Exhibition highlights historical roots of game

When 27-year-old Cao Jinghao walked into the basketball-themed exhibition at Dongguan Exhibition Center with his parents, he was wearing a Guangdong Southern Tigers' T-shirt commemorating 10 of the club's CBA titles.

The showcase dedicated to the Tigers' championships was his first stop. With Dongguan hosting the men's basketball competition of the 15th National Games, Cao had taken leave from work and traveled from Jiangmen, another city in the province, to watch the Guangdong men's team in the final. It was the first time he had attended a game in the Southern Tigers' arena after following them on TV for years.

The team rewarded him by reclaiming the National Games gold after a 12-year wait.

"Dongguan's basketball culture is really strong," he said. "It's also my first time at a basketball-themed exhibition. There are lots of interactive things like photo areas and stamping stations — it's quite fun."

Inside the exhibition, visitors stopped to photograph memorabilia such as a first-generation basketball gifted by FIBA, China Basketball Hall of Fame badges, and ceremonial uniforms. At an interactive area equipped with a hoop, adults and children lined up to take shots.

Marking the 130th anniversary of basketball's arrival in China, the exhibition used the National Games as a backdrop to trace the development of Chinese and Guangdong basketball and Dongguan's unique growth alongside the sport. The exhibition is free to the public and runs through Dec 30.

According to exhibition center staff member Wen Lei, the displays begin with the invention of basketball, its spread into China, and the rise of the professional game.

It shows how basketball took root in the Lingnan area after 1909 and became central to Guangdong's regional culture. The final section highlights Dongguan's own story, from early schoolyard games to a citywide passion that now defines its identity.

In 2004, Dongguan was named "national basketball city" by the General Administration of Sport of China. Today it hosts over 5,000 games annually and has nearly 7,000 courts.

Exhibition curator Wang Chenzheng said Dongguan's basketball history mirrors the development of Chinese basketball itself — from school teams and community tournaments to youth training systems and professional clubs.

A milestone came in 1984, when Dongguan Changping's men's team and Shunde Jun'an's women's team both won titles at the first national farmers' Harvest Cup.

"This was a remarkable achievement," Wang said. "You could think of this tournament as the earliest prototype of today's village BA (Basketball Association) games."

Today, Dongguan's village-level tournaments and citywide competitions continue to flourish. Every Spring Festival, nearly every village hosts its own basketball tournament, a folk tradition deeply rooted in local life.

At this year's National Games, the Dongguan Changping men's team, representing Guangdong in the 45-60 age group, won another championship, extending the city's grassroots legacy.

Dongguan's subtropical climate also helps contribute to its nonstop basketball culture; outdoor courts can be used year-round, unaffected by the winters that freeze courts in northern regions. "This gives Dongguan the perfect environment for a 'basketball for all' atmosphere," Wang said.

Du Feng, who arrived in Dongguan in 1996 as a young Southern Tigers player and is now head coach of the team, said the exhibition captures the city's passion for the game.

"It's very meaningful," he said. "It lets fans experience basketball in more ways and understand why the sport is so popular here."