Tennis has never been more popular in China – thanks to Zheng Jie and Li Na, who recently made it to the ladies semis of the Australian Open. But not everyone in the country shares the enthusiasm. According to the Changjiang Daily, some are angry about the construction of tennis courts in a Hubei park. That’s because the new courts will see the local ‘martyrs’ park’ in Jingshan County downsized to make space. The martyrs in question are heroes of the Communist Party who fought (and died) to make the 1949 revolution possible. “It’s an insult to the deceased,” complained a descendant of Chen Daochang, one of the 200 martyrs buried in the park. His online posting railed at the demolition of a memorial pavilion and the moving of eight martyrs’ graves. Local officials – who are spending $25 million to spruce up the park and add tennis courts – are unruffled. “All heroes’ relics have been dealt with properly,” one airily told the newspaper.
© ChinTell Ltd. All rights reserved.
Sponsored by HSBC.
The Week in China website and the weekly magazine publications are owned
and maintained by ChinTell Limited, Hong Kong. Neither HSBC nor any member of the HSBC group of companies ("HSBC") endorses the contents and/or is
involved in selecting, creating or editing the contents of the Week in China website or the Week in China magazine. The views expressed in these
publications are solely the views of ChinTell Limited and do not necessarily reflect the views or investment ideas of HSBC. No responsibility will
therefore be assumed by HSBC for the contents of these publications or for the errors or omissions therein.
Download Apps