| Chin Woo Athletic Association | |
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Huo Yuanjia, the founder of Chin Woo Athletic Association. |
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| Formation | year July 7, 1910 |
| Legal status | Federation |
| Purpose/focus | Martial Arts |
| Location | China |
| Region served | Worldwide |
| Membership | 150 Affiliated Countries |
| Official languages | Chinese is the official language. |
| Website | Chin Woo Athletic Association |
Chin Woo Athletic Association (simplified Chinese: 精武体育会; traditional Chinese: 精武體育會; pinyin: Jīngwǔ Tǐyùhuì; lit. Elite Martial Athletic Association) is a Chinese martial arts association founded in Shanghai on July 7, 1910, but other sources also cite dates in 1909.[1] It can be found spelled in many ways - Jing Mo, Ching Wu, Jing Wo, Jing Wu etc.
Many sources say that Chin Woo was founded by Huo Yuanjia[2] (霍元甲), the famed challenge fighter who died within months of its establishment. This gives the false impression that only one person founded the entire association when in reality it was founded by a committee of people. Due to Huo Yuanjia's popularity and recent death, the committee had decided that he should be the "face" of Chin Woo, resulting in his strong association with it.[3]
Because Huo was widely admired as a Chinese national hero, a series of other masters agreed to teach at the school including Eagle Claw (鷹爪派) master Chen Zizheng (陳子正), Seven Star Praying Mantis (七星螳螂拳) master Luo Guangyu (羅光玉), Xingyi (形意拳) master Geng Ji Shan (耿繼善), and Wu Jianquan (吳鑑泉), the founder of Wu style Taijiquan (吳式太極拳). Master Chao Lianhe/Zhao Lianhe (趙連和), a master of Northern Shaolin Bizong Style became the Chief Instructor after the sudden death of Huo.
One of the first public martial arts institutes in China, Chin Woo was intended to create a structured environment for teaching and learning martial arts as opposed to the secretive training that had been common in the past. The Chin Woo was also used as a training center for the Nationalist Party members to fight against the rise of Communism in China.
The founders of Chin Woo felt that the association would keep alive traditions that secrecy and social change would otherwise doom. The basic curriculum drew from several styles of martial arts, giving practitioners a well-rounded martial background in addition to whatever they wished to specialize in. The Chin Woo Association inspired the ecumenism seen in the Chinese martial arts community during the Republic of China giving rise to such efforts as the National Martial Arts Institutes. Sun Yat Sen (孫逸仙), founder of the Republic of China, attended the third annual event held by Chin Woo in 1915, giving a speech of encouragement to the attendees.[4] When Sun Yat Sen attended again at the 10th annual event in 1920, he also wrote for a special Chin Woo newsletter and made a plaque with the engraving "martial spirit".[4]
Shut down by the government of the People's Republic of China in 1966,[5] the Chin Woo Association was allowed to re-open after the Cultural Revolution, and currently has more than 150 branches around the world.
Contents |
During the early days of Ching Wu (Jing Mo) in Shanghai, chief instructor, Zhao Lianhe developed a curriculum that became the standard Chin Woo sets (Fundamental Routines).
Styles taught varied from school to school, depending on the local Masters: for example, Northern Mantis, Northern Shaolin Lo Han, Eagle Claw, Bizong, Mizongyi, etc. The standard curriculum, however, was universally taught in all Chin Woo Associations.
Jingwu Athletic Association - 100 Years by Robert Yandle (ISBN 978-189251535-3)
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