KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 — Flying kicks, swift swordplay and movements mimicking animals like tigers and snakes come to mind whenever anybody mentions Chinese martial arts.
But wushu, a form of martial arts steeped in Chinese culture and heritage, is beyond just fancy backflips and somersaults. The ancient martial art form which literally means “military method” is also about meditation, concentration and balance.
The Chin Woo Athletic Association Selangor & Kuala Lumpur is organising the second Malaysian Martial Arts Festival this November 9, that starts from 7pm onwards, to promote the ancient martial art form.
“We approached more than 10 over martial arts association to participate in this year’s event. The second Malaysian Martial Arts Festival is a platform to promote traditional wushu in Malaysia,” said Lee Sew Kim, vice president of Chin Woo Athletic Association Selangor & Kuala Lumpur.
Some of the participants include Banting Hong Tak Dragon & Lion Dance Youth Sports Club, national wushu champion Chai Feng Yun, China’s national wushu team coach Bai Wen Xiang, and Ipoh Malaysian Chinese Cultural Sport Club.
Other martial arts associations like Kelab Silamban Muhibah Negri Sembilan, Pertubuhan Seni Silat Lincah Malaysia (PSSLM) and Escola Brasileira de Capoeira are also part of the line-up.
The Negri Sembilan club will perform silamban, a form of Indian martial art where a wooden staff is used. Spectators can also watch silat and the energetic capoeira that combines dance and acrobatic moves with music.
Since its debut two years ago, the Malaysian Martial Arts Festival organised by Chin Woo Athletic Association Selangor & Kuala Lumpur has received positive response with approximately 1,500 attendees at the first event.
“This year, we’re expecting a full house. Our very own wushu team will be performing too. Wu Jin Jin, a wushu coach from Tianjin, has been teaching at Chin Woo Stadium for the past three years. He’s only 22 years old but he’s very skilled. He will be part of the programme for the night,” said Lee.
According to Lee, wushu has evolved into a competitive sport where young practitioners focus more on difficult moves that are not suited for the older generation. Although it looks impressive, the new style of wushu is not practical for those aged 35 and above.
With the festival, she promises that attendees will be able to enjoy both old and new forms of the martial art.
“It’s a festival where the associations can interact with each other. The Chinese martial arts scene in Malaysia is a small circle and we want to emphasise on local teams as much as possible,” she said.
One of the highlights of the festival include the lotus dragon dance where parts of the dragon are shaped like a lotus and together, it will form a beautiful sight not to be missed. If you’re lucky, there might be an appearance of the first LED dragon in Malaysia.
Lee said that towards the end of the night, attendees will also be treated to the story of Chin Woo.
For more information, call 03-20705025 or email Chin Woo Athletic Association Selangor & Kuala Lumpur at [email protected]
