Booming Popularity, Strong Momentum (Part 3)
Section 3: Boxing Kings and Martial Arts, Astonishing Skills. A Boxing Champion — Wang Runsheng. Wang Runsheng (1880–1941), a native of Changsha, mastered the "Eight Fists" and was known as the Boxing King. In 1905 he studied in Japan and once defeated a Japanese judo master. Dozens of Chinese students in Japan, including Liu Wuting and Xiang Kairan, sought to learn boxing from him. After returning home, in 191...
This article has been compiled from historical materials in the "Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network" (33519.com · City Overview section). Some administrative divisions, population, socioeconomic data, and policy information may be outdated and are for reference only; for the latest situation, please refer to official releases by the local government and scenic areas.
Section Three
Boxing King and Martial Arts Hero: Astonishing Divine Skills
The Boxing King of a Generation—Wang Runsheng
Wang Runsheng (1880–1941), a native of Changsha. He was thoroughly versed in the "Eight Fists" and was known as the Boxing King. In 1905 he studied in Japan, where he once defeated a Japanese judo master. At that time, dozens of Chinese students in Japan, including Liu Wuting and Xiang Kairan, sought instruction in boxing from Wang Runsheng. After returning to China, in 1913 he and Xiang Kairan founded the National Martial Arts Society in Changsha, Hunan. In the winter of 1916, he defeated the Russian strongman Dovinovsky in Shanghai, earning fame throughout the Yangtze region. In 1928 and 1933, at the two national martial arts examinations held in Nanjing, Wang Runsheng served as a judge both times. From 1934 to 1940, Wang Runsheng was a professor of physical education at Hunan University, also teaching martial arts. Although Wang Runsheng was a senior of Wu Gongyi, he was not ashamed to learn from those below him, learning Tai Chi pushing hands from Wu and bringing Wu washing water every day. Based on the principles of Tai Chi, he simplified the complex and created his own Tai Chi Exercise, and wrote the book Tai Chi Exercise, published by Shanghai Dadong Book Company. A "Boxing King" of a generation who could soundly defeat Japanese and Russian warriors and bring glory to his country and people, yet was humble and eager to learn, treating a junior as his teacher—he possessed lofty martial virtue.
Founder of Zhangjiajie's Chinese Ziranmen—Long Jiaxiong
Long Jiaxiong, courtesy name Hougu, born in 1947, a native of Zhangjiajie, was among the first batch in Hunan Province to receive the title of National First-Class Boxer. He holds the rank of National Martial Arts Sixth Duan, is the founder of Zhangjiajie's Chinese Ziranmen, and is the head of Zhangjiajie's Guigu Divine Skill. Fond of martial arts since childhood, diligent and eager to learn, he received true transmission from his masters. He specializes in Ziranmen martial arts, traditional grappling and combat, and various long, short, soft, and hard weapons, and has conducted considerable research into Guigu Divine Skill and folk feats. In early 2002, Long Jiaxiong began preparations in his hometown for the "North-South Great Knight Du Xinwu" Martial Arts Research Institute and founded the Zhangjiajie Ziranmen Martial Arts Training Center. His martial arts development history has also been included in the Dictionary of Chinese Wudang Martial Artists, leaving a shining footprint in the history of Chinese martial arts development.
China's Number One Bodyguard—Du Xinwu
Du Xinwu, a native of Cili. He began learning martial arts at age 9, became a bodyguard at a Sichuan escort agency at age 10, and already had a reputation in martial arts by age 13. Especially after being guided by the extraordinary Xu Aizi of Mount Emei in Sichuan and learning Ziranmen, he mastered lightness skill and rapid movement techniques. From then on, Du was renowned in the martial arts world for his leg techniques and was known as "Divine Legs Du Xinwu." He was Sun Yat-sen's bodyguard and enjoyed the reputation of "China's Number One Bodyguard" and "North-South Great Knight." At Shaolin Temple on Mount Song, Du Xinwu once exchanged martial arts and taught skills, and learned Shaolin's "Eighteen Postures" and "Five Battle Fists." Du Xinwu successively taught famous martial artists such as Wan Laisheng, Guo Qifeng, Tao Lianghe, Li Lijiu, and Hu Yafu. Changsha's martial arts tyrant Liu Senyan was punished by Du Xinwu. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Du Xinwu settled in Changsha, Hunan, practiced bigu (grain avoidance) in his later years, and continued to teach martial arts. He served as a member of the Hunan Provincial Military and Political Committee and an adviser to the Provincial Counselors' Office. Throughout his life, Du Xinwu hated evil as though it were his enemy, severely punished villains, and upheld justice as his own duty. He taught numerous disciples, all of whom possessed exceptional skills. He was of high moral character and prestige, and was celebrated throughout the martial arts world.
Founder of the First Complete Miao Boxing System—Long Tingjiu
Long Tingjiu, a native of Guzhang. He began learning Miao boxing from his father at age 6 and received his father's true transmission by age 15. At age 30, Long Tingjiu blended the external power of Emei boxing, the internal energy of Wudang boxing, and the close combat of Yue Family boxing—all learned from various places—into his ancestral Miao boxing, creating a novel and unique Miao boxing style called "Big Traps Small," and summarized a first complete Miao boxing system comprising stance training, hand techniques, bucket lifting, form practice, technique practice, routine practice, and acupoint striking. In the 8th year of the Republic of China (1919), western Hunan suffered a disaster, and the Miao people asked the government to reduce or exempt taxes. The government not only refused but beat and bound the Miao representatives and strictly ordered them to pay. Long Tingjiu led the Miao people in "resisting taxes and refusing to pay," and also put forward the slogan "Harder than the yamen, tougher than the imperial court." In 1920, he died a heroic death. Although the tax-resistance uprising failed, the western Hunan Miao boxing that Long Tingjiu carried forward and glorified spread far and wide. His spirit of standing up for justice and opposing ethnic oppression remains forever in the hearts of the Miao people and is admired by later generations.
Asia's Number One Tiger—Zou Shoufu
Zou Shoufu, born in 1950, a native of Xinhua County, is the president and head coach of Hunan North-South Martial Arts Academy, a Chinese Martial Arts Seventh Duan, and a National First-Class Martial Arts Referee. He learned martial arts from his father since childhood, and later sought out famous masters Yang Kaidao, Xiao Xiang, and Asian boxing champion Jiang Haoquan, mastering all eighteen kinds of weapons. In the early 1980s he founded a martial arts hall (school), and over 25 years has trained and sent forth ten thousand outstanding talents in both letters and combat for the country, making tremendous contributions to the development of Chinese martial arts. In 1992 and 1998, he served as head coach of the Chinese martial arts delegation, visiting four Southeast Asian countries and the United States and Japan to lecture and teach Chinese kung fu, receiving high praise from foreign martial arts enthusiasts. Zou Shoufu's performances of "Eagle Fist," "Tiger Fist," and "Iron Ruler" were featured as color covers and inside pages of magazines such as Chinese Martial Arts, making his fame spread far and wide. He is known as the "World Eagle King" and "Asia's Number One Tiger." In 2008 he was named a "World Famous Martial Artist," and in the same year was named one of the "World's Top 100 Martial Arts Masters."
Creator of Wu Family Boxing—Wu Bida
Wu Bida (1751–1812), courtesy name Youneng, also known as Wu Hei, was originally from Liancheng, Fujian, and later moved to Xiangtan. He learned martial arts as a youth, and in his young adulthood traveled to Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Hubei, and other places seeking masters and friends, absorbing the strengths of many schools, with particularly deep attainments in Shaolin and Wudang boxing methods. During the Jiaqing reign he settled in Xiangtan, teaching boxing while researching various techniques, and created Wu Family Boxing, which combines the offensive and defensive combat techniques of both Shaolin and Wudang, teaching it in Xiangtan, Zhuzhou, and other places. Through generations of transmission and evolution, it became an influential and famous boxing style in Hunan.
Founder of Dayong Southern Boxing—Yu Shiwan
Yu Shiwan (1795–1874), a native of Dayong. His family was poor, and he became a monk at Guanyin Temple in Baozi Jie, later becoming its abbot. He once traveled to Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou, Fujian. Skilled in boxing, he created Dayong Southern Boxing, and was especially adept at "Iron Sand Palm" and "One-Stick Glue," becoming renowned throughout western Hunan. He taught many disciples, and his outstanding students included the "Three Bao and Two Artisans": Zheng Dianbao, Zhang Cibao, Zhou Fubao, Chen the Yarn Artisan, and Zhang the Pot Artisan.
Winner of the title "Pioneer of New China's Sports" — Li Dezhi
Li Dezhi (1925-1995), a native of Dong'an County. He began learning Shaolin Nanquan, qigong, and medicinal arts at the age of eight. In 1949, he joined the revolutionary work and devoted himself to sports for over 30 years, making important contributions to building Dong'an County into a "Home of Martial Arts." He successively created and published popular martial arts routines such as "Dong'an Quan," "Dong'an Simple Staff," and "Dong'an Simple Saber," and organized the compilation and publication of "Dong'an Martial Arts" and "Record of Dong'an Martial Arts Fists and Weapons." In 1984 and 1986, he was twice named an advanced individual in the province for martial arts excavation and organization, and in 1988 he was awarded the Martial Arts Contribution Award at the International Martial Arts Festival. In 1987, he received the title "Pioneer of New China's Sports" from the National Sports Commission. In 1995, he was named one of the "Top 100 Outstanding Figures of Chinese Martial Arts."
Founder of Hunan Martial Arts Vocational School — Yang Dubin
Yang Dubin, born in 1947, courtesy name Junjie, a native of Lengshuijiang, inheritor of Qinglong Quan, one of the "Top 100 Outstanding Figures of Chinese Martial Arts," standing council member of the Hunan Provincial Wushu Association, vice chairman of the Loudi Prefecture Wushu Association, and principal of Hunan Lengshuijiang Martial Arts Vocational Secondary Specialized School. He is deeply passionate about martial arts and has thoroughly mastered Qinglong Quan, Emei Quan, grappling, sanda, and qigong techniques. He began teaching martial arts in 1968, founded the Qinglong Martial Arts Hall in 1991, founded the Hunan Martial Arts Vocational Secondary Specialized School in 1992, and opened the Hunan Security Training Center the following year. In 1993, he was awarded the title of National Outstanding Martial Arts Hall/School Principal, and has successively received the titles of "Advanced Worker in Hunan Province Martial Arts Excavation and Organization," "First-Class Boxer," "First-Class Martial Arts Referee," and "National Outstanding Martial Arts Instructor."
Woman Knight of Jianhu — Qiu Jin
Qiu Jin (1877-1907), female, originally from Shaoxing, Zhejiang. In 1894, she came to Hunan with her father. From 1895 to 1902, she lived on Youyi Street in Xiangtan, persisted in her childhood habit of practicing martial arts, and also learned the Wujia Quan popular in Xiangtan. From then on, her martial arts skills advanced day by day, and she called herself the "Woman Knight of Jianhu." "Say not that women are no heroes; night after night the Longquan sword hums against the wall" was even more an expression of her lofty aspirations. Qiu Jin was a pioneering figure in the early period of the Chinese nation's awakening and a model for Chinese women. In 1907, she and Xu Xilin and others, using the Datong School as their base, gathered over 100 members of secret societies for training at the Datong School and the Shaoxing North District Athletic Association. Under their leadership in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang area, revolutionary party members grew to six or seven thousand. At that time, Xu Xilin's assassination of the Anhui Provincial Governor failed, and the Datong School was surrounded by Qing troops. Qiu Jin unleashed all her martial arts skills; though she knocked down many stubborn enemies, she was ultimately captured due to being outnumbered and was subsequently executed heroically in Shaoxing. In the spring of 1908, she was buried at Zhaoshan.