Abstract: The decade from 1964 to 1974 witnessed the comprehensive implementation of the Third-front Construction strategy and the fulfillment of Phase I Project of Panzhihua Iron and Steel Factory. Due to the implementation of the construction policy of "production first, livelihood second", the cultural and living facilities for employees lagged behind during the early construction period, and the workforce was unstable. The local government, on the basis of employees' voluntary sports activities, set up sports organizations, invested in infrastructure, increased sports funds, and promoted various kinds of sports communications and matches of different scales and levels between units and across regions. The sports enriched the staff cultural life, improved production efficiency, and promoted the relationship between workers and farmers as well. The development of sports activities enriched employees' cultural life, improved productivity and fostered worker-peasant relations. Admittedly, due to the influence of special international and domestic politics during the Third-front Construction period, the sports activities had the tendency to "serve political purposes". Consequently, overemphasizing the functions of political propaganda and ideological mobilization hindered to some extent the development of sports as it should have been.

Key words: the Third-front Construction strategy, Panzhihua, sports activities for employees, sports history, rural sports