Mid-life Chinese women’s understandings of sporting pain and injury: A non-Western cultural analysis via the Confucian concept of ‘ren’

Abstract

This study explored middle-aged Chinese female table tennis players’ experiences of pain and injuries in the context of life in a foreign country (New Zealand). Data were collected in two table tennis clubs via a year-long participant observation study and through life-story interviews. The Confucian concept of ren, which has similarities to new-materialist theorising, was drawn upon to frame our interpretations of the participants’ experiences of pain and injury. The concept encourages individuals who have been raised in Chinese communities to value social connections, have sympathy for others and strive for harmony. Our study correspondingly examined how aspects of age, gender, culture, immigrant identity and Confucian philosophy interlink to shape experiences of table tennis pain and injury. Results illustrated that our participants were willing to tolerate moderate pain during participation as they were motivated to enhance community solidarity. In contrast to studies that have examined ageing athletes from western countries, our participants did not tolerate pain with the desire to prove one’s individual capability. This study contributes to a non-Western cultural reading of sports pain and injury to illustrate how broader cultural dynamics shape such experiences.