On August 14th, at the semi-finals of the 9th NTD World Chinese Traditional Martial Arts Competition, a young woman in a lake blue practice suit caught everyone’s attention. She smoothly performed a set of simple, well-structured, and harmonious Tai Chi boxing routine. She is Zhang Yunchen, a competitor from the Martial Arts Department of the Renaissance University.
Despite only practicing martial arts for four years, Zhang Yunchen has been increasingly discovering the profound essence of Chinese traditional martial arts.
“In the beginning, I focused more on physical exercises. Later on, I realized that traditional martial arts are closely related to ‘enlightenment’, which is connected to one’s inner state,” Zhang Yunchen said. “Based on my experience, if I keep thinking about how to use this boxing style forcefully to fight and compete with others, my skills will be limited. It’s about finding the balance between Yin and Yang, in the relationship between movement and stillness. I realized it is not about external combat, but more about self-cultivation. I believe traditional martial arts embody this aspect.”
Therefore, when Zhang Yunchen saw NTD emphasizing “martial virtue” in the competition, she empathized deeply.
“At first, I thought ‘martial virtue’ meant ‘rewarding the good and punishing the evil’, then I wondered, how do we determine what is ‘good’? I realized it’s not just about standing up against the culprits, it’s about understanding the karmic connections between people. Gradually, I felt that true help comes from self-improvement, striving to be better, not nitpicking over things, but considering others’ circumstances while achieving something good,” she explained.
According to Zhang Yunchen, through the process of practicing martial arts, she experienced progress and breakthroughs.
“Practicing traditional martial arts requires overcoming challenges every day. For example, sweating during leg stretches, feeling exhausted at times, but you must persevere. In this process, you discover there is always room for improvement. It’s a step-by-step process. Initially, it may feel awkward, but gradually becomes natural, your muscles follow, your tendons follow, and then your overall movements align as well.”
“For me, practicing martial arts means contemplating different roles between movement and stillness, which has been a beautiful journey as I persist,” Zhang Yunchen expressed.
Reflecting on her journey of learning “martial virtue”, Zhang Yunchen found the words “fearlessness” to be most impactful.
“The ‘fearlessness’ in ‘seeing the good with humility and facing the evil without fear’ is inspiring to me. For instance, in today’s competition where everyone showcases their skills, some may excel in techniques or strength, each has their strengths. What I have to demonstrate is the part I’ve been practicing, and for that, I need to exhibit a spirit of ‘fearlessness’,” she articulated. “So, I believe the ‘fearlessness’ in the spirit of ‘martial virtue’ is crucial. Hearing this term made many things clear to me immediately.”
Zhang Yunchen challenges herself to maintain a balanced mindset. “I’m not aiming for awards, but to showcase what I’ve practiced, the essence of it, the beauty of it, so that more people can join in practicing traditional martial arts, and promote this wonderful practice,” she shared.
During challenging times in her personal life, Zhang Yunchen applied the spirit of fearlessness and martial virtue.
“I first confront it without fear, not engaging in conflicts, maintaining composure. Simultaneously, I try to empathize with the other party from a compassionate perspective, standing in their shoes, ensuring they cannot harm me,” she recounted.
Through years of martial arts practice, Zhang Yunchen feels a profound inner calmness. She believes traditional martial arts embody “accumulation, totality, and balance”, emphasizing the importance of gradual progress and cultivation.
Recalling a senior competitor from the last competition, Zhang Yunchen shared a touching moment where despite mastering a fierce technique, the senior competitor showed mercy instead of delivering a fatal blow in the final move.
“He showed compassion, leaving room for mercy. I was moved to tears at that moment, witnessing what true martial virtue is,” she remembered. “The judges recognized the wisdom in his actions, acknowledging the spirit of martial virtue he displayed. Seeing this in the competition was truly heartwarming.”
Zhang Yunchen participates in the competition again with the goal of promoting traditional martial arts.
“Traditional martial arts need successors, advocates, those who can pass on its intrinsic values. That’s why I’m here again,” she articulated. “Having such a platform for us to practice and exchange traditional martial arts knowledge is a great opportunity. I truly admire and appreciate NTD for organizing and sustaining this competition over the years.”