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The Emei Kung Fu Girls, a female kung fu group formed in April by Gen Z young people from across China who are passionate about traditional Chinese martial arts, are creating a huge craze among young people.
In their first promotional video released in early May, the nine members of the Emei Kung Fu Girls demonstrated the techniques and weapons of the Emei school of kung fu with fluid movements and exquisite skill. In just a week, the video had garnered more than one billion views and became a trending topic across various social media platforms.
“We never expected to receive so much attention so soon after our debut. We are honoured to receive so many compliments and words of encouragement. We also hope to devote more efforts to inheriting and promoting Emei kung fu and traditional Chinese culture,” said Lin Yun, a core member of the group and a holder of the Emei martial arts, which is registered as a national intangible cultural heritage.
The 26-year-olds said they're not content to simply be a traditional idol group, but instead want to make a leap in cultural innovation and media expression, promoting and advancing deeper cultural elements.
Li Jieyu, who heads the women's group, said members of the Emei Kung Fu Girls receive daily training from Emei martial arts successors on Mount Emei in Sichuan province.
In addition to basic martial arts skills and Emei martial arts movements, she said, they also take specialised training courses in horse riding, archery and performing arts to improve their performance on stage.
Li said the group's latest core plan is to produce program content in Paris in July to coincide with the 2024 Paris Olympics, showcasing the unique charm of traditional Chinese kung fu on the international stage.
“I also look forward to internationally interacting with different kinds of martial arts and cultures from different regions around the world, and creating new works in different formats, such as short plays, flash mobs and variety shows,” she added.
(Source: chinadaily.com.cn)
Editor: Wang Shasha
