Table tennis is not from China - it actually started in England over 100 years ago, as an after-dinner game with books for a net and cigar-box lids for paddles. It became 'the national ball game' of China in the 1950s, and the country has been brilliant at it ever since.
The game looks gentle but is one of the fastest in the world. A top player can hit the ball at over 100 km/h - faster than most cars on a motorway - across a 2.7-metre table. Players have to react in less than a quarter of a second.
China takes the sport very seriously. Children who show talent join special training schools at a young age. The Chinese team has won almost every Olympic gold medal for table tennis since the sport was added to the Games.
What is wonderful about table tennis is that almost anyone can play it. You don't have to be tall or strong. You just need a paddle, a ball, a table, and someone to play against. Lots of Chinese schools have outdoor concrete tables that pupils use during break time.