Wushu lovers show off prowess in Yantai

Drum performances at the opening ceremony of the 2017 Yantai International Wushu Festival on Aug 8. [Photo/shm.com.cn]

Martial arts masters from home and abroad are showing off their prowess at the on-going 14th Yantai International Martial Arts Festival which opened on Aug 8 in the coastal city of East China's Shandong province.

The art, popularly referred to as "Wushu" in Chinese, is a combination of different martial art-forms which have gained global recognition and practiced widely in so many countries.

The three-day event, organized by Yantai Municipal Bureau of Sports, Yantai Wushu Association and Laizhou Chinese Wushu School, has gathered 103 teams, including 13 foreign teams from Germany, the United States, Britain, Denmark, Italy, Canada, Switzerland, Indonesia, Belgium, Australia, Spain and Singapore.

Tai chi performers entertain audiences at the opening ceremony of the 2017 Yantai International Wushu Festival on Aug 8. [Photo/shm.com.cn]

Initiated in 2004, the annual event has provided a communication platform for wushu fans across the world. This year's event involves a series of competitions including boxing, Chinese wrestling, Wushu free combat, taekwondo and tuishou or pushing hands, a form of tai chi.

Tang Hongrui is one of the young tai chi competitors. The 7-and-a-half-year-old girl from Weifang, Shandong province began learning tai chi less than a year ago. Her mother has been supportive of Tang, saying the sport can help her daughter develop a firm personality.

Two amateur tai chi competitors are doing warm-ups before taking part in a competition. [Photo/dzwww.com]

Tony, a 68-year-old British competitor said he come to China to learn Chinese kung fu because he thinks it can build up his body.

As the cradle of mantis boxing, a well-known boxing art in Shandong province, Yantai boast a long history of Wushu practicing, which enjoys huge popularity among its residents.

There are more than 60 Wushu associations in the city with more than 100,000 registered members. More than 210 Wushu gyms and clubs operate in the city offering professional instructions on Wushu practicing.

Based on the city's enthusiasm for Wushu, Yantai International Wushu Festival has become a flagship event in Shandong province.