Importance of Peking, China

Site of the first U.S.-Chinese ping-pong tournament, a major diplomatic break-through after decades of estrangement, Peking (not written Beijing) is to Forrest Gump a nice place after Vietnam, since no one is trying to kill him. The U.S. State Department assigns Mr. Wilkins to coach Forrest on how to behave. When Forrest is honored with a parade in Kumingtan for saving Chairman Mao's life, the two sit together at lunch, and Forrest declares the Vietnam war "a bunch of shit." Photographers capture Mao's delighted reaction. Later, on the street, Forrest shows kindness to a "real Mongolian idiot" and is rewarded with the child's first smile ever. The boy bounces the gifted ping-pong ball and newspapers label the picture, "Young Chinese Displays His Hatred of American Capitalists."