Abstract: By means of literature analysis, the paper re-cognizes the essence of the transformation of modern sports and the different characteristics of sports forms in ancient China in order to explore the social and historic force that promotes the establishment of modern sports system. Main conclusion: modern Chinese sports experiences a gradual transition from ancient folk activities to social and public undertakings, focusing on the concept of public physical body in a national crisis, and coupled with increasingly enhanced awareness of "public rights". This activates social and public sports competitions and the construction of sports venues, which is a sports mode compatible with civil society and represents the nature of the social development.

Key words: civil politics, view of body, sports venues, public sports system