Zhonghua Sports Club 中华体育俱乐部

Zhonghua‘s participation in Singapore martial arts event, 17 April 1955
Photo taken with guest of honour Mr. Lee Kong Chian 李光前
Mr Lee Kong Chian seated front row, 15th from the left.

Zhonghua Sports Club 中华体育俱乐部 was founded in 2001. The association offers sports activities, martial arts and lion dance training programs.
  
Although founded in 2001, their history can be traced back 1916 when Mr. Gan De Yuan 干德源 established a martial arts school at Club Street. In 1966, Mr. Gan Hu Chang 干湖昌, son of Mr. Gan De Yuan founded the Zhonghua Martial Arts School 中华国术建身院. Mr. Gan Hu Chang was also an accomplished and respected Chinese medical doctor.

In 1988, it was renamed Zhonghua martial arts and physical training association 中华武术体育会. These institutions were forerunners of Zhonghua Sports Club中华体育俱乐部.

Mr. Gan Zhen Xing 干振兴 founded the Zhonghua Sports Club中华体育俱乐部to promote martial arts (5 ancestor’s style, 五祖拳 wu zu quan) , lion dance and physical activities.

This new institution inherited the martial arts legacy of the previous two generations of distinguish martial arts expert and transmits this to the new generation today.  See a martial arts performance by Zhong Hua students:

With regards to the Lion dance 舞狮, Zhonghua is one of the very rare organizations in Singapore to perform the Green Lion dance 青狮, an art form believed to have its origins in early Qing dynasty. The performances addressed the ceremonial and cultural needs of traditional institutions and sustain it as an art form. See a Green Lion performance by Zhong Hua Students:

Zhonghua continues to maintain contact with a vast network of martial arts school in Asia, Europe, and America that trace their lineage to Mr. Gan De Yuan. Through this network, they formed a global community of martial arts students whose participation sustains the martial arts and whose interaction creates opportunity for exchange of ideas.

Zhonghua is located in Singapore Chinatown very close to the same spot where Mr. Gan De Yuan started his first school.

When Mr. Gan De Yuan established the martial arts school, it reached out to local community and his efforts were carried on by his son and grandson for almost a century. Meanwhile, the martial arts were transmitted to other countries creating cross cultural interactions and serving the global community of martial arts enthusiasts.

Related Articles:

Mr. Gan De Yuan 干德源

Green Lion 青狮

Lion dance 舞狮

Ming dynasty remembered, 思明

Zhonghua's green lion mask

Zhonghua lion dance 1960s

Zhonghua martial arts training