
The Beijing Wushu Team Training Video Series
Anthony Chan’s 1983 video series, digitised by us to VCD after his VHS supply ran out.
These wushu videos are from the golden years of competition wushu. This was the only teaching video made in China at that time, before dvds and online videos existed. Anthony chose the best of the best, the Beijing team, and filmed them performing their best events. Each video has basics and competition forms. Anthony put a lot of time, effort, and money into this project. Each video is a small masterpiece, a jewel of perfection. It was sad that a new generation of wushu athletes had never seen them.
There were originally sixteen videos. We managed to get together twelve. Some are sold out, and some more are very close to it. Once they are gone, they’re gone, we won’t be making more.
I am proud of my part in this project. These videos have not been available since the 1980s. They were very expensive then, so few of us owned them. Anthony had the master tapes in his garage, and when I asked if I could use them to digitise them and bring them out again, he said yes. The bonus for doing the work was that I now have a copy of every video!
I chose the VCD format because it was affordable for everyone and can be played on any DVD player or on a computer. We had twenty-year-old master tapes, so please excuse the occasional slight fuzziness of the images. Do not expect DVD quality. You can see very clearly what is going on, and they are a vast improvement on the old VHS format. The discs are good, you just may need to try different machines to play them.
CDN$11 each (used to be $16, but it is time to sell off the stock) Buy a set of the eleven that are still in stock for CDN$100 plus shipping. There are not that many left for the set, it will soon be down to ten.
Where are they now? I don’t know, but as of about ten years ago, Cai Yahui coaches wushu at the Beijing Wushu Team in Beijing; Dong Honglin works in sports administration in Beijing; Ge Chunyan coaches wushu in Singapore; Geng Renhui?: Hao Zhihua coaches wushu in Berkeley CA (under the name of Patty Li); Hui Xuna coaches wushu privately in Beijing; Li Jinheng coaches wushu in Phoenix, Arizona; Li Xia coaches wushu in Tokyo, Japan; Li Zhizhou is a film director in Singapore; Liang Changxing founded the Melbourne Uni wushu club in Australia; Lu Jinming coaches wushu at the Beijing Wushu Team in Beijing; Lu Yan coaches wushu privately in Beijing; Tang Laiwei coaches wushu at the Monash wushu club in Melbourne Australia; Wang Jianjun?; Wang Jue coaches wushu in Chaoyang Sports School in Beijing; Yu Shaowen coaches wushu in Portland Oregon; Zhang Hongmei coaches wushu at Stanford Wushu Club, California; Zhang Xianming coaches wushu at the Beijing Wushu Team in Beijing.
Viewers’ comments
“We have never seen the videos. Thank you so much for giving us copies, and thank you for your contribution to wushu.” Cai Yahui, Dong Honglin, Lu Yan, Lu Jinping, and Zhang Xianming, former Beijing Wushu Team members and performers in the video series.

“Anthony over the years has done a lot of great work promoting wushu. It would be such a shame if the 1983 film was not available to wushu enthusiasts around the world. Thanks, Andrea, for your efforts in bringing them out if VCD format.” Tang Laiwei, former Beijing Wushu Team member and performer in the video series.
“I have tried out a few of the Beijing Wushu Team discs and all play fine (my DVD player is VCD compatible). Li Xia is truly awesome. I watched the straight sword dic and ‘This is Kung Fu’ but have to stop for now since it’s a work night!” Diane F.
“Dear Ms. Falk, I can’t thank you enough for resurrecting Anthony Chan’s and Wu Bin’s 1980s Beijing Wushu Team Training Video Series. The VCD format is perfect and the cover work colorful and exciting. I own many faded video copies of the original video series and am delighted to finally identify the faces of the wushu athletes. You have done the world wushu community the greatest service.” Ervin Neves, martial arts author, Inside Kung Fu, Wushu Kung Fu, and Asian Cult Cinema Magazine, USA.
“I received my order [of Beijing Team VCDs] a couple of weeks ago and have been watching and studying them over and over again. THEY ARE FANTASTIC!! Thanks a bunch. ” Sam Sujatna, Australia
“I’m a little excited at the thought of viewing these disks for the first time. When they first hit the market in the ’80s, I was young and didn’t have money to purchase them myself… As a young person, I just assumed they would always be available. Guess I was wrong, huh? In any event, I’m very happy you’ve begun transferring them to disk and allowing the world a second chance to see them.” Motty Augustus, USA.
“I received the VCD today and it was excellent. It was very neat to see Li Jinheng when he was about my age. Thank you for the product and I will order from you again soon.” Wayne Buoy
“Felt I just had to drop you a line to let you know that I’ve watched the Rope Dart VCD loads of times now and it still amazed me how the guy can seemingly wrap himself up in knots and then, as if by magic, strike the dart out! Its awesome. I thought nothing could beat the Basics VCD for repeat viewing, but this VCD is getting pretty darn close.” Chris Raynor, England
“Good job, Andrea! This is the stuff that new and old wushu fans MUST see, plus a well-deserved tribute to producer Anthony Chan and the first generation BWT athletes. Keep it up!” Antonio Flores
“Thank you so much for the Beijing VCDs. I really thought they were far better than the originals (clarity and the fact that I can now really freeze frame the picture).” Fred Whiting, BC
“The VCDs are great! Thank you for making them available.” Charles Wilk, Oregon
“Thanks. I have just received the VCD and would like to say its the best training manual I have ever bought. I am now in the process of ordering the rest of the series. Many thanks.” John H Metcalf, England
ust emailing to let you know I received the Chang Chuan VCD and am absolutely thrilled to bits with it. Thank you ever so much I’ve been having a fantastic time watching ti. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Wang Jian Jun’s form. I have to say it, I have never seen any Chang Chuan form like this before…. definitely the best Chang Chuan I have ever seen!” “Next time you talk to Anthony Chan please thank him from me, thank him for making the best wushu tapes ever!” Hess Henning, England.
“Please put me down for the whole package deal!!! I am excited about seeing them again. I used to have it on Beta max!” “I just go the vcd you sent, what a rush!! Thanks so much for the hard work you do to promote wushu.” Shane Kachur, Canada
“The packaging looks great, very professional, you’ve done a good job – the printed CDs look especially cool, they give the disks a real touch of class. Shame that the printers mispelt Beijing on the jewel case, though.” Chris Raynor, England. DOH!
go to thewushucentre.ca for more information about Andrea, her teachers, and her club.