Strengthening the body and mind: a Chinese martial arts school outreach program in post-COVID Hong Kong

Abstract

Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic had amplified feelings of isolation and alienation, particularly among school-aged children. The pandemic-related social distancing policies had led to a marked decline in students’ physical and social well-being, potentially fostering a sense of apathy among them. Upon returning to the “normal” in late 2022, a Chinese martial arts Outreach Program was launched in over 50 schools in Hong Kong, involving the entire student body and teachers at each school. This paper aims to explore the potential role of sports in enhancing student well-being in post-COVID times and as a societal response to the evolving sociopolitical landscape in Hong Kong, using the program as a case study. Design/methodology/approach Using ethnographic immersion, participant observation and semi-structured interviews, the study examines how the program sought to overcome the challenges students were facing during the pandemic through Chinese martial arts instruction and the teaching of traditional Chinese values. Findings The findings of this study reveal that the objectives of the Chinese martial arts Outreach Program not only centered on students’ immediate personal well-being but also entailed broader goals of advancing national education. The program’s design, which integrated sports and national education, emerged as a response to the pandemic and the sociopolitical transformations in Hong Kong, particularly following the implementation of the National Security Law. Originality/value The findings will deepen the understanding of how sport has been politicized as a means to respond to the societal changes in Hong Kong, especially after the pandemic.