Feng started playing volleyball at the age of 12 and was selected for the Beijing volleyball team at aged 16. A year later she was selected for the national team. At that time the China team was at a low point after years of dominance in the sport. However, the team began to rejuvenate and won the Asian Championship in 2001; came fourth in the World Championship in 2002; won the World Cup in 2003; and went on to win gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, having defeated reigning champion Cuba in the semi-final and come from two sets down in the final to beat Russia.