Wang Zi-Ping (1881–1973,

Xiao'erjing Xiao'erjing or Xiao'erjin or Xiaor jin or in its shortened form, Xiaojing, literally meaning "children's script" or "minor script" (cf. "original script" referring to the original Perso-Arabic script; zh, s=本经, t=本經, p=Běnjīng, Xiao ...

: ) was a Chinese Muslim practitioner of

Chinese Martial Arts Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common ...

and

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...

from

Cangzhou Cangzhou () is a prefecture-level city in eastern Hebei province, People's Republic of China. At the 2020 census, Cangzhou's built-up (''or metro'') area made of Yunhe, Xinhua districts and Cang County largely being conurbated had a populatio ...

Cangxian Cang County or Cangxian () is a county of Hebei province, China. It is under the administration of Cangzhou Cangzhou () is a prefecture-level city in eastern Hebei province, People's Republic of China. At the 2020 census, Cangzhou's built-u ...

county,

Mengcun Mengcun (; Xiao'erjing: ) is a Hui autonomous county of southeastern Hebei province, China, under the administration of Cangzhou Cangzhou () is a prefecture-level city in eastern Hebei province, People's Republic of China. At the 2020 censu ...

Hebei Province Hebei or , (; alternately Hopeh) is a northern province of China. Hebei is China's sixth most populous province, with over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. The province is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, and 0 ...

. He served as the leader of the

Shaolin Kung Fu Shaolin Kung Fu (), also called Shaolin Wushu (), or Shaolin quan (), is one of the oldest, largest, and most famous styles of wushu, or kung fu of Chan Buddhism. It combines Ch'an philosophy and martial arts and originated and was developed ...

division of the Martial Arts Institute in 1928 and was also the vice chairman of the Chinese Wushu Association. Wang was known for his mastery of Chaquan,

Huaquan Huaquan () is a style of Long Fist Kung Fu ( Changquan) which is believed to have originated in the Former Song Dynasty (420–479 AD) around the Hua Shan (Hua Mountain) area of Shaanxi Province. History There are written legends from the Kaiyu ...

, Pao Chuan,

Bajiquan Bajiquan () is a Chinese martial art that features explosive, short-range power and is famous for its elbow and shoulder strikes. Its full name is kaimen ba ji quan (). Origins Baji quan was originally called bazi quan ( or ) or "rake fist" ...

, and

T'ai chi ch'uan Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called " shadowboxing", is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and meditation. ...

. He was a master of Wushu.

Biography

Early in his life, Wang fought in the Boxer Rebellion against the foreign Western and Japanese imperialist Eight-Nation Alliance. This was believed to be resulting from the fact that Ziping had lived most of his life with China under imperialist pressure from major European powers. Some accounts say he was forced into exile from his home after the end of the Boxer Rebellion and suppression of the Boxers, and became a student of Yang Hongxiu, from whom he learned the art of Chaquan. Wang won fights against Russian, American, German, and Japanese martial artists. Wang defeated a German officer's challenge in a weight lifting contest at Jiaoji. When the Germans wanted to take the antique doors of the

Qinzhou Qinzhou ( postal: Yamchow, , Jyutping: ''Jam1 zau1'' (Canton) /''Ham1 zau1'' ( Local) ) is a prefecture-level city in south-central Guangxi, southern China, lying on the Gulf of Tonkin and having a total population of 3,302,238 as of the 2020 c ...

mosque for themselves, Wang Zi-ping guarded the doors so the Germans challenged him to another weight lifting contest. When Wang triumphed over their challenge, the Germans left. Wang and Zhu Guofu defended martial arts historian Tang Hao (Tang Fansheng) from opponents who were angered by his work "Shaolin-Wudang Kao" which refuted the story of Bodhidharma and Zhang Sanfeng as being the creators of Shaolin and Taijiquan. Liu Jin Sheng, who authored "Chin Na Methods" along with Zhao Jiang, was a student of Wang. He developed an exercise regime for long life. He published works on martial arts exercises. At the sixth National Games Wang served as a judge for martial arts and wrestling. When

Zhou Enlai Zhou Enlai (; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was a Chinese statesman and military officer who served as the first premier of the People's Republic of China from 1 October 1949 until his death on 8 January 1976. Zhou served under Chairman Ma ...

visited

Burma Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...

, Wang, then 80 years old, went with them performed martial arts during the visit. He died when he was 93 years old.

Family

Wang developed "Quan Shr Er Shr Fa" (Twenty Fist Method) as well as "Ching Long Jian" (Green Dragon Sword). He was succeeded by his daughter

Wang Ju-Rong Wang Ju-Rong (Xiao'erjing: , 1928–2006) was a Chinese-Muslim martial artist and Wushu professor in the Shanghai Institute of Physical Education. A longtime promoter of Wushu, a teacher, an organizational officer, and a Wushu event-announce ...

and his granddaughters Grace Wu (Xiaogo), Wu Xiaoping and

Helen Wu Helen Wu (born 1956) is a martial artist living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The daughter of Wang Ju-Rong and Wu Chengde, Helen began her martial arts training at age three with her mother and her grandfather Wang Zi-Ping, the world-renowned Wush ...

(Xiaorong). Wang Zi-ping had only one daughter, Wang Jurong, and his three granddaughters through her are Grace X. Wu,

, and Wu Xiaoping.

References

External links

Article on the life of Wang Zi-Ping from Glenridge Martial Arts Academy

Image of Wang Zi Ping

From Warriors to Sportsmen: How Traditional Chinese Martial Arts Adapted to Modernity
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wang, Zi-Ping Chinese martial artists Chinese Muslims Hui people People from Cangzhou 1973 deaths 1881 births Sportspeople from Hebei Naqshbandi order Chinese Sufis