A General History of Chinese Wushu, Volume 4 : The People’s Republic of China (Part 1), 1949—1982

This volume, the fourth in A General History of Chinese Wushu, presents a scholarly examination of the development, institutionalization, and expanding global influence of Wushu from the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 to the First National Wushu Working Conference in 1982.

This volume, the fourth in A General History of Chinese Wushu, presents a scholarly examination of the development, institutionalization, and expanding global influence of Wushu from the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 to the First National Wushu Working Conference in 1982. Through a synthesis of historical narrative and conceptual analysis, the study reconstructs the policies, organizational reforms, and cultural dynamics that shaped modern Wushu during this formative period. Drawing on significant historical materials and documentary evidence, the volume analyzes how Wushu evolved under new political and social conditions, how its contemporary forms were constructed, and how it progressively entered the sphere of international cultural exchange. With a balance of academic rigor and clarity, the work offers both a substantive reference for scholars in history, culture, and sports humanities, and an informative resource for general readers interested in the modern transformation of Chinese martial culture. The volume elucidates the trajectory through which Wushu became aligned with national strategies of physical culture, mass sport, and international outreach, thereby revealing the progressive, pioneering, and innovative spirit that has characterized China’s sporting development since 1949.