English 
正體中文 
When discussing Chinese martial arts, many people associate them with heroic figures in novels or action scenes in films. However, in contemporary humanities research, martial arts were not merely a set of techniques but also an important lens for examining cultural heritage, social transformation, and cross-regional exchange.
The Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Yuan Ze University recently invited Chi-Yiu Lau, Professor of the Department of Chinese History and Culture at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, to deliver a lecture titled “Application and Exploration of Martial Arts Heritage: Chow Gar Praying Mantis Boxing of Dongjiang.” The lecture guided faculty members and students to explore diverse perspectives in cultural studies through the lens of martial arts.
Professor Chi-Yiu Lau had long been engaged in research on martial arts cultural history and intangible cultural heritage, and was also an experienced practitioner. In his lecture, he used the Hong Kong intangible cultural heritage project “Chow Gar Praying Mantis Boxing of Dongjiang” as a case study to explain the application and registration processes and the project's cultural significance, while sharing insights from years of field research.
Lau pointed out that Chow Gar Praying Mantis Boxing originated in Hakka communities and was gradually transmitted from Guangdong to Hong Kong through population migration. It later spread to regions such as Australia, Switzerland, and Taiwan. Due to differing social environments and cultural contexts, practitioners in various regions had developed distinct teaching methods and interpretive approaches, demonstrating how culture adapted and innovated as it circulated. He emphasized that cultural heritage was not a static record of the past, but a dynamic phenomenon continuously practiced, transformed, and reinterpreted.
In addition to his academic presentation, Lau personally demonstrated basic movements and physical techniques of Chow Gar Praying Mantis Boxing. Incorporating perspectives from modern sports science, he explained how traditional martial arts training could enhance core stability and coordination. Through vivid demonstrations and accessible explanations, faculty members and students were able to understand martial arts from multiple perspectives, including history, culture, physical practice, and science, and to appreciate the rich possibilities of interdisciplinary development in the humanities.
The Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Yuan Ze University stated that in response to rapidly changing social environments, it had continued to promote interdisciplinary and internationalized teaching. In addition to deepening research in literature, language, and culture, the department actively integrated digital technology, cultural creativity, and international exchange to guide students in understanding contemporary society and cultural phenomena from diverse perspectives. This lecture, through the study of martial arts culture, demonstrated the broad scope of Chinese studies in connecting history, society, and global cultural issues.
It was also noted that the Department of Chinese History and Culture at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where Professor Lau taught, had maintained close academic exchanges with the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Yuan Ze University in recent years. Since 2024, the two departments had jointly organized the “PolyU & YZU Chinese Culture Forum,” promoting faculty exchanges, student research presentations, and academic collaboration. In May this year, the two departments formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), establishing a long-term partnership. In the future, they would further deepen faculty and student exchanges, collaborative research, and international talent cultivation, expanding new opportunities for academic cooperation and humanities education between Taiwan and Hong Kong.
