Drawing on Chinese sources hitherto unavailable in the West including official documents and interviews with top athletes, the author explores the rise of Chinese super sportswomen and their relationship with politics, culture and society before and during the Cultural Revolution and through China's transition to a market economy.

Part 1 Women, society and elite sports in the early years of the new China: analysis - overview - communist sports administration, specialization of sport and women's emancipation, international recognition and Soviet influences; analysis -illustrative case studies - Beijing, Guangdong, Sichuan; conclusion. Part 2 Women, society and elite sport in the new China between 1957 and 1965: analysis - overview - political goals and elite women's sport, gender culture and training loads, the GLF, international conflicts and the national games, post-GLF adjustment and reform; analysis - illustrative case studies - analysis - illustrative case studies - Beijing, Guangdong, Sichuan; conclusion. Part 3 Women, society and elite sport during the Cultural Revolution (1966-76): analysis - overview - the Red Guard movement, women and sport, women's liberation, model operas and sportswomen, the rustication campaign, education and sports teams, revival of elite sport and a sports revolution; analysis - illustrative case studies - Beijing, Guangdong, Sichuan; conclusion. Part 4 Women, society and elite sport in the first decade of economic reform (1979-89): analysis - overview - reform, pluralism and elite sport, opening up, nationalism and Olympic strategy, sport, success, status and challenge, higher education, occupational choices and elite sport; analysis - illustrative case studies - Beijing, Guangdong, Sichuan; conclusion. Part 5 Women, society and elite sport in the transition to a market economy (1990-98): analysis - overview - integration of the Olympic and national games, market economy and institutional reform, relationships between elite and mass sport and between coach and athlete, sportswomen and women's elite sport in the 1990s; analysis - illustrative case studies - Beijing, Guangdong, Sichuan; conclusion. Part 6 Olympic success, drug violations and elite women's sport in the new China: drug culture versus anti-drug campaigns; behind the drugs; decentralization and drug offences; drugs, disgrace and women's sport in China; conclusion. Part 7 New women for a new age - conquest and confrontation -successful sportswomen: the Chinese women's volleyball team - sacrifices and rewards; the Ma family army - coach, athletes and confrontation; speed skater Ye Qaobo - clash of gender ideals; steps to success; conclusion. Part 8 Mobility, stratification and sportswomen in the new China: social mobility; occupational prestige, social mobility and sportswomen; family background, social mobility and involvement in sport; geographical and social mobility of sportswomen; stratification, post-athletic careers and educational opportunities; conclusion. Part 9 Gender relations and sport in the new China - continuity, change and gender culture: partnership in the sports community; reform - male coach and female athlete; family, marriage and careers in sport; opportunities and challenges; conclusion. Part 10 Epilogue - elite women's sport in China - bridging the past