Lang Rongbiao and Hou Dongmei, a couple living in north China's Tianjin Municipality, are retired professional athletes who won numerous awards during wushu (Chinese martial arts) competitions, both at home and abroad. Now, they are the principal and head coach, respectively, of a Tianjin-based martial arts school. Working together, they educate and cultivate wushu talents for China. What's more, the couple is dedicated to sharing the unique spirit of Chinese martial arts with the world.

Encounter

Hou met Lang in 1984, when she was 9, and he was 13. Both were among the first group of youth recruited onto the martial arts team of Tianjin. They learned and practiced wushu together, and they worked hard for their achievements.

Their hard work paid off. Lang was recruited onto China's national martial arts team in 1988, making him the first member of Tianjin's martial arts team to join the national team. He went on to win many awards in domestic and international competitions. Hou, on the other hand, became an eye-catching wushu athlete during the 1990s, especially after she won a top award — at the age of 15 — during a national wushu championship. She not only won awards in the individual all-round games, she also won gold medals in various single's events, including long boxing, broadsword play and cudgel play.

How does Hou describe Lang? "Diligent and hardworking. He has endured a lot of pain to gain the achievements he has been able to make. He is warmhearted too, like the big brother of our team, who is always ready to help others solve their problems. He shoulders a great sense of responsibility." Lang, meanwhile, is attracted by Hou's beauty and optimistic life attitude, particularly when she is performing martial arts.

Common Choice

Before they founded the martial arts school, under the name of Chinese martial arts master, Huo Yuanjia, in Xiaonanhe (a village in Jingwu Town, in Tianjin's Xiqing District), in 1999, both Lang and Hou turned down offers to teach professional wushu teams abroad. Why?

"I was born in the countryside. When I joined the martial arts team of Tianjin, at the very beginning, I knew I was not confident at all. But I believed should I practice as much as I could, I would bring positive changes to my life once I could practice wushu well enough," says Lang. He and Hou hope children, especially those from rural areas, will gain confidence, and will change their lives — in a positive way — after they learn martial arts.

After the school was established, Lang and Hou recruited the first group of 50 students. Lang is the school's principal and a coach; Hou, meanwhile, is head coach, and the person responsible for the administration work. She also cooks and cleans for the students.

In 2002, Lang and Hou got married. They have continued to promote Chinese martial arts.

Educating Children

Lang and Hou believe teaching children martial arts will inspire them to overcome challenges and difficulties, with tenacity and great willpower. In their school, children from families living in difficulties receive martial arts training for free.

The children live every day of their lives to the fullest — practicing wushu very hard to achieve good performances in various competitions.

The school had just 50 students when it opened in 1999. Today, it has more than 1,500 students, in a combined 50-plus classes. In addition to martial arts, the children can study free sparring, karate, Chinese-style tumbling, archery, diving, and fine arts. More than 20 of the school's students have won top prizes during international competitions, more than 400 have won top prizes during national competitions, and the school's students have earned more than 4,800 gold medals during competitions, at all levels.

"Throughout the years we have been operating this school, my husband and I have handled various problems and difficulties together. We have learned to cherish each other," Hou says. She becomes emotional when remembering the bitter and sweet times they have experienced.

In 2009 and 2018, Hou gave birth to their sons, Lang Enhao and Lang Enze, respectively. Influenced by their parents, the boys have grown to be independent and self-reliant. They have learned from their parents to serve and make contributions to society. The boys love sports, especially martial arts. Lang Enhao, the eldest, has won awards during many wushu competitions in Tianjin. Lang Enze has studied in the kindergarten affiliated with his parents' martial arts school. He has also performed wushu wonderfully.

Spreading Wushu Spirit

When they were professional athletes, Lang Rongbiao and Hou traveled around the world to participate in wushu competitions. Now, as managers of a martial arts school, they want to be "envoys," who spread the spirit of wushu throughout the world.

"The unique charm of wushu, presented by Chinese kung fu stars, from one generation to another, offers a way for the world to learn about China.  Wushu rouses the spirit of our nation," Lang Rongbiao says.

Since 2015, Lang Rongbiao and Hou have led their students in rehearsing and performing dramas, which depict the growth and legendary experiences of wushu master Huo Yuanjia. They combine stage performances with martial arts. To date, the kung fu performances, developed by the couple and their students, have been performed on stage more than 500 times. The group has visited more than 100 countries or regions, and its performances have been viewed by more than 200,000 people.

As a sports-training base for youth, the school has received 1,000-plus high-level wushu students, who have come from more than 50 countries or regions. The school has also sent coaches abroad, to teach martial arts in Chinese cultural institutions in other countries. Every year, many wushu enthusiasts visit the school for studies and/or training. The couple is still working hard to make their school a cultural communication "bridge," built on the premise of sharing and the mutual learning of martial arts.

During the past decade, Lang Rongbiao and Hou have led the participation of their students and teachers in cultural-exchange events in nearly 100 countries or regions. For example, they have given wushu performances in South Africa, Cuba, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Switzerland, Canada, Mauritius and Zimbabwe. Their performances have won them tremendous applause and praise.

From fighting on their respective "battlefield," during various competitions, to working side by side while establishing and operating a martial arts school, Lang Rongbiao and Hou have always striven to write more colorful stories about their lives.

Photos from Interviewee

(Women of China English Monthly October 2024)

Editor: Wang Shasha