A group of students lined up in a square formation at Zhejiang Wanli University in Ningbo, East China, to practice Bajiquan, a traditional Chinese martial art known literally as “Eight Extremities Fist.” Alongside Chinese students, a dozen international students participated in the exercise.
The group leader, Han Jingwei, a 57-year-old female teacher in Ningbo and the eighth-generation heir of Bajiquan, is also an instructor for the university’s Bajiquan martial arts club.
After spending only seven months in China, a Spanish girl discovered the fascination of Chinese Kung Fu, particularly Bajiquan, attributing her newfound inner peace and tranquility to its practice. Under Han’s patient guidance, the girl embraced the serene essence intrinsic to Chinese Kung Fu, expressing her eagerness to pursue it further.
Foreign enthusiasts began learning Bajiquan with Han about ten years ago. In 2019, Han offered a semester course for international students at Ningbo University, where they displayed a remarkable passion for the martial art’s intricacies.
Han has been practicing martial arts since childhood, mastering various disciplines such as Shaolin stick fighting and women’s long boxing. After specializing in Bajiquan in 1987, she became a disciple of Yang Weilong, the seventh-generation successor of Wu-style Bajiquan. Since then, Han has systematically studied various forms of other techniques.
In 2005, Han was transferred to Ningbo where she began teaching Bajiquan to the local community. Four years later, the venue of her teaching was relocated to Ningbo Higher Education Zone, primarily near residential areas and schools.
As Han’s popularity grew, she introduced additional courses at Wanli University, focusing on literacy development and physical education, such as “Traditional Martial Arts and Health, Bajiquan.” She also established the Ningbo Han Jingwei Training Institute of Mengcun Bajiquan and founded the martial arts club at the university, leading her students to participate in various martial arts competitions across China.
Through expanded online teaching via platforms like Douyin, Weibo and Kuaishou, Han has attracted over 2,000 students who have committed to the long-term study of Bajiquan.
This year, Han’s teaching focus has gradually shifted to voluntary classes in local communities. By dedicating weekends and school breaks, she offers wellness classes, particularly for the elderly and children, including migratory children. These efforts have garnered wide public acclaim.
Han emphasizes that her current top priority is to promote Bajiquan globally. Alongside colleagues fluent in foreign languages, she is developing bilingual Chinese and English textbooks, hoping to inspire more international friends to learn traditional Chinese martial arts.