"JIA YOU!!!"
Ah, the classic chant that infects audiences at Chinese martial arts tournaments the world over. Literally translated, the phrase means, "Give it gas/oil." But when crowds cheer it, you feel their love lifting you up and it's like a jolt of adrenaline shot straight into the veins of whoever's tearing it up on the competition floor.
Though I'm far out from the days of competitive Wushu, the community still remains strong and connected. And for that reason, a handful of us United States Wushu "old schoolers" got together in Cleveland to witness the marriage of one of our own, Y Chan, to the lovely and graceful Betty Chu.
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| We're an intimidating bunch, yeah? |
We dusted off our Feiyues and silks that we used to wear when we represented this fine country in the ring and gave it another go in the banquet hall of the wedding reception. I'd like to think we performed pretty entertainingly, but I'll let you be the judge.
Y has been one of my really good friends since I started Wushu in 2002. I met him at the first Wushu tournament I ever competed in and he even wrote a generously awesome article about me a few years ago. Needless to say, there's a lot of love for Y and Betty from my camp, and for that, I raise my glass and toast...
"Y and Betty…JIA YOU!!!"
