Today in Orientalism: European Wing Chun Instructor challenges Xu Xiaodong

[TheMightyMcClaw]

I'm going to assume that if you post on this forum, you already know who Xu Xiaodong is; he's a Chinese MMA fighter who beats the shit out of garbage kung fu instructors to demonstrate that their kung fu is garbage.

Today, I stumbled upon this golden nugget:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pvyu...youtu.be&t=128

A European "Wingtchun" instructor - who continues the proud tradition of creatively respelling Wing Chun - has challenged Xu Xiaodong to a gong sau. In the course of that challenge, he dropped this golden nugget political obliviousness:

""I am from the West and I have full right to represent the Chinese culture and Chinese martial arts."

I'm still parsing apart everything troublesome in this statement. This is an Italian guy not only claiming ownership of Chinese martial arts - and more astoundingly, Chinese culture- and then telling an actual Chinese martial artist in China that he lacks ownership of said tradition.

I know he's a tough read, but man, I really feel like Edward Said should be required reading for martial arts instructors. This is just... embarrassing.

[battlefields]

There's an "update" to this challenge as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LnRcbCfB8M

Dude sounds like an Aussie. But like, an Aussie from Melbourne with Italian heritage.

[BJMills]

If he’s so eager to prove his art isn’t garbage why doesn’t he walk into some mma gym nearby? Why go all the way to China?

[BackFistMonkey]

All the local people who actually know him keep laughing and escorting him out the door?

[TheMightyMcClaw]

I'm pretty sure the answer is Racism, but in a really complex and roundabout way.

[ermghoti]

If he’s so eager to prove his art isn’t garbage why doesn’t he walk into some mma gym nearby? Why go all the way to China?

As a European, he is uniquely qualified to represent Chinese culture, so obviously he needs to go to China to find the archetypical practictioner of the Western based MMA.

[Azatdawn]

I'm completely convinced that this is going to happen.

[Kravbizarre]

There's an "update" to this challenge as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LnRcbCfB8M

Dude sounds like an Aussie. But like, an Aussie from Melbourne with Italian heritage.

Fernandez isnt an italian name amigo.

Hes hitting a wooden dummy at the end. Why are those things so fucking noisy? Anyone who doesnt know the chun would probably think the person hitting them is incredibly powerful. In every video they always sound like they are about to fall apart.

[Permalost]

Do you think he'll show up to his beating in some silk wushu jammies?

Fernandez isnt an italian name amigo.

Hes hitting a wooden dummy at the end. Why are those things so fucking noisy? Anyone who doesnt know the chun would probably think the person hitting them is incredibly powerful. In every video they always sound like they are about to fall apart.

Wooden dummies are noisy because the arms are a square peg in a square hole with no screws or anything holding them in place, so the wood is clapping against wood, a little like the bamboo clap of a shinai. An older dummy will be louder as chunning on it creates more slack in the arm sockets.

[BackFistMonkey]

Do you think he'll show up to his beating in some silk wushu jammies?


Wooden dummies are noisy because the arms are a square peg in a square hole with no screws or anything holding them in place, so the wood is clapping against wood, a little like the bamboo clap of a shinai. An older dummy will be louder as chunning on it creates more slack in the arm sockets.

Alternately: Shitty engineering, shitty materials, shitty carpentry.

[Sovvolf]

Wasn't the last two Chunners he beat supposed to have been top tier chunners? Can people now stop using the excuse that it "Wasn't the real" now or what?

[BJMills]

Wasn't the last two Chunners he beat supposed to have been top tier chunners? Can people now stop using the excuse that it "Wasn't the real" now or what?

Every chunner (or their teacher) is THE top tier chunner and every other chunner (according to them) is shit.

Also, every chunner who actually fights, loses. And every chunner who loses was always shit to begin with, according to every other chunner.

Confusing, I know. But maintaining your delusions of grandeur in the face of overwhelming reality is always a bit tricky.

[Sovvolf]

That's the general go to excuse by the Chunners. Though I suppose when a boxer or MMA fighter loses to a Chunner the same excuses are made so u don't know how hard I can be on that.

[Permalost]

Alternately: Shitty engineering, shitty materials, shitty carpentry.

I'd argue that making a bunch of unnecessary wood on wood sounds is part of the appeal, and as such are engineered just fine to that end.

[Raycetpfl]

I'd argue that making a bunch of unnecessary wood on wood sounds is part of the appeal, and as such are engineered just fine to that end.

That makes sense. Every time I meet wing Chun guys I assume they are into wood on wood stuff.