The Emei Kung Fu Girls Troupe was established during the fourth Emei Martial Arts Inheritance Conference, held in the Mount Emei Scenic Area, in southwest China's Sichuan Province, on April 29, 2024. 

The troupe is led by Ling Yun, a native of Ya'an (a city in Sichuan), and also an inheritor of Emei martial arts, which has nearly 3,000 years of history. Emei martial arts was added to the list of China's national intangible cultural heritage in 2008. Ling has been leading her eight younger kung fu sisters in sharing the culture of Emei martial arts with the world.

Ling began noticing a remarkable increase in followers in February 2020, after she posted a martial-arts video on her Douyin account. In that video, Ling was wearing pajamas and holding a sword as she went outside to dispose of garbage. After she placed the garbage in the trash bin, she made a sudden jump and performed some breathtaking kung fu moves with her sword. The interesting contrast and the handsome-looking martial-arts moves caught netizens' attention. "Even someone from my parents' WeChat Moments shared the video. I was asked many times, 'Will you (do that again) while throwing garbage today?' At the beginning, I simply did it for fun," Ling recalls.

To her surprise, she had 600,000 followers within three months of posting the video. When asked why her video became such a hit, Ling replied, "Martial arts are far beyond performing various moves. I think my video showed the power and warmth conveyed by Chinese kung fu. Its charm has made it popular."

Ling began practicing martial arts when she was 4. In 2007, Ling, then 9 years old, participated in the first International Emei Wushu (Martial Arts) Festival of Sichuan, China. She began attending a professional martial arts school the following year. Since then, she has systematically studied Emei martial arts. 

As the time approached for her to attend college, Ling made an important — yet difficult — decision. She thought about making martial arts her major; however, she had noticed many of her senior fellow apprentices had a hard time making a living solely by performing martial arts, even though they had received awards during various martial-arts competitions. Eventually, Ling chose to enroll in Sichuan University of Media and Communications, and she chose choreography as her major.

"I never regret my decision. In fact, I have always been concerned about what kung fu people can rely on if they want to make a living by performing martial arts. Where shall we go if we make martial arts our profession?" Ling asked herself at the time. It was then that she decided to form a team to promote the unique charm of Emei martial arts. 

In February 2024, recruitment began to form a women's kung fu troupe, to specialize in performing and promoting Emei martial arts. Within two months, Ling was leading a team that was trying to find additional, and suitable, members to be part of the kung fu crew.

Zhang Jingxuan, who began learning tai chi (Chinese shadow boxing) from her father at a young age, was the first person recruited by Ling. Zhang had posted videos of herself performing tai chi online. She received an invitation to audition for the women's kung fu troupe. Zhang traveled from central China's Henan Province to Beijing for the audition. He Yunong, another member of the troupe, has studied martial arts for more than 10 years. She says she was fortunate to become one of Ling's kung fu sisters.

As the senior sister of the troupe, Ling believes it is her obligation to boost the younger members' confidence. "I was working on my own in the past. But we have formed a team. We can surely create a greater energy if we support each other," Ling says.

Members of the Emei Kung Fu Girls Troupe are from Beijing, Shanghai, and Sichuan and Henan provinces. They receive regular training in Mount Emei, where they learn Emei martial-arts moves, such as Emei fists and piercers (the weapon known as Emei piercer evolves from a woman's hairpin, showcasing a fusion of feminine grace and power). The young women not only study theoretical knowledge about Emei martial arts, they also practice, diligently, to improve their essential techniques.

By utilizing her background in choreography, Ling and her kung fu sisters have integrated the beauty of dance into their martial-arts performances. The troupe's videos have attracted hundreds of millions of views online. 

The troupe had an eye-catching experience in July 2024, when it made its international debut in Paris, France, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics. The kung fu girls collaborated with guzheng (Chinese zither) artist Peng Jingxuan during an outdoor performance, which blended Emei martial arts with the traditional Chinese musical instrument. The troupe performed martial arts in front of iconic locations, including the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Eiffel Tower. Their wonderful performances were applauded by spectators. The video that recorded their performances was posted on the Internet, and the troupe was suddenly an international sensation.

What have Ling and her kung fu sisters planned for the new year? They hope teaching materials, which outline information and techniques related to Emei martial arts, will be compiled and introduced to schools and communities in the near future. "We look forward to seeing the charm of our martial arts being recognized by more people. We also hope more people will show an interest in studying, understanding, inheriting and promoting Emei martial arts, with us," Ling concludes.

Photos from Interviewees

(Women of China English Monthly January 2025)

Editor: Wang Shasha