Chen GONG

Chen's research interests are informed by both wen (文/civil, academic) and wu (武/martial, corporeal) experiences in Chinese martial arts (CMA). During his first master's degree, Chen conducted research on the modernization of CMA (1900-1940) by a historical approach, while beginning his apprenticeship in certain traditional northern-style martial arts in Beijing. After graduation, Chen worked at an International Federation that governs Wushu Kungfu globally with over 150 national members. With a mounting interest in anthropology, he later completed his MA in Anthropology at CUHK.

Chen’s PhD project proposes to trace the unexpected while longstanding popularity of Chinese martial arts in Egypt, at the disciplinary intersection of anthropology, sociology, history, and regional studies, as well as his experience and training. Through the lens of this iconic cultural symbol and its global circulations, this project aims to deepen our understanding of China in the world and shed light on the cultures of Egypt, the Middle East, the Arab World, and Africa.