Re:凌氏水浪拳走进华东政法大学国际交流学院Lecture on Ling’s Wave
Hello everyone, I'm really glad to be here today. Invited by Professor Wu, I would like to give a lecture on Ling's Wave, a unique style of traditional Chinese martial art. I will also teach you the martial arts routine that goes with a classic ancient Chinese poem, Mi Zhou Hunting.
First of all, let me introduce myself. My name is Xiao Zhou. I graduated form ECUPL and now I work as a partner at Shanghai Zhongda Law Firm. I mainly practice commercial litigation, and I also specialize in sports law.
This picture shows me providing legal consultation at Gubei Civic Center.
Besides my legal career, I am also an inheritor of traditional Chinese martial arts. This picture displays a full‑size hologram of me practicing Ling's Wave. It was a public welfare event to promote traditional Chinese martial arts at major Shanghai subway stations last year.
In this photo, you can see my master, Mr. Xiao Lixin, who is a grandmaster of traditional martial arts.
Look at this picture. In this old photo, Grandmaster Lu Songgao is instructing a young boy in basic childhood martial arts training. The boy is my master. He started learning martial arts when he was only five years old.
My master comes from a family with a long tradition of both Chinese medicine and martial arts. His father- Ling Hanxing was a famous Great-master of Xingyi Boxing, and he still taught martial arts at the age of 100. Shanghai Daily, the largest English newspaper in Shanghai, reported his story of teaching martial arts when he was 100 years old. It caused a great stir at that time. Since then, many foreign friends have come to us hoping to learn real traditional Chinese Kongfu.
In these photos, my master demonstrates six different styles of traditional Chinese martial arts.(杨式太极、陈式太极、心意、形意、八卦、水浪拳)
I have systematically studied traditional Chinese martial arts as his official indoor disciple for over fifteen years.
In recent years, I have been dedicated to inheriting and promoting traditional Chinese martial arts. These photos record my teaching and cultural sharing activities at many institutions. I have given lectures and classes for students at Fudan University, Wenzhou Buddhist College, Anfu Temple, and for international students at Shanghai Normal University.
In the past two years, I have been teaching Ling's Wave to freshmen at ECUPL every year. At our university’s annual sports meeting, more than three hundreds of freshmen perform Ling's Wave together along with the poem MiZhou Hunting in a group showcase. This is exactly the martial arts routine I am going to teach you today.
Apart from teaching students, our team also arranges instructors to offer weekly practicing Ling's Wave lessons for our university’s teachers and staff. Ling's Wave has become more and more popular among teachers and students on our campus.
Now, you may have a question: Why is this style of traditional Chinese martial arts called Ling's Wave?
There are two key reasons.
First, it is rooted in Taoist philosophy. In Taoism, water represents the highest state of wisdom. You may be familiar with Laozi and his classic work Tao Te Ching. One of its core teachings is that water benefits all things and does not compete. Water is humble, adaptable, and powerful. It appears soft yet unbreakable, gentle yet unstoppable.
This idea also resonates deeply with Bruce Lee’s famous water philosophy:
“Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. If you put water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can flow, or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”
Secondly, the name comes from its movements. When you practice this routine, your body flows like running water, rising like rolling waves and falling like quiet tides. Every motion is smooth, natural and graceful.
By the way, Lin is the family name of my master, who is an outstanding inheritor. That is why we name it Ling's Wave.
Once I taught a famous European lawyer, who was very interested in traditional Chinese Kongfu. At first, he couldn’t understand the meaning of Wave Boxing. He believed water is so gentle that it cannot fight against anything. Then I explained the Taoist philosophy of water and instructed him on practicing Ling’s Wave.
I also told him that Chinese traditional martial arts never aim to fight or attack others. It has three core purposes.
First, we value martial spirit and noble morality.
It encourages people to be self-disciplined, constantly improve themselves, and maintain noble spiritual qualities.
Second, practicing martial arts keeps our body healthy and strong. It is a perfect example that our master Ling Hanxing taught Ling’s wave at the age of 100.
Third, it is for self-defense.
We use it to protect ourselves when we face unfair harm and danger.
Fighting, attacking others and competing to overpower others are never the pursuit of traditional Chinese martial arts.
Instead, we practice martial arts to improve ourselves, cultivate good morals, keep our mind and body healthy, and build up our confidence.
We are also very grateful to Professor Wu. When she practiced the martial art, she deeply understood the Taoist philosophy behind water, and suggested that "Ling’s Wave" is the best choice.
Martial arts represent an outstanding part of China’s traditional culture. Professor Wu hopes that I can introduce Ling’s Wave to all of you as a precious gift before you return to your home countries. If you can learn this one-and-a-half-minute simplified version of Ling’s Wave routine, you will be able to improve your physical and mental health by practicing it. You can also demonstrate it to your family and friends, letting more people understand the authentic culture of traditional Chinese martial arts.
Now, I will give you a live demonstration of Ling's Wave together with the poem Mi Zhou Hunting. Professor Wu will recite and interpret this classic poem. My senior female disciple and I will perform this routine following the artistic conception of the poem. Please watch and enjoy.
Xiaozhou May 8, 2026