By outdoor-nature-child.com On October 25, in Yinchuan, a recent event titled “Taiwanese Youth Take Root in Ningxia, Building a Baseball and Softball ‘Paradise’ from Scratch” caught attention.
“Friends from Taiwan who came to participate in the tournament were straightforward with me: ‘Wow! You really did an amazing job organizing this event!’” said Lin Zhixun, reflecting on the 2024 Cross-Strait (Ningxia) Youth Slow Pitch Softball Invitation Tournament that just concluded. Having arrived in Ningxia eight years ago, he never imagined that the remote northwest region of China would host a large-scale event attracting over 300 players from both Taiwan and the mainland.
Lin, a former professional baseball player from Taiwan, moved to Yinchuan in 2016 and entered the fitness industry after retiring. At that time, baseball and softball were virtually unknown sports in the region, but Lin saw potential in introducing them. With the support of friends and family, he decided to revive his passion for the sport in early 2022, aiming to promote baseball and softball in Yinchuan.
In the beginning, Lin held training sessions on the rooftop of a gym under rudimentary conditions, with only about ten participants. Today, he and his companions have built an indoor training facility, and his club boasts around a hundred core members.
In the first year of promotion, Lin focused on adults and saw a rapid increase in enthusiasts. “Once our club membership stabilized, we shifted our efforts towards schools,” he explained.
Initially, schools were resistant to the idea, but with persistence from his team and support from relevant authorities, more schools began to understand and accept the sport. Today, several primary and secondary schools in Yinchuan offer baseball and softball classes. “The feedback from students after our sessions has been overwhelmingly positive,” Lin shared.
For Lin, baseball and softball represent a joyful and collaborative team experience where every successful play is a product of teamwork. Through this sport, he has made many friends in Ningxia.
With the promotion of baseball and softball, Lin believes these events have fostered better understanding between young people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait. “During the tournament, many friends from Taiwan enjoyed local delicacies like goat offal and head, and even visited attractions like Shapotou for sand sliding and camel riding. A lot of them told me they have fallen in love with Ningxia,” he noted. “On the field, we improve our skills together, while off it, we share our lives. Baseball and softball create a friendly communication bridge for our youth.”
In addition to regular teaching and training, Lin has created multiple social media accounts to share his life and local culture and cuisine. “Many Taiwanese friends have learned about my life in Ningxia through my videos.”
“I’ve lived in Ningxia for eight years now; it has become my second hometown,” Lin expressed. He appreciates the relaxed lifestyle and the warm, straightforward people of Ningxia. He also found love with a local girl and has become a “son-in-law of Ningxia.”
Looking towards the future, Lin hopes to promote a brand for cross-strait baseball and softball events, inviting more Taiwanese, especially youth, to join. He also aspires to build a professional team in Ningxia to participate in more competitions.