Yue Qizhong, 88 years old this year, and Zhang Weiying, 84 years old, this pair of elderly people practiced martial arts and were heroic. Because of their love for the martial arts, the old couple have been practicing martial arts together for more than half a century, and many people affectionately call them the "old heroes" under the mountain of Laodeng. As one of the five traditional Chinese martial arts schools, the Songzheng martial arts originated in the Pingliang City of Gansu Province. Historically, the martial arts of Kuangzheng have been handed down to great fame. Nowadays, the disciples of the martial arts are all over the world. Let's meet this pair of "elderly heroes" who love martial arts and have a common heart.
Every morning, as long as it is not windy or rainy or going out to compete, the second elder will be on time and go outdoors to exercise before nine o'clock.
One of the characteristics of the martial arts of the Songzheng is that there are many strange weapons. The second elder would often go out with five or six weapons at hand.
The second old man was carrying a club, his legs were wrapped in a belt, and although he was full of white hair, his steps were steady. Walking on the road, Grandpa Yue always firmly held Grandma Zhang. The central square is a "martial arts arena" for local martial arts enthusiasts. Grandma Zhang is studious, and when she encounters martial arts moves that she is not good at, she will always humbly ask for advice. The old couple always comes first and goes back the latest. At the end of the group practice, they will also play each other's moves.
The actual combat martial arts should have been attacked, but Grandpa Yue was afraid that his wife would be injured, so he improved a lot of techniques. After many years of practicing martial arts, compared to his peers, the second elder's body and bones have always been very tough.
Zhang Weiying: I am in my 80s this year, and I think my body is still relatively healthy. Good health, radiant and light walking, this mentality is good, and the thinking is still relatively agile.
In order to be able to practice martial arts day by day, the old couple also remodeled their home. When it is inconvenient to go out, they can still stretch their muscles and practice routines together indoors.
Yue Qizhong: This is our original restaurant, we changed this into an activity room in order to be active indoors, and when it rains, we don't exercise outside.
In the corner of this small activity room, twenty or thirty strange weapons are neatly arranged on the shelves. From dust whisks and iron fans, to brush barrels and copper tobacco bag pots, this is the old man's beloved "arsenal". A cabinet full of medals and awards tells the glorious "history" of the two elders. Among them, Grandma Zhang cherishes the most is a gold medal won at the Hong Kong Gongfeng Cup International Wushu Competition.
One minute on stage, ten years off stage. Behind the honor is the persistence of the two old men in practicing martial arts for decades.
More than 70 years of constant companionship
We share hardships and hardships together
"Xia couple", half is a chivalry, the other half is a couple. In addition to the martial arts practiced, what is even more enviable is the happy marriage of the old couple. Because of their common hobbies, from acquaintance to marriage, Yue Qizhong and Zhang Weiying have been with each other for more than 70 years, sharing hardships and hardships together.
The second elder had a clear division of labor at home, with Grandpa Yue contracting the "manual work" at home, while Grandma Zhang contracted the kitchen. For the couple, a nutritious breakfast is a "gas station" for daily activity.
Five years ago, Grandma Zhang had surgery for a stomach problem, and since then, urging his wife and children to eat on time every day has become Grandpa Yue's most important thing.
This "elderly couple" met on campus, because they also love literature and sports, and have walked through ups and downs hand in hand for more than 70 years. In the first ten years after marriage, because Grandpa Yue was transferred to other counties to work, the two got together less and separated more. Grandma Zhang alone shouldered the burden of taking care of the family. The longest time, they were separated for two and a half years.
Transferred from the Party School to the Cultural Troupe, and then transferred from the Cultural Troupe to the Cultural Department, although the place of work has been changing, since he was 23 years old and married with martial arts, Grandpa Yue has not given up martial arts training. Before retiring, the old couple made a plan for the future, strengthened their health, and practiced martial arts well. But the birth of the little granddaughter disrupted the "layout" of the old couple.
In 2008, the old couple could finally focus on their martial arts hobbies without distractions. From that year on, they started competing in the provinces. The first competition was held in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province.
Since then, the old man has gone out to compete two or three times a year. After going out to compete and appear on stage again and again, the photos and reports of the two veterans at that time were sorted out in chronological order and filled two thick photo albums. Due to the advanced age of their parents, the children were worried that the second elder would make a mistake when he went out to compete, and the eldest son, who lived in the local area, took the initiative to become their full-time driver.
Yue Yong: I'm afraid that there is something wrong, for example, I dare not turn off my mobile phone for 24 hours. You think about eighties, who doesn't bother. As long as they are happy and want to do whatever they want, I fully support them.
With the understanding and support of the children, the old couple will also live more and more enjoyably.
The martial arts of Songzheng are famous, and the white-haired heroes are busy inheriting them
The martial arts have been passed down since the founding of the Tang Dynasty. In 2008, the martial arts were listed as the second batch of intangible cultural heritage of Gansu Province. In recent years, in order to carry forward the martial arts of Laodeng, grandparents not only initiated the establishment of the Laodong Martial Arts Research Association, regularly organized academic forums, collected and sorted out the research results of the martial arts and unique books of the martial arts, and also opened training courses in the cultural center to teach the public free of charge.
In the Pingliang City Cultural Center, there is a special classroom at the Kuangzheng Martial Arts Training Institute. In order to spread the martial arts of Songzheng, the old couple have been teaching here for 9 years. Since last year, Grandpa Yue has also held a martial arts training course at the Chuanxi Institute, which has now been held for 4 sessions, training more than 500 people. Driven by the second elder, more and more people began to participate in the inheritance of the martial arts of Laodeng.
Yue Qizhong: The first phase of Taijiquan, 21 adult points in the city have registered, a total of more than 300 people, this is the inheritor, this transmission ten, ten transmission hundred, this is carried forward, really happy. The biggest dream is that we will have a generation of generations.
In recent years, the martial arts of Gansu have gradually become a beautiful "business card" of cultural tourism in Pingliang, Gansu. As the "spokesperson" of the promotion of martial arts, Erlao has been active in domestic and international martial arts competitions and cultural exchange activities for many years.
Because martial arts routines need to be passed down in person, with the death of some elderly martial artists, the boxing path of some martial arts of the Laodong school is being lost.
Over the years, in order to protect, record and excavate the martial arts of Songzheng, Grandpa Yue would spend 3 to 6 hours a day writing down the boxing scores collected and sorted out from the people and using a brush to write them down in a notebook.
Yue Qizhong: In my lifetime, as long as my ears are still good and my eyes are okay, I will continue to write down these traditional routines that I know. The excellent traditional Chinese culture should continue to be passed on, carried forward, and fulfill our responsibilities in this life, with this responsibility and this obligation.
(CCTV News Client)