19.Popular Sports in China

Sports are flourishing in china now. More and more people are willing to take part in sports of different kinds, such as table-tennis, football, volleyball, and so on. Every year there are many matches played on the city, provincial or national level. Sports are no longer limited to a few professional players.

Early in the morning people may be seen doing exercise. Martial arts （like Chinese boxing or swordplay） which formerly were cultivated for self-defense, now have become a form of physical exercise and are practiced in parks, streets, gardens, or on campuses. In addition young and old people are also often seen running in order to build up their bodies.

China promotes sports to enhance the physical condition of its people; she is formulating policies to provide encouragement of this activity. She awards prizes to the excellent players for the best records both in china and the world. In the world the Chinese have become a strong people instead of "the weaklings of East Asia".