On November 17, HICC reporter learned that the international standard proposal Education and Learning Services - General Requirements and Guidelines for Leisure and Performance-Oriented Wushu (Martial Arts) Training Services (ISO 29998), jointly submittedby Songshan Shaolin Wushu College (SSWC) and China National Institute of Standardization (CNIS), has recently been approved. This is the first ISO international standard for wushu training initiatedby China, with experts from the United States, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, the Dominican Republic, Zambia and other countries participating in the stand ard formulation.
Originating in Henan, wushu is a treasure of traditional Chinese culture and has become an important window for the world to understand China and Henan. However, the global field of wushu education and training has long lacked unified standards, with significant differences in teaching systems, technical levels, and coach qualifications, which has become a major bottleneck restricting wushu's international dissemination.
"The approval of this international standard proposal means we can gradually establish a unified 'common language' and quality standards in the field of wushu education and training," said Liu Shaopeng, SSWCP resident. He explained that the successful approval of this standard proposal stems from solid preliminary accumulation and systematic standardization construction. In September 2022, the Zhengzhou Shaolin Wushu Standardization Technical Committee was officially established, steadily advancing the formulation and revision of local standards in such aspects as wushu terminology, routines, equipment, and teaching evaluation.
It is understood that the newly approved international standard will clarify terminology definitions, coach qualifications, learning environment, training plans, learning assessment, safety management, risk prevention and control of wushu training services. This standard aims to establish an internationally unified quality benchmark and discourse system to ensure that global learners can enjoy safe, professional and high-quality wushu training services. The standard project will set unified rules for global wushu training services, realize the exchange and cooperation in wushu training across different cultural contexts, and provide solid technical support for the development of relevant industries and cross-border trade in the global wushu training sector.
Liu Wei, a state-sponsored teacher who has long taught at Confucius Institute at the University of Burundi and Confucius Institute at the University of Sierra Leone in Africa, said, "After the implementation of this standard, it will benefit numerous wushu enthusiasts, educational institutions and related industries around the world." Drawing on his own teaching experience, he pointed out that the unified wushu standard provided an effective basis for overseas wushu teaching and improved effects of teaching and cultural communication. (Chinese source: Henan Daily Reporter: Tong Lin Translator: Hong Jianyuan Proofreader: Jiao Dan)
