青岛国术馆的兴衰
The Rise and Fall of the Qingdao Martial Arts Institute/
by Dai Xinge
青岛国术馆成立于1929年9月1日,是我国最早成立国术馆的省市之一。当时青岛是中国的特别市(相当于现在直辖市),加之又有较好的武术渊源,汇集了一大批武林高手,因而成为各省市国术馆中的佼佼者。
The Qingdao Martial Arts Institute (青岛国术馆; QMAI, aka. “Qingdao Guoshu Institute”), founded on September 1, 1929, was one of the premier martial arts academies established in a provincial city in China. In those days, Qingdao was designated as a “special city“ (akin to directly administered municipalities under the central government today). As such, it also had superior martial arts resources and brought together numerous martial arts experts, making QMAI a standout among all the various martial arts schools in the country.
“国术”一词来源于1928年3月成立的南京中央国术研究会,6月份易名中央国术馆。中央国术馆开始设少林、武当两个门派:少林门主要包括少林拳、查拳、弹腿、八极拳、劈挂拳等,门长是王子平;武当门主要包括太极拳、形意拳、八卦掌等,门长是高振东。 国术馆成立不久,国民政府即通令各级行政区设立相应机构。因此上世纪30年代初,各省市均相继成立了地方国术馆。
The term “guoshu” (国术; lit: “national skills”) [a synonym for “martial arts” used in the institute’s name as adopted by the Republic of China’s ruling Kuomintang government] derives from the “Nanjing Central Guoshu Research Association” founded in March 1928, later renamed the “Central Guoshu Institute” in June of that year. This institute began developing Shaolin and Wudang martial arts, with the Shaolin school consisting mainly of Shaolin Boxing (少林拳), Cha Boxing (查拳), Tantui (弹腿), Baji Boxing (八极拳), Pigua Boxing (劈挂拳), etc., headed by Wang Ziping (王子平, 1880~1973), and the Wudang school comprised mainly of Taiji Boxing (太极拳), Xingyi Boxing (形意拳), Baguazhang (八卦掌), and so on, headed by Gao Zhendong (高振东, 1879~1960). Shortly after its establishment, the Nationalist government [under Chiang Kai-shek] immediately ordered administrative departments at all levels to establish corresponding academies. Hence, in the early 1930s, each province and city followed closely behind by setting up their own local martial arts institutes.
青岛的武术可以追溯到元末 ,当时著名的道教宗师和武术大师张三丰、丘处机等人曾在崂山传道习武,教授崂山道士和山民拳法和剑法,从而使青岛的武术风气日渐兴起。
Qingdao’s martial arts can be traced back to the late Yuan (1271~1368) and early Ming (1368~1644) dynasties when famous Daoist masters and great martial arts instructors such as Zhang Sanfeng (张三丰; credited with inventing Taiji Boxing), Qiu Chuji (丘处机; founder of the Dragon Gate sect of Daoism), and others “spread the Dao” on Laoshan (崂山; aka. “Mt. Lao”), where they trained their martial arts and taught Laoshan Daoist priests and mountain residents boxing methods and sword techniques, thereby enabling Qingdao’s culture of martial arts to gradually flourish.
这期间倭寇频繁侵犯我国沿海地 ,青岛也饱受其害。为抗击倭寇,明洪武二十一年(公元1388年),朝廷在浮山湾畔设立了浮山备御千户所,简称浮山所,驻军与当地居民共同开荒务农习武操练,过着“战时为军、闲时为农”的生活。青岛地区民众习武的风气由此盛行。至清乾隆年间,青岛地区民间已出现早期授徒传艺活动。较早有文献记载的武术人物和传人,清朝乾隆年间崂山惜福镇傅家埠的傅士古,兴盛时傅家埠一村就有拳房13处之多。
During this time, Japanese pirates frequently invaded China’s coastal areas and Qingdao also succumbed to their attacks. To resist the pirates’ aggression, in the 21st year (1388 AD) of the Ming Hongwu reign (明洪武), the imperial court established the Fushan Defense Battalion (浮山所; aka. “Fushan Barracks”) [a coastal military installation] on the shores of Fushan Bay. Living as “soldiers in wartime and farmers in peacetime,” the troops garrisoned there worked with local residents to open the land up for farming and to train martial arts, which popularized the culture of martial arts around Qingdao. By the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1735~96 AD), early apprenticeship cooperations began emerging throughout society. Fu Shigu (傅士古), one of the relatively earlier documented martial arts figures and disciples at his peak had as many as 13 practice rooms in Fujiabu Village, Xifu Town, Laoshan District, Qingdao.
1891年,清政府派登州镇总兵章高元驻防青岛,其军士中也有许多习武爱好者,经常邀请一些武林拳师传授拳法,切磋技艺。1911年,青岛人张石麟、宋铭之发起成立了最早的武术组织——中华武术会。可惜这个最早的武术组织,仅昙花一现,不久就夭折了。
In 1891, the Qing government appointed Zhang Gaoyuan (章高元), general commander of Dengzhou Town, to station troops in Qingdao. His soldiers, many of whom were also martial arts enthusiasts, regularly invited martial arts experts to teach them boxing methods and swap techniques. In 1911, Zhang Shilin (张石麟) and Song Mingzhi (宋铭之), both Qingdao natives, initiated the establishment of the area’s first martial arts organization, the Chinese Martial Arts Association (中华武术会). Regrettably, however, this organization was just a flash in the pan that then fizzled out soon after.
1919王子平的连续获胜,使青岛人心大振,街头巷尾争说王子平,日本当局十分不高兴,要给他点颜色看,从国内请来柔道家宫本来较量。王子平对欧洲人是“以柔克刚”、“以小制大”,对柔道则”刚柔相济,以柔为防,以刚制人”,宫本连续失败。日本人恼羞成怒,派浪人干扰,砸黑石头,使王子平无法在青岛居住下去,于是去了上海,上海有个美国人开的万国竞武场,也是一种打擂,擂主沙利文,广告上声称打中一拳者获500元,打倒他的获奖1000元。王子平上台后,飞脚踢倒了沙利文,也施拳打了一记,轰动了上海滩。
In 1919, Wang Ziping’s consecutive victories significantly boosted Qingdao’s morale, but the Japanese authorities were not pleased to see him being vied for up and down the streets of the city. So, in the hopes of teaching Master Wang a lesson, they invited a judo expert from Japan to come over and challenge him. Against Europeans, Master Wang used “suppleness to overcome strength” and “the small to control the large”; against judo, he instead applied “a combination of suppleness with strength: suppleness to defend, [yet] strength to control,” causing the judoka to fail repeatedly. As embarrassment turned to anger, the Japanese sent ronin (aka. “masterless samurai”) to instigate trouble by randomly chucking black stones. This made living in Qingdao no longer tenable for Master Wang, at which point he moved to Shanghai. In Shanghai, an American had organized an all-China martial arts competition that included a leitai (擂台; aka. “raised platform”) competition. Anyone who landed a punch on him would receive 500 yuan, and the reward for knocking him over was 1000 yuan, the host, Sullivan (沙利文), claimed in advertisements. Master Wang stepped onto the stage, toppled Sullivan with a flying kick, then struck him with a single blow, triggering a big commotion on the Shanghai beach.
当年山东省武术传习所著名武术家王子平,率济南武术团来青岛表演,当时,青岛还在日本人的统治之下,他在齐燕会馆门前广场表演武术,江苏路外国侨民子弟学校有个体育教师叫阿拉曼,是美国人,他一向认为中国人是东亚病夫,不堪一击,主动找王子平比试。俩人见面,借握手之际想试一试王子平的功夫,握住王子平的手不放,逐渐加劲,王子平感到来者不善,暗中较劲,阿拉曼立即摔倒在地。他还不服,要正式比试,王子平用擒拿法打败了他。阿拉曼不甘心,第二天请来德国大力士柯芝麦替他报仇。王子平说,要先讲清楚君子斗还是小人斗,前者点到为止,不伤身体,柯芝麦选了君子斗,结果王子平连摔了他三个跟斗,柯芝麦服了。
Back then, Wang Ziping, a renowned martial artist from the Shandong Martial Arts Training Center (山东省武术传习所), led the performances of their Jinan-based martial arts troupe in Qingdao. While Qingdao was still under Japanese rule, he demonstrated his martial arts in the square located in front of the Qiyan Assembly Hall. At the time, there was a PE teacher from the School for Children of Foreign Workers on Jiangsu Road named Alaman (阿拉曼), an American, who had always believed Chinese people were “sick men of Asia” incapable of withstanding even one of his blows, proactively looking for Master Wang to test his skills. To ascertain Master Wang’s martial prowess, when the two met, the moment they started shaking hands, Alaman increasingly tightened his grip and would not let go. Master Wang, feeling “[he] who comes is surely ill-intentioned,” disobligingly threw him straight to the ground. Unconvinced, Alaman demanded a formal contest, in which Master Wang beat him with joint locks. Still unwilling to resign, Alaman invited the German strongman He Zhimai (柯芝麦) to exact revenge on his behalf the next day. Master Wang asked that they first clarify whether they’d “fight like gentlemen” or “fight like men of low character”—for if the former was chosen, the body could not be harmed. He Zhimai picked “fight like gentlemen”; therefore, Master Wang threw him head over heels several times in a row until he was fully persuaded.
青岛成立国术馆后,王子平再返青岛,在国术馆任教。他的弟子中有些在抗日战争中成为游击队中的狙击手,为国立功。新中国成立后,王子平担任过中国武术协会副主席。总结出“祛病延年二十势”,后以《练功十八法》为书名问世,在上世纪五六十年代是风行全国的练功方法。
After the establishment of Qingdao’s martial arts institute, Wang Ziping returned to Qingdao, where he held a teaching position at QMAI. Some of his disciples became snipers in guerrilla bands during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937~1945) and made valuable contributions in service to the country. After the founding of New China (1949), Master Wang served as Vice-Chairperson of the Chinese Wushu Association (中国武术协会). He outlined “twenty therapeutic exercises for treating diseases and prolonging life,” later published as Eighteen Training Methods (练功十八法), which were popular exercises in China throughout the 1950s and 60s.
1922年12月中国正式收回青岛主权,这年山东省武术传习所解散,应青岛武林人士邀请,省武术传习所的总教习韩愧生、教习王子平、杨明斋、常秉毅等国内著名武术高手来青岛定居。
In December 1922, China officially regained sovereignty over Qingdao. That year, the Shandong Martial Arts Training Center (山东省武术传习所) [not to be confused with the Shandong Martial Arts Institute] disbanded. At the invitation of Qingdao-based martial arts figures, Han Kuisheng (韩愧生), the center’s head instructor, teachers Wang Ziping (王子平), Yang Mingzhai (杨明斋), Chang Bingyi (常秉毅), and other well-reputed martial arts experts came to reside in Qingdao.
1923年总教习韩愧生租借齐燕会馆礼堂北面建立“国技学社”,主要传授孙膑拳,随后,王子平、沙吉福在芝罘路三江会馆组织了另一个武术社团“中华武术社”,主要教授查拳。受其影响,青岛本地的武术家也纷纷办起自己的拳房,至此,岛城组织化、公开化的武术活动和教习场所开始出现,使青岛的武术得到较快发展,培养了众多的武人才。
In 1923, Han Kuisheng rented out the northern side of the Qiyan Guildhall (齐燕会馆) [located in the Shibei District of Qingdao] where he founded the National Sports Society (国技学社) and mainly taught Sunbin Boxing. Soon after, Wang Ziping and Sha Jifu (沙吉福) formed another martial arts organization on Zhifu Road in the Sanjiang Guildhall (三江会馆): The Chinese Martial Arts Club (中华武术社) [located in the Shinan District of Qingdao], where they mainly taught Cha Boxing (查拳). Due to such influences, many local martial artists began running their own practice rooms. At this point, organized, public martial arts activities and teaching venues started to appear, allowing Qingdao’s martial arts to develop relatively quickly and cultivate many talented practitioners.
1926年,韩愧生逝世,杨明斋继承其志,担负起“国技学社”的全部工作。后国术馆成立,他担任教学科科长及孙膑拳总教习。杨明斋也是武术高手,他精通十八般武艺,独行“孙膑拳32手”,又擅硬气功,如“铁板桥”、“油锤贯顶”等。
In 1926, Han Kuisheng passed away so Yang Mingzhai carried on his traditions by assuming all the work of the National Sports Society. Following the establishment of QMAI, he served as Education Department section chief and Sunbin Boxing head instructor. Yang Mingzhai, an expert martial artist himself, was highly adept at the Eighteen Weapons (十八般武艺), Sunbin Boxing 32-Hands (孙膑拳32手), and also at hard qigong, including “iron plank bridge” and “greasy hammer pierces crown of the head.”
1929年9月1日成立的青岛国术馆,以“国技学社”为基础,以官方的身份,将当时散落在岛城各个角落的武林高手都邀请前来任教,如杨明斋、高风岭、常秉毅、祕道生、尹玉章、纪炎昌、韩冠英等。
On September 1, 1929, the Qingdao Martial Arts Institute (QMAI), established in its official capacity under the National Sports Society, invited martial arts experts scattered around the various corners of Qingdao to hold teaching positions at the Institute, such as Yang Mingzhai (杨明斋), Gao Fengling (高风岭), Chang Bingyi (常秉毅), Mi Daosheng (祕道生), Yin Yuzhang (尹玉章), Ji Yanchang (纪炎昌), Han Guanying (韩冠英), and so on.
国术馆建立在馆陶路的齐燕会馆,后临时迁至陵县路小学。1929年9月11日,当时的青岛市政府颁布训令,任命青岛市代理市长吴思豫任国术馆馆长,郁廷为副馆长。同年11月,青岛市长马福祥到任后,继任国术馆馆长。青岛国术馆是青岛第一个官方武术管理研究机构。其成员设董事11人,科员8人,办事员10人,教习若干。教学科科长杨明斋,人事科长高凤岭,秘书向誉久,教习高作霖等。这些人既是武林高手,又是武术教学能手,在当时享有一定的声誉。
QMAI was based on Guantao Road in the Qiyan Guildhall (齐燕会馆) and later temporarily moved to the Lingxian Road Elementary School (陵县路小学). On September 11, 1929, the then Qingdao Municipal Government issued an order appointing the acting mayor of Qingdao Wu Siyu (吴思豫) to serve as QMAI’s director and Yu Ting (郁廷) as deputy director. In November of that year, once the mayor of Qingdao Ma Fuxiang (马福祥) took office, he succeeded as the Institute’s director. QMAI was Qingdao’s first official martial arts management research institute. Its faculty included 11 board members, 8 clerks, 10 office workers, and numerous instructors: head of the teaching department, Yang Mingzhai (杨明斋), head of the personnel department, Gao Fengling (高凤岭), secretary Xiang Yujiu (向誉久), teacher Gao Zuolin (高作霖), etc. They were martial arts masters and also experts at teaching martial arts who at the time enjoyed a certain level of reputation.
1930年3月1日,《青岛特别市国术馆月刊》创刊,并提出“用国术的刀剑,斩断不平等条约的束缚;用国术的枪棍,打倒帝国主义侵略”的口号。为了筹款又举行声势浩大的“青岛国术游艺比试大会”,并发布特刊。因为,此时的青岛国术馆尚未有固定的场所,到处借场地,借陵县路办公,借齐燕会馆举行活动,借第四公园作为民众国术练习场,如同没有根基的浮萍,只能四处寻找展示场所。为了能够有自己的办公和训练场地,青岛国术馆便想到了用比试大会筹措资金的方法。
On March 1, 1930, the first issue of the Qingdao Special City Martial Arts Institute Monthly Publication was released with the slogan “Broadswords and Straight Swords to Remove the Shackles of Unequal Treaties, Spears and Staffs to Defeat the Imperialist Aggression.” In an effort to fundraise and subsequently hold the prestigious Qingdao Martial Arts Recreation Competition, a special edition was also published. However, since at this point, the Institute still had no fixed location, it borrowed sites from everywhere — Lingxian Road to handle office work, Qiyan Assembly Hall to host events, and Qingdao No. 4 Park to train martial arts — akin to rootless duckweed scouring for a place to unveil itself. Because of this, QMAI conceived the idea of using the competition to drum up funds to acquire an office and training venue of its own.
1931年,青岛市市长沈鸿烈担任馆长,他主张由政府出面,社会各界捐助,解决国术馆办公、训练场所问题。1933年他主持筹建青岛国术馆新馆,馆址位于广东路1号。其经费由市政府出面集资,向社会募捐。建主楼(三层)一座,平房三座,占地3000多平方米,楼四周均有大小不同空地。楼后操场近2000平方米,场内备有沙坑、单双杠、拉力带、石锁、石担等训练辅助器材。1934年11月国术馆建成,1934年12月23日,正式举行了落成典礼。《青岛特别市国术馆月刊》中,清晰地记录了青岛武术由民间传授转为政府管理的过程。
In 1931, Qingdao Mayor Shen Honglie (沈鸿烈) became the Institute’s director. Intending to resolve QMAI’s training and office space issues, he recommended having the government step in and for all sectors of society to make donations. In 1933, with funds raised by the municipal government collected from community donations, he presided over the establishment of the new QMAI located at No. 1 Guangdong Road. QMAI consisted of one main building (three floors) and three single-story buildings, covered more than 3,000 square meters, and included various-sized vacant lots. In the back, it had a nearly 2,000-square-meter training area equipped with training aids such as sand pits, horizontal bars, parallel bars, lifting straps, stone locks, and barbells. QMAI reached completion in November 1934, and, on December 23, 1934, the opening ceremony officially launched. The Qingdao Special City Martial Arts Institute Monthly Publication also fully documented the process wherein Qingdao’s martial arts shifted from private instruction to being controlled by the government.
这一时期,青岛武术发展很快,胶县、即墨、平度等县都相继建立了国术馆,据记载1935年登记在册的练习所有95个,同年,青岛市还把国术中的拳术、器械列入全市中小学体育标准和体育会考的内容,考试时,由国术馆派人会同学校共同评定。一时间,社会习武之风盛况空前。到1937年仅青岛市区就拥有各种规模的国术教习所151处,国术教习所的学生达5000多人。
Over this period, the martial arts of Qingdao developed rapidly with martial arts schools being established one after another in Jiao, Jimo, Pingdu, and other counties. According to historical records, in 1935 there were 95 registered training locations. That same year, Qingdao included Chinese martial arts and weapons in the physical education standards and physical education examinations of primary and secondary schools all around the city, and the examinations were jointly evaluated by both the school and teachers sent from QMAI. At this point, the practice of martial arts had reached unprecedented levels. By 1937, there were 151 different-sized martial arts training centers in downtown Qingdao alone, with over 5,000 students enrolled in them.
上世纪30年代,青岛的武术水平在国内是较高的。1933年7月,在青岛新建成的体育场举办的第十七届华北运动会,8个国术比赛项目中,青岛队获6项第一名、2项第二和1项第四,引起轰动。冠军包括常秉毅、韩冠英的对拳,张培五的枪术、刀术,黄术党的棍术,杨明斋的特别技能(铁板桥),韩冠英的其它器械。
The martial arts standards in Qingdao during the 1930s were rather high. In July 1933, the Qingdao team won 6 first places, 2 second places, and 1 fourth place in 8 different martial arts events at the 17ᵗʰ North China Athletics Competition [a Chinese boxing and wrestling tournament] held in the newly built stadium in Qingdao, causing quite the stir. The champions included Chang Bingyi (常秉毅) and Han Guanying’s (韩冠英) two-man set, Zhang Peiwu’s (张培五) spear, Huang Shudang’s (黄术党) staff, Yang Mingzhai’s (杨明斋) special skill (“iron plank bridge”), and other weapons of Han Guanying.
1933年10月,在南京举行的第五届全国运动会上,青岛队获国术四项冠军,两项第二,两项第三,三项第四;林锦亭获轻量级拳术第一,王永山获重量级拳术第一,郝鸿勤获中量级刀术第一,祝正森获轻量级棍术第一。
In October 1933, at the Fifth National Games held in Nanjing, the Qingdao team won 4 first places, 2 second places, 2 third places, and 3 fourth places. Lin Jinting (林锦亭) won first in light-weight boxing; Wang Yongshan (王永山) won first in the heavy-weight boxing; Hao Hongqin (郝鸿勤) won first in the middle-weight broadsword division, and Zhu Zhengshen (祝正森) won first in the light-weight staff division.
同时,在南京举行第二届国术国考中,田鸿业、李忠先、郑少先、孙秉刚、徐杰三、孙玉秀、王玉山、王汇登等18人组成的青岛队,技艺精悍,获得了国考总分第一名。
In addition, the Qingdao team, which consisted of 18 people, including Tian Hongye (田鸿业), Li Zhongxian (李忠先), Zheng Shaoxian (郑少先), Sun Binggang (孙秉刚), Xu Jiesan (徐杰三), Sun Yuxiu (孙玉秀), Wang Yushan (王玉山), and Wang Huideng (王汇登), won the national martial arts examination in overall points during the Second National Martial Arts examination held in Nanjing [by the Central Martial Arts Institute].
1934年10月,在华北第十八届运动会上,获国术五项冠军,两项第二名,一项第三名。当时的青岛女子武术名将栾秀云一人获杂项器械冠军和剑术亚军,可谓是“名冠群雄”。
In October 1934, it won 5 first places, 2 second places, and 1 third place in martial arts at the 18ᵗʰ North China Athletics Competition. Luan Xiuyun (栾秀云), a famous female martial artist in Qingdao at the time, won first in miscellaneous weapons, second in the sword, and was deemed “the best of the best”.
1935年10月在上海举行的第六届全国运动会上,青岛队又获得4项冠军、2项第二、1项第三,另有7个项目进入前六名,展示了强劲的实力;冠军包括李世基单人器械,杨为秀中量级测试,谭祖英轻量级摔跤,齐秀蓝、姜爱蓝女子双拳。
In October 1935 at the 6ᵗʰ National Games held in Shanghai, the Qingdao team won 4 first places, 2 second places, and 1 third place, and also ranked in the top 6 in seven other events, displaying tremendous strength. The first-place winners included Li Shiji (李世基) in individual weapons, Yang Weixiu (杨为秀) in middle-weight testing, Tan Zuying (谭祖英) in light-weight shuaijiao, and Qi Xiulan (齐秀蓝) and Jiang Ailan (姜爱蓝) in women’s two-person forms.
国术馆中有几位女将都比较突出,尤为佼佼者栾秀云。栾出身贫苦,练剑十分刻苦,在杨明斋指导之下练“夜工”,舞起剑来好似一片雪花不见人影。日本武士用刀工与她比赛,刀刀落空不得近身。被称为青岛第一女剑客。1931年12月栾秀云设立了第一女子武术练习所,地点在平原路上,专招女生,使得女子尚武精神风靡青岛。
QMAI had several rather prominent female figures, especially the standout Luan Xiuyun (栾秀云). Luan was born into a poor family. She trained very diligently, studied “night skills” under Yang Mingzhai’s guidance, and performed with the sword like a shapeless flake of snow. When Luan competed against Japanese samurai, their swords failed to even come close. She was regarded as the first swordswoman of Qingdao. In December 1931, she established the first women’s martial arts center exclusively for girls located on Pingyuan Road and is responsible for popularizing women’s martial arts in Qingdao.
这时有在青岛的日本人要参加学习被她拒绝。1933年7月第十七届华北运动会上有武术项目,栾秀云的剑术获奖,各地报纸纷纷刊登她英姿飒爽的照片,称赞她“基本功扎实,武艺精湛,华北第一女剑客。”
Around this time, there were some Japanese people in Qingdao who wanted to join in and learn, but Luan refused to teach them. In July 1933, she won awards for her sword skills in martial arts events at the 17ᵗʰ North China Athletics Competition. Newspapers around the world published her valiant photos, commending her “strong fundamentals, exquisite martial prowess, and [for being] the first swordswoman of North China.”
1934年,,我国著名作家郁达夫和妻子王英霞来青岛避暑,本想“第一当收敛精神,第二当整理思想,第三才是游山玩水”,结果,他发现“在东亚,没有一处避暑区赶得上青岛的”,于是游山玩水,觥筹交错,把其他的想法都扔到了九霄云外,在青岛没写几个字,倒是留下不少趣闻轶事。期间,他听说栾秀云的大名,于是到国术馆参观,特请栾秀云表演了一套剑术,大为称赞并赠诗一首: “堂堂国士盈朝野,不及栾家一女郎。舞到剑飞人隐处,月明满地滚青霜。”
In 1934, the famous Chinese writer Yu Dafu traveled to Qingdao for summer vacation with his wife Wang Yingxia. They originally wanted to “first gather their spirit, second collect their thoughts, third have fun in the water and mountains,” yet ultimately discovered, “in East Asia, no summer resorts keep par with Qingdao,” so ended up touring the surrounding waters and mountains, drinking, gambling, and completely abandoning all other concerns. Yu didn’t write much while in Qingdao; however, he did leave behind a lot of interesting stories. Since he heard about the highly reputed Luan Xiuyan, he visited QMAI and specifically requested that she perform a sword form. Then he praised her immensely and presented her with this poem: “Though many great masters have graced the imperial court, not one has eclipsed the Luan Family girl. She dances with her flying sword like an enigma, as the bright, full moon rolls across the blue frost.”
这一时期,青岛市的武术竞赛也很频繁,春、秋季都举行运动会,运动会上既有国术项目也有表演比赛。1935年5月举行的青岛市春季运动大会,全市95个国术练习所有51个参加,运动员273名。1937年的全市春季运动会上国术比赛规模更大,151个练习所几乎全部参加,还扩及到民间武术人士和海军陆战队,盛况 空前。
During this period, martial arts competitions were held regularly in Qingdao. Sports activities were held in the spring and fall, including martial arts events and performance competitions. In May 1935, the Qingdao Spring Sports Competition was held, in which 273 athletes from 51 of the city’s 95 martial arts training centers participated. In 1937, the city’s spring competition grew even larger, with nearly all 151 training centers participating, and was further expanded to include individual martial artists and ROC Marine Corps teams, making it a grand, unprecedented event.
1937年,一介寒儒王度庐来青岛,住在广东路隔壁的宁波路一间陋室内,历经10载,写出武侠小说为主的长篇章回小说近30部。后来,以他的小说改编成的《卧虎藏龙》被拍为电影并获奥斯卡奖。
In 1937, the poor scholar Wang Dulu (王度庐) moved to Qingdao, lived in a modest room on the Ningbo Road beside Guangdong Road, and over 10 years, wrote nearly 30 lengthy multi-chaptered novels centered on martial arts. Later, his novel “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” was adapted as a movie and won an Oscar.
上世纪30年代,青岛还举行过几次全市性国术市考。尤以1935年6月15日至19日举行的第三届国术市考隆重。参加考试比赛的男女选手420人,考试分术科、学科二门,术科又分为拳科、摔跤、长兵、短兵四项,学科分笔试、口试二项,二门平均分数为总成绩。这届市考评取男武士15名、女武士5名,男武士冠军为钟寿山获得。大会还组织了小学国术团体会操,有51个队1980人参加,还有2000名小学生举行了20多个拳械集体国术表演。
Through the 1930s, Qingdao also held several city-wide martial arts examinations. In particular, the momentous 3rd Qingdao City Martial Arts Examination was held in 1935 from June 15ᵗʰ to the 19ᵗʰ. For the 420 male and female contestants, the examination was divided into two categories, namely, skills testing and academic testing. Skills testing was further divided into 4 subcategories: barehanded, shuijiao, long and short weapons. Academic testing was divided into written and oral exams, and the average marks between the two categories determined the overall score. During the examination, 15 male and 5 female martial scholars were selected. The Male Martial Scholar Award went to Zhong Shoushan (钟寿山). Elementary school martial arts team demonstrations were also arranged, consisting of 51 groups and 1,980 participants. In addition, 2,000 elementary school students held 20 barehanded forms and weapons performances.
1938年1月14日青岛第二次沦为日本帝国主义的殖民地。日本侵占青岛后,霸占了广东路上的国术馆,国术馆自此陷于沉寂。但青岛民间的武术习练却从未间断。40年代初,在一些武术人士的要求下,日伪当局为笼络人心而默许恢复武术活动,并在太平路天后宫建立了“健民社”,由伪市长姚作宾兼任社长。
On January 14, 1938, Qingdao fell to Japan’s colonial empire for the second time. After the Japanese occupied Qingdao, they seized control of QMAI on Guangdong Road, which then fell silent, however, the practice of folk martial arts in Qingdao never abated. In the early 1940s, the Japanese authorities, at the request of various martial arts figures, tacitly approved the resumption of martial arts activities to win over the people’s hearts and minds, and also established the “Jianmin Society” (健民社) in the Tianhou Palace on Taiping Road with puppet mayor Yao Zuobin (姚作宾) as the director.
国术馆被日军侵占后,杨名斋等人撤出青岛在鲁南一带抗击日军,因作战英勇,屡立战功,成为部队有名的敢死队队长。1942年在河南永城大柳庄 (亦说在鲁南罗店) 阻击战中,为掩护部队转移英勇牺牲。他一生授徒众多,名徒有刘慎思、谭会朋、高作霖、王茂祯、刘文炳、祝正森、杜玉岚、张文德、徐自良、栾秀云(女)等。
Once Japan’s army took control of the Institute, Yang Mingzhai and other instructors withdrew from Qingdao to fight the Japanese in southern Shandong. Because of Yang’s bravery in combat, he was frequently commended for his excellent military service and became the captain of a famous “dare to die corps”. In 1942, during a covert operation in Yongcheng, Daliuzhuang, Henan province (河南永城大柳庄; also said to be in “Lunan Luodian”), he heroically sacrificed his life providing cover during troops transfers. Over his lifetime, Master Yang taught many disciples, the names of whom include Liu Shensi (刘慎思), Tan Huipeng (谭会朋), Gao Zuolin (高作霖), Wang Maozhen (王茂祯), Liu Wenbing (刘文炳), Zhu Zhengsen (祝正森), Du Yulan (杜玉岚), Zhang Wende (张文德), Xu Ziliang (徐自良), Luan Xiuyun (栾秀云), etc.
抗战时期副馆长高芳先率领国术馆成员组成大刀队,在崂山一带攻袭日军,卓效显著,因功勋彪榜,一路升至为少将师长,后得国民党征召编为正规军(青岛保安旅),高芳先被誉为”崂山之狮”的美誉,成为当时的抗日英雄,名噪一时。
During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Gao Fangxian (高芳先), the deputy director of the Institute, led the QMAI “Big Sword Unit” (aka. “broadsword unit”) formed to attack the Japanese forces in the mountain region of Laoshan, which produced remarkable results. Due to his record of meritorious contributions, Gao was promoted all the way up to the rank of major general and later drafted into the Kuomintang’s (国民党) regular standing army (“Qingdao Security Corps”). Gao was hailed as “The Lion of Laoshan” and became a local anti-Japanese hero.
抗战胜利后,1946年青岛国术馆恢复,青岛市市长李先良、青岛保安总队长高芳先分别就任国术馆正副馆长。随着国术馆的恢复,群众武术活动有所回升,市区国术练习所恢复到145所,学员5067人。每年一度的武术表演又开始进行。同年,市教育局规定,全市中小学以上一律恢复增加国术科目。为培养师资,青岛国术馆举办师范训练班,直接为全市的国民中小学培训国术教师。1947年,还举行了全市武术 、散打、摔跤比赛,以及武术教师鉴定考试,有200多个武术教师参加,考试及格者发给证书。
QMAI was restored in 1946 following China’s victory in the Second Sino-Japanese War. The mayor of Qingdao City, Li Xianliang (李先良), and general of the Qingdao Security Corps, Gao Fangxian (高芳先), were appointed director and deputy director, respectively. Group martial arts activities somewhat rebounded as the Institute reemerged, including the restoration of 145 martial arts training rooms with 5,067 members. Qingdao’s annual martial arts events also resumed. That same year, the Qingdao Municipal Education Bureau stipulated that all primary and secondary schools would once again add Chinese martial arts to their curricula. In order to train qualified teachers, QMAI held teacher training classes and trained the martial arts teachers directly for all the primary and secondary schools throughout the city. In 1947, citywide martial arts, sanshou, wrestling, and martial arts teacher evaluations were held. More than 200 martial arts instructors participated and those who passed were issued teaching certificates.
青岛国术馆历经八年,日本占领期间,受到摧残,青岛的武术运动水平大幅度下降,以后在全国也优势也锐减,抗战胜利后,尽管得到恢复,但因师资等各种原因,水平已大不如从前,1948年5月,在上海举行的第七届运动会上,只有祕道生一人获器械第二名,拳术第三名。
After eight years of being ravaged during Japan’s occupation, the level of martial arts athleticism in Qingdao declined significantly, thus Qingdao’s dominance in the country also dropped. Even though QMAI was restored, the standards were not nearly as good as they had been due to various matters such as their teachers’ qualifications. In May 1948, only one person, Mi Daosheng (祕道生), won second place in weapons and third place in barehanded forms at the 7ᵗʰ Chinese National Games that was held in Shanghai.
青岛国术馆在青岛的历史上,留下了深刻的印迹,昔日的辉煌,推动了后来岛城武术事业的蓬勃发展,如今,武术作为中国的传统项目,已走向了世界,青岛籍运动员不仅在全国乃至在世界武术比赛中也屡次夺得冠军,这是一种创新也是一种传承。青岛国术馆是青岛武林人士的一段难忘记忆。
The Qingdao Martial Arts Institute has left deep marks on the history of Qingdao. Its glorious past helped spur forward all the vigorous martial arts developments that later followed. But today, Chinese martial arts, as a traditional sport of China, have gone global and athletes from Qingdao frequently win first place, not only in national but also in world martial arts competitions, which is both a new kind of innovation and traditional heritage. In Qingdao martial arts circles, QMAI has remained an indelible memory that shall never be forgotten.
*Dai Xinge is a member of the Shandong Writers Association, a national sports coach, and former Vice-Chairperson of the Qingdao Wushu Sports Association.
Translated & edited by ZhongwenTranslation
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