In his view, cultural exchange in the field of martial arts is "the best way to bridge the understanding gap between the two peoples."

China and Brazil, located at opposite ends of the Earth, have developed distinct cultures due to their different environments and histories. However, through the martial arts world created by Chinese films, many years ago, the young Huo Xinwu ( ) accidentally touched a switch that opened another dimension. The profound mysteries of Chinese martial arts began to take root in his heart and grow, leading him to observe the "mysterious" China at the other end of the world with a unique perspective, and to appreciate its long-standing cultural traditions.

On the date, Huo Xinwu practiced Tai Chi during the Second World Congress of Sinologists in Beijing.

Nowadays, Huo Xinwu, who is approaching his sixtieth birthday, has not only become the head of the Brazilian Sun Bin Quan Martial Arts Association but also, guided by Chinese martial arts, has become a scholar in Sinology and an expert in Chinese language education. Recently, Huo Xinwu accepted an interview with China News Service's "East-West Question," where he shared his "Sinology connection" that began with martial arts, as well as his insights on promoting mutual understanding between the Chinese and Brazilian peoples through martial arts during his decades of learning, teaching, and research.

From Learning Martial Arts to Learning Chinese

In the 1960s and 1970s, along with the flashing swords and shadows in Hong Kong martial arts films, the graceful action techniques and the chivalrous spirit of upholding justice were spread to the world. Among those deeply influenced were young Huo Xinwu.

"The most captivating aspect of martial arts films for me is not the martial arts itself, but the way Chinese people solve problems, the spirit and virtues displayed by a martial artist when facing adversity and in combat," he said.

It was under such interest that Huo Xinwu began practicing martial arts at a kung fu school in São Paulo, Brazil. Although the instructors at the time were Brazilian and had limited understanding of the essence of Chinese martial arts and Chinese culture, Huo Xinwu was already able to "show off his moves" by imitating movie actions. He chose the Chinese name "Huo Xinwu" – admiring Huo Yuanjia and cherishing a deep affection for Chinese martial arts.

Out of his passion for martial arts, he began to delve into everything related to China. However, it was after meeting a Chinese family in Brazil that he truly came into contact with Chinese culture. At that time, he frequently visited stores run by Chinese to look for Chinese character tracing. A shop owner was greatly surprised after witnessing his "painting-like" handwriting process and started to teach him the strokes and order of writing Chinese characters. Over time, he formed deep friendships with the shop owner's family and other Chinese families in the community.

A Chinese person wanted to send their child to a local Chinese school to learn Chinese, so they also asked Huo Xinwu if he would like to go along. He gladly agreed. Later, he became the most diligent and top-performing student in the class. "The teacher always called me to the blackboard to write Chinese characters and recite texts. I really enjoyed reciting texts because I genuinely wanted to learn (Chinese)," he recalled with a smile.

"Cultivating both literary and martial talents, possessing both ability and virtue."

With the increase in Chinese immigrants across the centuries, Chinese martial arts schools have been established worldwide, and "knowing kung fu" has become one of the most prominent labels for Chinese people in the eyes of foreigners. This not only strengthens the global spread of martial arts but also alters the stereotypical views foreigners hold about Chinese people. According to Huo Xinwu, Chinese martial arts began to flourish in Brazil around the 19th century, typically with Chinese immigrants opening martial arts schools and serving as instructors. Later, as the influence of martial arts films continued to expand, more and more Brazilians became interested in this highly观赏性和artistic form of combat. Many Chinese martial arts instructors also began to offer classes outside of their communities.

In the decades of the century, Huo Xinwu met Wei Changqing, a Shandong martial arts master who had recently immigrated to Brazil, and became his disciple, beginning to learn Sun Bin Quan under his tutelage. This deepened Huo Xinwu's understanding of martial arts and Chinese culture. He recalled that in addition to martial arts techniques and routines, Wei Changqing particularly emphasized the cultivation of martial arts spirit. He also taught his disciples Chinese lion dance, opera, Go, and even culinary skills.

It was after studying under Wei Changqing that Huo Xinwu began to learn Hanyu Pinyin, which sparked his curiosity about the evolution of Pinyin and led him to conduct in-depth research. Later, his first paper, "The Origin of the Hanyu Pinyin Alphabet," was published in a Portuguese academic journal in Macau.

Rooted in Chinese culture, the transmission of martial virtue is the foundation.

Huo Xinwu stated that the greatest challenge in learning and teaching martial arts in Brazil is that most Brazilian disciples focus solely on training combat techniques and movements, knowing very little about the theoretical knowledge and martial spirit of martial arts and not seeking a deeper understanding. In his view, martial virtue is the "most important concept" of martial arts culture. "To me, this is like Confucius using archery as a subject to cultivate gentlemen. Confucius was skilled in archery, but he did not practice killing. His goal was education and physical and mental exercise," Huo Xinwu explained his understanding of martial arts culture. He believes that in the context of Chinese culture, martial arts is not only a means of combat but also a manifestation of culture and philosophy, emphasizing both internal and external cultivation, and focusing on personal cultivation and the development of moral qualities.

Chinese martial arts have been circulating in Brazil for a long time. Have they developed their own path? "The fan base for martial arts in Brazil is not small—there are many enthusiasts, numerous schools and martial arts halls, and many have been influenced by Chinese martial arts masters who have lived in Brazil for a long time," said Huo Xinwu. When it comes to the most well-known Chinese martial arts style in Brazil, Huo Xinwu unhesitatingly chose Tai Chi. He believes that Tai Chi is often associated with health and longevity in traditional Chinese medicine. As TCM culture takes root in Brazil, many doctors recommend patients to practice Tai Chi for strengthening the body and improving health.

Huo Xinwu observed that with the diversification of social family forms, many Brazilian families regard sports as a major foundation for cultivating children's values. He emphasized that as a sport, martial arts, if not propagated based on martial ethics, what benefit can it bring to society by cultivating disciples?

"If a student lacks martial morality, he should not be taught how to use weapons." He quoted Master Wei Changqing as saying that although Brazilians have not yet fully realized the importance of martial morality, if the master possesses this knowledge and passes it on in martial arts classes, Brazilian students will gradually accept and understand it, and apply these principles to their way of life.

As Sun Bin's Art of War in ancient China was written to guide and manage the state, martial arts, as a sport, can help people build a peaceful world. Sun Bin's master, Master Guiguzi, was the founder of the "Hengheng" (political and diplomatic practitioners during the Warring States period), whose goal was to guide people in protecting themselves while resolving conflicts and seeking peace," said Huo Xinwu.

Using "martial arts" as a medium, promoting cultural exchange between China and Pakistan

Recently, Huo Xinwu was invited to attend an international academic symposium commemorating the anniversary of Confucius' birth. This marked his second visit to China after his academic exchange activities during his doctoral studies. During his stay, he also participated in Sinology seminars held in Beijing, Shanghai, and Fujian. As a social sciences PhD and a Sinologist, he clearly felt that the "gold content" of Sinology in the hearts of Westerners is becoming increasingly higher during this journey.

Huo Xinwu stated that although there are cultural and value differences between Brazilians and Chinese, as the cooperation between the two countries deepens, cultural exchanges are also influencing the formation of values. In his view, cultural exchanges in the field of martial arts are "the best way to bridge the understanding gap between the two peoples."

Nowadays, martial arts exchanges have also become an important aspect of cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan, as well as between China and Latin America. For example, the "China-Latin America Martial Arts Exchange Forum" has been a fixed sub-forum of the "China-CELAC Forum" since its inception, jointly established by the Chinese Wushu Association and relevant institutions in Latin America, and organizes various forms of exchange activities such as competitions and training camps every year. Martial arts exchanges have further ignited the enthusiasm of Brazilians for martial arts; not long ago, Brazil won the hosting rights for the 17th World Wushu Championships in 2023.

Huo Xinwu also mentioned that today, Taijiquan has been included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, and martial arts have, as his master Wei Changqing once anticipated, entered international competitions, becoming a sport in the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar. He believes that "internationalization" brings new opportunities for the development of martial arts in Brazil, and regardless of how Brazilians previously practiced and understood martial arts, the influence of Chinese culture and Chinese martial arts projects worldwide can promote these perceptions "to shift in a more positive direction." This will also benefit both countries in various fields of cultural exchange in the future.

In Huo Xinwu's view, martial arts, as a distinctive symbol of Chinese culture, also serve as a window for Brazilians to understand China.

"My work at the Brazilian Sun Bin Quan Association involves teaching martial arts, Chinese language, and culture to Brazilians. I believe that martial arts serve as a model for promoting cultural exchange between Brazil and China, strengthening peace, friendship, and cooperation between the two countries," concluded Huo Xinwu, who considers the promotion of martial arts in Brazil as one of the greatest achievements in his study of Sinology. In the future, Huo Xinwu also plans to support the teaching of martial arts in Brazil by translating more Chinese martial arts theoretical materials and delving deeper into the spirit of martial arts and its relationship with Confucian teachings.