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Keen for 'cool' kendo
By Xu Wenwen |
December 21, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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THE Japanese martial art of kendo based on samurai sword fighting is gaining a following and the Hangzhou Kendo Association now numbers 80 members, including 20 young women. Xu Wenwen grabs her sword.
The impression of a kendo martial arts class is one of calm, discipline and ritual bows, as well as beating of bamboo swords, shouts and stamping feet.
Figures in dark blue floor-length robes bow as they arrive, depart, speak and engage their challenger.
Kendo is a Japanese martial art of sword fighting dating back to the samurai period of some hundreds of years ago. It is said to be related to Zen Buddhism and like all martial arts it emphasizes cultivation of character and discipline.
"Time's up!" coach Peng Zhuocheng calls the kendoka (kendo practitioners) in neat uniforms, who quickly asseembly and kneel in two neat lines, their shinai (bamboo swords) at the left.
The coach and practitioners bow to each other. Peng concludes the class, not with a critique, but with thanks to the students for coming in cold weather. He encourages them to always pursue self-cultivation. When they leave the studio, everyone bows twice to the room - once inside and once outside.
Though kendo is a martial art, it also emphasizes virtual, morality and correct relations.
"Kendo is not only a martial art, but a way to discipline the human character through the application of the principles of the katana (sword)," says Peng, one of the five founders of the Hangzhou Kendo Association.
Today in China, the number of kendo clubs is on the rise because of the sport's combat aspects - practitioners wear masks and armor - as well as its emphasis on the inner man, and woman.
The Hangzhou association, founded late last year, lists around 80 members, including 20 young women.
According to Peng, kendo started in Hangzhou in 2006 when a Japanese teacher at Shuren University formed a kendo association in the college; it gave rise to clubs around the city.
But there were few qualified teachers. Peng himself started studying in 2007 and he has been taking classes in Shanghai and in Beijing; he has also studied teaching videos and Japanese kendo websites.
Today, Peng's year-old kendo association gives classes every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday nights in the badminton hall of Hangzhou Jiantxin Elementary School.
"Kendo is a sport requiring the spirit, sword and body move as one," says coach Sun Jiandong, another founder of the association. "Kendoka use kai, a shout, to express the fighting spirit when striking. And they execute a fumikomi ashi, an action similar to a stamp of the front foot, when making a strike."
"Though we practice with bamboo swords and protective armor, kendo is a practical martial art that people can use in real combat," Sun says.
"It also teaches people to confront problems bravely, the same way they engage in battle."
But kendo imposes strict rountines and practice on kendoka, so they can also train their minds.
Basic training includes manipulating the shinai, swords, learning simple attack and basic footwork.
After three months' basic training, a student can put on armor, as in fencing - a helmet and mask, gloves, arm and wrist guards and body padding.
As in some other martial arts, kendoka train and fight barefoot.
Many beginners think the sport looks cool and the uniforms like cosplay costumes; they like the idea of waving bamboo swords yelling hard.
But practice is demanding.
"Many beginners take it up as an interesting game but give up soon," says Sun. "It's hard. Real kendo training means thousands of sword movements every day, no matter what season. Practitioners need to run and move on wooden floors for hours."
"It's not a game," says Peng. "It's a discipline."
The impression of a kendo martial arts class is one of calm, discipline and ritual bows, as well as beating of bamboo swords, shouts and stamping feet.
Figures in dark blue floor-length robes bow as they arrive, depart, speak and engage their challenger.
Kendo is a Japanese martial art of sword fighting dating back to the samurai period of some hundreds of years ago. It is said to be related to Zen Buddhism and like all martial arts it emphasizes cultivation of character and discipline.
"Time's up!" coach Peng Zhuocheng calls the kendoka (kendo practitioners) in neat uniforms, who quickly asseembly and kneel in two neat lines, their shinai (bamboo swords) at the left.
The coach and practitioners bow to each other. Peng concludes the class, not with a critique, but with thanks to the students for coming in cold weather. He encourages them to always pursue self-cultivation. When they leave the studio, everyone bows twice to the room - once inside and once outside.
Though kendo is a martial art, it also emphasizes virtual, morality and correct relations.
"Kendo is not only a martial art, but a way to discipline the human character through the application of the principles of the katana (sword)," says Peng, one of the five founders of the Hangzhou Kendo Association.
Today in China, the number of kendo clubs is on the rise because of the sport's combat aspects - practitioners wear masks and armor - as well as its emphasis on the inner man, and woman.
The Hangzhou association, founded late last year, lists around 80 members, including 20 young women.
According to Peng, kendo started in Hangzhou in 2006 when a Japanese teacher at Shuren University formed a kendo association in the college; it gave rise to clubs around the city.
But there were few qualified teachers. Peng himself started studying in 2007 and he has been taking classes in Shanghai and in Beijing; he has also studied teaching videos and Japanese kendo websites.
Today, Peng's year-old kendo association gives classes every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday nights in the badminton hall of Hangzhou Jiantxin Elementary School.
"Kendo is a sport requiring the spirit, sword and body move as one," says coach Sun Jiandong, another founder of the association. "Kendoka use kai, a shout, to express the fighting spirit when striking. And they execute a fumikomi ashi, an action similar to a stamp of the front foot, when making a strike."
"Though we practice with bamboo swords and protective armor, kendo is a practical martial art that people can use in real combat," Sun says.
"It also teaches people to confront problems bravely, the same way they engage in battle."
But kendo imposes strict rountines and practice on kendoka, so they can also train their minds.
Basic training includes manipulating the shinai, swords, learning simple attack and basic footwork.
After three months' basic training, a student can put on armor, as in fencing - a helmet and mask, gloves, arm and wrist guards and body padding.
As in some other martial arts, kendoka train and fight barefoot.
Many beginners think the sport looks cool and the uniforms like cosplay costumes; they like the idea of waving bamboo swords yelling hard.
But practice is demanding.
"Many beginners take it up as an interesting game but give up soon," says Sun. "It's hard. Real kendo training means thousands of sword movements every day, no matter what season. Practitioners need to run and move on wooden floors for hours."
"It's not a game," says Peng. "It's a discipline."
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