"Li Ning recently shared, 'I'm still reading *Zi Zi Tong Jian* and I feel really fulfilled. I don’t like to be too utilitarian.' At one point, he even posed for a Pop Art photo—wearing red sportswear with a black suit jacket and holding an Olympic champion trophy.
At the end of the 20th century, Li Ning was honored as the 'World’s Best Athlete in the 20th Century' by the International Association of Sports Journalists. Only 25 people have ever received this prestigious award in 100 years, and Li Ning's name was listed alongside legends like Pelé, Muhammad Ali, and Michael Jordan.
In 2006, Li Ning was named one of the 60 Asian Heroes by *Time Weekly*, an American publication. The journal praised him as a 'legendary figure with a flexible mind in both gymnastics and business.' At that time, Li Ning Sports Goods had already gone public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, making it the first Chinese sports brand to list there. As chairman, Li Ning and his family controlled 37% of the company, and his personal wealth was estimated at nearly 2 billion yuan.
*Time* magazine once remarked, 'Li Ning proved that in China, the glory of business can be just as valuable as an Olympic gold medal.' However, instead of being labeled as a 'businessman,' he was placed in the 'athlete and explorer' category.
Indeed, the 'explorer' side of Li Ning is less known. In the early days of his career, he faced many challenges and even dabbled in acting. 'This is my personality,' he admitted. 'I love freedom.'
Today, Li Ning rarely appears at the company headquarters in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay. He lives in a luxurious neighborhood in Deep Water Bay. His acting roles in films like *Seven King Kong* and TV dramas such as *Wulin Supreme* are still popular on DVD.
At 18, Li Ning began studying Chinese painting under Wu Dongkui, who was then a member of the national gymnastics team. 'We often spent weekends painting, and sometimes we just boiled instant noodles together,' Wu recalled.
Li Ning’s favorite painting is 'Black Bamboo.' 'After painting, I became more calm during my gymnastics training,' he said. 'The balance between hardness and softness in bamboo mirrors the movements in gymnastics.'
Later, Li Ning's career reached its peak. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, he won three gold medals in free gymnastics, rings, and pommel horse. 'When I returned to Guangxi, the streets were filled with people cheering. It was overwhelming,' he said.
Four years later, at the Seoul Olympics, he fell from the rings. From then on, he retired from competitive gymnastics.
The Chinese public's reaction to his fall was slow. His smile after the fall turned him from a hero into a 'sinner.' Some even sent him threatening letters.
'I always try to laugh,' Li Ning later said. 'It's part of my personality.' But in that era, China was still emerging from isolation and was eager for success. 'People needed champions, not athletes.'
He once considered becoming a coach or official, but when he felt frustrated, he decided to start a business. 'First, make money, then paint,' he said.
At the time, Li Ning admired the idea of Chinese brands. 'As an athlete, I never wore Chinese-made clothes. I didn't know where it would lead,' he said. Li Jingwei, his mentor, believed in him. 'I’d throw him in the pool and let him swim. I’d watch from the shore, ready to help if needed.'
The transition from athlete to entrepreneur wasn’t easy. 'Back then, everything was handled by the state,' Li Ning remembered. 'But when I was on my own, I didn’t know how to write a project proposal or handle contracts.'
'There are rules in sports, and you know when it’s over,' he said. 'But doing business was much more complicated.' At his first meeting, no one bought his products. 'I had to find ways to promote myself. So I built a franchise system.'
His breakthrough came during the 1990 Beijing Asian Games. He convinced officials to choose his brand over a foreign sponsor, offering 2.5 million yuan instead of $3 million.
In August 1990, Li Ning took the Asian Games torch on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, wearing his signature 'Li Ning' sportswear. This moment was broadcast nationwide, and many still remember the scene.
During the torch relay, 200 million people participated, and 2.5 billion viewers learned about Li Ning through the media. Leaders and officials were seen wearing 'Li Ning' clothing.
After the Games, 'Li Ning' became a household name overnight. By the closing month, he received a 15 million yuan order. For the next Asian Games in Hiroshima and the 2004 Athens Olympics, Chinese athletes only wore 'Li Ning' clothing when they won."
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