Martial Arts · 12 places · 7 regions
Wing Chun, taiji and the Shaolin and Emei schools. Several take foreign students for weeks at a time and will issue a visa invitation; others are one evening class a week.
12 of them, grouped by region. The last column carries the four things that decide whether the day works: what language it is taught in, what you come away with, how it is booked, and the price where a venue publishes one. 3 of these are for watching rather than doing, and say so at the top of the entry. Or see all five crafts.
2 places
North China (华北)
| Where you go | City | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Chen Qingyuan Taiji Hall, Beijing (北京陈庆源太极拳馆)Run by Chen Qingyuan, twelfth generation in the Chen line, with a class for complete beginners covering the basics and the form. The hall is on Gulou Outer Street, with a second site at Liudaokou in Haidian, and enrolment is by phone. Teaching is in Chinese, with no English class advertised.On the national intangible heritage list | Beijing | Interpreter needed Nothing to take home Phone ahead |
| Yang Luchan Former Residence Taiji Academy, Yongnian (永年杨露禅故居太极学院)A Yang-style school around the founder’s home ground in the walled town of Guangfu, run by Han Qingmin, who carries the local line. Yang-style forms, push hands and the basics, pitched at beginners coming to it for their health. The city government protects the Yang Luchan house as a monument.On the national intangible heritage list | Handan, Hebei | Taught by demonstration Nothing to take home Phone ahead |
1 place
Northeast China (东北)
| Where you go | City | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Watching onlyDalian Chinese Martial Arts Hall (大连中华武馆)A martial arts venue in the Jinshitan resort area, staging a daily show that mixes Daoist and Buddhist themes with fighting: Wudang taiji, xingyi and hard qigong routines. The season runs May to November, and the visit is a performance to watch rather than a class.On a provincial or prefecture heritage list | Dalian, Liaoning | Taught by demonstration Nothing to take home Walk in |
2 places
East China (华东)
| Where you go | City | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Ask before goingSun Bin Martial Arts Hall, Qingdao (青岛孙膑武馆)A hall on Sichuan Road in Shinan given over to Sun Bin quan, running training, demonstration and exchange. The city record notes that the Qingdao martial arts institute was known for teaching it as early as 1923. Sun Bin quan entered the national list in 2011, with the body responsible for it based in Anqiu, Shandong. Whether a visitor can join a session is a question for the hall.On the national intangible heritage list | Qingdao, Shandong | Taught by demonstration Nothing to take home Phone ahead |
| Shanghai Chin Woo Athletic Association (上海精武体育总会)The national heritage service records Chin Woo martial arts on the 2014 list, with this association as the body responsible for it. A city evening paper dates the founding to 1910, by Huo Yuanjia among others, and puts it now at Lane 1702 on North Sichuan Road in Hongkou. Classes in Mizong quan and other traditional forms run year round, coaches work in Chinese and English, foreign residents attend, and enrolment goes through the city’s evening-school platform at a low fee.On the national intangible heritage list | Shanghai | Taught in English Nothing to take home Book through a platform |
1 place
Central China (华中)
| Where you go | City | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Shaolin Wushu International Training Center (少林武术国际教学中心)Inside the Shaolin temple scenic area, taking foreign students on a rolling basis for stays of a few days to a few months. The school’s own site lists basic Shaolin work, forms such as Dahong quan, weapons, sanda, taiji and qigong, with English-speaking office staff and fees by the day or month covering three meals and a bed. Daily training hours are not published. You apply online, pay a deposit, and the school issues the visa invitation.On the national intangible heritage list | Dengfeng, Henan | Taught in English Nothing to take home Book on their own site about 500 yuan a day Passport is enough to book |
3 places
South China (华南)
| Where you go | City | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Foshan Wing Chun Hall (Mingchuan) (佛山咏春拳会馆（铭传）)Founded by Liang Jiaming, in the line of Lun Jia, who trained under Ip Man. The teaching is traditional Wing Chun, starting from the Siu Nim Tau form and the hand methods, and students work the wooden dummy in the hall in the old quarter of Chancheng. Enrolment runs year round. Foshan Wing Chun entered the national heritage list in 2021.On the national intangible heritage list | Foshan, Guangdong | Taught by demonstration Nothing to take home Phone or WeChat |
| Renyi Wing Chun, Shenzhen Luohu Branch (仁义咏春拳馆深圳罗湖分馆)A branch of the Renyi school, in the Ip Man line, in the Dongmen shopping district. One regular class of about ninety minutes runs on Monday and Friday evenings, bookable through the site or by phoning the head of the hall. Teaching is in Chinese. Wing Chun works on centreline defence and close-range hands. | Shenzhen, Guangdong | Taught by demonstration Nothing to take home Phone or WeChat |
| Mindful Wing Chun, Hong Kong (Mindful Wing Chun)A full-time Wing Chun school on On Lan Street in Central, in the Ip Man line, teaching foreign residents and visitors in adult and children’s group classes and privately. Centreline theory, chain punching and the wooden dummy, taught in English. The tourism board lists its corporate workshops among the city’s martial arts activities. | Hong Kong | Taught in English Nothing to take home Book on their own site Passport is enough to book |
2 places
Southwest China (西南)
| Where you go | City | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Emei Gongfu Academy (Emei Gongfu Academy)An Emei school taking international students for immersive training, from the basics through the Emei forms and weapons to sanda and taiji, with help on visa invitations and airport pickup. It sits on Foguangshan Road in Emeishan city, and runs two to four week youth camps in summer. Enrolment is handled in English; the length and price of a single day’s visit have to be settled with the school. | Leshan, Sichuan | Taught in English Nothing to take home Book on their own site Passport is enough to book |
| Qingcheng Martial Arts Hall, Dujiangyan (都江堰市青城武术馆)At the foot of Qingcheng mountain, headed by Liu Suibin, who leads the Qingcheng school and is listed at provincial level. Qingcheng taiji, the school’s own forms and weapons, and Daoist health work. The national heritage service records Qingcheng martial arts entering the national list in 2021.On the national intangible heritage list | Chengdu, Sichuan | Taught by demonstration Nothing to take home Phone ahead |
1 place
Northwest China (西北)
| Where you go | City | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Watching onlyHongquan Training Ground, Taibai Interchange Park (太白立交街心公园红拳传习基地（陕西红拳文化研究会）)An open-air Hongquan ground in the pocket park at the Taibai interchange on Xi’an’s south ring road, set up by the provincial Hongquan association with government money. On festival days Hongquan holders perform on the stage and anyone can stand and watch. It is open park ground, and no bookable paid class for visitors is advertised.On the national intangible heritage list | Xi’an, Shaanxi | Taught by demonstration Nothing to take home Walk in |
Getting Into a Workshop
Most of these teach in Chinese and take bookings by phone or on WeChat, which is the part that stops people from abroad. Tell our local team which craft and which week, and they will find out what is running, make the call and say what you will come away with.