YANGON, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese martial art of Wushu, known for its flowing forms and explosive athleticism, has grown in Myanmar into far more than a competitive sport.
Over the years, it has evolved into a channel of cultural exchange and a quiet form of diplomacy, linking Myanmar and China through shared discipline, training, and mutual respect.
For athletes and coaches connected to the sport, Wushu carries history as much as technique. It is increasingly viewed as a bridge between communities, shaping not only sporting careers but also cross-border understanding between Myanmar and China.
For Aye Thitsar Myint, now a coach of the national Wushu team of Myanmar for the upcoming Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, the journey began unexpectedly in childhood in Yangon in 2003.
"I first saw Wushu in 2003," she recalled. "At first, I didn't even know what Wushu was. I just saw children training and became curious."
Her early training was difficult and emotional. As a child, she said that she often resisted practice and cried before being shaped by strict but supportive coaching.
Training conditions were often improvised and demanding. "We had to train outside and even at night," she said. "When it rained, we trained under the staircases of the National Indoor Stadium (1) with car lights turned on. Those are my memories."
"I didn't want to learn at first," she added. "But my coach encouraged me. Over time, I became interested and stayed with it."
In 2015, Aye Thitsar Myint traveled to China's Anhui Province for an intensive three-month joint training session to prepare for the SEA Games.
"In Myanmar, we thought we were already training quite well. But when we arrived in China and saw their training intensity, it was truly impressive," she recalled.
She noted that the Chinese coaches set much higher difficulty levels and training was much more demanding, which broadened her horizons and allowed her to master advanced tactical and technical details. That rigorous preparation paid off later that year, when she clinched two gold medals at the SEA Games.
Even though it was just training, it was actually a deeper level of exchange and an emotional fusion. "It connects the feelings of the people of the two countries," said Li Bobo, president of the Myanmar Wushu Federation.
Aye Thitsar Myint often shares her stories of China with her young students. She talks about the food during her stay and China's high-intensity training routines, and opens their eyes to a wider world they have yet to see. She is shaping the mental resilience of Myanmar's next generation using the very methods her Chinese coaches once used on her.
One of Aye Thitsar Myint's students, 21-year-old Khaing Sandar Soe, who comes from a remote mountainous area in Kachin State, reflected on her transformation. "Before, I lacked confidence. I didn't even dare to look at my teachers and always kept my head down during competitions," she said. "Now, practicing Wushu has allowed me to regain my self-confidence."
Similarly, Saw Htun Naing, 21, from Mandalay Region, shared his aspirations. "I used to be weak, but now I have become strong," he said. "After hearing our coach's stories about training in China, I want to go there myself. If I get the chance to visit China, I want most to exchange martial skills with the athletes there."
"I deeply hope they will have the chance to visit and exchange at the birthplace of Wushu. It was precisely because of the opportunity to train in China that I was able to achieve what I have today," Aye Thitsar Myint said. ■
