Lin, head of this school's physical education department, told reporters on Monday that the absence of a vaulting horse was to encourage those kids, who feared they could not succeed if it had been there, to jump and feel the sense of "making it".

As expected, the timid became successful and confident. Another part of the vaulting game did involve a real vaulting horse, but the "athletes" were allowed even to climb and get themselves over, in whatever way they could imagine.

This change of game rules was actually prompted by the new Principles for Physical Education issued by the Ministry of Education.

The new Principles are now asking elementary and secondary schools to help the young according to different kid's different abilities, instead of the old "treat them all the same."

The Chinese now believe that a given standard might not be suitable for everybody, and physical education just began to fit everybody.

(People’s Daily 10/09/2001)