Taichi master's KO defeat to MMA fighter stirs up Chinese martial arts debate

Whether it's gliding gracefully across the sky, walking casually on the water, or fracturing all your bones with a single hit, traditional Chinese martial arts masters have long thrived in Kungfu movies and Wuxia fiction for generations.

Off the movie sets and out of the books, thousands upon thousands of Chinese and foreigners around the world practice traditional martial arts, or Wushu, while many believe that masters possess miraculous abilities.

This belief, however, was dealt a severe blow recently as a former mixed martial arts fighter easily floored a self-proclaimed Taichi master, both of whom were previously little-known outside of their respective circles.

A screenshot showing a rare match between a Taichi master Wei Lei and a 37-year-old retired MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong at a martial arts gym in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, April 28, 2017. [Photo: sohu.com]

After a weeklong, heated debate, many were left to ponder the future of the centuries-old art of Wushu, one of China's national treasures.

DUEL

A video of a rare match between the Taichi master and a modern combat fighter has gone viral on the internet in China since the end of last month.

In the footage, Xu Xiaodong, a 37-year-old retired MMA fighter, threw punches at Taichi master Wei Lei before bringing him down to the floor in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on April 28. Xu won the bout in just over 20 seconds.

Some suspected it was just a plot between the two, as Wei showed little skills as a fighter, although he was reported to have trained as a kickboxer when he was younger. But most of the reactions were of disbelief and disappointment.

"I am only a primary school student in Taichi," Wei, five years older than Xu, said after the match.

"The fight was personal and I merely represent myself, not Taichi," Wei later said.

The match marked an escalation from a war of words on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform, where Xu labeled Taichi masters as "liars" and Wei decided to guard their reputation.

"You call us 'liars' and make yourself the watchdog of traditional martial arts' authenticity? Ridiculous!" said Wei on his Weibo account about three weeks ago.

Xu responded and provoked Wei into a fight.

"Then I will go to Chengdu to meet you on Thursday," said Xu, known for his straightforwardness that borders on rudeness.

After the match, Xu admitted he was being deliberately provocative.

"Yes I caused all kinds of hype, otherwise who would notice me and know my name?" Xu was quoted as saying by Xinkuaibao, based in Guangdong province. "But it was just the means to an end. My ultimate goal is to expose cheaters in Wushu."

A number of internet users backed Xu and called Wei a "fraud," while mutual acquaintance told people not to take this duel too seriously.

"As far as I know, Wei's teaching focuses on Taichi's health benefits while Xu is an MMA coach and promotes combat competitions," Taoist sect Qingcheng head Liu Suibin told Xinhua in Sichuan.

"They work hard in their respective fields but neither of them is a top notch fighter, and the match has little thing to do with modern combat vs ancient martial arts," Liu added.

DEBATE

Still, the event drew heated debate on the status quo of the traditional martial arts, especially Taichi, which has developed over the centuries and is practiced by millions all over the world but is sometimes questioned as to its authenticity and practicality.

"Xu is indeed very arrogant but he asked a question many have: whether Wushu is useful in real combat or it is just about beautiful routines now," said a netizen from Guangdong.

Experts explained that Wushu is not only for combat. In modern times, it has been more of a way to keep fit.

"Wushu traditionally was divided into combat form, such as kickboxing and routines, including changquan. Each division has its own value. Now take Taichi as an example, its routine will help people keep fit, while Tui Shou (meaning push hands) is a combative sport," said Zhang Qiangqiang, dean of martial arts school of the Beijing Sports University.

"The problem that is the combat nature of Wushu has been over exaggerated in movies and novels. It sure helped Wushu pick up popularity but at the same time turned it into a mythology," he added.

Originating from the Xia Dynasty about 4000 years ago, Chinese martial arts eventually forked out into several hundred fighting styles.

After the founding the People's Republic of China, the government urged people to practice martial arts with the purpose of improving health and instilling willpower. It also works as a way to promote Chinese culture for millions of fans all over the world.

The 28-year-old Canadian Ales Tierce is one of the foreigners who found inner peace by practicing Wushu.

"I have dreamt of learning Chinese Kungfu for many years, I love it," said Tierce who already spent three weeks at the Shaolin Temple in Henan province.

Tierce found a Shaolin Kungfu club close to his home when he was 20 and became a Kungfu protege at that age.

"My aim was not to fight, but to create a dream and to find peace inside of me," he said.

"Shaolin Kungfu is a part of Buddhist culture and Chan, so the more you learn Shaolin Kungfu, the less you want to fight," he said. "I will practice Kungfu till I die, bringing it to anyone who will like it."

REFLECTION

When the quick defeat of Wei began to boil, it was seen as a terrible "loss of face" for Chinese martial arts practitioners, and a devastating blow to its future.

However, after days of public discussion and debate, some saw a silver lining in the incident.

"Previously the public got their knowledge of the traditional martial arts mostly from Kungfu movies and novels, while the media gave little coverage of both traditional Wushu and modern combat," said Liu Suibin, the 36th generation Qingcheng sect chief. "both Wushu and modern combat are difficult paths for development. The huge attention is definitely not a bad thing," he added.

The incident also prompted people to consider how the Chinese national treasure might develop in the future.

"This drama, however ridiculous it was, is a bitter but necessary medicine for Chinese traditional martial arts. It warns us that we must step up in developing it going forward," said Ma Wenguo, Wushu department head of Xi'an Sports College.

As the most widely practiced Chinese martial art, Taichi reportedly is practiced in over 150 countries and regions, popular for its unique health concepts and benefits. But in China, Taichi is viewed as a sport exclusively for the elderly, with most of the 120 other routines attracting little attention from the public.

"China has so many Wushu styles, groups and sects that all have different rules; I think unified rules should be set up for promotion, competition and communication," said Kungfu-promoting APP creator Chai Guohui.

Some also suggest that martial arts should set a lower bar for easier access.

"The martial arts need improvement. The artists need more creative space to engage more people. Like Taichi, it has both long, traditional routines and simplified postures, which are easier for young people to learn," said Wushu coach Liu Haike.