Please use your golden finger to make a fortune, like and take a walk, get rich forever, pay attention to the like, it is difficult to get rich if you don't want to
In a 2021 Asian Cup men's basketball qualifier, Japan's Zhang Bentianjie's malicious foul on a Chinese player caused an uproar.
After the game, he even threatened that "I want to beat the Chinese team the most".
However, what is less known is that this "Japan player" is actually a native of Northeast China.
From Liaoning to Japan, from Chinese nationality to Japan nationality, and now to express his desire to return to China, Zhang Bentianjie's life trajectory is full of drama.
What kind of contradictions and struggles are hidden in his story?
On the court of the 2021 Asian Cup men's basketball qualifiers, a fierce game is being staged. The matchup between the Chinese team and the Japan team attracted the attention of many fans, but no one expected that the game would completely change the nature of this game because of a Japanese player named Zhang Bentianjie.
The game was in a white-hot stage, and Zhang Bentianjie's actions made the atmosphere suddenly tense. He first unleashed a dangerous move on Chinese defender Zhao Jiwei, raising his elbow and nearly hitting him in the face.
Zhao Jiwei fell heavily to the ground, and the pain was unbearable. However, instead of apologizing, Zhang Bentianjie pretended to be injured and rolled on the ground.
This scene made the Chinese team staff angry, and they rushed forward to theorize, but were stopped by the referee. Chinese fans on the sidelines were even more furious, and even some Japan spectators expressed dissatisfaction with this unsportsmanlike behavior.
But Zhang Bentianjie's bad behavior did not stop there. Towards the end of the game, he slammed the Chinese defender Wu Qian from behind, causing Wu Qian to fall out of the field.
This time, the Chinese players couldn't hold back any longer, and surrounded each other to theorize, among which Wang Zhelin was even more angry and almost threw his fists.
The game was interrupted, and security and staff had to step forward to maintain order. The entire stadium was in chaos, and the angry scolding of Chinese fans came and went.
However, what was even more shocking was the performance of Zhang Bentianjie in the post-match press conference. In the face of the reporter's questioning, he not only did not have the slightest remorse, but said coldly: "I was originally Japanese, and the most eager to win is naturally the Chinese team, which just confirms my wise move of choosing to join the Japan nationality back then."
The remarks were tantamount to adding fuel to the fire and immediately caused an uproar on the Internet. Countless Chinese netizens denounced Zhang Bentianjie as a "traitor" and a "rebel in the Northeast".
Even the people of his hometown of Liaoning couldn't help but sigh: "It's good that you didn't stay in the country, otherwise it would really be a shame for us Northeast people."
This turmoil not only exposed Zhang Bentianjie's contradictions in nationality identity, but also triggered people's in-depth thinking about patriotism in sports competitions. For a time, Zhang Bentianjie became the focus of public opinion, and his every word and deed was scrutinized under the microscope.
After the turmoil caused by Zhang Bentianjie subsided, people began to ask: How did this former Chinese young man embark on such a tortuous life path?
To understand the story of Zhang Bentianjie, we have to start with his family. Zhang Bentian was born in a well-known sports family. His father Zhang Jian is the main forward of the Liaoning Provincial Men's Basketball Team, and he is majestic on the court.
Mother Qiang Shuping is even more amazing, she used to be the main attacker of the national women's volleyball team, winning glory for the country.
Growing up in such a family, Zhang Bentianjie has formed an indissoluble bond with the ball since he was a child. Before he could speak, he was already rolling around at home and playing ball.
Dad is even more strict at home, and he also requires him to maintain the style of an athlete. In this way, basketball has become an inseparable part of Xiao Tianjie's life.
But fate always likes to play jokes with people. When Zhang Bentianjie was in the sixth grade of elementary school, his mother had been living in Japan for several years. In order to create a better environment for his son to grow up, Zhang Jian made a difficult decision: the family moved to Japan.
For Zhang Bentianjie, who is only 12 years old, this is not an easy task. The language barrier, different living habits, and the parting from his hometown all made Xiao Tianjie feel extremely tormented.
Fortunately, he still has basketball, and basketball has become his only spiritual sustenance in a foreign country.
In schools in Japan, Zhang Bentianjie's ball skills quickly attracted everyone's attention. It didn't take long for him to become one of the best young players in the region. But the good times were short-lived.
Because of nationality problems, Zhang Bentianjie could not join the Japan national youth team, which was a big deal for Zhang Jian and his wife, who wanted their son to make a difference on the road of basketball.
After some weighing, they made a decision that surprised their friends and family: to renounce their Chinese nationality and apply for Japan citizenship. Despite being dissuaded by many people, Zhang Bentianjie's family persevered.
In 2008, they finally got their wish and obtained Japan citizenship. In order to say goodbye to the past, Zhang Bentianjie also deliberately changed his surname to "Zhang Ben".
In this way, this young man from Northeast China embarked on a road that gradually distanced himself from the motherland.
After obtaining Japan citizenship, Zhang Bentianjie entered the Japan national youth team as he wished. In important events such as the Asian Youth Championships and the Incheon Asian Games, his performance is remarkable, and his reputation is getting louder and louder.
However, as time passed, Zhang's identification with his own identity became more and more complex. Whenever a reporter asked him about his nationality, he always did not hesitate to say that he was Japanese.
He even publicly expressed his hope to represent Japan against the Chinese team to prove that he was right to choose to become a Japanese citizen.
These remarks undoubtedly touched the nerves of many Chinese fans. People feel both anger and heartache for this "rebel" who openly "betrayed" the motherland. But what they don't know is that Zhang Bentianjie's heart is actually experiencing a fierce struggle.
As time passed, Zhang Bentianjie's life in Japan gradually got on track. Not only did he have good results on the basketball court, but he also married a wife and had children in Japan and formed a small family of his own.
On the surface, he seems to have fully integrated into Japan society.
However, just when everyone thought that Zhang Bentianjie had been completely "Japanized", the contradictions in his heart began to quietly appear.
In an unexpected interview in 2022, Zhang Bentianjie expressed his inner entanglement. He said: "To be honest, I have always had a dream to return to China to develop.
You may not know that China's development opportunities and treatment are much better than Japan's. I sincerely hope that in the future, I can bring my children back to China and enjoy the fruits of the prosperity and development of my motherland together.
As soon as these words came out, they immediately caused an uproar on the Internet. Some people accuse him of seeing the wind and slashing twice, believing that he only has a fancy for China's economic development prospects.
Some people also expressed their understanding and felt that this reflected the general mentality of many overseas Chinese.
However, the reality is often more brutal than ideal.
What's more, Zhang Bentianjie's ball skills are not as good as before. Just in 2022, he barely made the World Cup qualifier for Japan, but his performance was rather mediocre.
Many people can see that his career has gone downhill.
Faced with such a predicament, Zhang Bentianjie fell into a deep confusion. He began to reflect on whether his decision to renounce his Chinese nationality was the right one. In Japan, he always felt like an outsider; But when he returned to China, he feared rejection.
This identity crisis not only affected Zhang Bentianjie himself, but also brought trouble to his family. His Japan wife began to worry about whether she and her children would be able to adjust to life there if she did move her family back to China.
In public, Zhang Bentianjie still maintains the image of a professional athlete. But in private, he is often alone in a daze, thinking about his future. He began to pay attention to the news in China and learn about the development and changes of his motherland.
Whenever he sees China's achievements, he feels a mixed emotion of pride and regret.
Zhang Bentianjie's story reflects the common dilemma faced by many overseas Chinese: how to balance the feelings of the country of origin and the responsibility of the country of residence after years of hard work in a foreign country? How do you find a balance between different cultural identities? These problems not only plague Zhang Bentianjie, but also thousands of overseas Chinese like him.
Zhang Bentianjie's story is like a mirror, reflecting the identity dilemma faced by many people in the era of globalization. His experience is not just a personal choice, but also a microcosm of the changing times.
Think about it, in this era of frequent talent turnover, there may be more and more examples like Zhang Bentianjie. It's nothing new for athletes to change their nationality for better development opportunities.
Zhang Bentianjie's case tells us that the answer is not so simple. He gave up his Chinese nationality for his basketball dream, but now he has the idea of returning.
For those athletes who are considering "naturalization", Zhang's experience is undoubtedly a case worth pondering. The choice of nationality is not only about personal development, but also about cultural identity, family responsibilities and many other aspects.
It's not a simple "either/or" choice, but a life decision that requires thoughtful consideration.
At the same time, Zhang Bentianjie's story also provides some inspiration for those Chinese who are working hard. After years of struggle in a foreign country, many people may begin to rethink where their roots are, as Zhang Bentianjie did.
This pull of cultural identity is a common challenge faced by many overseas Chinese.
From a broader perspective, Zhang's experience also provokes us to think about the phenomenon of "naturalization". In the world of sports, it has become a trend to "naturalize" athletes.
But what are the social and cultural implications behind this trend? Does it affect the construction of national identity? These are all questions that deserve our in-depth exploration.
Zhang's future is still uncertain. Whether he ultimately chooses to stay in Japan or return to China, he will face many challenges. But his story will undoubtedly be a unique case that provides a vivid example of how we understand the issue of identity in the age of globalization.
In this era of increasing cross-border mobility, we may need to re-examine the meaning of concepts such as "nationality" and "identity". Zhang Bentianjie's story may be just the beginning, and there may be more similar stories emerging in the future.
These experiences are telling us that in this complex world, identity is no longer a simple black and white choice, but a process that requires constant adjustment and balance.
The purpose of this article is to advocate positive social energy, without vulgarity and other bad guidance. If you are involved in copyright or character infringement, please contact us in time