Since the 1980s the ‘economic reformation’1 has played a crucial role in leading
China to a fundamental change in every aspect of its society. This change accelerated
a new process of urbanisation. In conjunction with the vigorous economic, political
and social transformations caused by urbanisation, sport in China has undergone a
comprehensive process of industrialisation, commercialisation, decentralisation and
privatisation (Wu, 1999). Urbanisation has changed the infrastructure of sport, sports
values and forms of participation. Against this background, sports participation in
China has emerged with new spaces, forms, contents and concepts. Although elite
sport has still been tightly controlled by the state as a political instrument, sport and
exercise at the grassroots has become an individual and social activity as a new
feature in Chinese urban life. The Chinese people have benefited from increased
opportunities and have made great progress in sports participation.