The World Traditional Wushu Festival was launched on October 16 in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province in central China. 152 delegations with around 2,100 contenders from 62 countries are taking part. The US has sent 11 teams, Japan 14 and Hong Kong 23. Twenty-six teams are from the Chinese mainland.
 
Some 30,000 players will line up along a 20-kilometer highway in 200 groups to give Shaolin performances.

The international festival, the first and biggest of its kind, is being organized by the International Wushu Federation (IWUF) and the Chinese Wushu Association and features thousands of participants in six age groups.

The four categories of event being contended are: quanshu (using fists), qixie (using equipment), duilian (one on one) and tuanti (team events).
 
During the festival, organizers will also host seminars on martial arts, stage group performances and conduct tours to the Shaolin Temple at Songshan Mountain.

(www.wushu.org.cn and China.org.cn October 19, 2004)