Abstract: The article, based on social ecosystem theory, symbolic interaction theory and feminist theories, and supplemented by semi-structured interviews with female athletes, coaches and sports managers in different periods since the founding of P. R. China, analyzed the macro factors of cultural tradition, political environment and economic development and the mezzo factors of national policies, sports team management, family relations, and the micro factors of athlete training, life and competition to reveal the changing complex and diverse relationships among nation, social gender and competitive sports in different periods since the founding of P. R. China. The study shows that from the founding of P. R. China to the early 1960s, an active and interactional relationship occurred among national identity characterized by the "new society", gender relations marked by gender equality and competitive sports characterized by China's participation in world sports events; from the mid-1960s to the late 1970s, an interactive relationship was forged among national identity characterized by "class struggle", gender relations marked by both men and women playing the same role, and competitive sports encouraging "friendship first, competition second"; from 1979 to 2000, a mutually promotional relationship was developed among national identity characterized by a well-off society, gender relations marked by diversity and equality, and competitive sports characterized by Olympic glory, country image and social gender were interactively affected through the performance of competitive sports; since the new century, an intricate and interactive relationship has emerged among national identity characterized by national rejuvenation, gender relations marked by cooperation and competition, and competitive sports characterized by balanced development.

Key words: national identity, social gender, elite sport, interactive relationship