Society

Kids go kungfu fighting to parry nationwide fear

By Wang Wei (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-18 09:46

A boy learns to defend himself against a knife-wielding assault at a martial arts school. [Yang Wei / Mirror Evening News]

The doors to the capital's martial arts clubs have been kicked open by an influx of kids fighting back against panic sparked by nationwide school attacks.

Zhang Xiaohang, owner of Beijing Changzhen Martial Arts club, told METRO the weekly training session he set up one week ago to raise knowledge of self-protection among children is already doing well.

He said the club has received more than 30 applications in the previous week alone, up from an average rate of just one or two new students. Zhang said the club now teaches 70 students, aged from five to 11, various self-defense skills.

"Even students who are shorter or weaker than their attackers can learn to escape safely with proper self-defense skills," he said.

In additional to basic wushu (martial arts) moves, Zhang said he also teaches his young participants that schoolbags and water bottles can become useful tools to parry attacks.

His tips include throwing dirt in an attacker's eyes, using textbooks to block knife moves, and stabbing back with pens.

"The best reaction to an encounter is to run and shout for help," he told his students.

"But never run into a dead-end; rather, head behind the attacker or somewhere with a lot of people."

Other martial arts clubs in Beijing are also witnessing booms in business following six campus attacks in the last 50 days across the country.

Zhang Changzhong, owner of Brother International Martial Arts Club, said the number of participants at his elementary level class has jumped to 16 from only six in March.

"I receive phone calls every day asking whether the skills we teach can ward off a campus attack," he said. "I heard other wushu clubs are also experiencing a jump in business."

A mother surnamed Qu, who signed up her 12-year-old boy to classes at Brother International Martial Arts Club on May 9, expressed concern about her child's safety.

"I worry about those people facing intense pressure. Children are the most vulnerable group and can easily become their target," she said.

"I appreciate the safety measures implemented by the education authority, but I think self-defense skills are an effective way to protect my child."

Beijing police announced Monday they would finish integration work between close circuit TV systems at kindergartens, primary and middle schools and the city's overall security monitoring platform before International Children's Day on June 1, Beijing News reported.