Freedom and Farming

So besides the usual day-to-day differences in what is considered edible and what passes for traffic law, Tiffany and I have an ongoing discussion regarding living in a communist versus capitalist society. It's a lot more interesting now seeing it, than when we studied it in high school and college. And I've probably learned more about the pros and cons of communism in six months of living here than I did in my entire academic career. (Which granted, isn't saying much, since my scholarly pursuits consisted mainly of mastering concepts like "getting by", "bare minimum", and "cram sessions", and watching "Doogie Howser" and "Magnum P.I." reruns.)

I tend to agree with the saying that the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know, so I won't presume to make any judgement on communism or capitalism. But every now and then we get little reminders that we ain't in Kansas anymore. (And that's just a saying, too. I've never really been to Kansas, but Tiffany did just finish reading the book "What's Wrong With Kansas", and I'm not sure Kansas is the appropriate barometer for capitalism.)

Anyway, let me cut myself off and get to the point. I read the article below and found it amusing and interesting and cut it out to share with Tiffany and the blog. (Ever supportive, Tiffany had the courtesy to painstakingly change every "e" in Chen to an "a" before returning the article to me.) My thoughts on the article were 1) this would/could never happen in the US, 2) I can think of many people/reasons why this should happen in the US (paging Terrell Owens!) and 3) table tennis is the most watched sport in China?! Enjoy!

Chen pays price for losing cool
Shanghai Daily 2006-05-18

CHINESE Olympic champion Chen Qi says he feels like a "new person" after serving his latest punishment for losing his temper in an international competition.

The 21-year-old had apologized, drilled in a military boot camp and handed out an undisclosed amount as fine for his televised tantrum two months ago. He said he repented almost immediately after he flung the ball to the ground and kicked a chair after losing the Asian Cup final to teammate Wang Hao in Japan on March 5. The chain of punishments was suspended as Chen Qi helped the Chinese team defend the world team championship in Bremen, Germany, earlier this month and but team discipline was resumed once he returned.

Chen, the 2004 Olympic doubles gold medalist, was sent to do farm work in Pantao village in the northern province of Hebei. After a week of hard labor, Chen says he is now a changed man. "I am truly sorry for my action," he said on Tuesday. "I should never disgrace the Chinese table tennis team. Working in the fields is a good re-education process for me." Yet Chen, a prospect groomed for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, is still smarting from his Asian Cup loss. "It was the second straight final I lost in a month. That was really frustrating. I was so angry and disappointed that I lost my cool."

On Monday, Chen was seen weeding in a wheat field. He was clumsy with the hoe and wiped forehead sweat with the sleeve of his national team jersey. A throng of curious local farmers and several reporters watched the paddler do the work he had never done before. "On the first day, Chen wasn't able to do anything," said Pantao village chief Wang Haijiang. "But he is clever and a quick learner. He plucked cucumbers, weeded and irrigated the fields, fed pigs and leveled the dirt." Chen declined autograph requests from locals, saying he was a farmer not a sports star.

Table tennis is the most watched sport in China and it has won far more Olympic and world titles than any other sport. Therefore, the Chinese national team is expected to meet the highest standards of personal behavior. Chen's teammate Qiu Yike was banned for a year from the national team for his late-night drinking binge in February. In 2004, four national team members were thrown out for dating teammates and were accused of impeding preparations for the Athens Olympic Games. "The Chinese team is the most disciplined team in the world, that's why it has become so strong," said Yang Ying, a former player now a TV commentator. Yang too had served punishment during his playing days for reporting two hours late.

Chen won't be the last player to be sent to the countryside. Other players may likely see similar days. Liu Guoliang, the Chinese men's team head coach, says he is considering sending the whole team for "education."