Registration

1. All contestants must register in advance. This year’s competition does not accept on-site registration.

2. For the registration date, contact method, registration fee, remittance account number, mailing method, etc. of each competition region (North America Division, Asia Pacific Division, and European Division ) please refer to the Competition Application.

3. Application Package:

(1) All applicants must fill out the Application Form (downloadable at Competition Application) provide a martial arts resume (personal experience, copies of award certificates, etc), and provide photocopies of all awards for validation.

(2) Contestants must submit two 1×1 inch photos in color, and a photocopy of a valid ID. A digital file of the photo is preferred.

(3) All forms must be legible, signed, and filled out in their entirety.

(4) A copy of the payment confirmation of the registration fee. The forms can be mailed to the Competition’s Organizing Committee via registered mail. All mailed information is non-returnable.

4. For players who have special circumstances and cannot pay in advance, the Organizing Committee requires a formal written request to delay payment. When the registration fee is paid for the registration, an additional fee of USD $20 will be charged.

5. Registered Express Mail Fee: For contestants who need a U.S. entry visa, please indicate this on the competition registration form. Also, please pay USD $50 Registered Express Mail Fee for mailing visa documents.

Prizes

1. The Preliminaries, Semi-finals, and Finals all feature the following divisions:
Male Unarmed, Female Unarmed, Male Weapons, Female Weapons, Southern Fist, Junior Unarmed, and Junior Weapons (ages 10-18).

2. Prizes for each division:
(1) Male Unarmed, Female Unarmed, Male Weapons, Female Weapons, and Southern Fist divisions will all feature gold, silver, and bronze prizes, as well as honorable mention awards. Prizes will be awarded according to the abilities of contestants, i.e., there may be no winner of a certain award level or there could be more than one winner of a certain award level.

(2) Junior Unarmed and Junior Weapons divisions

Note: According to U.S. tax regulations, if the prize winner is a foreigner (nonresident aliens and foreign entities), up to 30% of the prize winnings are subject to tax withholding. It is the contestant’s personal responsibility to file tax returns and obtain tax refunds.

Scoring Criteria

1. Any competition form must conform to the traditional martial arts characteristics of the related martial arts style and be pure and authentic. The style, characteristics, and depth of the set of traditional martial arts demonstrated must not mix any other styles of martial arts. The Panel of Judges will evaluate each contestant’s performance according to the characteristics of the related martial arts style.

2.The Correctness of Posture: The movements of arms(手 shǒu), eyes (眼 yǎn), head (頭 tóu), poses and form(身 shēn), footwork (步 bù) as well as patterns of hand motion (手型 shǒu xíng), step motion (步型 bù xíng), and body motion (身型 shēn xíng) have to meet the characteristics and the styles of the chosen martial arts form.

3. The Coordination of Movements: It is required to have complete coordination of hands, eyes, bodywork methods (身 shēn fǎ), footwork (步法 bù fǎ), spirit, energy, strength, and kung fu.

4. The Clarity of Methods: Listed below the three categories have to be presented clearly:

• The demonstration of the traditional martial arts’ unique characteristics, the methods of kicking, striking, wrestling.
• Grappling of the fist method.
• All correct techniques of the use of traditional weapons, such as striking, slashing.

5. The Flow of Movements: The force of movements should be exerted naturally and spontaneously, showing no signs of clumsiness or rigidity.

6. Breathing: The air that goes in and out of the lungs should be smooth, showing no signs of choking or wheezing.

7. The Oneness of Movements: The internal energy and external poses of a set of movements, such as the hardness, softness, retracting, releasing, advancing, and retreating, must be jointly exerted.

8. Mind Concentration: Traditional martial arts require that the morality of the artist must be embodied in the qualities of mightiness, prowess, concentration, precision, as well as retreating, dodging, softening, going with the flow (順勢 shùn shì), emptiness, and solidness(虛實 xū shí). These qualities must be featured throughout the demonstration.

9. Rhythm Steadiness: The speed, mobility, and abruptness of the set of movements demonstrated should be in an orderly manner, showing the rhythm of the body.

10. Martial Arts Ethics: Contestants should wear a traditional martial arts outfit and formally greet the judges before and after their form demonstration (such as bowing, baoquan, or pairing palms). Contestants should place the Martial Arts Moral Code as the top priority, and conduct themselves with proper etiquette. Any inappropriate behavior will result in disqualification from the competition.

11. Contestants should finish the movements within the allotted time. Going over or below the time limit will result in score deduction.

12. The Panel of Judges has the final decision on the competition’s results.

Accommodation and Transportation

Please refer to the website “Competition Application”.

Accommodation and Transportation

1. The Competition’s Organizing Committee will recommend hotels in the USA for contestants.
2. Contestants and their entourage are responsible for their own accommodation and transportation.

Miscellaneous

1. Upon registration, contestants are to acknowledge the validity of the Rules and Regulations for the Competition.

2. Contestants must follow the arrangements by the Competition’s Organizing Committee. The Committee has the right to revoke violators’ eligibility and the prizes awarded.

3. All contestants must be present at the award ceremony to receive their awards. No representative will be allowed. The awards of absent contestants will be deemed as abandoned.

4. The Panel of Judges’ decisions for all rounds is final and does not accept appeals.

5. NTD Television is entitled to all copyrights of audio and video products made during the competition.

6. Contestants will take personal responsibility for any accident or injury that occurs during the competition.

7. The Competition’s Organizing Committee has the ultimate authority to interpret the Rules and Regulations for the competition and has the right to make any necessary changes.