4. My Student Period, Advancing in the Three Educations [Physical, Social & Intellectual]

At 17 years of age, I entered middle school to study, where I was baptized in the new culture of science. In school, I liked Western sports and exercise equipment, and I was able to accomplish quite a lot. I tried all kinds of activities and competed on behalf of the school.

[My] martial activities also set an example for the whole school. As I had practiced martial arts [at home], I played wrestling with my classmates. When they were defeated, one after another, they asked to learn from me. As a result, I am deeply aware of the superiority of martial arts, whether in regard to its effectiveness in fitness or as self-defense. It is far better than the sports that have been introduced from the West.

Moreover, Western sports and exercise require various equipment, and China is a poor country. There are only a few people in the school who can enjoy an education [that includes this equipment]. Therefore, [the Western model for sports and exercise] is not feasible as a form of national exercise [in China]. It is far less economical and effective than martial arts, which is more suitable for everyone. Thus, it is appropriate that [everyone] should more diligently practice martial arts.

In the 3rd year of the Republic of China [~ 1914] (at 23 years of age), I entered the Peking University preparatory course to learn Civil Engineering. In the 6th year [of the Republic, ~1917], I transferred to Beiyang University. I returned to Peking University in the 8th year [of the Republic, ~1919] and completed my studies in the 9th year [of the Republic, ~1920] (at 29 years of age).

In school, I liked [participating in] track and field from the very beginning. Among the ten major events in track and field competition, I have participated as an athlete in several of the events. At that time, I was actually inspired by foreign people calling our countrymen the "sick man of East Asia". That is, driven by a strong national consciousness and patriotism, I was determined to make a great effort to practice sports, promote physical education, and furthermore, to advocate for a national sport. I hoped that everyone in the country would be able to become healthy and energetic, so as to avoid the humiliation of being known as the "sick man of East Asia".

From personal experience, I know that popularizing western sports and using sports equipment will be difficult in China, due to the country's poverty and inadequate economic conditions. Moreover, sports are biased towards a particular body part and are too intense, making it unsuitable for practice by the general public, as well as not having a very large effect. The [Western] sports are not as good as Chinese martial arts movements, which is good both as physical education and for having good skills. It can not only strengthen the body and be used for self defense, but also by promoting it, it can strengthen the country and help defend its people. Therefore, martial arts are actually the most perfect national sport.

So in the second academic year at Peking University, some students who liked martial arts suggested that the school should hire martial arts teachers and set up martial arts groups. I was promoted to be the head of the martial arts delegation. This was the beginning of the Peking University's Martial Arts Program. Peking University, Beijing's highest institution of higher learning, still advocates for martial arts today and other schools have been established one after another.

It can be seen that Chinese martial arts are extremely easy for people to follow. It ultimately depends on someone at the top to promote it and have a plan to cultivate the program. In that case, everyone in our country will be able to be spontaneous, make their body healthy, and wash away the humiliation of the "sick man of East Asia".

The ancient capital of Beijing was once governed by the Manchurian Qing Dynasty. At that time, martial arts were originally well developed and promoted by various schools, as well as being influenced by them. Henceforth, I also was determined to make a great effort to promote martial arts and study it further with famous martial arts teachers, [working on it] both day and night. I studied Xingyiquan with both Mr. Li Cunyi and Mr. Liu Caichen. I studied Baguazhang with both Mr. Tong Lianji and Mr. Cheng Haiting. I studied Taijiquan with both Mr. Wu Jianquan and Mr. Yang Shaohou. I learned Xingyiquan, Baguazhang and Taijiquan from both Mr. Ji Zixiu and Mr. Xu Yusheng.

While studying in school, I practiced martial arts and also played the latest types of sports. In college, I had a reputation for being good in sports, because I was a contestant in track and field competitions in the Tianjin region. When the Martial Arts Performance Conference of Hebei Province was held in Tianjin, I won sixth place, earning enthusiastic recognition for my Spring and Autumn Big Knife and Seven-Section Whip. At the end of the event, it was requested that I perform again for the audience.

At the time, although I felt more devoted to strengthening the nation through fitness, I did not dare neglect my studies in the slightest, so my academic achievements were still ranked first-class. During my school years, I was often the leader of other students and hosted extracurricular activities. Thus, I was proud to have cherished friends and teachers, never committing even a minor offense.

It is important to remember other [activities that I did] while I was studying [at school]. For one, there is the training to suppress the activities of bandits in the countryside. For another, there is the patriotic "May 4th Movement" to lead all Tianjin students, and the life and death struggles against warlords.