Last weekend, the city stadium was buzzing with excitement. Under the spotlight, a one-meter-high, square leitai covered with red felt became the focal point of the entire venue. The inaugural “Wen Dao Cup” Chinese Traditional Martial Arts Leitai Tournament concluded here after two intense days of competition. Following several rounds of fierce battles, 22-year-old Zhang Zhenyu from the “Long Teng Martial Arts School” emerged victorious in the final, defeating his opponent with solid foundational skills and flexible tactics to claim the men’s 75-kilogram championship and the coveted “Wen Ding Golden Belt.”
Unlike the performance-oriented martial arts routines people often see, this leitai tournament emphasized a “return to practical combat to test true skill.” While ensuring safety, the rules maximized the application of traditional martial arts techniques, permitting a variety of punches, kicks, and throws—excluding attacks on vital points—aiming to explore the application and vitality of traditional martial arts in a modern competitive environment.
The atmosphere on the final night was so tense you could cut it with a knife. Zhang Zhenyu’s opponent was Chen Hao, the seasoned and notoriously fierce main fighter from the “Thunder Martial Arts Club.” From the start, Chen Hao launched a fierce offensive, his powerful punches drawing gasps from the audience. Zhang Zhenyu, however, adopted a mobile strategy, using nimble footwork, precise jabs, and low kicks to control the distance and wear down his opponent.
The turning point came in the second round. During a close-range grapple, Chen Hao swung a heavy punch that missed, slightly throwing him off balance. Seizing the fleeting opportunity, Zhang Zhenyu swiftly executed a “leg-catch takedown,” bringing Chen Hao to the ground, and secured crucial points through a ground hold. After three rounds, the judges unanimously declared Zhang Zhenyu the winner by points.
“The leitai is not just a test of strength, but also a contest of wisdom,” said a sweat-drenched Zhang Zhenyu in a post-match interview. “I practice traditional Tongbei Quan, which emphasizes long-range strikes, and sudden, sharp power. Winning today was about applying the wisdom of ‘avoiding the solid and striking the hollow’ that my master taught me. This leitai has validated ten years of my sweat.”
The event’s organizer and traditional martial arts expert, Wu Tianming, reflected after watching the matches: “We built this leitai to answer one question: Can traditional martial arts actually be used in a fight? Today, these young martial artists have given the most powerful answer with their fists and feet. It holds value not only for fitness and self-cultivation but also contains incredibly sophisticated combat philosophy. The key is how we activate it and place it on a suitable modern competitive platform.”
The response from the audience was equally enthusiastic. A parent, Mr. Wang, who brought his child to watch, told our reporter, “Letting children see how real Chinese kung fu is applied is more educational than any martial arts movie. It can not only spark their interest in traditional culture but also help them understand the virtue of martial spirit, which is to stop violence.”
Of course, debates and discussions about the position and development of traditional martial arts within modern combat systems persist. Nonetheless, the successful hosting of the “Wen Dao Cup” leitai tournament provides a valuable practice for the modernization of traditional martial arts. It is like a stone thrown into a lake, creating ripples. This small leitai has transcended the mere outcome of wins and losses, becoming a stage for cultural exchange, intellectual collision, and innovative inheritance. Whether more martial artists will step onto this stage to “seek the way” through combat remains to be seen.
Post time: Nov-28-2025