Chinese Wushu master Wu Jingchuan has visited Krasnoyarsk at the invitation of his Siberian students, introducing local practitioners and media to the traditions of Chinese martial arts. The 74-year-old master, who had never previously travelled abroad, made Krasnoyarsk his first stop in Russia before heading to Moscow.

Wu represents a family martial arts school from Shandong province that has preserved its traditions for more than 400 years. He explained that Chinese martial arts can broadly be divided into three areas: competitive sport, practical disciplines associated with military applications, and personal development focused on cultivating the mind and spirit.

According to Wu, the term “Wushu” can be understood as a broader culture of working with the body, rooted in traditional Chinese concepts of energy, the body and the mind. He noted that the competitive and combat aspects are important, but are not necessarily the central purpose of the tradition.

“In 1928, when China was reunified again, they decided to catalogue the different styles. They counted 129 styles and more than 500 methods. I think those were only the ones they managed to find at the time,” Wu said.

He also explained the deeper meaning of Kung Fu: 

“It is the result achieved through long-term work on yourself. It is something inside you, the height of a person’s spirit, and that cannot simply be demonstrated.” His Siberian students praised him as an exceptional teacher and methodologist, highlighting his ability to break down complex martial arts techniques and make them understandable.

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