came here today to see if this had been posted already.
then I saw the thread about the magazine and it's a little hard to see the screen...
http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2020-07...t_76263585.htm
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came here today to see if this had been posted already.
then I saw the thread about the magazine and it's a little hard to see the screen...
http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2020-07...t_76263585.htm
I was going to post it on our Eliminating-the-term-quot-Master-quot thread even though it's really a different thing. But it'll stand here on its own for sure.
Copying the text of the link above for our archive here.
Quote:
China to clean up self-proclaimed kung fu masters
By Zhang Rui
China.org.cn, July 12, 2020
http://images.china.cn/site1007/2020...7424b9e31e.jpg
Tai chi master Hong Weiguo performs tai chi boxing inside the Great Hall of the People following a plenary meeting during the first session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, March 3, 2018. [File photo/China.org.cn]
The Chinese Wushu Association has appealed to all the country's martial artists to maintain self-discipline, and avoid hyping themselves up as "masters" or becoming involved in other violations.
The association published a proposal on strengthening self-discipline and promoting martial arts culture on its website, calling on all practitioners to unite, abide by the ethics of ancient martial arts, abide by the rules, and work together to promote Chinese martial arts, an excellent traditional culture also known as wushu.
The proposal asked martial arts practitioners not to give themselves titles such as "kung fu master", "authentic master" and "legacy inheritor", and not to counterfeit certificates attesting to their alleged prowess.
It suggest practitioners evaluate their skill level through the Chinese martial arts ranking system, while honorary ranks can be awarded to those who have made outstanding contributions to the development of martial arts.
It also hoped they would recognize existing traditional Chinese kung fu styles and sects, not randomly self-create new kung fu styles and schools, and should respect fellow martial artists.
"Practitioners of different martial arts styles should respect each other, communicate sincerely, enhance unity, and improve together, and must not defame, maliciously attack, or discriminate against others,” the announcement stressed.
The association supports martial artists to participate in competitions and exchanges. However, it asks them not to participate in mixed martial arts and kickboxing events, or in any other non-standard events in the name of any recognized Chinese martial arts style or schools.
The reasons for this published proposal is that, in recent years, there have been "masters" self-creating new styles and schools. Some even hyped up their "fighting battles" with other martial artists practitioners and wrestlers for financial gains, arousing much controversy. The association said the behavior of such self-proclaimed "masters" had damaged the image of China's traditional martial arts.
The announcement by the association stressed it supported traditional Chinese martial arts skills and their cultural inheritance, but insisted practitioners should not to engage in activities violating the social order and good customs, as well as laws and regulations, by obtaining money by false pretenses or exploiting apprenticeships.
The Wushu Administrative Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, a government body to supervise the non-profit civil association, previously issued two guidelines in June to regulate and standardize martial arts competitions and matches, as well as how to participate in such kung fu events. The center pledged to clean up the sector and crack down on all fake "masters".
ThreadsQuote:
Martial Arts / Kung Fu
Chinese kung fu ‘masters’ told to clean up act and stop bringing shame to traditional martial arts
Chinese Wushu Association says behaviour of self-proclaimed ‘masters’ has damaged the overall image of traditional martial arts
Practitioners warned not to appoint themselves as ‘kung fu masters’, ‘authentic masters’ or ‘legacy inheritors’ and stop faking documents and certificates
Patrick Blennerhassett
Published: 1:37pm, 16 Jul, 2020
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default...a&v=1594877818
The Chinese Wushu Association is pleading with “masters” like tai chi practitioner Ma Baoguo to stop hyping fights. Photo: Handout
The Chinese Wushu Association is cracking down on kung fu “masters” from overhyping themselves and bringing detrimental effects to traditional martial arts in China.
The association published directives in a “proposal” on its website last week, saying also it would give “guidance” and help promote the various traditional martial arts disciplines.
In the past few years, practitioners have hyped fights for financial or personal gain, which has brought a lot of controversy.
The CWA’s proposal, “Ways to strengthen self discipline in the business and enhance wushu culture in China” – which can be read as a “directive” as it is the governing body – says the behaviour of self-proclaimed “masters” has also damaged the overall image of traditional martial arts.
A number of videos have gone viral of tai chi “masters” being badly beaten in actual fights, primarily with modern-day mixed martial arts practitioners.
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default...770_133652.jpg
Mixed martial arts fighter Xu Xiaodong has been on a crusade to expose fake martial arts masters. Image: YouTube
The latest viral craze involved tai chi master Ma Baoguo who was knocked out cold by an amateur martial arts fighter 20 years his junior. The 69-year-old was left unconscious in his fight debut in Shandong.
Arguably, the most well-known MMA fighter in China, who has been on a crusade to expose fake martial arts masters, is maverick Xu Xiaodong. Nicknamed “Mad Dog”, he has taken a number of fights with various practitioners and subsequently been blacklisted in his home country.
The CWA is appealing to all the country’s martial artists to uphold “self-discipline” and avoid “hyping themselves as masters” or become involved in other “violations”.
Recently some fake masters arbitrarily set up different sects and appointed themselves as “head” of these fake sects for personal gain, making use of the popularity of traditional Chinese martial arts in the community to promote commercial activities through overhyped fights.
“This has severely tarnished the image of the traditional martial arts and must be totally prohibited,” the directive says.
The CWA is asking martial arts practitioners not to appoint themselves as “kung fu masters”, “authentic masters” or “legacy inheritors” and not to fake any documents or certificates related to their training or “alleged prowess”.
“Practitioners of different martial arts styles should respect each other, communicate sincerely, enhance unity, and improve together, and must not defame, maliciously attack, or discriminate against others,” the association says.
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default...770_133652.jpg
Tai chi master Ma Baoguo is knocked out in Shandong. Image: YouTube
The directive also suggests a skills evaluation should be done through the proper Chinese martial arts ranking systems, and that they should not randomly create new kung fu styles, schools and also respect other fellow martial artists.
This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Kung fu ‘masters’ told to clean up their overhyped act
Patrick Blennerhassett
Patrick Blennerhassett is an award-winning Canadian journalist and four-time published author. He is a Jack Webster Fellowship winner and a British Columbia bestselling novelist. He has covered sport for the South China Morning Post since 2018.
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