Putting the topspin on teaching

Peking University's Champion Lectures series concluded its fall semester in December with a visit from Paris Olympics' table tennis women's singles champion Chen Meng. Speaking to an audience of around 100, Chen shared candid reflections from her personal journey in an engaging and lively Q&A session.

Afterward, she signed her name on a giant table tennis paddle which is also adorned with the signatures of other icons who have participated in the lecture series, including Winter Olympic champion Ren Ziwei, Olympic taekwondo gold medalist Chen Zhong, and World Chess Champion Hou Yifan. Each shared their own stories of overcoming obstacles through passion and perseverance.

At the heart of this initiative is the course's founder, Professor Liu Wei, a Peking University faculty member who holds a distinction of her own as seven-time world table tennis champion.

After 16 years as a professional player, Liu spent another 16 years earning her bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees at Peking University, successfully transitioning from the sports arena to the professional world. Now 56, she is merging the two distinct experiences as she forges ahead in exploring the integration of sports and education.

Besides leading the university's table tennis team and the Champion Lectures, Liu's efforts extend to regular speaking engagements at schools across China, and she also encourages her students to participate in public welfare projects in the hopes of inspiring others with the same resilience that helped propel her own career.

Through her work, Liu seeks to demonstrate that the lessons of sports can shape individuals and communities far beyond the competition table.

"I've always believed that sports education is essential to the development of young people. It strengthens the body, cultivates a positive outlook on life, and instills perseverance," Liu says.