chinese team’s games were completely sold out, with 18,000 fans packing the arena beyond capacity. (10)
The wave of optimism also lifted the players themselves, who were determined to battle for promotion despite modest expectations. The fighting spirit within the team was perfectly captured by the words of 26-year-old left winger Ke Qiang Wu, spoken just before the tournament began (11):
His teammate Xi Guang Chen, who was three years younger, put it even more bluntly (12):
The Biggest Stars of the Chinese National Hockey Team
Tactics are one thing, execution is another – in the end, it always comes down to how well the players can translate the game plan onto the ice. And Chinese hockey definitely had its aces. The team’s leader and the coaching staff’s extension on the ice was Shao Tang Bian, known as “the first star defenseman of the Chinese team.” (13) Supporting him on the blue line were You Ke Yang (14) and Jia Qing Sun.
Up front, the biggest offensive threats were Nai Feng Yao, Jin Gang Wang, Chun Jiang Wang, Sheng Wen Chen, and the two players behind the team’s battle cries, Ke Qiang Wu and Xi Guang Chen. Between the pipes, the team relied on the agile goaltender Ting Wen Cui to hold things down at the back.
A Tough Start Against a Strong Denmark
On March 6, 1981, China played its opening game against favored Denmark. The early spring chill stood in stark contrast to the feverish hockey atmosphere that erupted in the stands of Capital Indoor Stadium. Seeing the packed crowd sent shivers down the players’ spines. Nai Feng Yao, who would later lead China’s women’s national team to a remarkable fourth-place finish at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, recalled the moment in an interview with CCTV (15):
The enthusiasm carried over to the players, who came out fearlessly against their opponents. Their speed helped neutralize Denmark’s physical advantage, and they bombarded the Danish net with a flurry of shots in the first period – two found their mark. They kept up the pressure as the game went on, but the Danes clawed their way back with a fortunate long-range goal.
However, China refused to let their lead slip away, adding more goals to seal a commanding 5–1 victory. The next day, Xinhua News Agency triumphantly reported: “The opening round of the hockey tournament was full of excitement – China defeats Denmark!” (16)
Nai Feng Yao didn’t have to search his memory for long to recall the tournament’s opening game (17):
Blood, Sweat, and Tears – A Grueling Battle Against a Top Contender
China rode the momentum of its opening win into the next two games. First, they handled a tough Bulgarian squad with a 6–2 victory before cruising past Great Britain in a dominant 12–2 rout. But on March 10, the Chinese team faced its toughest test yet – the tournament’s top contender, Austria.
The Austrian squad, fully focused on a swift return to the B-Pool, left nothing to chance in this clash of unbeaten teams. From the opening faceoff, they came at the home side with relentless intensity, undeterred by the roar of 18,000 fans. The Chinese, fueled by sheer determination, managed to hold the score at 0–0 through the first period. But Austria’s superiority in skill, physicality, and experience eventually took its toll – for the first time in the tournament, China found itself on the losing end, falling 0–3…
Team leader Yu Zaizhou still vividly remembers this game, even after all these years (18):
Something shifted in the game against the team from the Alpine nation. Despite the loss, the home squad won over the crowd with sheer grit and relentless determination, earning respect even from their opponents. Led by standout performers You Ke Yang and Shao Tang Bian, with Ting Wen Cui standing on his head in goal, the team pulled even closer together. They knew their biggest challenge was still ahead – and they had no intention of letting a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity slip away…
Do-or-Die Match: China vs. Hungary
With their 4–2 win over Denmark, Austria had all but secured promotion. All signs pointed to a showdown between China and Hungary for the second ticket. Coach Laszlo Jakabhazy’s squad entered the matchup as the clear favorite. The Hungarians were determined to reclaim their place in Pool B, where they had competed uninterrupted for three years. Back in 1978, they even finished fifth in the group, which ranked them 13th in the world that year – a feat still remembered by half of Hungary’s roster in Beijing.
Even though experience and physical advantage were clearly on Hungary’s side, the Chinese team knew exactly how they wanted to play. Head coach Wan Chi Li had a simple game plan – beat the opponent at their own game: speed.
One of the team’s offensive leaders at the time, Nai Feng Yao (19), captured the mood in the locker room:
The atmosphere in the arena was electric once again. The game opened at a blistering pace, so intense that even the referees struggled to keep up. This was best captured by the words of legendary commentator Song Shixiong (20):
China’s “speed vs. speed” strategy paid off early, as they struck first in the opening period. The breakthrough came in the 16th minute when Sheng Wen Chen capitalized on strong work from Zhimin Sun. For Chen, who had briefly lost consciousness in the previous game, the goal was the perfect redemption and a well-earned reward for his resilience.
The home team’s opening goal didn’t go unanswered. Hungary’s 33-year-old veteran Attila Balint, whose stocky frame would have made him a seamless fit in the Chinese lineup, leveled the score at 1–1. The game’s intensity kept rising – China continued to threaten with their relentless agility, but they needed several key saves from a red-hot Ting Wen Cui to stay in the fight.
A man is only as good as his word. And when the game hung in the balance, Ke Qiang Wu stepped up and took matters into his own hands, putting China ahead 2–1. It was Wu who had fired up his teammates before the tournament, urging them never to back down – no matter what.
Hungary, desperate to find an equalizer, left themselves exposed at the back – and Nai Feng Yao made them pay, extending China’s lead to 3–1. Despite the Hungarians’ relentless push, the score remained unchanged – China had defeated their biggest rival and was now within touching distance of their ultimate goal!
Euphoria erupted both on the ice and in the stands, as Capital Indoor Stadium shook under the roar of the ecstatic crowd. As the bright red flag slowly rose to the sound of the national anthem, more than a few eyes glistened with tears of joy and pride. (21)
Euphoria on the Ice and in the Stands – and a Star Defenseman Covered in Blood
Nai Feng Yao vividly recalls every detail of the defining game of his generation, even years later (22):
That player with the head injury was none other than Shao Tang Bian. The locker room leader took a nasty cut during a battle on the ice, forcing him to leave the game for a brief moment. As the team doctor attempted to seal the wound above his eyebrow with a special gel, she accidentally glued her own finger to him. Years later, Bian still smiles when recalling her words (23):
IIHF Officials Couldn’t Believe Their Eyes – the Chinese Fairy Tale Continues
The home team had one foot in Pool B at the World Championship. But sometimes, the final step is the hardest – and China had to take it against France. Before the tournament, Les Bleus were considered to be in the same weight class as China, making this matchup another expected dogfight.
Not even the mighty French could stop the dragon in full flight. A packed Capital Indoor Stadium witnessed yet another spectacular performance, capped off by a stunning offensive outburst – four Chinese goals in just 4 minutes and 36 seconds. Legend has it that IIHF officials, watching from the stands, shook their heads in disbelief and spoke of a miracle… (24)
China ruthlessly dismantled France with a resounding 10–3 victory, sealing their sensational promotion to the second-highest tier of the World Championship. To close out the tournament, the home team faced one of the biggest underdogs, North Korea – a team that posed little resistance. China cruised past them with ease, rolling to a 10–2 win.
After the final game, players and fans alike became part of a rare and unforgettable scene. In a heartfelt gesture of gratitude, spectators showered the ice with candies to honor their heroes. But the ecstatic players playfully tossed them back into every corner of the rink, creating an endless, pulsating exchange of goodwill, appreciation, and pure joy.
The roar from the stands seemed never-ending. “The arena was shaking so much, it felt like the roof might collapse at any moment,” recalled Yao, who later became a successful coach of the women’s national team. (25)
Chinese Grit Pays Off
China secured the second promotion spot with 12 points – finishing right behind Austria. For the first time, they earned their place in the second-highest tier of world hockey on their own merit, rather than through an administrative decision.
Individual performances were also recognized. You Ke Yang was named the tournament’s best defenseman by the IIHF and, along with forward Xi Guang Chen, earned a spot on the All-Star Team.
China also shined offensively – Chen finished as the tournament’s second-leading goal scorer with 10 goals, adding 4 assists. Meanwhile, Chun Jiang Wang came agonizingly close to claiming the tournament’s scoring title, racking up 16 points on 9 goals and 7 assists. (26)
China found the back of the net 46 times over seven games, with a staggering 27 of those goals coming off their trademark lightning-fast counterattacks. (27) It’s very possible that today’s Chinese national team is drawing inspiration from this demanding style of play as part of its historical continuity. The squad of relentless ‘Asian Hornets,’ which turned heads with its structured, high-energy play at the 2025 Asia Championship and the 2025 Asian Winter Games, is also built around relentless movement and blazing speed on the ice.
The team, led by manager Yu Zaizhou and head coach Wan Chi Li, pushed itself to the absolute limit. Yet, they displayed remarkable resilience and determination. This was a group that knew exactly what it wanted – and refused to be denied. Nai Feng Yao’s words capture that mindset perfectly (28):
They Arrived as Hockey Players – They Left as National Heroes
Every great success story is made up of countless smaller tales that complete the larger mosaic. This team was defined by its incredible – at times almost irrational – self-sacrifice. Sweat mixed with tears of pain, and more than once, even blood.
“We can’t let up. We have to fight and give it everything we’ve got.” These words from Ke Qiang Wu left a deep mark on everyone. And Wu led by example – after breaking his nose in one of the games, a quick round of treatment was all he needed before jumping right back onto the ice.
The team’s morale could only soar watching the fearless Jin Gang Wang, who kept playing – and even scored – after a brutal collision that left him without his helmet. How could the Dragons’ warriors even think of giving up when Xi Guang Chen, battling through a shoulder injury, still found a way to beat the opposing goaltender?
The spirit of resilience burned just as fiercely in Chun Jiang Wang, who was in so much pain from a swollen foot that he couldn’t even take off his skate – yet still managed to score a crucial goal. (29)
Hockey Players Inspire All of China to Keep Moving Forward
China’s promotion to Pool B – and, more importantly, the way they achieved it – sent shockwaves throughout the country. The hockey team’s triumph was, in many ways, one of China’s first major successes in winter sports. But its impact reached far beyond the rink, becoming a source of national inspiration.
Chants that once echoed through Capital Indoor Stadium, like “Revive China” and “Unity and Fighting Spirit,” quickly spread far beyond the walls of the arena. The team’s unwavering resilience and unbreakable belief in themselves embodied exactly what the nation needed during a challenging era of reform.
The far-reaching societal impact of China’s hockey success was evident in an article published by People’s Daily (Renmin Ribao) titled “Let’s Draw Inspiration from the Fighting Spirit of the Chinese Hockey Team.” According to the author, these sporting victories were not so much a display of strength from a rising power in the East, but rather a sign that China had finally found a way to ignite its national spirit. (30)
According to a 2021 article by China’s state news agency China News, the success of the hockey team not only gave a major boost to Chinese sports as a whole but also served as an inspiration for the entire nation. (31)
Not Football, Not Basketball, Not Even Table Tennis – It Was Ice Hockey That United the Nation!
The phrase “fighting spirit” was at the heart of every discussion surrounding the success of the Chinese hockey team. As China News put it, “this spirit became the ‘mental cornerstone’ of Chinese sports, inspiring countless athletes to reach the highest levels on the world stage.” (32)
That same spirit was on full display just days later at the Asian Volleyball Championships, where the Chinese men’s team defeated their then-great political rival, South Korea. Six months later, the Chinese women’s volleyball team claimed the World Cup title, a triumph celebrated by the entire nation.
Over time, these victories merged in the collective consciousness, and today, Chinese society tends to associate the concept of “fighting spirit” more with volleyball – a kind of Mandela Effect that has reshaped the narrative. But it’s important to remember that the original spark came from ice hockey.
The online edition of People’s Daily was even more specific in assessing the impact of this success on the future development of Chinese sports (33):
This interpretation is shared by director Zhang Xiquan, who turned the story of China’s 1981 World Championship hockey team into the documentary Back to the Origin (2018). When asked why he chose to focus on this particular topic, he responded (34):
| This article is part of the series |
|---|
| ⭐ “The Golden Age of Chinese Ice Hockey” ⭐ |
| 1️⃣ Part I: Fever in Beijing, 1981 |
| 2️⃣ Part II: Asia’s Top Force |
| 3️⃣ Part III: Growth & Decline |
Sources, Quotes and Notes:
- orgtech.cn/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=show&catid=92&id=7
- sohu.com/a/219092477_100014167
- beijing.gov.cn/ywdt/zwzt/mlbjdabxwhjsr/2022ndah/bq/202112/t20211229_2576753.html
- A combination of multiple issues led the IIHF to temporarily expand Pool B from 8 to 10 teams. The decision was partly an effort to address complaints regarding the ineligible participation of an Austrian player during the country’s promotion from Pool C in 1978. Additionally, the move was influenced by geopolitical tensions – China had initially been set to host the Pool C tournament in 1979, but there were concerns that it might refuse entry to South Korean players. The IIHF found a clever solution to both problems by promoting two originally non-qualifying teams – third-placed Denmark and fourth-placed China – to the higher category.
- sohu.com/a/219092477_100014167
- sport.gov.cn/n4/n23848493/n23848951/c23978701/content.html
- beijing.gov.cn/renwen/lsfm/202201/t20220107_2585062.html
- sohu.com/a/141208638_422322
- hlj.chinanews.com.cn/hljnews/2021/0624/96583.html
- hlj.chinanews.com.cn/hljnews/2021/0624/96583.html
- hlj.chinanews.com.cn/hljnews/2021/0624/96583.html
- hlj.chinanews.com.cn/hljnews/2021/0624/96583.html
- sports.people.com.cn/GB/n1/2018/0813/c413814-30226148.html
- There are conflicting reports on who captained the team. Both the IIHF and Elite Prospects list You Ke Yang as the captain, but some Chinese media sources claim that Shao Tang Bian wore the “C” on his jersey.
* sports.people.com.cn/GB/n1/2018/0813/c413814-30226148.html
* baike.com/wikiid/8172887433549032275?anchor=lpsd057n1vwv - tv.cctv.com/2021/11/19/VIDEdThvJQqLVjHgcLhmpxcl211119.shtml
- hlj.chinanews.com.cn/hljnews/2021/0624/96583.html
- tv.cctv.com/2021/11/19/VIDEdThvJQqLVjHgcLhmpxcl211119.shtml
- hlj.chinanews.com.cn/hljnews/2021/0624/96583.html
- tv.cctv.com/2021/11/19/VIDEdThvJQqLVjHgcLhmpxcl211119.shtml
- sports.people.com.cn/GB/n1/2018/0813/c413814-30226148.html
- sohu.com/a/141208638_422322
- tv.cctv.com/2021/11/19/VIDEdThvJQqLVjHgcLhmpxcl211119.shtml
- sports.people.com.cn/GB/n1/2018/0813/c413814-30226148.html
- beijing.gov.cn/renwen/lsfm/202201/t20220107_2585062.html
- beijing.gov.cn/renwen/lsfm/202201/t20220107_2585062.html
- hockeyarchives.info/mondial1981.htm
- hlj.chinanews.com.cn/hljnews/2021/0624/96583.html
- tv.cctv.com/2021/11/19/VIDEdThvJQqLVjHgcLhmpxcl211119.shtml
- sports.people.com.cn/GB/n1/2018/0813/c413814-30226148.html
- hlj.chinanews.com.cn/hljnews/2021/0624/96583.html
- hlj.chinanews.com.cn/hljnews/2021/0624/96583.html
- hlj.chinanews.com.cn/hljnews/2021/0624/96583.html
- sports.people.com.cn/GB/n1/2018/0813/c413814-30226148.html
- sportsonline.com.cn/n1/2018/0813/c408078-30225752.html
Leave a Reply