【文稿】功夫成为体育必修课

Xiaohua: Many Chinese dream of being a kungfu master when they were young and now some of the small kids in Jiangsu are one step closer to that dream, since the local education department has issued a regulation stipulating that that kungfu should be a compulsory content of their PE courses. Do you think this is necessary? John Artman: So now not only are kids gonna be tested on how fast they run 1，000 meters, but now they’re also apparently going to be tested on how well they can do kungfu? Zhou Heyang: Well, I think that’s not really the story here, but I love the way that Xiaohua phrased it. You know, “One step closer to that dream.” But, it sounds like what they’re doing is that, they’re being taught the five animal kungfu exercise thing. It pretty much just sounds like the morning exercise routines that we take anyway, not we, well students take, anyway. And I doubt it actually has any real kungfu moves in it. I think it’s more of a performance kind of thing, because the kungfu that we have in our heads is completely different from what we usually get taught here, I think. XH: But this five animal exercise does actually have a very good health-enhancing aspect of it. ZHY: What is that? JA: So do regular morning exercises. So does running. So does… XH: But this one is morning interesting. You’re imitating the moves of different animals, at least. This makes the kids interested. ZHY: What does that have to do with kungfu? JA: Well, no, okay look, it does have something to do with kungfu, but I think that’s really where its association with kungfu actually ends. I mean, the five animals, there are different, you know, styles. There are different poses and different moves associated with these animals already. What we see here with the five animal exercises is really just the very, very basics of anyone who is actually going to be studying kungfu. This is probably one of the first things they learn and then, as their practice continues, they go more in-depth. To the extent that teaching these kids kungfu, they’re not, really. They’re just teaching them the very initial parts of it and it seems like they’re not actually going to be going anywhere beyond that. ZHY: Well, I think it’s not gonna involve many combat moves or giving them the ability to actually fight in a combat confrontation. JA: Which is strange because a lot parents think, “Yeah, this is great and finally my kid will be able to protect themselves!” But they won’t be able to protect themselves with this. XH: Yeah, I’m a little bit surprised that you guys are all not supporters of this, but you do have supporter: our WeChat listener Li Jia Neng thinks that this is odd. “I think making the martial arts a must-learn subject is really odd. You can, you know, exercise through running, swimming, or other sports. But, martial arts, I mean, really?” XH: In a way, I could understand. ZHY: I love it! Really! Really! JA: No, no, no. Here’s the thing: I love the idea. I love the idea of having kungfu as part of education. Cause we already see calligraphy. We already see erhu, other Chinese instruments that I can’t remember their names now. These are part of some curriculum already, why not kungfu? But what we see here is that they’re not really learning kungfu. All they’re really learning is a type of morning exercise. XH: Yeah, but then does everyone know what kungfu is? If what people think kungfu is is climbing up hills without, you know, or jumping up really high, this is not kungfu. Kungfu also is a kind of art, a kind of performance, and is a kind of exercise. ZHY: I guess so. I think it’s…. But, I think these days to be honest kungfu has largely lost its combat skills, you know, that aspect of it anyway. So this is just a good exercise. JA: Yeah, exactly. And that’s the thing, again I would have no problem with schools actually implementing real kungfu instruction in the class, that would be great. But at the same time, look, honestly, if you want to teach your kids self-protection, kungfu is not going to work because it takes years of practice. If you want them to be able to protect themselves when they go abroad or when they’re walking home from school, Krav Maga. Krav Maga is the way to go. The first class is how to punch someone in the nuts and get out the situation as quickly as possible which all you really need. ZHY: Well, just self-defense in general, I think. XH: Also, that’s the thing that you practiced for a while and then limped to work for several weeks. JA: No, no. That wasn’t Krav Maga’s fault. That was my fault. XH: Alright, I guess. That’s it for this edition of Round Table. Thanks for listening here on EZFM.