Beijing Wushu Team
Encyclopedia
The Beijing Wushu Team is a world renowned wushu
team from Beijing
, China
. The team has produced many famous international stars such as Jet Li
, Donnie Yen
, Huang Qiuyan
, Zhang Hongmei and Wu Jing. The Beijing team members also work with movie producers to make films. Aside from Jet Li, many other athletes have also been featured in movies (e.g. Wang Jue has starred in Shaolin Temple.) Every year, the Beijing Team performs demonstrations of wushu for the citizens of Beijing as well as visiting dignitaries. They have performed for former US President Jimmy Carter
as well as many other foreign heads of state when they visited Beijing.
and Li Junfeng as a successor to the Beijing Wushu School. The Beijing Wushu School was created in order to prepare the city of Beijing for the first All China Games
. Beijing Sports University (now Beijing Physical Education University) wushu department graduate Liu Peiwei was appointed team leader and coach. After the first All China Games, the team found a home at the Beihai Sports Center, with Liu Peiwei serving as the first director.
In 1963, Beijing Sports University graduate Wu Bin
came to the school as a coach, bringing new vitality into the sports school and establishing the foundation for the Beijing Team's later success.
In the nearly three decades since its founding, and through the hard work of the athletes and coaches, the team has achieved remarkable levels of success. From 1974 to 1997, they won the National team championship 11 times. From 1975 to 1985, the Beijing Wushu Team achieved a feat that no team has ever accomplished, before or since – winning the championship for ten consecutive years. The Beijing Wushu Team received 40 individual gold medals during this 10 year reign.
Many of the earlier generations of Beijing Wushu Team athletes have gone on to teach wushu abroad. Many have emigrated to the USA, Australia, Japan and other parts of Asia.
on the White House
lawn. The Beijing team has toured the USA several times in the 1980s and 1990s and into the current century. In 1995 they performed in Los Angeles
, San Diego, San Francisco, Berkeley, CA and Calgary
, Canada. In 1999 they were invited to perform at Arnold Schwarzenegger
's Annual Arnold Classic
. The team performed and served as judges for the 1998 and 1999 Collegiate Wushu Championships as well. Most recently the 2005 tour saw the team performing in Washington DC, Houston, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Wushu (sport)
The sport of wushu is both an exhibition and a full-contact sport derived from traditional Chinese martial arts. It was created in the People's Republic of China after 1949, in an attempt to nationalize the practice of traditional Chinese martial arts...
team from Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The team has produced many famous international stars such as Jet Li
Jet Li
The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
, Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film director and producer, action choreographer, and world wushu tournament medalist...
, Huang Qiuyan
Huang Qiuyan
Huang Qiuyan is a Chinese triple jumper.Huang holds the current Asian record in triple jump with 14.72 metres. The result was achieved in Guangzhou on 22 November 2001.-Achievements:-References:...
, Zhang Hongmei and Wu Jing. The Beijing team members also work with movie producers to make films. Aside from Jet Li, many other athletes have also been featured in movies (e.g. Wang Jue has starred in Shaolin Temple.) Every year, the Beijing Team performs demonstrations of wushu for the citizens of Beijing as well as visiting dignitaries. They have performed for former US President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
as well as many other foreign heads of state when they visited Beijing.
History
The Beijing Wushu Team was founded in November 1974 by Wu BinWu Bin
Wu Bin is a world-renowned wushu coach who has produced more Wushu champions than any other coach in China. Among his students are Jet Li, Li Jinheng, Zhang Guifeng, Zhang Hongmei, Hao Zhihua, Huang Qiuyan, Kenny Perez, Tang Laiwei, and countless more.Wu began his career after graduating from the...
and Li Junfeng as a successor to the Beijing Wushu School. The Beijing Wushu School was created in order to prepare the city of Beijing for the first All China Games
National Games of the People's Republic of China
The National Games of the People's Republic of China , sometimes known as the All China Games , is the premier sports event in China at national level. It is usually held once every four years, most recently in October 2009, when the 11th National Games of the People's Republic of China took place...
. Beijing Sports University (now Beijing Physical Education University) wushu department graduate Liu Peiwei was appointed team leader and coach. After the first All China Games, the team found a home at the Beihai Sports Center, with Liu Peiwei serving as the first director.
In 1963, Beijing Sports University graduate Wu Bin
Wu Bin
Wu Bin is a world-renowned wushu coach who has produced more Wushu champions than any other coach in China. Among his students are Jet Li, Li Jinheng, Zhang Guifeng, Zhang Hongmei, Hao Zhihua, Huang Qiuyan, Kenny Perez, Tang Laiwei, and countless more.Wu began his career after graduating from the...
came to the school as a coach, bringing new vitality into the sports school and establishing the foundation for the Beijing Team's later success.
In the nearly three decades since its founding, and through the hard work of the athletes and coaches, the team has achieved remarkable levels of success. From 1974 to 1997, they won the National team championship 11 times. From 1975 to 1985, the Beijing Wushu Team achieved a feat that no team has ever accomplished, before or since – winning the championship for ten consecutive years. The Beijing Wushu Team received 40 individual gold medals during this 10 year reign.
Many of the earlier generations of Beijing Wushu Team athletes have gone on to teach wushu abroad. Many have emigrated to the USA, Australia, Japan and other parts of Asia.
Beijing Wushu Team Performance Tours
The team has showcased its skills through the Beijing Wushu Team Tour many times over the years. The worldwide tours showcase a mix of veteran athletes and rising stars demonstrating their very best routines. As part of a world tour in 1974, Jet Li was reputed to have performed a two-man fight for US President Richard NixonRichard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
on the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
lawn. The Beijing team has toured the USA several times in the 1980s and 1990s and into the current century. In 1995 they performed in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, San Diego, San Francisco, Berkeley, CA and Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Canada. In 1999 they were invited to perform at Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
's Annual Arnold Classic
Arnold Classic
The Arnold Classic, renamed Arnold Fitness Weekend, is an annual bodybuilding competition, named after Arnold Schwarzenegger. It takes place in late February or early March in Columbus, Ohio, United States.-History:...
. The team performed and served as judges for the 1998 and 1999 Collegiate Wushu Championships as well. Most recently the 2005 tour saw the team performing in Washington DC, Houston, San Francisco and Los Angeles.