ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how the rising influence of Chinese nationalism led to the appropriation, or more appropriately to the indigenization of Christian physical education and sport programs during the period 1919-1928. The process by which nationalists gradually took over physical education programs from Christian missionaries and Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) has been examined in order to illustrate how this indigenization process took place through complex negotiation between Western and Chinese values. The chapter discusses the Anti-Christian Movement, in essence, which was inspired by the anti-imperialist sentiments in society, and it had its own peculiar phases during the years from 1922 to 1927. The Chinese Nationalist Movement was driven by a desire to attain 'national unity, national sovereignty, cultural independency and equality with the West'. The New Cultural Movement led to outburst of nationalistic sentiment among the Chinese, especially among Chinese intellectuals and students. The Eastern China Intercollegiate Athletic Association (ECIAA) was particularly ostracized by elite nationalists.
