China did not qualify for the 2006 World Cup, yet there was almost fanatical enthusiasm for the games in Beijing. Because the matches were played in the middle of the night, many Beijingers slept during the day. This gave a brief respite from Beijing’s notorious traffic jams, and the number of emergency calls to the city hotline decreased by 11 percent during the hours of the games. My son’s end-of-year examinations were scheduled during the three-day interval between two rounds. I was told that the dates were purposefully chosen.

A Soft Spot for Great Historical Powers

What explains the passion that people showed for the game? It is hard to imagine Americans, say, getting so excited about victories by other nations in an international tournament for which their national team had failed to qualify. In the United States, although there is some ethnic-based enthusiasm for particular teams—Italian Americans support the Italian team, Mexi...

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FOOTNOTES:

• [1] One might predict that there will be a rise in interest in national affairs if the media open up and the political system democratizes, with controversial national issues being publicly aired and discussed. There may also be a corresponding decrease in interest in international affairs. In Taiwan, arguably, democratization has focused debates on national affairs and there is, consequently, less interest in international affairs, including international sports. The recent political opening may help to explain why the World Cup did not generate the same level of enthusiasm in Taiwan as in mainland China (there are other factors, such as Taiwanese enthusiasm for baseball).
• [2] Paik Wooyeal has noted that the tendency to cheer against neighboring country teams may be more universal. For example, the Swiss Germans cheer against the German team, the English against the French, and so on. Could it be that the history of warfare between neighbors still forms preferences in sports? Or perhaps there is a natural tendency to be jealous of a neighbor’s success?
• [3] Ghana eliminated the United States from the 2006 World Cup with a thrilling two-to-one victory, but I could not make my joy too explicit during the game itself. I watched the game with my son, who holds an American passport, and since he was cheering for the U.S. team I did not want to upset him. It is difficult to persuade children that their team loyalties should be determined at least partly by principles of international economic justice.
• [4] The Clinton administration claimed that the bombing was unintentional and apologized for the bombing and the loss of life, but there is widespread skepticism in China regarding the official U.S. explanation.
• [5] I do not mean to imply that the quest for gold medals should be entirely subordinated to the concern for Confucian civility. I’ve yet to recover from the disappointment that Canada did not win any gold medals during the 1976 Olympics in Montreal (nor am I proud of the fact that Canada remains the only country ever to host the summer Olympics without winning a gold medal). My point is that Confucian civility should be an important concern and that national glory should not simply be focused on the quest for victory. Nations engaged in international sporting competitions can also take pride in their civility, decency, and sense of justice.