A place with a punch

Dayu village is said be the birthplace of White Crane boxing, the parent of the Wing Chun kung fu fighting style. [Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily]

Veins pop from fighters' heads and arms. Combatants widen their eyes, grit their teeth and occasionally yell.

They swing traditional weapons like swords with dazzling speed and precision. One wouldn't want to be on the receiving end.

"At least half the villagers practice White Crane," Zheng says.

The ancient tradition today draws tourists.

Cartoons of boxers adorn some buildings' exteriors and give the names of the movements they're performing.

The village opened a museum dedicated to the fighting genre in 2009 to explain its development and profile its masters.

White Crane theme hotels have also opened.

And, of course, visitors can take classes taught by locals like Pan Qiongqi, a master who runs a club near the village. Pan has practiced since age 5.

"I practice two hours a day," he says.

"If I don't, I crave it. My family has studied White Crane for four generations. I'd hope to carry it forward around the world."

His opportunities to perform for and teach visitors have increased in recent years, he says.