Discussion Leaders 4/29/15

The People’s Republic of China was a very feared country during the late 1960’s. Americans had no idea what modern day Chinese culture was like. This would have been a continual trend if it weren’t for the 31st World Table Tennis Championships. Held in Japan, the championship drew athletes from all around the world to compete. During this time there was an unexpected meeting between an American player Glen Cowan and a Chinese player Zhuang Zedong. The encounter ultimately equated to Zhuang hesitantly approaching Glen on a bus and giving him a silk portrait of Huangshan Mountains. With news reports of the event quickly spreading, Mao Zedong proceeded by inviting the American team to China. On April 10, 1971, nine American players, four officials, and two spouses stepped across a bridge from Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland and then spent nearly a week playing matches, touring the Great Wall and Summer Palace, and watching a ballet. This paved the way to Nixon’s famous visit to Beijing.