On March 26th, a group of students lined up in a square formation at the Literacy Development Center of Zhejiang Wanli University to practice the traditional Chinese martial art known as Ba Ji Quan (Eight Extremities Fist). Notably, a dozen international students were involved in the exercise alongside Chinese students.

3月26日下午，浙江万里学院素质拓展中心，十几个学生排成方队，一起练习八极拳。方队中，有中国学生，也有金发碧眼的外国学生。

The group leader is Ms. Han Jingwei, a 57-year-old teacher in Ningbo. As the eighth-generation heir of Ba Ji Quan, she is also designated as an instructor for the martial arts club of Ba Ji Quan at the university.

领队叫韩景玮，今年57岁，她是八极拳八世传人，也是宁波的大学教师、学校八极拳武术俱乐部指导教师。

After only a seven-month-stay in China, a Spanish girl found Chinese Kung Fu (particularly Ba Ji Quan) fascinating, attributing her newfound inner peace and tranquility to its practice. Under the patient guidance of Han, the girl embraced the serene essence intrinsic to Chinese Kung Fu and eagerly expressed her intent to pursue further learning.

一位刚来中国7个月的西班牙女孩说她觉得中国功夫很有趣，她能从八极拳中获得心里的舒畅和平静。在韩老师耐心的指导下，她感受到了中国功夫带给人由内而外的平静之感，每一个拳式都很轻快，她下次还想跟着韩老师继续学习。

It was ten years ago that foreign enthusiasts began to learn Ba Ji Quan with Han. In 2019, Han offered a semester course for international students at Ningbo University, where they displayed remarkable passion for grasping the martial art’s intricacies.

十年前开始，就有外国友人向韩景玮学习八极拳。2019年韩景玮在宁波大学为留学生开设一学期八极拳课程。她表示外国友人在学习八极拳过程中特别热情，喜欢刨根问底，将拳式都理解透彻。

Han has been practicing martial arts since childhood, mastering Shaolin stick fighting and women's long boxing among others. After having specialized in Ba Ji Quan in 1987 she became a disciple of Mr. Yang Weilong, the seventh-generation successor of the Wu-style Ba Ji Quan. Since then, Han systematically studied various techniques including the Vajra Eight Forms, Palm Thrusts, Xiao Jia (Small Volleying), Solo Combat, Twelve Holds, and Eight-Extremity Short Stick.

韩景玮自幼习武，精通少林棍、女子长拳等，于1987年开始学习八极拳，1988年拜师吴氏开门八极拳七世传人杨维龙先生。师从杨维龙后，韩景玮系统学习了金刚八式、撑掌、小架、单打、十二抱、八极短棍等。

In 2005, Han was transferred to Ningbo where she commenced the teaching of Ba Ji Quan to the local community. Four years later, the venue of her teaching was moved to Ningbo Higher Education Zone (Yinzhou District), primarily in the vicinity of residential areas and schools.

2005年，韩景玮来到宁波任教，也把八极拳带了过来。2009年起，她在宁波高教园区教授八极拳，教课地点主要集中在小区和学校周边。

As her popularity grew, Han introduced more courses of literacy development and physical education – such as "Traditional Martial Arts and Health, Ba Ji Quan" – at Wanli University. In addition to establishing Ningbo Han Jingwei Training Institute of Mengcun Ba Ji Quan (National Intangible Cultural Heritage), she furthermore founded a Martial Arts Club at the university, leading her students to participate in various martial arts competitions across China.

后来，随着“粉丝”越来越多，她不仅在万里学院开设《传统武术与健康-八极拳》素质拓展课、八极拳体育课，成立“国家级非物质文化遗产孟村八极拳宁波韩景玮传习所”，还创办了浙江万里学院八极拳武术俱乐部，带领学生参加中国各地的各类武术比赛，展示他们的技艺。

Thanks to her expanded online teaching via platforms like Douyin, Weibo, and Kuaishou, over 2,000 students have committed to a long-term study of Ba Ji Quan.

随着知名度的增加，韩景玮通过抖音、微博、快手等平台开展线上教学，长期坚持学习八极拳的学生已达2000人。

Since 2024, the focus of her teaching has gradually shifted to voluntary teaching in local communities. By dedicating weekends and school breaks, she has offered wellness classes for the elderly and children (in particular, migratory children). These efforts have garnered wide public acclaim.

今年以来，韩景玮逐步将精力转移到社区公益教学上。她利用周末和寒暑假，为社区“一老一小”及辖区“小候鸟”开展养生八极拳、青少年八极拳公益教学，广受好评。

The current top priority, as emphasized by Han, is to promote Ba Ji Quan across the globe. Alongside colleagues fluent in foreign languages, she is developing bilingual textbooks in Chinese and English, in the hope of inspiring more international friends to learn traditional Chinese martial arts.

她告诉记者，目前最主要的工作是推广八极拳。她还和精通外语的同事一起编纂八极拳中英文双语教材，希望让更多国际友人爱上中华传统武术。

By Qiu Jilin (intern), Pan Wenjie

Correspondents:

Wang Bo, Lu Yahong, Zhu Yingying

Proofreaders:

Huang Dawang, Lu Yuchen,

Lin Yongyi, Jason Mowbray