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'{{cleanup|date=March 2009}} {{Original research|date=March 2009}} {{Chinese name|[[Huo (surname)|霍 (Huo)]]}} {{Infobox Person | name = Huo Yuanjia | image = Liuhopafa.JPG | image_size = | caption = '''Huo Yuanjia''' | birth_date = 1868 AD | birth_place = Xiaonan Village | death_date = August 9, 1910 AD (42) | death_place = | occupation = Martial Artist (Wushu) | Spouse = | parents = | children = }} '''Huo Yuanjia''' ({{zh-cp|c=霍元甲|p=Huò Yuánjiǎ}}) [Cantonese: Fok Yuen Gap] (c.1868-1910<ref name=deathdate>[http://www.wushu.org.cn/lxwzc.asp?id=2 wushu.org.cn] states that the wu shu association was founded on July 7, 1910. An [http://ncdz.dzwww.com/ncdz-nc06/t20060216_1356540.htm interview] with Huo Yuanjia's great-grandson states that he died about 70&nbsp;days after the Jingwu school was founded. [http://www.chinwoo.com/history.htm chinwoo.com] states August 1909 as the date of death.</ref>) was a [[Chinese martial art]]ist and co-founder of the [[Chin Woo Athletic Association]], a martial arts school in [[Shanghai]]. A practitioner of the martial art [[Mízōngyì]],<ref>{{cite book | last = Draeger | first = Donn F. | coauthors = Smith, Robert W. | title = Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts | origyear = 1969 | year = 1980 | publisher = Kodansha International | location = Tokyo | isbn = 0-87011-436-0 | page = 23}}</ref> he is considered a hero in [[China]] for challenging foreign fighters in highly publicized matches at a time when Chinese sovereignty was being eroded by foreign concessions and [[spheres of influence]]. Due to his heroic status, legends and myths about events in his life are difficult to discern from the facts. poop face == Biography == === Early life === Huo Yuanjia was born in 1868 in [[Xiaonan Village]] in [[Jinghai County]] in [[Tianjin]] as the fourth child of [[Huo Endi]]'s ten children. The family's main source of income was from [[agriculture]], but Huo Endi also made a living by escorting merchant caravans to [[Manchuria]] and back. Although born to a family of traditional [[Wushu]] practitioners, Huo Yuanjia was born with physical deficiencies and susceptible to illness. Thus, Huo Endi encouraged his son to pursue scholarly interests instead of learning Wushu. Huo Endi hired a tutor named [[Chen Seng Ho]] (Chiang Ho) from [[Japan]] to teach Huo Yuanjia. In return, Chen learnt the Huo family's style of martial arts, [[Mízōngyì]], from Huo Endi. Huo Yuanjia refused to accept the vocation his father had chosen for him. He observed his father teaching students martial arts secretly from a distance in the day and practiced them secretly at night together with his tutor. In 1890, a martial artist from [[Henan Province]] visited the Huo family and had a fight with Huo Yuanjia's elder brother after witnessing the latter putting on a display of the Huo family's martial arts. Huo's elder brother was defeated and to the surprise of the family, Huo Yuanjia fought with his brother's opponent and defeated him. Since then, Huo Yuanjia was officially accepted by his father as a disciple. Later, Huo Yuanjia went on to challenge martial artists from neighboring lands and his fame grew as he defeated more and more opponents in bouts. Huo Yuanjia joined his father at work as an escort. Once, while escorting a group of monks, Huo Yuanjia was confronted by an aggressive bandit leader who threatened to attack the monks with his bandit followers. Huo Yuanjia fought with the bandit leader and defeated him. News of his feat spread and added on to his growing fame. In 1896, Huo Yuanjia went to [[Tianjin]] and made living there by working as a porter in the Huaiqing pharmacy there and by selling firewood. === Rise to fame === In 1901, Huo Yuanjia responded to a challenge advertised by a [[wrestler]] from [[Russia]] in [[Xiyuan Park]], [[Tianjin]]. The wrestler openly called the Chinese "Sick men of the East" as no one accepted his challenge to a fight. The Russian [[wiktionary:forfeit|forfeit]]ed when Huo Yuanjia accepted his challenge. The Russian told Huo that he was merely putting on a performance in order to make a living and made an apology for his earlier remark in the newspaper. Between 1909 and 1910, Huo Yuanjia traveled to [[Shanghai]] twice to accept an open challenge posed by a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[boxing|boxer]] [[Hercules O'Brien]]. The two of them had arguments over the rules governing such boxing matches and eventually agreed that whoever knocked down his opponent would be the victor. However, O'Brien never fought Huo,<ref>Moore, Roger. (September 22, 2006) [[Orlando Sentinel]] ''Li jets out of action genre by playing a generic hero.'' Section: Calendar; Page 14. (Quote: Aussie strongman Nathan Jones "plays Euro-strongman Hercules O'Brien here, a real-life fighter who was supposed to fight Huo but never did.")</ref> opting to leave town instead.<ref>Chester, Rodney. (August 26, 2006) [[The Courier-Mail]] ''Tweaking the artistic truth.'' Section: etc1 - First with the news; M04. (Quote, "In reality, big bad O'Brien left town when Huo challenged him to a fight. Likewise, a Russian fighter had a change of heart when Huo challenged him for calling Asian men weak. The Russian opted for a public apology instead of a public brawl.")</ref> === Chin Woo Athletic Association === Between 1909 and 1910, {{fact|date=March 2009}} Huo Yuanjia founded the [[Chin Woo Athletic Association|Chin Woo Physical Training Center]] (later known as Chin Woo Athletic Association) with his close friend [[Nong Jinsun]] as president of the association.<ref>Historic involvement of the Tongmenghui as helping start the first Chin Woo center.<br /> http://www.chinwoomen.com/history.html</ref> Huo Yuanjia was encouraged by close friends and sponsored by [[Sun Yat-sen]] and [[Song Jiaoren]] from [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]]. The training centre was meant to be a school for learning the art of [[self-defense]], improvement of health and mind, and the building of national loyalty. Since then, [[Wushu]] gradually grew to become a sport as it is today. Huo Yuanjia suffered from [[jaundice]] and now [[tuberculosis]] and started seeing a Japanese doctor for medication and treatment. The doctor who was a member of the [[Japanese Judo Association]], based in [[Shanghai]] invited him to a competition upon hearing of his fame. Huo Yuanjia's student [[Li Zhengsheng]] competed with a Judo practitioner. Although there were disputes over who won the match, both sides generally agreed that the disagreement culminated in a brawl and ten members of the Judo team were injured, some with broken fingers and hands, including the head instructor. {{fact|date=March 2009}} === Death === Huo Yuanjia died on August 9, 1910 at 42 years of age from [[arsenic]] poisoning. Some accuse the [[Japanese people|Japanese]] of being responsible while others speculate that the [[Europe]]an colonists may have been responsible. {{fact|date=March 2009}} In 1989, the tomb of Huo Yuanjia and his wife was relocated. Black spots were discovered in the pelvic bones, in which [[Tianjin Municipality Police Laboratory]] confirmed that they contained [[arsenic]]. {{fact|date=March 2009}} Consequently, it is difficult to ascertain whether his death was caused by malicious poisoning or wrong prescription of medicine. This was because [[arsenic trioxide]] has been used therapeutically for approximately 2,400 years as a part of [[Chinese medicine]]. Historian [[Chen Gongzhe]], who was also one of Huo's students, believed that the cause of his teacher's death was [[hemoptysis]] disease. Chen wrote that as Huo Yuanjia was introduced to a Japanese doctor by the [[Judo]] instructor as his health declined. The doctor prescribed some medicine for his condition, but Huo Yuanjia's health continued to deteriorate. Huo was admitted to [[Shanghai Red Cross Hospital]] where he died two weeks later. Although Chen Gongzhe did not mention that the medicine prescribed by the Japanese doctor contained [[arsenic]] or any other poison, some leaders of the [[Chin Woo Athletic Association]] speculate that Huo was poisoned around the time of his death. === Legacy and expansion of Chin Woo === Huo Yuanjia died only months after helping to fund the [[Chin Woo Athletic Association]]. Before his death, he invited [[Zhao Lianhe]] of [[Shaolin Mizong Style]] to teach in Chin Woo and Zhao agreed. Subsequently, other a number of martial arts masters agreed to teach at the school. They included [[Eagle Claw]] master Chen Zizheng, [[Seven Star Praying Mantis]] master Luo Guangyu, [[Xingyi]] master [[Geng Xiaguang]], and [[Wu Chien Chuan]], the founder of [[Wu style Taijiquan]]. In June 1910, the [[Eastern Times]] announced the establishment of this association in the name of Huo Yuanjia. It was the first civil [[Kung Fu]] organization in [[China]] that was not associated with a particular school or style. During the [[Japan|Japanese]] sphere of influence, the [[Twenty-One Demands]] sent to the Chinese government resulted in two treaties with Japan on May 25, 1915. This separated the [[Manchu]]rian ruling class from exercising control over the [[Han Chinese]]. Huo Yuanjia's students purchased a new building as headquarters for the organisation and renamed it ''Chin Woo Athletic Association''. Re-organization, publications of books and magazines, and new styles of martial arts other than what Huo taught, were accepted under the mantle of the new association. In 1918, Chin Woo opened a branch at [[Nathan Road]] in [[Hong Kong]]. In July 1919, the Chin Woo Association sent five representatives to [[Southeast Asia]] to perform a missionary program to expand activities overseas. They were [[Chen Gongzhe]], [[Li Huisheng]], [[Luo Xiaoao]], [[Chen Shizhao]] and [[Ye Shutian]]. They made their first stop in [[Saigon]], [[Vietnam]] where they opened the first Chin Woo school outside of China. Later, they opened schools in [[Malaysia]] and [[Singapore]] as well. By 1923, these five masters had opened schools all over Southeast Asia and visited nine different countries. In 1966, [[Shanghai]]'s Chin Woo school was forced to discontinue its activities due to the [[Cultural Revolution]], whose goal was to destroy old ideas, culture, customs in order to modernize China. Those restrictions were later lifted in 1976 and activities were continued in Shanghai Chin Woo. Currently, Chin Woo is one of the largest [[Chinese Martial Arts|Wushu]] organizations in the world with branches in [[Japan]], [[Hong Kong]], [[Macau]], [[Vietnam]], [[Malaysia]], [[Singapore]], [[Poland]], [[Canada]], [[United Kingdom|UK]], [[United States|U.S.]], [[Australia]], and [[Switzerland]]. Huo Yuanjia was survived by three sons and two daughters, and now has seven grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. == Huo Yuanjia in popular culture == === TV series adaptations === * In 1981, [[Hong Kong]]'s [[Asia Television Limited|ATV]] produced and broadcasted ''[[The Legendary Fok]]'' (大俠霍元甲), a 20 episodes TV series [[biopic]] of Huo Yuanjia. Huo Yuanjia was played by [[Wong Yuen Sun]]. [[Bruce Leung]] played Huo Yuanjia's fictional student [[Chen Zhen (martial artist)|Chen Zhen]]. * In 2000, a remake of the 1981 TV series was produced in [[Mainland China]]. [[Vincent Zhao]] played Huo Yuanjia. * In 2007, another remake of the original TV series was produced in [[Mainland China]] by [[Stanley Kwan]] and directed by [[Kuk Kwok Leung]]. [[Ekin Cheng]] played Huo Yuanjia and [[Jordan Chan]] played Chen Zhen. === Film adaptations === * The 1982 Chinese film ''[[Legend of a Fighter]]'' has often been cited as the first film to feature the character Huo Yuanjia. * The films ''[[Fist of Fury]]'' (1972) and its remake ''[[Fist of Legend]]'' (1994) are fictionalized accounts of the events following his death. The main character in all of these films is based upon a student of Huo Yuanjia named [[Chen Zhen (martial artist)|Chen Zhen]], who was portrayed by [[Bruce Lee]] in ''Fist of Fury,'' and [[Jet Li]] in ''Fist of Legend''.<ref>{{imdb title|0084105|Huo Yuan-Jia (1982)}}</ref> * The film ''[[Fearless (2006 film)|Fearless]]'' (2006) is a fictionalized story based loosely upon the life of Huo Yuanjia. [[Jet Li]] played Huo Yuanjia. [[Nakamura Shido]] stars as Huo's Japanese opponent [[Ano Tanaka]]. === Others === * [[Taiwanese]] [[pop star]] [[Jay Chou]] composed a song entitled ''Huo Yuan Jia'' for the 2006 film [[Fearless (2006 film)|Fearless]]. It is also featured on [[Dance! Online]]. == See also == * [[Chen Zhen (martial artist)|Chen Zhen]] * [[Chin Woo Athletic Association]] * [[Mízōngyì]] == Notes == {{reflist}} ==Further reading== * [http://www.hkflix.com/xq/asp/filmID.2787/rtype.4/qx/reviews.htm Earlier film portraying Huo Yuanjia's biography] * [http://www.pasadena.edu/chinese/cultural/wushu.html Wushu and Qigong] * [http://www.oralchelation.net/data/HistoricalDiets/data10a.htm British pharmacopoeia dating from 1917 regarding the use of arsenic as treatment of tuberculosis] * [http://www.ccmp.gov.tw/en/research/result_detail.asp?relno=51&selno=0&no=95&detailno=1020 Arsenic used in Chinese Herbal Medicine for over 2400 years] == External links == * [http://www.chinwoo.com/ World Chin Woo Federation] - Official site * [http://www.chinwoo.com.au/ Western Australia Chin Woo Athletic Association] - Official site * [http://www.chin-woo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70&Itemid=65 British Institute for Chinese Martial Arts] - Official site * [http://www.chinwoo.org/history.htm Chinwoo Athletic Association National Chinese Feeling] - Official site * [http://www.chinwoomen.com/history.html World Chin Woo Men] - Official site *[http://www.worldofmartialart.com/requested/jingwu_sports_federation_locations.php Locations of Jing Wu Sports Federations around the world with contact details ] {{DEFAULTSORT:Huo Yuanjia}} [[Category:1868 births]] [[Category:1910 deaths]] [[Category:Chinese warriors]] [[Category:Martial arts school founders]] [[Category:My Jhong Law Horn practitioners]] [[ar:هو يون جا]] [[da:Huo Yuanjia]] [[de:Huo Yuanjia]] [[es:Huo Yuanjia]] [[it:Huo Yuanjia]] [[hu:Huo Yuan Jia]] [[nl:Huo Yuanjia]] [[ja:霍元甲]] [[no:Huo Yuanjia]] [[pt:Huo Yuanjia]] [[sv:Huo Yuanjia]] [[vi:Hoắc Nguyên Giáp]] [[tr:Huo Yuanjia]] [[zh:霍元甲]]'