Dual Verification of the Introduction Time of Modern Football to Meizhou
The accurate determination of the timeline for the introduction of modern football to Meizhou is pivotal in establishing the origin of modern football in mainland China.Commencing from the historical gap in the propagation of Meizhou football,employing methods such as literature research,field investigation,and logical analysis,and adopting a dual perspective encompassing the international dissemination history of modern football and domestic historical texts,this study scrutinizes the academic assertion that"Wuhua in Meizhou witnessed modern football activities in 1873."The findings debunk the notion that missionary Bian Dezhi was instrumental in disseminating modern football,lending greater credibility to the claim of"football activities started in ZhongShuGuan School in Yuen Keng in 1901."The influx of modern football into mainland China is traced back to the campus sports activities of the Beiyang Naval Academy in 1881.The early dissemination of Meizhou football is attributed to sports educators nurtured by the members of the revolutionary party in Tung Meng Hui.