Young Masters: Bajiquan (2021)

Discover the beautiful brutality of China’s most explosive martial arts style

Young Masters: Bajiquan (2021) poster

Young Masters is an original series commissioned by NOWNESS China focusing on traditional Chinese cultures, and how they continue to be defined by a new generation of the country's youth. Its first episode, Young Masters: Bajiquan, spotlights Wu Hao (吴昊), a young man in his twenties from Hebei province who is a stalwart practitioner of Bajiquan—a traditional Chinese fighting style known for its graceful stillness and sudden moments of targeted and ferocious violence. Director Haonan Shen traveled to the Mengcun Bajiquan International Training Center to profile Wu Hao whose paternal ancestor Wu Zhong (1712–1802) was the first recorded Bajiquan teacher. In this evocative portrait of a young man’s passion for sharing his family’s rich heritage, we get up close and personal with the violent elbow strikes, staff jabs, fierce rising and firm falling stances that characterize the martial art.

Director: Chen Hao-nan
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 4 min
Release Date:

Cast

Music: Christian Stropko
Cinematography: Zhou zijie
Editing: Mo Lyu
Production: Nowness
Language: 普通话
Original Language: zh

Keywords

china, tradition, documentary film

More Films by Director: Chen Hao-nan
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Young Masters: Bajiquan about?
Young Masters is an original series commissioned by NOWNESS China focusing on traditional Chinese cultures, and how they continue to be defined by a new generation of the country's youth. Its first episode, Young Masters: Bajiquan, spotlights Wu Hao (吴昊), a young man in his twenties from Hebei province who is a stalwart practitioner of Bajiquan—a traditional Chinese fighting style known for its graceful stillness and sudden moments of targeted and ferocious violence. Director Haonan Shen traveled to the Mengcun Bajiquan International Training Center to profile Wu Hao whose paternal ancestor Wu Zhong (1712–1802) was the first recorded Bajiquan teacher. In this evocative portrait of a young man’s passion for sharing his family’s rich heritage, we get up close and personal with the violent elbow strikes, staff jabs, fierce rising and firm falling stances that characterize the martial art.
Who directed Young Masters: Bajiquan?
Young Masters: Bajiquan was directed by Chen Hao-nan.
Who stars in Young Masters: Bajiquan?
Young Masters: Bajiquan stars Wu Hao, Wu Lianzhi, Mi Ankang, Sun Junjie, Wu Shixue, Li Hao.
How long is Young Masters: Bajiquan?
Young Masters: Bajiquan has a runtime of 4m (4 minutes).
What genre is Young Masters: Bajiquan?
Young Masters: Bajiquan is a Documentary film.