The 9th NTD World Chinese Martial Arts Competition was held in Manhattan, New York on August 15th.
In the finals, 11-year-old Shi Yuxi from Taiwan won the silver medal in the youth boxing category. She expressed, “I just did my best in the competition, whether I win or not is not the key, surpassing myself is what matters the most.”
During the award ceremony, Shi Yuxi expressed her gratitude, thanking the organizers for hosting the competition, as well as her coach and family for their support. She also specially thanked the judges, acknowledging their hard work and dedication in scoring each participant.
Shi Yuxi started learning martial arts at the age of 6, and has been a member of the school team since first grade. In Taiwan, she has participated in various competitions and has won several medals in traditional martial arts events.
Her interest in martial arts was sparked by watching the movie “Mulan”. She found Mulan’s fighting skills “cool and impressive”, which led her to start learning martial arts.
After 6 years of practicing martial arts, she initially learned competitive martial arts but later embraced traditional martial arts, understanding the importance of embodying “martial virtue”, which includes being courteous, refraining from joking around, and possessing good moral character.
Martial arts also taught her how to cope with failure. In one competition, she made a mistake during a performance, which initially saddened her. However, she realized that “failures are inevitable on the path to success”, and she bounced back to complete the competition.
Participating in this international competition for the first time broadened Yuxi’s horizons and provided her with valuable learning experiences. She expressed excitement at seeing new techniques and forms that she had never encountered before, stating she looks forward to trying new things in the future.
Witnessing the dedication of many participants in preserving and learning traditional martial arts made her realize that passing on this cultural heritage is more significant than winning awards, which she found truly admirable.
Upon returning home, she plans to encourage her friends to attend such competitions to witness the diverse talents competing for glory. She views it as an opportunity to showcase individual strengths and inspire others.
To support Yuxi’s participation, her father, mother, and brother traveled to New York. Inspired by her daughter’s interest, Yuxi’s mother also started learning Baguazhang, following the same teacher as her daughter. After a year of practice, she noticed improvements in flexibility, posture, and overall well-being.
The NTD Traditional Martial Arts Competition is a large-scale international event. Yuxi’s mother mentioned that witnessing participants from around the world showcasing different martial arts styles and weapons was truly inspiring. It opened their daughter’s eyes to the global community of traditional martial arts enthusiasts.
Observing the competition deepened her understanding of martial virtue, realizing that it encompasses not only moral values but also virtues like courage, politeness, and ethical conduct, all of which are embodied in martial arts.
She noted that the focus was not solely on routines and techniques, but also on the preparation and mutual encouragement among participants before taking the stage, creating a supportive atmosphere driven by a shared love for traditional culture and martial arts.
Seeing older participants competing evoked admiration from her, witnessing their graceful performances, regardless of age, instilled in her the belief that one can excel at any age if they have the passion and determination.
She expressed gratitude to the organizers for providing such learning opportunities and to the teachers who introduced them to traditional martial arts, recognizing it as a cultural heritage that transcends mere competition.
Therefore, she emphasized the importance of firsthand experience to truly appreciate and understand the essence of such events and to share the knowledge gained with fellow martial arts enthusiasts around her.