It is to the lady who knows him best, his wife, Liang Lijuan, a formerwell-known journalist, whom we owe He Zhenliang and China's OlympicDream The book recounts how her husband, who originally trained as anelectrical engineer, became involved in sports administration in the late1950s, something he himself describes as“a happy accident”。

This book was written by He Zhenliang'swife Liang Lijuan, a senior journa list from thePeople's Daily. He Zhenliang, known as China's Mr.Olympics, is the honorary presi-dent of the Chinese Olympic Committee,former vice-president of the International Olympic Committee and former Deputy Minister of the State Sport Commission of China,the predecessor of the General Administration of Sport. This book is a memoir of his personal life stories and diplomatic experiencesin the sports field. It gives accurate and detailed depictions of the inside stories of a number of significant events in China's history of sports dealing with the outside world, includ-ing opposition to “two Chinas” in international sports organizations in the 1950s, the found-ing of the Games of the Newly Emerging Forces (GANEFO) in the 1960s, restorationof China's legitimate seat on the International Olympic Committee in the 1970s, the 1990 Beijing 11th Asian Games, and Beijing's bids for the 2000 and 2008 Olympic Games. The story of the breaking down of barriers to sports exchanges across the Taiwan Straits is particu-larly fascinating.

Chapter 1 Childhood Years

 Home Destroyed by War

 Difficult Student Life

 Pursuing Revolutionary Truth

 Longing for the Liberation of Shanghai

Chapter 2 A New World

 At the Central Committee of the New Democratic Youth League

 Many Firsts

 “Returning to the Ranks”

 The Most Correct Choices

Chapter 3 Learning to Love Sports

 First Contact with the International Olympic Committee

 A Solemn Resolution

 Accumulating Experience in Foreign Affairs

 Sent Down for Labor

 A Family Too Seldom Together

Chapter 4 At the Side of the Leaders

 “Bestir Oneself, Very Good”

 Premier Zhou A Lifetime Model to Learn from

 Work in Party and Government Delegations

 Witnessin Aain the Premier's Grace

Chapter 5 The Tempest Hits the Sports World

 Conflict at the Jakarta Asian Games

 Establishing the Games of the New Emerging Forces

 AA, A, AAA

Chapter 6 Asian Sports Cannot do Without China

 Skirmish of Asian Games

 Achieving Complete Victory

 Song of the Victory

 The“Cultural Revolution” Is Over!

Chapter 7 World Sport Cannot do Without China

Epilogue

 Winning More Friends

 Deng Xiaoping at the Helm

 The First Assault

 1976 -- A Year of Few Actions

 1977 -- A Year of Silence

Chapter 8 The Final Battle to Recover China's Rightful Place

 1978 -- On the Eve of the Final Battle

 1979 -- A Crucial Year

 Verbal Joust with Members

 Sprint to the Finish

Chapter 9 Coopted as IOC Member -- Before and After

 1980 -- A Year of Many Things

 Nomination and Recommendation

 Baden-Baden Election

Chapter 10 “Refusing to,Be 'the Head'” vs. “Doing Something”

 Establishing the Olympic Council of Asia

 China Enters the Election Campaign

 Sheikh Fahad Pays a Call

 Unexpected Incident

 Ihe Final Breakthrough

 Withdrawing Again

Chapter 11 1990 Beijing Asian Games

 24 Years and 14 Years

 Winning the Ho,t City Rights

 The First Step Is the Hardest

 Unity, Friendship, Progress

 Different Voices and Political Disturbances

 Gulf Winds Changed Suddenly

Chapter 12 For the Development of Asian Sport

 Working with Asian Members

 Establishing the Asian Winter Games

 Establishing the East Asia Games

 The Appeal of East Asia

 Things That Cannot Be Left Unsaid

Chapter 13 Upholding the“One China” Principle

 Refusing to Participate in Women's Softball Championship

 No Ambiguity on Questions of Principle

 Taiwan Does Not Meet the Requirements

 Opposing the Invitation of Lee Teng-hui

 Taking Preventive Measures

Chapter 14 Endeavouring for National Reunification

 “We Act Correctly”

 Implementing the “One China, Two Systems”Concept

 Promoting Cross-Straits Sports Exchanges

 A Difference of One Chinese Character

 Who Will Be the Counterpart?

 Signing the First Cross-Straits Agreement

 The Hong Kong-Macao Problem

Chapter 15 Entering the World's Sports Leading Body

 “Ambassador” and Delegate

 Entering the Executive Board

 He's“Triple Jump”

 Olympic Movement Belongs to the World

 Frank and Sincere Opinions

 Opposing“Euro Centrism”

 Friend Giving Forthright Admonition

Chapter 16 Bidding for the 2000 Olympic Games

 People Longs for the Olympics

 The Last Great Deed

 Fight of Giants

 “Eight-Nation Allied Forces”

 90-plus Keys

 The Final Battle in Monte Carlo

 “Boycot”Disturbance

 Remember This Day

 Long Live Understanding

Chapter 17 Crisis and Reform

 The Tip of the Iceberg

 Incessant Aftershocks

 IOC Members“Mutiny”

 “Cut the Tangled Mess with a Sharp Knife”

 Starting Up the Reforms

Chapter 18 Bidding for the 2008 Olympic Games

 A Good Start

 Total Devotion

 Just Cause Gains Great Support

 Victorious Finale in Moscow

 Generous Kindness of the People

Appendix

 Speech at the Meeting in celebration of the Success of Beijing's

 Olympic Bid He Zhenliang