Hong Kong Martial Artists: Sociocultural Change from World War II to 2020(Martial Arts Studies)

This imaginative and innovative study by Daniel Miles Amos, begun in 1976 and completed in 2020, examines sociocultural changes in the practices of Chinese martial artists in two closely related and interconnected southern Chinese cities, Hong Kong and Guangzhou. The initial chapters of the book compare how sociocultural changes from World War II to the mid-1980s affected the practices of Chinese martial artists in the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong and neighboring Guangzhou in mainland China. An analysis is made of how the practices of Chinese martial artists have been influenced by revolutionary sociocultural changes in both cities. In Guangzhou, the victory of the Chinese Communist Party lead to the disappearance in the early 1950s of secret societies and kungfu brotherhoods. Kungfu brotherhoods reappeared during the Cultural Revolution, and subsequently were transformed again after the death of Mao Zedong, and China’s opening to capitalism. In Hong Kong, dramatic sociocultural changes were set off by the introduction of manufacturing production lines by international corporations in the mid-1950s, and the proliferation of foreign franchises and products. Economic globalization in Hong Kong has led to dramatic increases both in the territory’s Gross Domestic Product and in cultural homogenization, with corresponding declines in many local traditions and folk cultures, including Chinese martial arts. The final chapters of the book focus on changes in the practices of Chinese martial arts in Hong Kong from the years 1987 to 2020, a period which includes the last decade of British colonial administration, as well as the first quarter of a century of rule by the Chinese government.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Sources of Ethnographic Data Chapter 1. A Hong Kong Kungfu Temple Cult and Hong Kong’s Economy Chapter 2. Heroes of a Kungfu Temple Cult Chapter 3. Triads, the Police and Kungfu Brotherhoods Chapter 4. The Disciples of Master Chau Chapter 5. Kungfu in Guangzhou, WW2 to 1986 Chapter 6. Guangzhou Kungfu Brotherhoods Arise During the Cultural Revolution Chapter 7. Personal Rebellions and Secretive Kungfu Brotherhoods Chapter 8. The Economy, Education and the Decline of Hong Kong Folk Culture Chapter 9. The Fate of Master Chau’s Kungfu Brotherhood Chapter 10. The Decline of Hong Kong Kungfu References

About the Author :
Daniel Miles Amos has lived in China for ten of the past forty-five years. He has received three Fulbright Scholar awards; been a visiting scholar at six Chinese universities; served as an administrator with the Oregon public university system; been a faculty member at five U.S. universities, and has completed a series of studies of local, state, and national public health programs in the United States.

Review :
Amos’ work is a unique contribution to the understanding of historical, contentual, and sociocultural aspects of Southeast China’s martial arts. Sinologists and students of sinology will find it useful in better comprehending the diverse roles martial arts played in contemporary Chinese society. It may prove to be a meaningful source for teachers and practitioners of Chinese martial arts who are eager to learn more about the history and culture of their pursuit. Amos has provided an eloquent, perceptive and, at times, moving personal account of an aspect of Hongkongese and Cantonese popular culture that few, if any, Westerners have been similarly privileged to experience in such depth, and over such an extended period of time. This book will stand as an invaluable resource for all those interested in understanding the evolution of contemporary Hong Kong society and culture