Ben Weider’s first trip to the People’s Republic of China was in 1954. Throughout the late ’60s and ’70s, the "Cultural Revolution" under Chairman Mao Tse-tung brought about wide-scale social, political and economic chaos.

During this period, Ben maintained communications with the late Prof. Lou Zhuo Yu, regarded as the "Father of Bodybuilding in China". Says Ben in his new book "Brothers of Iron", "During the darkest and most dangerous days, when bodybuilding was forbidden, possibly on pain of being sent to a concentration camp by the young fanatics trying to stamp out all vestiges of Western culture, this hero taught bodybuilding in an underground gym."

Ben’s visits to China over the years and "never-give-up" attitude earned him the respect of China’s Ministry of Sport and government officials. He was invited several times to lecture at institutes of higher learning in Beijing and Shanghai. In 1985, the People’s Republic of China became the 127th member-nation of the IFBB. Read more about China and the IFBB in the report below.

     I have always been fascinated by China, the world’s oldest and most populous nation. In a single lifetime, China’s leaders have pulled this giant country from anarchy and warlordism into the Twentieth Century. I have been fortunate to visit China "three times", the first time in 1954, the second time over 30 years later, in 1985, and again in 1988. So I have actually seen some of China’s remarkable progress first-hand.

     On a very hectic day I was delighted to received a telex from Professor Chen An-Huai, President of the Shanghai Institute of Physical Education. The telex said that the executive board of the Institute had made me a Professor of the Institute. This was the first time a foreigner had been so honored since the Institute was founded in 1952. Professor Chen invited me to visit Shanghai in May to address the Institute’s graduating class of 1,200 coaches and students. How could I decline

such an honor? Of course I unhesitatingly telexed my acceptance.

     The air trip to Shanghai lasted an arduous 28 hours. As we approached the Shanghai airport, I saw the countless neat rows of rice paddies and the little farms below. Everything was laid out cleanly and precisely. My journey was almost over, and I began to feel a rush of enthusiasm.

     Officials of the Shanghai Institute of Physical Education greeted me warmly at the airport and facilitated my clearance through customs and the other formalities of Chinese immigration procedures. Then I was taken to the Hilton Hotel. Before I so much as took as look at my suite, I sat down with Chinese officials to discuss our schedule in detail over tea. I was joined by my dear friend Paul Chua, IFBB Vice President for Asia

and President of the Singapore Amateur Bodybuilders Association who had flown from Singapore to Shanghai at my invitation to participate in these events.

     During the next few days I had the opportunity to see something of Shanghai, a city of great fascination. It is the world’s largest metropolis, with over 14 million people, and it has been a major commercial center for both China and the world throughout its history. Shanghai bustles

     Paul and I attended many banquets and ceremonies given in the spirit of friendly comradeship and sports fraternity. But even more memorable than these "state occasions" were my opportunities to see something of everyday China. For example, on a trip through the countryside, I saw that the fields were planted with wheat, vegetables, and every type of growing thing. Literally every spare inch of arable land is ploughed and planted and growing produce. This is the way agriculture must be handled, when there are more than a million people to feed.

     I also say many historical sites. Most impressive was "Tiger Hill", about three hours outside Shanghai in the Wu region. Tiger Hill is believed to have been the burial ground of the King of Wu during the Tang dynasty 2,500 years ago. It is now a renowned scenic wonder, with many lovely landscaped gardens, pagodas, ponds, and grottoes. Each seems to have a story of its own. On top of Tiger Hill is the pagoda of the Yun Yan Temple. It is octagonal in shape, seven stories (150 feet) tall, and was built over a thousand years ago. Tiger Hill is famous all over China, and on a typical day hundreds, even thousands of Chinese tourists can be seen, snapping photos and enjoying themselves.

     Of all the sights I saw on this trip, none was more impressive than the Shanghai Institute of Physical

Education itself. It was the first school of higher education in physical education founded after the Revolution. It has approximately 2,500 students and 800 staff members, 94 of them full and associate professors. Over 20 buildings house such special activities as track and field, table tennis, basketball, volleyball, soccer, etc.

     The Shanghai Institute specializes in the training of teaching personnel, who then go out into the field and train others. It also trains elite athletes to perform in their preferred sports. All students live on the campus, which has splendid, modern quarters and facilities. There is an enormous research center and library for staff use. Because of our great respect for the Chinese people, and our desire to see bodybuilding prosper in the largest nation on earch, my brother Joe and I have donated the latest high-tech bodybuilding equipment to create the largest Weider Gym in Asia. This "Weider Gym" will be situated within the Shanghai Institute of Physical Culture and will be able to handle hundreds of coaches and athletes at the same time.

Mr. Lou Zhuo Yu, one of the pioneers of China’s modern bodybuilding movement, teaches a bodybuilding course at the Institute. Five other teachers teach bodybuilding, which in fact leads to its own Masters degree!

     The State Council has approved a Doctoral program at the Institute, and there are six Masters’ programs. Besides bodybuilding, there are sports psychology, sports anatomy, biomechanics, Master of Sports and Master of Gymnastics. The masters program leading to a doctoral degree is based solely on "Joe Weider’s" methods. The education ministry approved the Joe Weider courses after serious study of all the courses that were available.

     The Institute publishes its own magazine, HEALTH & FITNESS. It is distributed throughout the country, and received by most of China’s physical education institutes. I was appointed Honorary Advisor and Editor to HEALTH & FITNESS, which will now allot more space to promote bodybuilding and strength conditioning for sports.

     Because my brother Joe and I have for a long time worked with Chinese sports authorities to help their champions attain peak conditioning through strength training, I knew that we and the IFBB were held in greate esteem in the People’s Republic of China. But I was hardly prepared for what awaited me when I entered the Institute to address its staff and students. All 1,200 graduating students and all the school’s teachers and professors were assembled in a large lecture hall. My talk, of course, was based on the "Weider Triangle Methods of Peak Athletic Performance". I explained the means by which proper sports techniques, bodybuiding exercises to build strength and intelligent nutrition - supported by vitamin, mineral and protein supplementation - create the conditions necessary for peak performance in any athletic endeavor.

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     I left the Shanghai Institute feeling exhilarated. Bodybuilding is growing tremendously in China. Minister of State for Physical Education and Sport, Mr. Li Meng-Hua, is an enthusiastic bodybuilding supporter, as is Mr. Zhenliang He, Executive Board Member of the International Olympic Committee. Our sport thus has the backing of the highest sports authorities in the People’s Republic of China, which includes Chen Jing Kai, one of China’s most respected sportsmen and chairman of the Weight-Lifting and Bodybuilding Federation.

     Because of this backing, bodybuilding will be the subject of the sort of herculean development effort that most countries could not visualize making, but which has become routine for the Chinese. All physical education institutes throughout China will offer Masters programs in bodybuilding based on the Joe Weider methods, developed with over 40 years of experience. This wil guarantee public exposure for bodybuilding that is without precedent anywhere else in the world. Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of Chinese will earn advanced degrees in bodybuilding - with courses taught according to the Weider Principles!

     I am please to report that my discussions with Shanghai Institute officials and members of the Shanghai Sports Council bore fruit. As a result, the IFBB will organize an international amateur bodybuilding championships in Shanghai, in an 18,000-seat stadium. This major bodybuilding event will attract worldwide attention, and will of course draw the attendance of thousands of Chinese both in and outside Shanghai.

     The Chinese are determined to become a major force in bodybuilding, just as they have become in all other activities they have undertaken. Can they succeed? The People’s Republic of China has a gene pool of over a billion people. This means that there are not just some, but countless potential world-class bodybuilders in China, just waiting to be trained and set on the road to victory. Chinese bodybuilding has till now been a "sleeping giant", to borrow Kipling’s term. But it’s starting to awaken, and the rest of the bodybuilding world will have to take notice in a hurry!

     Paul Chua, Vice-President of the IFBB for Asia; Professor Chen An-Huai, Prsident, Shanghai Institute of Physical Education; Professor Zhou Rong-Gen, Dean of the Physical Education Dept.; Zhou Li Xing; Li Shuang Xi; Jing Rong Ju; Ma Ru-Dang; Yu Rui-Hua; Zhen-Long Lu; Lee Jian-Chen; Zhu Rongquan, all of which are associated with the Shanghai Institute of Physical Education.

     Jin Yongchang, Vice Director, Shanghai Physical Culture and Sports Commission; Gu An Yi, Chief All China Sports Federation, Shanghai Branch; Professor Xu Jia-Jie, Vice-President, Wuhan Institute of Physical Education; Jiang Long-Nan, Vice-President and Professor of the Shenyang Physical Culture Institute; Zhou Zheng-Zhi of the Xian Physical Education Institute; Dai Bing Yan, Associate Professor of the Journal of the Shanghai Institute of Physical Education; Jin Yongchang, Vice Director, Shanghai Physical Culture and Sports Commission.

     SPECIAL THANKS to the media for their excellent cooperation; Song Jinliang, Director of Sports News and Fitness and Beauty Magazine of Beijing; Song Li Zhen, Li Ting Kun, Ma Shen, all of whom are associated with