If you want to understand a place, you could read a guidebook or scroll through endless travel tips. Or, as cities in Guangdong, southern China, demonstrate at the 15th National Games, you could simply watch how people play.
At a press conference held at the Main Press Centre (MPC) of China's 15th National Games in Guangzhou on November 17, representatives from Shenzhen, Shanwei, Dongguan, Jieyang, and Yunfu shared how their signature sports have become part of each city's identity and, in some cases, a tool for industry and global connection.
Shenzhen: Sport with a futuristic twist
Located on the southern border of Guangdong with Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China's tech capital, is a city where sport feels like a glimpse into the future.
A humanoid robot named Kuafu casually carried the torch during the relay. Event command centers operate like mission control. AI systems help manage crowds and provide real-time weather updates, while athletes train in smart facilities equipped with sensors, performance analytics, and advanced recovery tools, blending their skill with technology.
The city also prioritizes sustainability. All venues run on green power, the nation's first zero-carbon smart substation has begun operation, and solar panels on stadium roofs and parking shelters supply energy while promoting green commuting. From construction to energy management to event organization, every step reflects a commitment to low-carbon practices.
Shanwei: Sailing on the wind
If Shenzhen's story is coded in circuits, Shanwei's is written in waves.
This coastal city in eastern Guangdong is known for its long beaches, steady winds, and maritime heritage. It has become one of China's top sailing locations. At Honghai Bay, athletes glide across turquoise waters, while children at Pinqing Lake wobble and laugh through their first sailing lessons. Over the years, Shanwei has nurtured approximately 40 athletes for China's national team and over 100 for provincial squads.
Beyond competition, Shanwei promotes water sports as part of everyday life. Surf festivals, island-hopping tours, and coastal cafés all demonstrate how sailing, surfing, and paddling shape lifestyle and tourism, turning the city's natural wind and waves into a sporting and cultural brand.
Dongguan: Where basketball isn't just a sport, it's a habit
In central Guangdong, Dongguan is an industrial powerhouse and home to nearly 11 million people. Here, basketball is more than a game—it shapes the city's rhythm and culture.
Designated a "National Basketball City" by China's General Administration of Sport in 2004, Dongguan is a city where every village has a court and every town has a gym. It produces champions at every level. The Guangdong Southern Tigers have won eleven Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) championships, while the Guangdong Xintongsheng women's team has twice claimed the Women's CBA crown. Beyond professional leagues, local tournaments like the Village Basketball Association and Factory Basketball Association draw crowds as passionate as any arena, and streetball courts are filled with youth practicing day after day.
At this year's National Games, Dongguan-trained players helped Guangdong win the men's basketball title again, while a local weightlifter stunned audiences by lifting beyond the world snatch record.
Jieyang: Martial arts and cultural heritage
In Jieyang, a historic city in eastern Guangdong, martial arts are a way of life. Traditionally, villagers trained in local gyms, and people of all ages practiced daily, adhering to the rhythm of "work at sunrise, train at sunset." This culture has left a lasting mark on the city.
Today, Jieyang's ancient city core of 1.25 square kilometers hosts nearly 20 martial arts schools. It is common to see men, women, and children practicing in streets and squares. Martial arts here evolve alongside local customs, giving rise to nationally recognized intangible cultural heritage projects such as the Puning Yingge Dance (a neroic, dance-driven folk art), the Qiaolin Fireworks Loong, and the Green Lion Dance.
In Jieyang, sport and heritage are inseparable. Martial arts connect past and present, embodying a story of roots and how they continue to grow.
Yunfu: The city with a big field hockey heart
Yunfu, in western Guangdong, is known for its natural beauty and growing industrial base.
Twenty years ago, few would have imagined Yunfu becoming a field hockey hub. Today, the sport is the city's "calling card." More than 2,300 players train here, including national stars like Cui Qiuxia, Chen Qijun, Chen Chengfu, and Liu Junjie. The city boasts China's seventh and Guangdong's first international elite-level hockey field, fully equipped to host major competitions. Since 2022, Yunfu has consecutively hosted national hockey tournaments. In 2024, after training in Yunfu, China's women's hockey team headed to the Paris Olympics and won the silver medal.
Sport is not just competition. It's personality. It's memory. It's identity. In Guangdong, every court, gym, and wave tells a story, proving that how a city plays reveals who it truly is.
Reporter | Li Muzi
Editor | Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He
