Tianjin students took part in interschool sports event more than 100 years ago and during the meet heard the prophetic words of a true visionary.

The speaker was Zhang Boling (1876-1951), founder of Nankai Middle School and Nankai University, and his speech about the Olympic spirit stirred the students into an outburst of applause.

On the eve of the 2008 Beijing Games, a new book has been launched detailing the life of one of the founding fathers of the Olympic movement in China. Chinese Olympic Pioneer Zheng Boling tells the story of the patriotic educator Zhang and his efforts to promote the Olympic movement in China.

"My grandpa will rejoice in China's achievement in his grave," said Zhang Yuanlong, vice-chairman of the standing committee of Tianjin Municipal People's Congress, and also the youngest grandson of Zhang Boling.

Back in the 1920s, Zhang listed the Olympic movement on the curriculum of Tianjin physical education, only a few years after his contemporary, Pierre de Coubetin, established the modern Olympic Games.

Zhang was an elite academic who received modern education and developed advanced ideas about sport and its benefits to society.

"To strengthen our nation, we should first make our people strong, which can only be achieved by exercising strong bodies," he said. He said that "the principal who is indifferent to physical education can never be qualified for his job".

Zhang recognized the significance of Olympic movement and how it could lead to character building of individuals and social reform.

He pushed for China's participation in the Olympiad, a concept little known to the Chinese. He introduced the revival of the modern Olympics and deemed that China should learn from European countries.

China had never been brought into contact with international sports events until Zhang played an important role in Far Eastern Olympic Games, and the 10th, 11th and 14th Olympic Games.

He set up the 1st National Sports Union of School Team, the first non-governmental sports organization in China, and was later elected as president of China National Amateur Athletic Federation.

"The book is a present to the Olympics and its publication is well timed," said Shao Shiwei, deputy director of the communications department of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games.

He said that many people are concerned more with gold medals than with the history of Olympics.

The book by the People's Press could help more people get a better understanding of the Games, he said.