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Kung fu couple kicks back
July 26, 2010, Monday
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TWO kung fu masters married for 29 years are known for subduing bad guys and breaking up fights - as well as spreading martial art and wisdom. Xu Wenwen reports.
In movies, a couple capable of kung fu or combat skills is very cool, like the two in "Mr & Mrs Smith," played by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
In real life, these wedded duos are quite rare, but Hangzhou has its own Mr and Mrs Smith, martial arts masters Xu Weiguo and Zheng Ying.
Though not as young as Pitt and Jolie - they're both 56 - they're cool (especially in costume) and fit, they fight crime and teach martial arts.
Xu, who learned kung fu from his father and uncles since he was three years old, is adept at Shaolin style, while Zheng, who started learning at eight, is skilled in tai chi. They've been married for 29 years.
The stereotypical kung fu master is solemn in speech and manner, but Xu and Zheng are relaxed, open and always seem to wear a smile.
The kung fu couple says they never fight physically in family quarrels.
"In daily life, we compete, but don't fight," says Xu. "Though conflicts happen in life, force is not the best way to solve problems and kung fu people especially should avoid misusing it."
"The priority of kung fu people is the martial morality," says Zheng.
Many times the couple has put their skills and ethics into practice.
When a burglar broke into a downstairs apartment, the neighbor shouted and the couple immediately rushed down to catch the culprit. The man sped off, with Xu, Zheng and the neighbors in full pursuit for half a block.
Finally Xu grabbed the thief's arm and twisted, then squeezed the man's hands together and subdued him.
One day Zheng was walking down a street and passed two men engaged in a heated argument. One drew a fruit knife and threatened to kill the other. With a big stride, Zheng wrested the knife away and persuaded the two men to calm down.
The couple believes that those who practice kung fu have a social obligation to use their skill for society's benefit. They also have the ambition of spreading the spirit of kung fu to students worldwide.
Every early morning, Xu and Zheng teach kung fu in the park on the bank of West Lake. Xu teaches Shaolin style and Zheng teaches tai chi.
"Left hand up, right hand down, two hands round," Zheng uses her limited English to describe a basic tai chi gesture to a dozen laowai (foreign) students.
The couple is also well known for their teaching, especially to foreigners. Among thousands of students they have taught over two decades, one third are foreigners.
Their efforts ride the tide of kung fu enthusiasm and China's efforts to promote physical fitness.
In ancient China, kung fu was only passed on to family members and apprentices. Yet since the 1990s, kung fu has captured the world's imagination through movies and TV.
But now the ancient skill is accessible to many people.
So far, Xu and Zheng have taught more than 1,000 expat students from more than 20 countries and thousands of Chinese students, mostly children and young people.
Two years ago the couple even "adopted" a foreign "son," 33-year-old Trevor Campbell from the United Kingdom who studied kung fu with the couple since 2003. Though he returned to the UK, he now comes back every year for more study.
In a solemn ceremony, Campbell even kowtowed to his "new parents." On MSN the Englishman says he's proud to call the sweet couple his parents because he loves Chinese culture very much; he calls the couple an important link between himself and China and says they help him immerse himself in Chinese culture.
In movies, a couple capable of kung fu or combat skills is very cool, like the two in "Mr & Mrs Smith," played by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
In real life, these wedded duos are quite rare, but Hangzhou has its own Mr and Mrs Smith, martial arts masters Xu Weiguo and Zheng Ying.
Though not as young as Pitt and Jolie - they're both 56 - they're cool (especially in costume) and fit, they fight crime and teach martial arts.
Xu, who learned kung fu from his father and uncles since he was three years old, is adept at Shaolin style, while Zheng, who started learning at eight, is skilled in tai chi. They've been married for 29 years.
The stereotypical kung fu master is solemn in speech and manner, but Xu and Zheng are relaxed, open and always seem to wear a smile.
The kung fu couple says they never fight physically in family quarrels.
"In daily life, we compete, but don't fight," says Xu. "Though conflicts happen in life, force is not the best way to solve problems and kung fu people especially should avoid misusing it."
"The priority of kung fu people is the martial morality," says Zheng.
Many times the couple has put their skills and ethics into practice.
When a burglar broke into a downstairs apartment, the neighbor shouted and the couple immediately rushed down to catch the culprit. The man sped off, with Xu, Zheng and the neighbors in full pursuit for half a block.
Finally Xu grabbed the thief's arm and twisted, then squeezed the man's hands together and subdued him.
One day Zheng was walking down a street and passed two men engaged in a heated argument. One drew a fruit knife and threatened to kill the other. With a big stride, Zheng wrested the knife away and persuaded the two men to calm down.
The couple believes that those who practice kung fu have a social obligation to use their skill for society's benefit. They also have the ambition of spreading the spirit of kung fu to students worldwide.
Every early morning, Xu and Zheng teach kung fu in the park on the bank of West Lake. Xu teaches Shaolin style and Zheng teaches tai chi.
"Left hand up, right hand down, two hands round," Zheng uses her limited English to describe a basic tai chi gesture to a dozen laowai (foreign) students.
The couple is also well known for their teaching, especially to foreigners. Among thousands of students they have taught over two decades, one third are foreigners.
Their efforts ride the tide of kung fu enthusiasm and China's efforts to promote physical fitness.
In ancient China, kung fu was only passed on to family members and apprentices. Yet since the 1990s, kung fu has captured the world's imagination through movies and TV.
But now the ancient skill is accessible to many people.
So far, Xu and Zheng have taught more than 1,000 expat students from more than 20 countries and thousands of Chinese students, mostly children and young people.
Two years ago the couple even "adopted" a foreign "son," 33-year-old Trevor Campbell from the United Kingdom who studied kung fu with the couple since 2003. Though he returned to the UK, he now comes back every year for more study.
In a solemn ceremony, Campbell even kowtowed to his "new parents." On MSN the Englishman says he's proud to call the sweet couple his parents because he loves Chinese culture very much; he calls the couple an important link between himself and China and says they help him immerse himself in Chinese culture.
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