In the Haicang District of Xiamen lies Xin’an Village, an ancient settlement spanning some 100.25 hectares. As one of Xiamen’s first designated “Traditional Villages,” its DNA is encoded with two distinct strands: the world-renowned “Five Ancestors Fist” (Wuzuquan) Kung Fu and the indelible mark of the Overseas Chinese diaspora. The story of this village is a saga of migration born from turmoil, and a legend of cross-border heritage written in the ink of overseas capital and the spirit of martial valor.
Venturing to Nanyang: The Genesis of an Overseas Chinese Hometown
While the exact date the people of Xin’an began venturing to “Nanyang” (Southeast Asia) is hard to pinpoint, the history runs deep. According to Qiu Jingna, a representative inheritor of the provincial-level Intangible Cultural Heritage “Xin’an Five Ancestors Fist,” Xin’an is a coastal village where Admiral Zheng He recruited sailors and boatmen for his voyages. This may serve as early evidence of Xin’an’s connection with Nanyang, leading some ancestors to settle abroad. Since then, generations of Xin’an people have crossed mountains and seas, embarking on a continuous journey of transnational migration.
Xin’an is a famous hometown of Overseas Chinese, as shown by the photo of Qiu clan members returning home for the Wangbang Festival. Source: Culture Haicang
The social upheaval and banditry of the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China triggered the large-scale formation of the Xin’an diaspora. During that time, southern Fujian was plagued by conflict between soldiers and bandits; for survival, many Xin’an people were forced to seek livelihoods in Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Relying on the resilience and industry of the Minnan people, many established themselves and accumulated wealth, forming early diaspora networks that laid the human and financial foundation for giving back to their homeland. This history of wandering not only shaped the pioneering spirit of the Xin’an people but also invisibly wove a network of kinship connecting their ancestral home with Nanyang.
Rising Mansions: Monuments of Remittances
“Immovable Cultural Heritage” sites are seen everywhere in Xin’an. Photo by Lin Jieyu
The most intuitive contribution of Overseas Chinese to their hometown is the magnificent array of red-brick ancient mansions of southern Fujian style. Walking through the village, one sees red-brick buildings marked as “Immovable Cultural Heritage” at every turn. Nestled between modern high-rises, they silently narrate the traditional values of “returning home in glory to honor the family” and the devotion of expatriates who poured their life savings into their hometown’s construction.
The main building of “Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi.” Source: Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations
In 1835, the Qiu clan established the “Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi” in Penang, Malaysia, which served not only as an ancestral hall but as a powerful hub for a transnational economic and cultural network. Remittances flowed back to Xin’an incessantly, nourishing the local economy and reshaping the social structure. The financial and material resources of the diaspora provided a critical guarantee for the survival and development of Xin’an martial arts.
“For centuries, remittances from the Khoo Kongsi have surged into Xin’an,” describes Qiu Jingna, depicting a rural landscape transformed by overseas capital. The wealth accumulated in Nanyang fostered a local trend: “the poor study, while the wealthy practice martial arts.” Men were able to “train in martial arts from childhood, venture to Nanyang at sixteen to seek fortune, and protect the family wealth,” forming a closed loop of “training at home—seeking a livelihood in Nanyang—giving back via remittances.” Women who stayed behind gained economic autonomy through these funds and, through martial training, acquired the ability to defend their homes, becoming the true “matriarchs” of the household. The diaspora’s resources provided the critical foundation for the survival and development of Xin’an’s martial arts and branded the village with a “lineage defined by overseas ties.”
Establishing Martial Arts Halls: A Martial Arts Home Forged by Overseas Chinese Strength
The prosperity of this diaspora village did not eliminate internal strife. During the turbulent late Qing period, feuds between different village factions were frequent. It was the wealth and vision of the Overseas Chinese that brought in a pivotal figure to end the chaos—Grandmaster Shen Yangde. Supported by local elites such as Qiu Chunjiang, Shen established martial arts halls and taught his craft in Xin’an, unifying the martial arts community and transforming the village into a renowned “Home of Martial Arts.”
In 1938, when Xiamen fell to Japanese forces, Shen Yangde, with the help of overseas compatriots, traveled to Nanyang, eventually moving from Myanmar to Singapore to continue teaching the Five Ancestors Fist. This journey highlights the profound significance of the diaspora network: when the heritage of the homeland faced a crisis, the communities in Nanyang became a vital sanctuary for the flame of Chinese martial arts.
In Singapore, Shen taught in the Hokkien dialect, sharing a common language with local compatriots. He taught according to his students’ backgrounds: sustaining himself by teaching the children of the wealthy, while focusing his efforts on cultivating true successors among the children of the working class. Those from wealthy families spoke Hokkien but could not read Chinese, leading them to annotate their manuals in English—thus creating the unique “English Boxing Manuals.” During cultural exchanges in Singapore, Qiu Jingna saw these precious manuals firsthand; they are historical witnesses to the spread of Five Ancestors Fist in Singapore. Shen was particularly devoted to his working-class disciples, teaching not only the techniques but also martial ethics (Wude), ensuring the art was passed down in its entirety in a foreign land.
Qiu Jingna in Kuala Lumpur for the inauguration of the “Shaolin Five Ancestors Temple” in Malaysia. Courtesy of Qiu Jingna
In 1956, to commemorate the founder Cai Yuming (Chua Geok Beng), Shen Yangde established the “Singapore Geok Beng Pugilistic Association.” This association shares the same roots as the “Five Ancestors Yu Ming Research Society” in Xin’an Village, forming a cross-border heritage system. In 2015, the completion of the “Shaolin Five Ancestors Temple” in Jenjarom, Selangor, Malaysia, further demonstrated the profound influence of the diaspora. Three statues of masters, supervised by Qiu Jingna at the request of Malaysian Chinese, were shipped across the sea. The installation of the world’s first golden statue of Founder Cai Yuming became a significant milestone for the overseas transmission of the art.
These historical trajectories of heritage confirm the core role of the diaspora in spreading the Five Ancestors Fist. From funding martial arts halls to supporting masters in their journeys south, and from establishing overseas institutions to installing statues of the founders, the diaspora has maintained the bloodline connection with their ancestral culture through action. It is this persistence and responsibility that allowed Five Ancestors Fist to flourish abroad and ensures the cultural lineage of Xin’an continues to thrive on the world stage.
Sowing Seeds: The Rebirth of a Cultural Lineage
The century-old “Xinjiang Martial Arts Hall” relocated to the Xin’an Farming and Reading Culture Park. Photo by Lin Jieyu
Today, the function of martial arts has gradually shifted. In Qiu Jingna’s view, Five Ancestors Fist is more than a combat skill; it is a vehicle for fitness, cultural heritage, and character building. She has implemented innovative practices, reintroducing drums and gongs into her teaching to let students experience a traditional atmosphere while practicing.
Qiu Jingna teaching Five Ancestors Fist. Courtesy of Qiu Jingna
As the sound of drums echoes through the campus, Qiu faces a new era. She notes that in Malaysia and Indonesia, Five Ancestors Fist has deeply “integrated with folk customs such as stilt-walking, flower drums, and lion dances.” This seemingly “unpure” phenomenon is actually a model of Chinese martial arts taking root overseas through diaspora communities—a vibrant evolution and enrichment of a shared lineage.
The philosophy of “sowing a seed in children’s hearts” is a direct continuation of the ancestors’ devotion to their roots. This seed contains both the authentic techniques of the art and an awareness of that transnational history. When these children step into the world in the future, they will become cultural ambassadors bridging East and West. This is the continuation of the diaspora spirit in the new era—using culture as a bridge, giving roots to nostalgia, and paving a way for heritage.
Conclusion: Passing the Torch Across the Sea, Lighting the Way Home
The story of Xin’an Village is a legend with the diaspora as its soul and martial arts as its bones. Ancestors used the journey to Nanyang to expand their space for survival, built grand mansions to construct a spiritual home, and established martial arts halls to solidify local identity. The English boxing manuals scattered in Nanyang and the martial dances fused with exotic elements are witnesses to Chinese culture flourishing in foreign soil.
This martial arts diaspora village tells us: true heritage is not about isolation, but about guarding the essence amidst change; true identity is not diminished by geography, but becomes clearer as it crosses mountains and seas. When the new generation practices to the beat of drums, they inherit not just moves, but a cultural confidence facing the world.
Xin’an, with its unique identity woven from “Martial Arts” and “Diaspora,” will continue to serve as a brilliant calling card for Minnan cultural exchange. On this land nourished by the nostalgia and sweat of the diaspora, a century-old legend is taking on a new posture, continuing to write a glorious chapter of this era on the world stage.