A large number of martial arts enthusiasts joined 1,000 members of the century-old Chin Woo Athletic Association in practicing the traditional Chin Woo Boxing in Shanghai on Saturday to mark the 150th birthday of the great martial arts master Huo Yuanjia, who established the association in 1909. 

The martial artists, both old and young, practiced Mizong Boxing at the North Bund waterfront along the Huangpu River. The martial arts style is what made Huo famous ever since the early 1900s. 

Eleven-year-old Chen Zihan was among the 1,000 association members. He said practicing martial arts could offer him many benefits. 

"My grandmother likes martial arts. So do I. I think martial arts not only help me improve sports performance and health but also allows me to promote justice and help others," he said. 

The event aimed to promote traditional Chinese martial arts culture and spread its influence across the world. 

"Martial arts, a part of the excellent traditional Chinese cultures recognized by all, can help the world better understand China," said Yan Jianping, president of the Chin Woo Athletic Association in Shanghai. 

As a key figure in Chinese martial arts, Huo was born in Tianjin in 1868. He founded the Chin Woo Athletic Association in 1910 and advocated the spirit of "patriotism, self-cultivation, justice, and helpfulness," which remain among the key tenets of martial arts today. 

Huo is considered a hero in China for defeating foreign fighters in highly publicized matches at a time when Chinese sovereignty was being eroded by foreign imperialism, concessions and spheres of influence.