From December 8 to 12, the 18th National Martial Arts Hometown Competition took place in Guangning County, Zhaoqing City.
This event, organized by the Martial Arts Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, attracted 94 teams from various "Martial Arts Hometowns" and martial arts organizations across the country. Over a thousand participants gathered to learn from one another and share their experiences.
The competition consisted of five main categories: standard events, traditional events, paired events, team events, and demonstration events, encompassing more than 80 individual items. Participants were divided into five groups by age: children, youth, juniors, middle-aged adults, and seniors.
As the venue for this event, Guangning is recognized as the only "National Martial Arts Hometown" in Guangdong Province, boasting a rich martial arts heritage and a strong grassroots foundation. Reports indicate that there are over 30 rural martial arts schools in Guangning, nearly 5,000 members in martial arts associations, and more than 800 lion and dragon dance teams. Approximately 170,000 people, representing over 30% of the local population, participate in martial arts practice. Consequently, there is a local saying: "Wherever there is a crowd, there are martial arts practitioners."
In recent years, Guangning has prioritized the preservation and promotion of martial arts, enhancing its regional identity as the National Martial Arts Hometown. Guangning has invested 150 million yuan in the planning and construction of public facilities, which include a sports stadium, martial arts center, martial arts park, martial arts fitness square, and a martial arts cultural exhibition hall. Additionally, they are vigorously organizing martial arts events, advocating for martial arts programs in schools, and supporting the growth of the martial arts industry.
Reporter: Shi Liang, Lu Yixuan, Liu Yuheng
Correspondent: Huang Lanqing
Photo: Lu Yixuan, Shi Liang
Editor: Huang Qini, James, Shen He
