Chinese martial arts connect China, US by diversifying community cultures
Source:Xinhua Published: 2018/12/17 18:33:41
International students learn kung fu at the Shajiamen Martial Arts School in Cangzhou, Heibei Province, on May 12. Photo: VCG
Inset: NBA Star Stephen Curry (right) learns tai chi in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, on August 8, 2017. Photo: VCG
Chinese martial arts, or kung fu, are a perfect platform for connecting Chinese and Americans and contributes a lot to the diversified cultures of various communities in San Francisco's Bay Area, organizers of a martial arts event said on Sunday.
The art of kung fu is part of the heritage of the splendid traditional Chinese cultural, which can be integrated with the diversified cultures of various communities in the Bay Area, said Qian Chengfei, one of the organizers of the Kung Fu Night Gala that drew more than 500 visitors in the Bay Area on Friday night.
More than 200 Chinese and US kung fu practitioners, aged between 5 and 60 years old, from about 20 kung fu schools in the Bay Area took part in the festive kung fu gala Friday night in Santa Clara, northern California.
The two-hour gala featured more than 20 performances showing off the distinct martial arts skills and breath-taking fighting techniques of many Chinese melee weapons such as swords, nunchaku, the monkey staff, machetes, double swords and long spears.
Each of the participating kung fu schools, including the Thunder Kungfu Academy, Dragon Rhythm Shaolin Kung Fu and Feishifu Kungfu, also displayed their own unique martial arts forms, such as combative forms, competitive forms and health-preserving qigong.
All the performances followed the principle of "high quality, difficulty, beauty and innovation," and incorporated dance moves for added visual effect, said Zhao Qingjian, director of the gala and champion of the Wushu Tournament Beijing event held alongside the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.
The gala was also joined by 10 teachers and students from China's Capital Institute of Physical Education, whose performance brought to life magical and mysterious kung fu skills passed down from Chinese kung fu masters hundreds of years ago.
Their finale pushed the gala night to a climax that won thunderous applause from the enthusiastic audience, which broke out in cheers of joy and excitement.
"Many Americans showed a genuine passion for kung fu and they were so fascinated with it that they were reluctant to leave the school even after classes had ended," Zhao noted.
He added that hundreds of thousands of people in the US have studied kung fu at various martial arts schools in the Bay Area over the past several decades.
"We're celebrating the cultural event here. Kung fu is not something limited to Asia, but rather something that really crosses boundaries. We're really excited to have it here in Santa Clara tonight," said Santa Clara Vice Mayer Kathy Watanabe.
"Kung fu is a treasured part of Chinese traditional culture. With a long history, profound meaning and unique glamor, kung fu is well known around the world," Chinese Consul General in San Francisco Wang Donghua said in a letter to the organizers.
Organized by the Fuji Foundation and the American Shandong Chamber of Commerce, the event has been held five times in the Bay Area to promote kung fu culture and bring the essence of Chinese martial arts to a larger overseas audience.
The organizers' efforts have won the recognition of California Assembly Member Kansen Chu.
In a certificate of recognition, Chu, on behalf of the California State Assembly, commended the organizer's "dedicated efforts in our community to promote Chinese culture, martial arts and assist in Chinese-American friendship."