Central Guoshu Institute
Encyclopedia
The Central Guoshu Institute (sometimes also translated "Central Martial Arts Academy", Chinese Zhongyang Guoshuguan )
was established in Nanjing
by the Kuomintang
government of the Republic of China
in 1928 for the propagation of Chinese martial arts
, and was an important center of martial arts during the Nanjing decade
.
Guoshu (also spelled Kuoshu) "national art" was the term for martial arts adopted by the Republic of China at the time.
The institute was headed by five selected masters, including Fu Chen Sung
, Wan Lai Sheng, Gu RuZhang, Li Lie Jun 李烈鈞 (1882–1946), Li Jinglin
(李景林, 1884–1931), and Chang Chih Chiang (Zhang Zhi Jiang 张之江, 1882–1966). Along with the Jing Wu Athletic Association (established in 1910), the academy played a crucial role in the transmission of traditional Chinese martial arts into the 20th century.
In April 1928, The Institute held its first national martial arts competition in Beijing in the form of a highly competitive lei tai tournament. It was presided by General Zhang Zhi Jiang. This competition attracted 400 of the best martial artists in China.
----
Wang Te Yuan of Szechwan province was young & powerful, and the top fighter among all the competitors. General Zhang felt he lost face because none of the Institute associates could beat young Wang of Szechwan. At age 56, Institute BaGuaZhang instructor Fu Chen Sung
stepped forward to ight Wang. The two fought evenly for ten rounds; then Wang charged in. “Like a matador,” Fu used the technique, “Old Buddha Puts On His Coat” to redirect Wang’s momentum and throw Wang to the ground. Fu was declared the winner, bringing honor to General Zhang, and prestige & strong accreditation to the Institute.
----
In October 1928, the Central Guoshu Institute held another national examination in Nanjing. This event came to be regarded as one of the most significant historic gatherings of Chinese martial arts masters. The tournament was presided by generals Zhang Zhi Jiang, Li Lie Jun, and Li Jing Lin, who separated the 600 participants into two categories: Shaolin
and Wudang
.
After the first several days of competition, the fighting competitions had to be halted because two masters were killed and many more seriously injured. The final 12 contestants were not permitted to continue for fear of losing traditional knowledge of martial arts by killing off the experts and the overall winner was voted on by a jury of his peers. Many of the "Top 15" finishers (some being Xingyi
boxers) went on to teach at the institute.
Yang Chengfu
was named the Institute's head instructor of T'ai Chi Chuan; Sun Lu-t'ang
was named head instructor of XingYi Chuan; and Fu Chen Sung
was named head instructor of BaGua Zhang.
In 1929, the governor of Guangdong Province
invited some of the institutes's masters (including some of those that had competed in the 1928 lei tai) to come south to establish a "Southern Kuoshu Institute". General Li Jinglin
chose five masters to represent northern China: BaguaZhang master, Fu Chen Sung
; Shaolin Iron Palm master, Gu Ru Zhang; Six Harmony master Wan Lai Shen; Tam T'ui master, Li Shan Wu; and Cha Chuan master, Wang Shao Zhao. These men were known as the Wu hu xia jiangnan (五虎下江南 - "Five tigers heading south of Jiangnan
"). In 1933, the institute again hosted the national competition. The rules said, "...if death occurs as a result of boxing injuries and fights, the coffin with a body of the deceased will be sent home."
The center relocated several times during World War II
and returned to Nanjing in 1946. It closed in 1948 due to lack of funding.
was established in Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
by the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
government of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
in 1928 for the propagation of Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu , are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" , "sects" or...
, and was an important center of martial arts during the Nanjing decade
Nanjing decade
The Nanjing decade was the decade from 1927 to 1937 in the Republic of China. It began when Nationalist Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek took the city from Zhili clique warlord Sun Chuanfang halfway through the Northern Expedition in 1927. He declared it to be the national capital despite the...
.
Guoshu (also spelled Kuoshu) "national art" was the term for martial arts adopted by the Republic of China at the time.
The institute was headed by five selected masters, including Fu Chen Sung
Fu Chen Sung
Fu Chen Sung , or Fu Qiankun was a grandmaster of Wudangquan martial arts. He was best known as one of the famed "Five Northern Tigers," and a third-generation master of Baguazhang who founded Fu Style Baguazhang...
, Wan Lai Sheng, Gu RuZhang, Li Lie Jun 李烈鈞 (1882–1946), Li Jinglin
Li Jinglin
Li Jinglin Li Jinglin (also known as Li Fangchen) Li Jinglin (also known as Li Fangchen) ((李景林, 1885 - 1931) was a deputy inspector-general and later army general for the Fengtian clique during the Chinese warlord era. He hailed from Zaoqiang County, Hebei province, China. After his military...
(李景林, 1884–1931), and Chang Chih Chiang (Zhang Zhi Jiang 张之江, 1882–1966). Along with the Jing Wu Athletic Association (established in 1910), the academy played a crucial role in the transmission of traditional Chinese martial arts into the 20th century.
In April 1928, The Institute held its first national martial arts competition in Beijing in the form of a highly competitive lei tai tournament. It was presided by General Zhang Zhi Jiang. This competition attracted 400 of the best martial artists in China.
----
Wang Te Yuan of Szechwan province was young & powerful, and the top fighter among all the competitors. General Zhang felt he lost face because none of the Institute associates could beat young Wang of Szechwan. At age 56, Institute BaGuaZhang instructor Fu Chen Sung
Fu Chen Sung
Fu Chen Sung , or Fu Qiankun was a grandmaster of Wudangquan martial arts. He was best known as one of the famed "Five Northern Tigers," and a third-generation master of Baguazhang who founded Fu Style Baguazhang...
stepped forward to ight Wang. The two fought evenly for ten rounds; then Wang charged in. “Like a matador,” Fu used the technique, “Old Buddha Puts On His Coat” to redirect Wang’s momentum and throw Wang to the ground. Fu was declared the winner, bringing honor to General Zhang, and prestige & strong accreditation to the Institute.
----
In October 1928, the Central Guoshu Institute held another national examination in Nanjing. This event came to be regarded as one of the most significant historic gatherings of Chinese martial arts masters. The tournament was presided by generals Zhang Zhi Jiang, Li Lie Jun, and Li Jing Lin, who separated the 600 participants into two categories: Shaolin
Shaolin kung fu
Shaolin Kung Fu refers to a collection of Chinese martial arts that claim affiliation with the Shaolin Monastery.Of the multitude styles of kung fu and wushu, only some are actually related to Shaolin...
and Wudang
Wudang chuan
In current-day China, the martial arts are generally classified into two major groups: Wudang and Shaolin. The Chinese word wǔdāngquán translates as "Wudang fist" or "Wudang boxing." Whereas Shaolin includes many martial art styles, Wudangquan includes only the arts applied with internal power;...
.
After the first several days of competition, the fighting competitions had to be halted because two masters were killed and many more seriously injured. The final 12 contestants were not permitted to continue for fear of losing traditional knowledge of martial arts by killing off the experts and the overall winner was voted on by a jury of his peers. Many of the "Top 15" finishers (some being Xingyi
Xingyi
Xingyi may refer to:*Xingyiquan, one of the major internal Chinese martial arts*Xingyi, Guizhou, county level city in Guizhou, China...
boxers) went on to teach at the institute.
Yang Chengfu
Yang Chengfu
Yang Chengfu or Yang Ch'eng-fu is historically considered the best known teacher of the soft style martial art of Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan .-Biography:...
was named the Institute's head instructor of T'ai Chi Chuan; Sun Lu-t'ang
Sun Lu-t'ang
Sun Lu-t'ang was a renowned master of Chinese Neijia martial arts and was the progenitor of the syncretic art of Sun-style tai chi chuan...
was named head instructor of XingYi Chuan; and Fu Chen Sung
Fu Chen Sung
Fu Chen Sung , or Fu Qiankun was a grandmaster of Wudangquan martial arts. He was best known as one of the famed "Five Northern Tigers," and a third-generation master of Baguazhang who founded Fu Style Baguazhang...
was named head instructor of BaGua Zhang.
In 1929, the governor of Guangdong Province
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
invited some of the institutes's masters (including some of those that had competed in the 1928 lei tai) to come south to establish a "Southern Kuoshu Institute". General Li Jinglin
Li Jinglin
Li Jinglin Li Jinglin (also known as Li Fangchen) Li Jinglin (also known as Li Fangchen) ((李景林, 1885 - 1931) was a deputy inspector-general and later army general for the Fengtian clique during the Chinese warlord era. He hailed from Zaoqiang County, Hebei province, China. After his military...
chose five masters to represent northern China: BaguaZhang master, Fu Chen Sung
Fu Chen Sung
Fu Chen Sung , or Fu Qiankun was a grandmaster of Wudangquan martial arts. He was best known as one of the famed "Five Northern Tigers," and a third-generation master of Baguazhang who founded Fu Style Baguazhang...
; Shaolin Iron Palm master, Gu Ru Zhang; Six Harmony master Wan Lai Shen; Tam T'ui master, Li Shan Wu; and Cha Chuan master, Wang Shao Zhao. These men were known as the Wu hu xia jiangnan (五虎下江南 - "Five tigers heading south of Jiangnan
Jiangnan
Jiangnan or Jiang Nan is a geographic area in China referring to lands immediately to the south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, including the southern part of the Yangtze Delta...
"). In 1933, the institute again hosted the national competition. The rules said, "...if death occurs as a result of boxing injuries and fights, the coffin with a body of the deceased will be sent home."
The center relocated several times during World War II
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
and returned to Nanjing in 1946. It closed in 1948 due to lack of funding.