Benxue Zhang, a Chinese kung fu, or Wushu, practitioner and advocate who now resides in the Bay Area, has a long-cherished dream.

"This is my lifelong pursuit too," he said. "I wish I could promote this traditional format of Chinese culture in the West and teach as many Americans Chinese kung fu as I can."

Zhang's latest efforts have evolved into the six-month-long preparation, orchestration and execution of the 2018 Eagle Claw Cup International Wushu Tai Chi Invitational, which was held on Saturday and drew around 1,000 competitors, world-class practitioners and audiences from home and abroad.

"It took me many sleepless nights to connect Wushu practitioners in different countries, refine procedures and finalize the entire program," said Zhang. "It was tedious and very taxing."

But well worth it, Zhang believes. "As the 'soul' of Chinese traditional culture, kung fu has become one of the most important cultural bridges connecting people from countries across the world," he said, adding that 40 professional judges were invited to oversee the competition's various genres.

Within one day, contestants based on their ages and skills levels competed in traditional and contemporary hand and weapon forms and sparring and tai chi forms. Points were given on quality of movement, power and coordination and spirit and rhythm.

The road that brought Chinese kung fu to the epicenter of the world stage was bumpy and long.

In the 1970s, with several blockbusters featuring Bruce Lee, the Asian-American actor who practiced Chinese martial arts, kung fu gradually gained popularity in the West and along the way helped change the way Asians were portrayed in American films. 

Jackie Chan, the Hong Kong-born movie star, continued Lee's legacy by producing a series of Chinese martial arts comedy films in the 1980s and 1990s and further strengthened kung fu's influence in Hollywood and beyond. 

But the perception of kung fu among the general public in the West "is still surreal, like an illusion", said Zhang. "Concrete efforts are needed from the top government to grassroots levels, from policymakers to prominent practitioners."

Among Zhang's international guests, Qingjian Zhao was exemplary. Holding numerous national and international titles, Zhao won a gold medal in Wushu at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. He is a product of the Shaolin Warrior Monk Demonstration Troupe, which is affiliated with the Shaolin Temple in Henan province, historically the most well-known and arguably most sophisticated style of Chinese martial arts.

Monks at Shaolin Temple daily undergo physical discipline, martial meditation and hours of repetitive exercises, as well as maintaining the temple and doing chores.

In 1995, the Shaolin Temple celebrated its 1,500th anniversary by sending monks on overseas kung fu demonstration tours. From Australia to Southeast Asia, from the US to Europe, the Shaolin Warrior Monk Demonstration Troupe made headlines and ignited a global enthusiasm for learning Chinese martial arts.

"Many of my best-performing students are Caucasians, typical Westerners," said Zhang, who now runs two Chinese kung fu schools in the Bay Area. "They are really fascinated by the essence of martial arts. They sincerely follow and exercise doctrines of the Shaolin Temple."

"We gather together to honor the sport, exchange goodwill, learn from each other and share in the international martial arts spirit," Zhao said.

Lily Lau, an eighth-generation grandmaster of Eagle Claw, a Wushu branch known for its gripping techniques, joint locks, takedowns and pressure-point strikes that mimic the movement of eagles, said, "There is a Chinese saying, 'Use your martial arts to meet new friends.'  I believe this gathering is a great opportunity for us to apply these words."

Lau was right. At the invitational, Daniel Tomizaki from the Choi Lee Fut martial arts school joined an international practitioner squad for a group demonstration and served as a judge for children from the Beijing Tshinghua Primary School performing kung fu mediation, stretching, kicking and breathing. 

In recent years, China has renewed its vow to continue efforts to promote both modern and traditional martial arts.

"I believe that we, as traditional martial artists, need to unite in order to preserve and grow the 1,000-year tradition of Chinese martial arts for the next generation," said Lau.

Contact the writer at junechang@chinadailyusa.com