IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i23p15693-d984095.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

What Is Happening in the Squares of China? Exploring the Experience of Participating in Square Sports and Sustainability Factors

Author

Listed:
  • Guoyi Li

    (Department of Physical Education, Shenyang Medical College, No. 146, Huanghe North Street, Shenyang 110034, China)

  • Jungrae Lee

    (Department of Leisure and Sports, College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Kyungpook National University, 2559, Gyeongsang-daero, Sangju-si 37224, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea)

Abstract

This phenomenological study explored the experience of participation in square sports in China and the social mechanisms by which they can be sustained. Ten study participants were selected through a purposeful sampling method. The findings indicate that their physical and mental health were either maintained or improved as they engaged in square sports. They also experienced reduced feelings of loneliness and an increase in their sense of belonging through exchanges with other members of their teams. They enjoyed the freedom from cost and spatial restrictions in pursuing leisure activities. However, conflicts also arose with other groups, mainly related to securing space in the squares. Additionally, the study found that conflicts between participants and non-participants in square sports emerged as a social problem. The social mechanisms by which square sports can be sustained were identified as people-led voluntary participation, pride in square sports, and the reproduction of economic capital using human resources.

Suggested Citation

  • Guoyi Li & Jungrae Lee, 2022. "What Is Happening in the Squares of China? Exploring the Experience of Participating in Square Sports and Sustainability Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:23:p:15693-:d:984095
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/23/15693/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/23/15693/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:23:p:15693-:d:984095. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.