Thirty-Six Contestants Triumph in First Finals of World Southern Shaolin Wing Chun Competition

Fuqing, China (PRNewswire)- On August 25, the Southern Shaolin Temple in Fuqing, China, hosted the finals of the first World Southern Shaolin Wing Chun Competition, which attracted participants and fans from around the world. The event brought together Wing Chun masters from around the world, fostering friendship and spreading goodwill through martial arts as competitors competed fiercely for the prestigious title.

After a tough competition, 36 participants emerged as champions in this year’s event. Among them, Wu Jinheng, Dong Ziyi, Zheng Zhiyue, and seven other members of the Chinese team took home the Siu Nim Tao category. Zhang Dongxia and Yang Lexin from the Chinese team, and Violeta van Gaalen from the Dutch team, along with two others won the Seeking the Bridge category. In the Thrusting Fingers event, winners included Jacob Ethan Buckley, Vincent (Fan Sheng Ming) from Team USA, and Assen Miroslavov Ase from Bulgaria. Bradley N. Ryan (USA) secured the championship in the 8 Slashing Sword category while Alejandro Luera (USA) took first place in the Six and Half Point Long Pole event. Chen Zhenghong, Chen Zhongqian, and Ayla Nunnchi Gordon from China from the US, along with two others, won the Wooden Dummy program. Zhang Hewen and Chen Zhongqian from China, along with Leandrin from Germany and seven others, won the Chi Sao (Wing Chun Push Hands) event.

The competition, which began on April 3, attracted nearly 1,000 professional and amateur Wing Chun martial artists, mostly from Asia, Europe and the Americas. Held in nine different locations, the event was held in three stages: initial registration and selection, a second contest and the culminating World Finals. After intense competition during the preliminary stages, more than 170 Wing Chun martial artists advanced to participate in the finals.

The Finals Committee designed the competition to highlight the distinctive elements of Wing Chun, including routines, Kung Fu demonstrations, and Wing Chun sparring. Featured events include Siu Nim Tao, Seeking the Bridge, Thrusting Fingers, 8 Slashing Sword, Six and a Half Point Long Pole, Wooden Dummy, and Chi Sao (Wing Chun Push Hands). Competitors are grouped by age and gender, with specific categories for teenagers (under 16), young adults (17-39), and middle-aged adults (40 and over). The youth Chi Sao (Wing Chun Push Hands) event is further divided into weight classes: eight for men (48 kg, 49 kg, 57 kg, 65 kg, 73 kg, 81 kg, 89 kg, and 95 kg and over), and five for women (48 kg, 49 kg, 57 kg, 65 kg, and 73 kg).

Several internationally recognized Wing Chun masters were present to observe and guide the participants. Zheng Zujie, a national figure in Wing Chun, led the Chinese team in showcasing the cultural appeal of the traditional martial art form during the competition. Among the prominent figures in attendance were Benny Meng, National Director of the United States Kungfu Wushu Federation and an 8-Dan Grand Master certified by the International Wushu Federation; Stanislav Bagalev, chief instructor of the Bulgarian branch of the European WingTsun Organization; Erik Batstra and Robert Vogel, chief instructors of the Dutch Wing Chun Kung-Fu Association; and James Javidan, President of the French Shaolin Wing Chun Association. Other renowned professionals invited to attend the Finals included Augustin Wu, President of the Canadian Kung Fu Association and Class A international judge of the International Wushu Federation; Jianhao Li, President of the Macau Opera Role Association Wu Jun Fu Yueju; and Yaoguang Gong, President of the Wing Chun Sports Academy in the Taiwan region.

Shaolin culture, known for its global perspective and profound spiritual values, has historically been an important link between Eastern and Western civilizations. Based on archaeological excavations in the 1990s and various historical documents, the Southern Shaolin Temple in Fuqing, which was founded during the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty, reached its peak in the Song and Ming Dynasties, and remains historically important for its contributions to China’s cultural heritage. Over the millennia, the temple’s culture has developed and spread, giving rise to Zen, martial arts, and medical traditions that have had a wide and far-reaching influence both in China and abroad.

Wing Chun, developed by Wu Mei, was inspired by the teachings of a Zen Master from this temple in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Since then, Wing Chun has developed into a renowned southern Chinese martial art. In 2014, the Wing Chun initiative in Fuzhou was awarded as a representative project of China’s national intangible cultural heritage, underscoring its profound cultural significance. As a central part of the Chinese martial arts tradition, Wing Chun continues to fascinate and influence practitioners around the world.

The inaugural World Southern Shaolin Wing Chun Competition is not just an international martial arts event; it provides a platform for Wing Chun enthusiasts around the world to showcase their skills. It also offers an unrivaled opportunity to promote Southern Shaolin and Wing Chun culture worldwide, facilitating the recognition of the art as a protected intellectual property (IPR). This recognition paves the way for further enhancing the visibility of China’s exemplary traditional culture and enhancing international cultural exchange and integration.

The competition is supervised by the China Wushu Association and the Fujian Provincial Sports Bureau. The competition is jointly organized by the Fuqing Municipal Government, Fuzhou Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau, Fuzhou Municipal Sports Bureau, and Fujian Traditional Wing Chun Culture Development Center (Selat). The Fujian Provincial Wing Chun Association, Fuqing Municipal Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, and the South Shaolin Temple in Fuqing are responsible for implementing the event. The co-organizers include the Fujian Provincial Wushu Association, Fuzhou Municipal Wushu Association, Hadono Gold & Platinum Jewelry Factory, and Fujian Wu Mei Wing Chun Culture Development Co., Ltd., with the comprehensive support of Huanqiu.com.

Source: Huanqiu.com

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