In a sentence

Half his reputation comes from his racket, and half from an article that changed the direction of the sport and one historic election.

Playing style

  • Close-to-table fast attack with awkward, well-chosen lines, moving opponents around by placement
  • Fine touch on half-long balls and quick transitions
  • Strong tactical mind — teammates called him “the coach on the court”

Career and key moments

He was a mainstay of China’s men’s team title at the 26th World Championships. In 1965 an article he wrote, “On How to Play Table Tennis”, was taken very seriously — a piece about technique that was later read as a way of thinking. In 1995 he was elected president of the ITTF, becoming the first Chinese to lead the international body, and during his term he pushed the modernisation of events and rules.

What he left the game

He turned “a Chinese voice in making the rules” from impossible into normal. The place Chinese table tennis holds in the sport’s international affairs today starts here.

In a sentence: Playing well is one skill; saying things clearly and explaining the rules plainly is another.