Chin Woo Athletic Association facts for kids
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精武體育會
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| Formation | July 7, 1910 |
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| Founder | Huo Yuanjia |
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The Chin Woo Athletic Association (simplified Chinese: 精武体育会; traditional Chinese: 精武體育會; pinyin: Jīngwǔ Tǐyùhuì) is a famous international group that teaches martial arts. It was started in Shanghai, China, on July 7, 1910. Today, Chin Woo has over 80 branches in more than 30 countries around the world. It is often known as an "athletic association" or "federation" in different places. Its goal is to help people learn and practice Chinese martial arts.
Contents
History
How Chin Woo Started
Chin Woo was founded in Shanghai, China, in the early 1900s. Many people believe it was started by a famous martial artist named Huo Yuanjia. He became very well-known, but he passed away soon after the association began. A group of people actually started Chin Woo. They decided that Huo Yuanjia should be the "face" of the organization because he was so popular.
Chin Woo was one of the first public schools for martial arts in China. Before this, martial arts were often taught in secret. The founders wanted to create a place where people could learn martial arts in an organized way. They hoped this would keep old traditions alive. The basic lessons included different styles of martial arts. This helped students get a good overall martial arts background.
Spreading the Word
Chin Woo inspired other martial arts groups in China. Sun Yat-sen, who founded the Republic of China, supported Chin Woo. He attended their events in 1915 and 1920. He even wrote a special message for their newsletter and made a plaque that said "martial spirit."
In 1918, Chin Woo opened a new branch in Nathan Road in Hong Kong. This helped the association grow even more.
In 1920, Chin Woo sent five people to Southeast Asia. They wanted to share their martial arts teachings overseas. These representatives traveled to places like Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia. They performed martial arts and helped set up new Chin Woo branches. By 1924, Chin Woo organizations were successfully started in Vietnam.
What Chin Woo Teaches
Martial Arts Training
After a time called the Boxer Rebellion, Chinese martial arts were not always respected. Chin Woo wanted to protect and grow Chinese martial arts. They created a professional system to make sure these arts would continue as China became a modern country.
Chin Woo taught three main lessons: Tan Tui, Gong Li Quan, and Jie Quan. They also had special books and materials to help students learn. Another important part of Chin Woo was a unique style of "boxing gymnastics." This combined Chinese martial arts with Western military exercises. The goal was to make people stronger and help the nation.
Sports for Everyone
Besides Chinese martial arts, Chin Woo also included Western sports in its programs. They taught Western boxing. They also had a department for ball games like tennis, soccer, volleyball, and table tennis.
Chin Woo hosted friendly matches and organized leagues for its members. For example, in 1924, Chin Woo started the Shanghai Volleyball league. Many schools and athletic groups joined this league.
