Hu Zhengsheng

Hu Zhengsheng is a martial artist and martial arts teacher from Henan province, China. He is best known for his work in the field of orthodox Shaolin boxing and Shaolin Xinyiba, a Shaolin sub-style related to Xing Yi Quan.. He has made several media appearances in documentaries, films and print, including National Geographic, CCTV-9, and the "Monkey Steals Peach" Youtube channel.
==Biography==
===Early life===
Hu Zhengsheng was born in Huangchuan, Henan province, China, in 1977, and traveled to the Shaolin Temple in 1989 at the age of twelve, where he was later hired for helping with renovations in exchange of the martial arts tutelage of one of the elderly martial arts teachers residing within the temple, Zhang Guangjun.
===Tutelage of Yang Guiwu===
In 1994, Zhang Guangjun's wasn't able to actively teach anymore due to his deteriorating health, and therefore sent Hu Zhengsheng to Sanbei village in order to meet Yang Guiwu, who was a practitioner and teacher of Shaolin Xinyiba. Hu Zhengsheng learned the martial arts system of Yang, including Shaolin Xinyiba, and an array of barehanded and armed fighting methods over the next decade.
===The "Kung Fu Shaolin" documentary===
in 2012 and 2013, Hu Zhengsheng partnered with the Chinese national Channel CCTV-9 and starred in the "Kung Fu Shaolin" (功夫少林) documentary series dedicated to the various martial arts traditions of the Shaolin and Dengfeng region. The episode starring Hu was titled "Secrets" (秘笈), referring to the Qing dynasty martial arts manuscripts that Hu Zhengsheng had inherited from Yang Guiwu. This documentary was broadcasted internationally, causing a worldwide interest in Hu's teachings.
===The "Shaolin Heritage" documentary===
The "Monkey Steals Peach" Youtube channel, which specializes in interviewing teachers and documenting traditional martial arts styles, filmed the "Shaolin Heritage" documentary & interview series in 2019 in association with Hu Zhengsheng. Hu introduces the viewers to the Shaolin Temple's history, its martial arts and their fundamental principles, while sending them to a variety of older teachers of the Dengfeng region - giving them insight into the state of the traditional martial arts culture at the time of the documentary. 
==Organisations founded by Hu Zhengsheng==
===The Shaolin Traditional Wushu Institute===
Hu Zhengsheng founded his traditional Shaolin Kung Fu school in 2002, in Dengfeng city. Besides Shaolin Kung Fu, the school also provides courses in modern Wushu, Sanda, MMA, and certificates recognized by the Chinese People's Liberation Army. 
===The Shaolin Xinyiba Research Society===
After Yang Guiwu passed away in 2010, Hu Zhengsheng founded the Shaolin Xinyiba Research Society in 2012, as a daughter-of-sorts of the Shaolin Traditional Wushu Institute. The research society deals with the preservation of ancient documents, weaponry, translation and transcription, as well as the exchange with a variety of guest teachers in partnership with the Traditional Wushu Institute. 
===The International Shaolin Xinyiba Federation===
Hu Zhengsheng and his foreign students founded the International Shaolin Xinyiba Federation in 2017, as a way of connecting all his foreign students and providing a platform for exchange and simplifying the processes and organization of international events, such as seminars. The federation is based in Switzerland and its daily affairs are run by Hu's European students
Category:Martial artists
Category:Wushu (sport)
Category:Shaolinquan practitioners