On June 29, the Exchange Conference on the Achievements of Intangible‑Cultural‑Heritage Protection for Southern Shaolin Martial Arts was grandly held at the Inheritance Hall of Putian Southern Shaolin Temple. This conference serves not only as a comprehensive display and exchange platform for the protection achievements of Southern Shaolin intangible‑cultural‑heritage martial arts, but also marks a new starting point for its inheritance and development.

At 3 p.m., the conference officially kicked off. Key leaders present at the meeting included: Yang Bangjie, Former Vice‑Chairman of the Central Committee of the China Zhi Gong Party; Chen Yongjie, Vice‑President of the International Wushu Federation and President of the Asian Wushu Federation; Wu Mianguo, Deputy Secretary‑General of the Standing Committee of Fujian Provincial People’s Congress; Zhang Zhongfa, Deputy Director‑General of Fujian Provincial Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs; Zhang Hongguo, Director of Southern‑style Boxing Special Committee of Zhejiang Wushu Association; Cai Guoping, Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of Putian Municipal People’s Congress; Huang Jianguo, Director of Putian Municipal Bureau of Ethnic and Religious Affairs; Liu Jitang, Mayor of Licheng District People’s Government; Guo Lihong, Deputy Chairman of Putian Municipal Committee of the China Zhi Gong Party and Chairman of Putian Municipal Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese; Lin Zhiqiang, Deputy Director‑General of Putian Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism; Ke Xiangdong, Deputy Director‑General of Putian Municipal Sports Bureau, and others. In addition, experts, scholars and wushu enthusiasts from home and abroad attended the conference. Gathered at Southern Shaolin Temple on Jiulian Mountain, they jointly witnessed this memorable moment.

Session 1

Opening Ceremony

With the opening of the stage play 'Southern Shaolin', the atmosphere of the conference was instantly ignited. This stage play is set against the backdrop of the history of Southern Shaolin, showcasing the profound and unique charm of Southern Shaolin martial arts through vivid performances.

Subsequently, the host opened the event and played congratulatory videos from people at home and abroad, including Wu Tinggui, Vice President of the International Wushu Federation, and Tian Suhui, Vice President of the Chinese Wushu Association. They congratulated the conference and hoped that everyone would work together to better protect, inherit, and develop the martial arts heritage of South Shaolin.

Following that, Liu Jitang, the head of the People's Government of Licheng District, delivered a welcome speech, welcoming the leaders, experts, scholars, and martial arts enthusiasts who attended the conference. He emphasized that as a characteristic culture of Putian, the Southern Shaolin martial arts carry profound historical and cultural heritage and are an important part of the excellent traditional culture of the Chinese nation, not only in China but also in the world.

Afterwards, Chen Yongjie, Vice President of the International Martial Arts Federation and President of the Asian Martial Arts Federation, delivered a speech, stating that it is our duty to promote the inheritance and development of intangible cultural heritage martial arts culture in the new era. We must let more people understand and love it, and jointly promote the inheritance and development of martial arts culture.

Second stage

Communication and advocacy

At the cultural exchange session on the protection of intangible martial arts heritage in Southern Shaolin, Chen Jiayuan, the head of the Department of Education at Chinese Culture University in Taiwan, made a speech on strengthening cultural exchange and cooperation, promoting the preservation of intangible martial arts heritage. The speech was both theoretical and practical, providing valuable ideas and suggestions for the protection and inheritance of martial arts heritage.

The following report on the protection achievements of South Shaolin intangible cultural heritage martial arts culture pushed the conference to a climax. Professor Zhu Jiaxin, former vice president of the School of Physical Education at Putian University, gave a detailed introduction to the excavation and protection of the intangible cultural heritage of Southern Shaolin martial arts, which provided participants with a clearer understanding of the historical origins and current protection status of Southern Shaolin martial arts.

The Nanshaolin Temple Martial Monks' Troupe showcased the newly applied martial arts Weituo Quan and Shihe Quan, allowing the audience to feast their eyes and experience the unique charm and profound heritage of Nanshaolin martial arts.

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In addition, martial arts representatives from Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Zhejiang, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas also took the stage to introduce the development of martial arts in their respective regions and showcase their unique techniques such as Nanquan. These exhibitions not only allowed attendees to appreciate the diversity and breadth of Southern Shaolin martial arts, but also further enhanced their sense of identity and pride in Southern Shaolin martial arts culture.

After the exhibition, Master Kong Xing, the president of the Fujian South Shaolin Martial Arts Promotion Association and the abbot of the Putian South Shaolin Temple, read out the "Proposal for the Protection of South Shaolin Martial Arts Heritage". This proposal is not only a solemn commitment to the protection of South Shaolin martial arts heritage, but also provides ideas and methods for future protection work.

The third stage

As the host announced the successful end of the event, the attendees stood up and applauded, and took a group photo on stage to record this unforgettable memory.

Building a New Chapter of Southern Shaolin Martial Arts Culture Together

　　This South Shaolin Intangible Cultural Heritage Martial Arts Protection Achievement Exchange Conference is not only a martial arts exchange, but also a cultural feast. Through this conference, we have gained a deeper understanding of the unique charm and important value of Southern Shaolin martial arts culture, and have also strengthened our determination and confidence in protecting and inheriting this intangible cultural heritage. Let's work together to promote the protection, inheritance, and development of the Southern Shaolin martial arts heritage, conduct research on Southern Shaolin culture, carry out martial arts exchanges and dissemination, enhance friendly exchanges and mutual learning among people, and jointly write a new chapter in Southern Shaolin martial arts culture! Let the South Shaolin martial arts, an excellent traditional Chinese culture, play its due role in the times and shine brightly in the world!