'If I knock out my opponent with a single slap...': China man trains for Japan slapping competition

Based in Beijing, Zhao Honggang is the ninth-generation inheritor of the Qi family style, a branch of tongbeiquan, a martial art with over 2,000 years of history. (Representational image: Unsplash)

A 36-year-old man in China has been training for hours to prepare himself for a unique competition in Japan -- face slapping -- where opponents take turns delivering open-handed slaps to achieve a knockout or forfeit. Zhao Honggang has garnered attention for his dedicated training regimen as he prepares to knock out his opponent with a single slap.

Zhao is an influencer who specialises in martial arts and has been honing his skills in tongbeiquan -- a traditional northern Chinese martial art known for its long-reaching strikes. By participating in the slap-fighting tournament, he aims to promote Chinese martial arts on the global stage, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.

Tongbeiquan, recognised as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage of China, translates to “spreading power from the back boxing” and draws inspiration from ape movements. Its techniques focus on generating power from the back, channeling it through the shoulders and arms for impactful strikes with fists or hands.

Based in Beijing, Zhao is the ninth-generation inheritor of the Qi family style, a branch of tongbeiquan, a martial art with over 2,000 years of history. he believes his creative integration of tongbeiquan principles with modern mixed martial arts techniques will provide a strategic advantage. His martial arts background includes winning the MMA championship at the Henan “King of Kung Fu” tournament and the 2024 Zhangjiakou National Martial Arts Exchange Conference, the publication reported.

His training for slap fighting involves head dumbbell lifts to strengthen neck and facial muscles, and practice slaps with teammates. “If I knock out my opponent with a single slap, I win. I mainly want to spar with international competitors and let them know the unique power of tongbeiquan. I also hope to bring Chinese martial arts to the world stage,” Zhao told Haibao News.