Loading Page Content and Menus, Please Wait...
W1F speaks to Zhao Qing Jian
It took us a while to get this interview online (almost a year it seems... But its finally here. This is a 72MB download (sorry we couldn't compress it any smaller), so for those who don't want to download the complete interview, we have the translated interview transcript below:
The Ray - When were u born?
Zhao Qing Jian - 1978
The Ray- When did you start wushu?
Zhao Qing Jian - 7 years old
The Ray - Why?
Zhao Qing Jian - Because wushu is traditional sport in china, my father, my grandfather all trained in wushu.
The Ray - What styles of wushu did u train in?
Zhao Qing Jian - Shaolin wushu.
The Ray - Why modern wushu instead of shaolin?
Zhao Qing Jian - Before university, i also did Shaolin's long fist, but then in university i learned and trained modern wushu long fist because of the competitions and tournaments i had to enter.
Irish - Did u feel like u wish to give up?
Zhao Qing Jian - Yes training was very hard and difficult - "bitter". Yes at the beginning, i felt like i should give up, but my dad and trainer spanked /beat me and told me off. There's a saying in china " Everything is difficult in the beginning."
hahaha. I was only joking about the spanking.
The Ray - Apart from being spanked, did you have any motivation about
carrying on with wushu?
Zhao Qing Jian - Yes, mainly because I like wushu.
The Ray - The progression from shaolin to modern wushu, why did u change from shaolin to modern?
Zhao Qing Jian - In China, we learn wushu not only for fighting, it's also for your health and body fitness. We call this "Wu De". Before, when i learnt the shaolin wushu, we also learnt how to dual. However, we can't just learn one thing, we must take this change to learn more forms. You must learn many different forms, for example taiji, Bagua etc to try it out because every form is special in it's own way. For example, right now i'm training long fist (changquan), and i continue training in changquan, so maybe i feel it's because i like it much more. Other forms i also train in, but maybe i'll train less in them because i like changquan more. changquan is very handsome, looks very beautiful and grand. This is how i feel.
The Ray - How did u get in beijing wushu team?
Zhao Qing Jian - In 1999, my teacher Wu Bin picked me to be part of the beijing team. When i was in competiion, he chose me.
The Ray - At that competion, what team was he competing for then?
Zhao Qing Jian - I was with the Wuhan sports university team.
The Ray - Breakdown your wushu history from start to now?
Zhao Qing Jian - At age 7, i started the basics of martial arts.
The Ray - Are we missing something in the middle?
Zhao Qing Jian - When i was 7, i learned the basics of martial arts, including basic changquan, some broad sword swordfight, and some jumping basics. Probably for a period of 3 years. Then i started competing and had to learn the regulatory forms for the youths. Then i went to Shaolin, and learnt the traditional shaolin quan, like ma bu, and other different forms. Then i went to Wuhan sports university, where i learned national regulatory chang quan mainly for
competitions. Every type of style, there's also a basic form.
The Ray - When did you come to Beijing?
Zhao Qing Jian - I came to beijing in 1999.
The Ray - Whats your greatest achievement from childhood to now?
Zhao Qing Jian - I feel that my greatest achievement is on the competition field, to get a good score. Also, myslef and other wushu people, both in china and abroad, are now good friends thanks to wushu. We used Wushu as a way to befriend others - like Wushu One Family.
The Ray - Is there anything else you wish to have/gain?
Zhao Qing Jian - Yes , probably. Because wushu is a very deeeeep subject. When you're 20, you have things to learn when you're at that age. When you're 30, you also have things to learn when you're 30,and when you're 50, it's no different, you have things to learn at 50. I'm continually in pursuit of the next thing to learn.
The Ray - have u had any bad injuries?
Zhao Qing Jian - Yes. Most of time it's very common to injure one's joints such as knees, and also waist/ hip. But i feel i'm quite clever/fortunate because alot of atheletes in my age get injured and they immediately go under the knife,and
have an operation. Compared to them, i have had fewer operations as my injuries
were not that serious. First one must learn to protect oneselve. If you're not
healthy to begin with, it's impossible to get into the sport. For athletes, the
most important thing to learn is to protect and take care of yourself, because
if you get injured, no matter how much you like the sport, you'll never train
in it again.
The Ray - Do u get scared and what kind of precautions do u take to make sure u dont get injured?
Zhao Qing Jian - At first i'd be scared. I'd have to learn slowly. If it's hard, it's a real challenge, I feel like i have to master this movement. When you're doing a new move for the first time, it's not possible to prevent any injury, because
you've never tried this movement, and you've not see anyone else do this
movement, you must trust your own experience and use your own skills to protect
yourselve. There's no other way.
The Ray - Do u pick up new things quickly?
Zhao Qing Jian - Mmmm. yes alittle faster than most.
Irish - Comparing bruce lee and jet li?
Zhao Qing Jian - You can't compare the 2. Bruce lee lived earlier, and their age is different.
Irish - What about jackie chan?
Zhao Qing Jian - For example, in changquan competition there's a first, second and third place. They are all very good, but their characters and styles are different. Some people like jackie, some people like Jet li, it depends on the audience. I feel they are both as good as each other.
The Ray - Do you also want to get into films?
Zhao Qing Jian - No i dont want to be an actor. They are older than me, and they are of different time. Jet li is the best at his time.
The Ray - How long do u think you'll continue practicing wushu?
Zhao Qing Jian - There is the biggest competition in China next year. I think i will probably retire about that.
The Ray - Do what next?
Zhao Qing Jian - I'll contiue with wushu, but i'll be a trainer and teach.
The Ray - Do u let foreigners catch up in international competions because
ur number 1 in China?
Zhao Qing Jian - I will treat each competition, no matter where/what the competition, with 100% effort.
The Ray - r u ever worried about competition threat from another country?
Zhao Qing Jian - If i worry it's no use. Because if others like wushu, they will train with their hearts. If they train with their hearts in it, then they will improve
alot faster. I am not worried, i'm v glad. If wushu can increase in popularity
in the whole world, it's not good that china is the only country that is good in
wushu. If the whole world takes up to wushu, then it's possible to increase the
wushu standard of the world, this is good.
The Ray - Will other countries ie usa canada europe be able to catch up to
china?
Zhao Qing Jian - Yes, it's possible.
The Ray - Are u scared that if u teach Ray he'll be better than u?
Zhao Qing Jian - No, because in China, teachers will never be scared that students will exceed them. Otherwise, wushu standards will never improve. If ray 's wushu improves, i'll feel happy too because i taught him.
Irish - Do u have any time for girls?
Zhao Qing Jian - I dont want to answer that if it's ok. no comment.
Irish - Would u like to eventually get married and have a family?
Zhao Qing Jian - Yes of course i'd have to get married, but will not be for a few years yet.
The Ray - invitations to the wedding?
Zhao Qing Jian - Yes ofcourse you're all welcome to the wedding.
The Ray - what other forms have u learnt?
Zhao Qing Jian - Yes i've learnt taiji, xingyi quan... There are many in China. You must learn more than a few. Because eventually you'd have to
teach, you can't just know one thing ie you only know chun-chuan, that's not
good.
The Ray - do u have any advice on how to improve?
Zhao Qing Jian - I think wushu is a sport where u need a lot of time to practice. In China, there's a saying that Kung fu takes time. Because kung fu is sucha testing sport, it's a very "deep" sport, and you need alot of time and patience. It's impossible for you to learn everything is 1, 2, 3 or even 5 years.
There are many inner layers of wushu. I urge readers and friends of Wushu One Family website, to get a taste of the happiness from learning wushu. As long as you
have perserverance, you will achieve whatever you wish to achieve and reach
your goal.
