The art of fighting is alive and well at the 14th Asian Games, with wushu exponents from Taiwan figuring prominently and expected to do well in competition that kicked off yesterday in Busan, South Korea.
Originally, wushu was regarded as a collection of ancient martial arts from China but it has been systematically organized and is now a sport that appears to have a split personality.
There is the grace and beauty of wushu, as practiced by the women dressed in silk pyjamas and wielding a long staff, or the brutal no-holds barred contact sport of the "free strike" school.
A 15-member delegation of 10 competitors from Taiwan will compete in the four major disciplines of the sport that are taichiquan, nanquan, sanshou and changquan (that also comprises short weapon or daoshu, and long weapon or qiangshu). There are a total of 11 events spread over four days.
In 1990, wushu was made an official medal event at the Asian Games and since then there have been regular world championships and it has become increasing popular worldwide -- particularly in the US and some European countries.
It is expected wushu will become an Olympic event in time for the Beijing Games in 2008.
Among those watching over Taiwan's young bloods yesterday at the Min-Seok Sports Center at Dong-Seo University yesterday was Chinese Taipei Fighting Skill Central Committee President Yang Jui-feng.
He said Taiwan had had nurtured wushu for centuries as Chinese migrated to the country following waves of repression and wars. More recently, he said, it had become a major gateway for the spread of wushu throughout the world.
"Wushu in Taiwan came from our mainland ancestors and stayed strong during the Japanese occupation after World War I. Fortunately, the Japanese were not against it, so it flourished," Yang said through a translator.
"There are two kinds of wushu as
far as we are concerned, the `secret way' and the `open way' and it is the open way that has led to the popularity of wushu and sharing of information and now competition. Taiwan is certainly one of the top places in the world for the sport and there are at least 73 countries which now compete in the event," Yang said.
As wushu came out of from the monastery and into the sporting arena, Taiwan became a central point for students to learn the various disciplines and techniques
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