142 North Korea Trip
◎Then...is it possible to surpass us?◎
Before coming.
Zhu Qi and Maomao both thought it was just a simple exchange between the two teams, just like when the American team brought the Zhugang and Yunwan teams here.
At best, the players and coaches of the North Korean team came to greet them, arrange their accommodation and daily schedule, observe the North Korean team's training routine, and then sit down for some academic exchanges.
As a result, when the three people got off the train and landed in this mysterious country, they saw endless fruit fields filled with men, women, young and old wearing classical Korean costumes, holding flowers in their hands and waving at them.
Everyone was still shouting incomprehensible welcome speeches. Although they looked like they had sun spots from working, everyone's eyes looked bright and they waved bouquets of flowers and the dual flags of China and North Korea towards the locomotive.
After getting off the train, they had to board the shuttle bus prepared by the North Korean team and then drive for another six hours to Pyongyang.
To welcome the table tennis players of the Chinese team, many local people spontaneously organized themselves to come.
Because when they came, the North Korean team coach said that he hoped the three of them could wear national team uniforms.
The North Korean team does not care about various Western-style suits or formal wear, and the leaders also wear a modified version of the Zhongshan suit.
For athletes, the national team uniform is naturally the most formal attire.
As soon as A Shui got off the car, he started exclaiming "Wow" continuously.
I was full of curiosity about North Korea before coming here. Although I had some expectations, I knew that North Korea's per capita GDP was lower than South Korea's, and it might not have the prosperous and glamorous feeling of South Korea today.
But looking at the green fruit fields full of orange-red oranges, they sway slightly in the wind.
Then I looked at the rows of North Koreans standing on either side. Their skin was dark, wheat-yellow, their cheeks tinged with the rosy red of sorghum, but their smiles were bright and their eyes were shining. When they shouted, each one was full of energy, showing no sign of fatigue, a sign of a country so impoverished.
Regardless of gender, age or status, the expression on everyone's face can be described in two words: vitality.
It is difficult to say what kind of life is truly leisurely and comfortable.
Many people use the saying "The general's kindness is not over yet" to mock North Korea.
But Zhu Qi felt that...the Paektusan family really took good care of the Koreans.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, even the big brother west of the Yalu River endured a period of hardship, briefly swallowing their anger for two years before actively engaging in business with the Americans. But the Kim family has always refused to yield to the United States. Despite the covetous gaze of the United States, Japan, and South Korea, they would rather eat dirt for a few years than close their borders.
Although the GDP per capita is low and the people are a little poor, the fact that people can earn income just by working is much better than many countries. For example, India, Vietnam, the Philippines...
On the train, Ah Shui listened to Zhu Qi's explanation of the various stories of the Paektusan family. When he heard that education, healthcare, and housing, three major hurdles weighing heavily on the Chinese population, were highly affordable in North Korea, or even completely free, he whispered, "If someone could plan everything for me and my future children, from school to work and retirement, without any pressure, I would be grateful."
Zhu Qi burst out laughing.
Ah Shui asked again, "Do you think it's possible that North Korea will surpass South Korea in the future?"
Zhu Qi thought about it and said, from the perspective of "treating everyone equally," "Of course they can. South Korea has no say at all. They are completely controlled by the Americans and have long been decapitated. They are all useless little pieces of shit hanging on a big tree. How can they be compared with the North Korean army?"
"Then... is it possible to surpass us?" A Shui asked again.
"That won't work." Zhu Qi was firm.
"Why?"
"Because North Korea absolutely shouldn't engage in extreme personality cult of their sun," Zhu Qi told her. "And our sun tells us to learn from him, become him, and then surpass him."
After a brief welcoming ceremony, six pairs of boys and girls wearing children's Korean costumes gave each of the three of them a bouquet of bright purple flowers and a furry red bowler hat.
"Wow, this is pure cashmere." Ah Shui's family is in the foreign trade clothing business, so he can tell the material just by touching it. "So warm. What kind of flower is this? Azalea?"
"The red azalea, also known as the azalea in North Korea, is the national flower of North Korea," Zhu Qi whispered. "It's supposed to bloom in April. This bouquet might have been cultivated specifically for welcoming guests."
There was a group of photographers who started filming them as soon as they landed. Judging from the clothes and logos on them, they should be TV station staff inside North Korea. In the end, they got on the chartered bus with them to Pyongyang.
Zhu Qi had never been to North Korea before, and he heard a lot of information from others.
I thought I would see a very isolated place with many restrictions, where all movement would be completely monitored.
Unexpectedly, the North Korean reporters in the chartered car were very enthusiastic and introduced themselves to the three guests from China in Chinese with an accent.
"...This is a beer house. It's a designated drinking place. You can't drink elsewhere. The alcohol content isn't high, much like Chinese soda. Do you have a beer house?"
A female reporter wearing a red reporter badge was also very curious about the lives of Chinese people.
Zhu Qi smiled and said, "We don't have a fixed place to drink. We drink at home, at friends' houses, and more often than not, we drink at night while having barbecue. But I think your regular drinking system is great; it can help many people control their alcohol consumption."
The North Korean reporters were very happy to be praised and introduced them to various scenery along the way.
There are many theaters, auditoriums, and statues that look quite old-fashioned. Even some taxis and buses speeding along the streets look ordinary and have the architectural style of China from the 1970s and 1980s.
But looking at the state of the North Korean reporters, they are very satisfied with the current life in North Korea at this moment and feel content from the bottom of their hearts.
The vehicle drove very fast and arrived in Pyongyang at three o'clock in the afternoon.
After various route changes, the scenery outside gradually entered a style that was familiar to Zhu Qi and others.
There are various sports-related facilities everywhere, including basketball courts, football fields, volleyball baskets, sand pits, javelin holders, horizontal bars...
On the way here, a North Korean reporter explained to them: "All sports in North Korea are trained together, so the athletes also live together..."
Ah Shui was surprised and asked, "All of them? Is that a big place?"
But what A Shui didn't expect was that when he actually entered the North Korean sports training base, the place where all the North Korean athletes gathered was only the size of two Tiantan East Roads.
When they got off the car, all the North Korean athletes lined up to welcome them. Everyone was wearing the same red and blue striped sportswear as the North Korean flag, and they applauded in unison and enthusiastically to welcome the guests.
The North Korean table tennis team stood at the front. As soon as Zhu Qi and the others got off the car, the head coach of the North Korean team stepped forward and shook hands with the captain of the female team and spoke in Chinese.
"Welcome, thank you for your hard work."
Although he had seen many grand scenes, Maomao had prepared himself mentally before coming here, determined to embody the demeanor of a great power. He even thought about making an impassioned speech on the bus coming to the North Korean Stadium.
How to promote the connection between the two countries' table tennis teams, how to discuss subsequent matches, how to learn from each other, etc.
But this time there was no coach, and the three players set off on their own.
As the oldest and team leader among the three, Maomao must take on the role of team leader.
Zhu Qi heard that Maomao's voice was trembling a little, but he still tried his best to remain calm and said, "It's not hard. I'll trouble you later."
There were so many people coming from all directions to greet us.
It was so packed that I couldn't even count how many people there were.
They almost filled the entire playground.
Logically speaking, this should be the standard for welcoming the entire national team, but it was used to welcome three female team players.
We can see the sincerity and enthusiasm of the North Korean team this time.
Following the North Korean coach into the stadium, there was a huge red cloth platform in the middle.
Zhu Qi and the other two stood up, took a group photo, and then held a simple welcome ceremony.
Then there were all sorts of bouquets, small gifts, and accompanying staff to help carry the luggage.
Afterwards, the three of them sat in the audience again, in the first row with the North Korean coaches. The North Korean team also invited the Children's Art Theater to perform talents for the three Chinese guests who came from afar.
Although he didn't understand, Zhu Qi was still shocked by the reception ceremony which was like a state ceremony.
On the bus to Pyongyang, Zhu Qi asked if he could look at a North Korean newspaper. A North Korean reporter told Zhu Qi he could, but he had to be careful not to fold the newspaper so as not to crease the photos of their leaders.
In a North Korean newspaper, Zhu Qi actually saw a photo of the three flags of the Chinese team being raised at the Florida Table Tennis Championships.
It was also placed on the front page of North Korea's second largest section, occupying half of the newspaper page.
This photo actually went viral in China, dominating the screen for a month, from CCTV to newspapers to the promotional leaflets of major provincial teams, becoming a real face.
When the General Administration of Sport awarded the women's team an honorary title, it also played this photo on the big screen at the headquarters.
Many years later, when future fans were doing research, they called the three people's "life photos" world famous paintings.
I didn’t expect that North Korea also published this photo.
Zhu Qi couldn't understand Korean, but judging by the way he greeted the three of them, it was most likely a compliment.
Xi Ling'en was sitting in the second row, looking at the captain of the North Korean team.
She was happier than anyone else. She knew that the children's theater troupe performed very hard and as an audience member she should give them the warmest applause. However, she still couldn't help but look at the three girls in the Chinese sports team uniforms.
This feeling is like inviting your best friend to your home.
I want to show off the best things in my home, but I'm also worried about not taking good care of them.
After the performance, it was time for A Shui’s favorite meal.
Players from other national teams returned to their respective training grounds, leaving only members of the North Korean table tennis team to accompany them to the cafeteria.
It was only at this time that Zhu Qi realized that the North Korean team consisted of only six people.
They are not divided into first team and second team, and are collectively called the national team.
However, all table tennis players in North Korea train together. Including regional athletes, there are more than 20 people in these provincial teams.
The players on the national team all look to be in their early twenties.
Regional players are basically young players aged 18 or below. Their main responsibility is to accompany the players of the North Korean national team in training, and then improve their practical level before participating in the large round-robin tournament within North Korea. Finally, they must pass the internal screening of the national team before being sent outside to participate in the competition.
Sitting in the cafeteria and preparing to eat, Ah Shui was already starving.
I didn’t have anything to eat at the train station. I had to rely on some bread that Ah Shui brought from the national team to fill my stomach. Now I think everything I see is a state banquet.
The classic dish of North Korea is cold noodles made with buckwheat noodles as the staple food and garnished with various shredded vegetables. Buckwheat is easy to preserve and was the main source of food during wartime. It can be eaten directly without heating.
When the staff brought the cold noodles, Zhu Qi saw a layer of ice floating on top, but when he turned it over, he found beef slices, ham shreds, some green lentils and peanuts.
Zhu Qi and Maomao were still savoring the food, but Ah Shui had already started to gulp it down.
This kind of noodles has a sweet and sour taste, similar to Northeastern cold noodles, but with a stronger and chewier texture.
Zhu Qi also felt that Maomao was a little nervous as it was his first time as the main leader leading a team to visit a foreign country. He was a little restrained when communicating with the North Korean team coach, and his speech was not as fast as when he was in the national team.
It's no wonder.
Zhu Qi didn't expect this to happen when he came.
But it is also a good thing for Maomao now. Zhu Qi can also feel that Ren Xinhua wants to train Maomao to be the successor of the coaching team. If this is the case, leading the team out for negotiations in the future is something that he will have to experience sooner or later.
A Shui was more relaxed, without any sense of restraint as a guest in someone else's home. He even showed off two bowls of cold noodles, which made the Korean coach next to him laugh.
Zhu Qi knew that she was really hungry, and this cold noodle was very local in flavor, with a well-balanced sweet and sour taste. It was also very appetizing when paired with some Korean cold dishes.
The meal is over.
Xi Ling'en hosted the party and took the three of them to their accommodation.
Living with the North Korean women's team, but in a separate room.
The room looked a little small, not a suite like the ones for the national team, but more like bunk beds in the military.
The others shared a room of six. Zhu Qi and her room also had six beds, but only three of them were allowed to live there.
The girls on the North Korean team were very sensible. Although they all seemed very curious about Zhu Qi and the others when they came, they did not lie at the door and watch like the naughty monkeys on the national team. Instead, they each went back to their own rooms.
Zhu Qi and A Shui were packing their luggage in the room, while Maomao was outside discussing the work arrangements for the next seven days with the North Korean coach.
After eating and drinking his fill, Ah Shui stretched out on the bed and said excitedly, "I didn't expect North Korea to be like this. It feels similar to many of our small urban areas now, but the people here seem so energetic."
Zhu Qi agreed.
The arrangements after that were more familiar, basically the two sides trained together and then did some ball pulling and sparring.
Two days were arranged in between, and the North Korean team invited them to visit their own zoo and also invited an equestrian teacher for the three of them to practice equestrianism.
Zhu Qi had never ridden a horse before, but there was an equestrian teacher holding the reins in front of her, so she just sat on the horse and took a stroll.
The North Korean team did not dare to let them actually "race" the horses, after all, beginners would definitely fall if they rode.
Athletes are very valuable. If they fall or get hurt, it will be difficult to explain.
But Ah Shui was having a lot of fun. He touched the horses, fed the sheep, and scratched the giraffe's back. He seemed to be having a lot of fun and didn't want to leave.
After playing enough, it’s time to train.
As part of the Chinese team's delegation, three Chinese team players and three North Korean team players trained together.
As soon as Zhu Qi started the training match, crowds of onlookers gathered from all directions.
Three layers inside and three layers outside.
After a day of training, the amount of training is comparable to that of the national team.
There are even backpacks walking every night, which is more like military management than the national team.
Xi Ling'en had just undergone surgery and was now in the recovery period. The coaching staff did not allow her to attend training, so she stayed by their side to accompany Zhu Qi and the others and act as a translator.
Although the North Korean national team has a small number of players, each of them is an elite.
After all, Zhu Qi and Maomao are top players who have participated in the three major competitions and won countless honors.
However, these North Korean girls were not afraid at all when they were training with them and were able to play right away.
There is another player whose playing style is very similar to Maomao's. It is likely that he has carefully studied Maomao's style and stayed in the North Korean team to serve as a training object for the main players.
There were also a few players who wanted to learn how to loop the ball from Zhu Qi. Zhu Qi did not hide his skills and gave them some pointers.
"When you're looping a ball, don't rub the ball with the middle of the racket; use the top of the racket. It should be quick and swift, using your fingers to exert force..."
Many times, for talented players, there is no need to say too much. Just one sentence can make the other party enlightened and improve their skills to a higher level.
Although it is an academic exchange, the Chinese team and the North Korean team will be competitors in the future.
Zhu Qi's frank and generous technical teaching impressed the North Korean team coaches.
As a feedback.
The North Korean team coach found that A Shui's playing style was similar to Xi Ling'en.
At the beginning, I trained according to Xi Ling'en's backhand style, and later developed my own right-handed style.
The North Korean team coach gave A Shui some tips on how to improve his backhand stroke, following the same method he used to train Xi Ling'en.
It means letting the ball rub against the rubber while the racket flips over.
This way, it will be easy for the opponent to increase their judgment of the ball's rotation when returning the ball, thereby scoring points.
This maneuver is extremely difficult, almost a "suicidal" return, as it is very difficult to flip and hit the ball at the same time.
Ah Shui also learned quickly. He had just practiced for fun, but he found it difficult to do the friction and backhand shot at the same time as suggested by the North Korean coach. However, after his performance was extremely confusing to the fans, he became very interested!
She is a left-handed player and is naturally at a disadvantage against right-handed players.
If you can master this, you will definitely be extremely powerful when competing in individual events in the future!
Xi Ling'en suffered a lot during training, and his old wrist injury was almost caused by practicing this flipping style.
But A Shui didn't care about that anymore and just kept practicing next to the North Korean team coach.
The North Korean team coach first found her a baseball bat and asked her to hit the ball with the stick and to hit the ball accurately. Then he gradually increased the area of the hitting object, and finally turned it into a racket.
A Shui excitedly hit back every ball that the North Korean coach pulled over. He couldn't catch most of the balls, but occasionally there were a few that made it onto the table, which made A Shui excitedly cheer beside the table.
Maomao felt the joy of seeing "my daughter grow up" and pulled Zhu Qi aside to discuss: "She will grow up after she goes back."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
