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Cangxian County of Hebei Province, 240 kilometers to the south of Beijing, is just one of the innumerable counties upon the immense north China Plain.

Its corn fields spread for kilometers along the Beijing-Shanghai railway, before merging into those of other counties.

Yet if you stop here, and talk with any farmer you come across, you could find he or she is a martial arts expert.

Martial arts, or Chinese kung fu as it is known in the West, is one of the country's most enduring legacies. And nowhere is there such a long tradition and passion for martial arts as in Cangxian County.

From September 6 to 8, the county hosted its third annual martial arts competition. The contests are part of the local government's campaign in recent years to foster the county's favourite pastime.

Sport of heroes

According to the locals, their martial arts tradition originated in the sagas of Chinese literature.

In ancient times, Cangxian County was known as Cangzhou. Anyone familiar with ancient Chinese stories of unruly heroes will know of the punishment of "exile to Cangzhou."

For that's how Cangzhou was known by the rest of China at that time: as a place where exiled rebels went.

Some of these insurgent heroes left Cangzhou later, some settled down, but all helped spread a dauntless spirit and the practice of martial arts among local residents.

"We are a people not used to being repressed," said Men Huifeng, a martial arts professor with Beijing Sports University who was born in Cangxian County. "That's why in the late Qing Dynasty, when the alliance of eight Western powers invaded China, a lot of Cangxian people secretly joined the Yihetuan ( Boxers Movement)."

Cangxian people still retain a strong empathy with those ancient exiled heroes. In front of the county stadium where this month's martial arts competition was held stands the statue of the most famous hero of them all, Lin Chong. His escape from a trap set in Cangzhou by a wicked aristocrat is one of the most intriguing episodes in the Chinese literary masterpiece "Outlaws of the Marsh."

Part of life

Just as the heroes of martial arts novels varied, the people of Cangxian have different ideas about martial arts.

Their styles and movements focus on body-building, defence and combat, differing from those used in the adventures of Jackie Chan or Jet Li.

Wang Zhihai, 50, is the chairman of the Martial Arts Association in Cangxian and has won several national championships. He admitted that victory was one of the attractions of martial arts.

"I always try to be the best. I never believe that I can't learn to do things someone else can do."

His commitment led him to shed more sweat and endure more ordeals than his rivals.

Wang was 12 when he met his first martial arts tutor, a master living in a village 4 kilometers from his own.

He would walk to the master's house every afternoon after school, train through the evening and return home usually at midnight.

Wang observed ancient instructions to improve his physical prowess.

For example, to enhance the striking force of a single blow, he would hit a cement stake with his bare arms 500 times every morning, he said.

Wang also used to stand on one leg while using the other one to kick a feather hung by a thin thread over his head more than 100 times.

Before his toe could reach his target, the feather could easily shift, disturbed by the air currents he created. So he had to make every kick very quick and firm.

But not everybody takes martial arts as seriously as Wang.

For most Cangxian people, martial arts are simply a refreshing and interesting sport. They engage in martial arts more for the sake of recreation than to win championships.

Ma Zhongxiu is a 73-year-old man who looks young enough to be in his early 60s. "You know, I'm kept from getting old by martial arts," he said.

Ma has farmed all his life and martial arts are his only diversion.

"Any time I'm tired, I will do some martial arts. After that, I feel relaxed and full of energy again, just as if the depleted strength is recharged," he said.

Although Ma won two championships in the above-56-year-old group this time, he takes more pleasure from the sport than from the prize.

"You know, during breaks in our field labour, all the people working nearby will come together in a circle, and each one will show others his new skills or moves.

Then people will argue with each other heatedly, discussing whether such a skill or move is practical in real defence or attack. That's the most interesting time for me."

People practising martial arts in Cangxian tend to lead humble and ordinary lives.

Yang Shurun, a 48-year-old English teacher in a rural middle school, has practised martial arts for 40 years. She has participated in the county's martial arts competitions since they began, winning gold or silver each time.

Her hands are hardened not only by practising martial arts, but also by labour in the field and household chores.

"I miss being a young girl very much," she confided with a smile. "At that time I practised martial arts all day long under the instruction of my father, with nothing more to bother with."

As well as following her own training regime, Yang also coaches her two sons. "I have insisted they study martial arts as every generation of their ancestors has done, even though it might be an extra burden," said Yang.

She takes pleasure in the fact her elder son is now also a martial arts coach, for more than 20 students in Hebei Technology University where he is studying.

Such loyalty to tradition has survived difficult times.

During the "cultural revolution" (1966-76), local people still practised martial arts. Masters, like the one instructing Wang Zhihai, taught young devotees at night in backyards. The sport survived those chaotic years and flourished again in the 1980s.

But now modernization and the market economy pose a serious challenge to the traditions of Cangxian people.

"I hate to say we are losing potential martial arts experts to new and more profitable undertakings even here in Cangxian. But that's the reality," said Men Huifeng.

Middle-aged and elderly people are the most concerned about the future of martial arts in their community. Although most practice the discipline, more and more young people seem to be indifferent to it.

The local government's introduction of new policies to preserve the local tradition has therefore been welcomed.

One of its most important measures has been to introduce martial arts into local primary schools.

In 2000, the local government asked all primary schools to include martial arts in their sports curriculum. Local experts teach the subject.

"We hope that by introducing mandatory lessons over six years, children will be taught the essential techniques and knowledge of martial arts and, more importantly, develop an appreciation of their ancestors' legacy," said Lou Xiwen, vice magistrate of Cangxian County.

Another policy adopted by local government is to encourage the development of private martial arts schools.

Wang Zhihai established his Zhenshihou Martial Arts School in 1996. He said the government not only allocated land for the school but also provided him with staff to teach humanities and sciences.

He said in the past five years, 12 of the school's graduates have been admitted to Beijing Sports University, with many others going on to Hebei Sports University.

Last year, Wang's school agreed to launch a collaborative education programme with the Martial Arts Department of Beijing Sports University. The university will send its fourth-year students to teach in Wang's school every year.

These martial arts majors are expected to introduce the theory behind their discipline to local children, while obtaining teaching experience at the same time.

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