Sustainable Local Operation of Chin Woo Athletic Association in Singapore and Malaysia

Abstract

This study analyses the literature produced by the Chin Woo Athletic Association to shed light on the process of localization and development in Singapore and Malaysia since 1970 and investigates the strategies it employed for sustainable growth. The Chin Woo Athletic Association in Singapore and Malaysia replicated the lineage model from China between the 1920s and 1960s, navigating several challenges such as the Japanese invasion, temporary cessation of activities, gradual recovery, eventually leading to its subsequent localization in the 1970s. The localization strategies included the Malaysian Chin Woo Association’s promotion of Chin Woo martial arts to younger generations through a membership system and integrating it into schools’ educational framework; the Singaporean Chin Woo Athletic Association’s role in national development, tourism, and cultural diplomacy, in alignment with the government’s call to foster physical fitness, determination, and unity among the populace; and the organisation of martial arts instructors, training, and competitions through the network of Chin Woo Athletic Associations in Singapore and Malaysia to foster mutual understanding and integration. This study identifies the Chin Woo Athletic Association’s role as a guardian of traditional Chinese culture and a medium for nurturing national identity within the multi-ethnic socio-political structure of Singapore and Malaysia.