1912

Tsinghua School established the Department of Physical Education, with A. Shoemaker as director. From its inception, it advocated that the purpose of sports was to strengthen the body to strengthen the nation. After its establishment, the department implemented "compulsory exercise, designating 4-5 PM daily as the time for sports, requiring all students to go to the sports field for various activities. It also stipulated that students must pass a "five-item test, and those who failed physical education were not permitted to study abroad.

1913

Tsinghua students traveled to Manila, Philippines, to participate in the first Far Eastern Championship Games. Six Tsinghua athletes were selected for the Chinese track and field team. Pan Wenbing won first place in the decathlon and in the individual overall score.

1914

Ma Yuehan arrived at the university, beginning his 52-year tenure of dedicated work at Tsinghua.

1918

D. K. Brace served as the director of the Department of Physical Education.

1919

The West Gymnasium (the old gymnasium) was completed, "compulsory exercise" was discontinued, and physical education classes were introduced as a required course for both the higher and middle divisions. In the same year, Ma Yuehan went to the United States for further studies.

1920

Ma Yuehan became the director of the Department of Physical Education.

1923

The Department of Physical Education was renamed the Physical Education Group.

1925

Ma Yuehan went to Springfield College in the United States to pursue a master's degree and published his thesis, "The Transfer Value of Physical Education", in 1926.

1926

The Physical Education Group was changed to the Department of Physical and Military Education, and in December of the same year, it was changed to the Department of Physical Education.

1929

With the university-wide restructuring, it was renamed the Department of Military Training and the Gymnasium.

1930

The University Council decided to change the name back to the Department of Physical Education.

1938

Tsinghua University, Peking University, and Nankai University merged to form the "National Southwestern Associated University" (Kunming), and the Department of Physical Education was merged accordingly, with Ma Yuehan as director.

1940

The National Southwestern Associated University changed the Physical Education Group to the Department of Physical Education, with Ma Yuehan as director.

1946

Tsinghua University was re-established, and the Department of Physical Education was restored with top-tier faculty and facilities in the country.

1952

After the nationwide university restructuring, the Department of Physical Education was renamed the Physical Education Teaching and Research Group, with Ma Yuehan continuing as director.

1953

The 1st Tsinghua University Track and Field Games opened, with over 1,000 athletes participating.

1954

President Jiang Nanxiang proposed the principle of "improving on the basis of popularization, and popularizing under the guidance of improvement. In the same year, new university sports teams were established.

1957

President Jiang Nanxiang proposed the slogan "Strive to work healthily for the motherland for at least fifty years.

1964

The Tsinghua University Sports Committee was established.

1966

Mr. Ma Yuehan passed away at Tsinghua.

1966-1976

No director was appointed for the Physical Education Teaching and Research Group; it was uniformly led by the university leadership in charge of sports, with teaching managed by the Academic Affairs Office.

1972

Tsinghua was the first to implement the "Standards for Physical Exercise", which was piloted nationwide the following year.

1976

Xia Xiang became the director of the Physical Education Teaching and Research Group.

1979

The Physical Education Teaching and Research Group was renamed the Physical Education Teaching and Research Office, with Xia Xiang continuing as director. Physical education classes were the first to resume regular teaching order across the university, mass sports activities were actively carried out, and Tsinghua's fine sports traditions were revitalized.

1980

Tsinghua's physical education requirement was extended from three years to four. In the same year, the department was awarded the title of "Advanced Collective in Sports Work in Beijing.

1984

The university's student track and field games began to be named after Mr. Ma Yuehan, and the "Ma Yuehan Track and Field Traveling Trophy" was established.

1986

The Physical Education Teaching and Research Office was led by Liu Huaxuan (acting). A statue of Ma Yuehan was unveiled at the West Sports Field.

1987

Wang Yi served as the Party branch secretary. The dual-degree program for students from Beijing Sport University began. The East Sports Activity Center (the west stand of the East Track and Field) was completed.

1989

Liu Ruyi served as the Party branch secretary of the Physical Education Teaching and Research Office.

1990

Cao Baoyuan served as the director of the Physical Education Teaching and Research Office.

1992

Zheng Xiuyuan served as the Party branch secretary of the Physical Education Teaching and Research Office.

1993

Tsinghua University was awarded the title of "National Advanced Unit for Mass Sports.

1994

The Physical Education Teaching and Research Office was renamed the Department of Physical Education Teaching and Research, with Chen Weiqiang as director and Zhang Wei as Party branch secretary.

1995

The university began to explore the "Integration of Sports and Education" model for cultivating high-level athletes, successively establishing high-level teams in track and field, diving, shooting, rowing, and basketball, and forming a physical education philosophy of "putting education first, and emphasizing both physical fitness and character. Starting that year, Tsinghua University won fourteen consecutive championships at the Beijing University Track and Field Games and six consecutive championships at the National University Track and Field Championships.

1996

Zhang Rongguo served as the Party branch secretary of the Physical Education Teaching and Research Office. The Tsinghua University Research Center for Sports and Health Science was established.

1997

Wang Peiyong served as the director. Tsinghua University hosted the 5th "National University Track and Field Championships" and held the "Ma Yuehan University Sports Science Conference. The first Freshmen Barefoot Games were held.

1998

A master's program in Physical Education was established. The "Ma Yuehan Cup" was expanded to include 24 competitive events and 3 demonstration events, earning it the nickname "Big Ma Cup.

1999

The "4+3+1" teaching model was implemented for physical education courses.

2000

Chen Weiqiang served as the director.

2001

The Comprehensive Gymnasium and Natatorium were completed and put into use, hosting the diving and basketball competitions of the "World University Games. The "Key Research Base of Sport Humanities and Social Sciences" of the General Administration of Sport of China was established. The Key Laboratory of "Human Kinesiology" was established. In the same year, the "Comprehensive Sports Research Group" was formed, composed of young and middle-aged faculty from the Department of Physical Education, the Department of Automation, and other units.

2003

Zhang Bing served as the Party branch secretary of the Physical Education Teaching and Research Office. A doctoral program in Physical Education was established.

2004

Qiu Jun served as the Party branch secretary of the Department of Physical Education. "University Physical Education" was named a National Elite Course. The department was granted authorization to enroll students in the Master of Physical Education professional degree program.

2005

Tsinghua students won 2 gold and 2 bronze medals at the 23rd World University Games; at the 10th National Games, Tsinghua students won 5 gold, 6 silver, and 1 bronze medal. 6,501 Tsinghua students participated in the Beijing International Marathon.

2006

Qiu Jun served as the secretary of the General Party Branch of the Department of Physical Education.

2008

The Department of Physical Education Teaching and Research was renamed the Department of Physical Education, reverting to its original name from the university's founding. The Department of Physical Education was fully involved in the Beijing Olympic Games: 5 enrolled students competed; 26 faculty members served as referees, coaches, and staff; and the Tsinghua Comprehensive Gymnasium and Natatorium served as independent training venues for the Olympics.

2009

Awarded the title of "2005-2008 National Advanced Unit for Mass Sports" by the General Administration of Sport of China. A postdoctoral research station in Physical Education was established. The Department of Physical Education hosted the "Asian Anthropology Forum. A new "Sunshine Long-Distance Running" extracurricular exercise system was implemented. The Weixue Hall (the east stand of the East Track and Field) was completed, with a shooting range in the basement. At the 11th National Games, Tsinghua students won 1 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze medal.

2010

The "4+2+2" physical education teaching model was officially implemented. All faculty members of the Department of Physical Education participated in the creation of the group calisthenics performance "Ode to Tsinghua" and the construction of the Sports Hall of Honor for the centennial celebration. The Zijing Air Dome was completed.

2011

Liu Bo served as the secretary of the General Party Branch of the Department of Physical Education. The centennial group calisthenics performance was a success. The Tsinghua University "Sports Hall of Honor" was officially inaugurated in the West Gymnasium. "Physical Education" was approved as a first-level discipline by the Ministry of Education. The department hosted the International Conference on Sport Science and the 22nd Pan-Asian Congress of Sports & Physical Education. Physical fitness testing was introduced for independent admissions.

2012

Liu Bo served as the director. Ma Xindong served as the secretary of the General Party Branch of the Department of Physical Education. A celebration was held to mark the 100th anniversary of the Department of Physical Education. A series of events were held to commemorate the 130th anniversary of Ma Yuehan's birth. A Tsinghua student won the first gold medal at the London Olympics. Won the "President's Cup" at the 9th National University Games. Re-elected as the chair institution of the Track and Field Branch of the Federation of University Sports of China.

2013

Won 3 gold medals at the 12th National Games. Held the fifth seminar in a series commemorating the 100th anniversary of Jiang Nanxiang's birth: "To Work Healthily for the Motherland for Fifty Years. The personnel system reform of the Department of Physical Education was launched.

2014

The slogan "No Sports, No Tsinghua" was introduced. New air sports courses were introduced. Hosted the 14th "National University Track and Field Championships. At the 17th Asian Games, Tsinghua students and alumni won 6 gold and 2 silver medals. The first physical education class for freshmen was reinstated. Participated in the National School Sports Work Symposium and shared experiences. The first MOOC, "Soccer and Science", was launched on the XuetangX platform. A commemorative event was held for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the university's sports teams.

2015

The first campus marathon was held. Admissions for the high-level men's soccer team were resumed, maintaining the number of high-level sports team programs at 8.

2016

The men's basketball team won the CUBA National University Basketball League championship for the first time. The first "Sports Night" event was held. The first World Famous Universities Football Tournament was held.

2017

The "Double 60" series of events was held (60th "Ma Yuehan Cup" and the 60th anniversary of the slogan "To work healthily for the motherland for fifty years"). The old rule "no swimming, no graduation" and the tradition of not scheduling classes after 4 PM for freshmen were reinstated, effective from the class of 2017. A minor degree in Physical Education was established for Tsinghua undergraduates. Began admitting full-time students to the Master of Sport Management program. Offered an orientation camp physical education course for international undergraduate freshmen for the first time. Won 5 gold medals in the competitive, mass, and youth events at the 13th National Games. Won the "President's Cup" at the 13th National Student Games. The women's basketball team won the CUBA National University Basketball League championship for the first time.

2018

Tsinghua University signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the General Administration of Sport of China. The first cohort of part-time students in the Winter Olympic Games Management program was enrolled. Won the First Prize in the National Young Teacher Teaching Competition for Higher Education and the Second Prize of the National Award for Teaching Achievement.

2019

Successfully hosted the 2019 Tsinghua Sports Summit Forum. The women's basketball team won the FISU 3x3 Basketball World Cup for the second consecutive time. Began hosting the "Tsinghua Sports Roundtable of Nine.

2020

Due to the pandemic, all physical education classes in the spring semester were moved online, and "cloud competitions" were held during the university's anniversary celebration.

2021

On the eve of the university's anniversary, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Tsinghua University, toured the West Gymnasium Hall of Honor, and gave full affirmation to Tsinghua's glorious sports traditions. The group calisthenics performance for the 110th anniversary was successfully held. Hosted the 59th Capital University Student Track and Field Games. Won two gold medals at the 14th National Games. Won the "President's Cup" at the 14th National Student Games. Yang Qian won two gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, including the first gold of the Games.

2022

Ma Xindong served as the Party secretary of the Department of Physical Education. The men's and women's basketball teams both won the CUBA championships. The track and field team won its thirteenth consecutive championship at the Capital University Student Track and Field Games. The North Gymnasium was completed.