Beijing, June 13, 2026 — Rooted in the thousand-year heritage of Chinese Wushu and backed by 26 years of brand legacy, SANDAWANG, China’s original premier Wushu Sanda event brand, officially launched a new season in 2026. On June 13, the press conference for the 2026 China Wushu SANDAWANG Championship was held at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, marking the official start of a new chapter for this iconic combat sports brand.

Launch Ceremony

 

The event is jointly hosted by the Wushu Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, the Chinese Wushu Association, and Guowu Media. The competition features five men’s weight divisions and two women’s weight divisions across four stages, with a total of 203 bouts scheduled throughout the season.

 

Zhang Yuping, Secretary-General of the International Wushu Federation; Chen Chong, Shen Zhengang, and Li Yongqiang, Deputy Directors of the Wushu Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China; officials from relevant provincial and municipal sports authorities and Wushu administrative centers; representatives of renowned Wushu schools; Xu Weining, Chairman of Guowu Media; and Chi Yongjun, Executive President of Guowu Media, attended the press conference.

 

Former SANDAWANG champions including Liu Hailong, Baoligao, Yang Xiaojing, Liu Xianwei, and Li Jie also gathered at the event, joining more than 200 guests from various sectors and nearly 100 media representatives to witness the occasion.

 

Chen Chong, Deputy Director of the Wushu Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, delivers remarks.

 

A Scientific Competition Format

 

Seven Weight Divisions, Celebrating Both Virtue and Skill

At the press conference, Deputy Director Li Yongqiang presented the competition rules and format in detail.

 

The championship features seven weight divisions: Women’s 56 kg and 65 kg, and Men’s 60 kg, 70 kg, 80 kg, 90 kg, and 90+ kg.

 

Running from July 2026 to January 2027, the season consists of four stages: the Qualifying Tournament, Challenger Tournament, SANDAWANG Championship, and Annual Finals.

 

The Qualifying Tournament follows a single-elimination format, while the Challenger Tournament uses a double-elimination format. The SANDAWANG Championship adopts a single round-robin points system. In the Annual Finals, the top two competitors in each weight division will compete for the title of China SANDAWANG Champion and the championship belt.

Li Yongqiang, Deputy Director of the Wushu Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, presents the competition rules.

 

Matches will take place on a distinctive hexagonal platform inspired by Chinese Wushu culture. Each bout consists of three three-minute rounds, with competitors permitted to use core Sanda techniques including punches, kicks, knee strikes, and throws.

 

Judging will take into account effective striking, offensive initiative, technical versatility, control of the pace, and physical conditioning.

 

The championship also places particular emphasis on traditional Chinese Wushu etiquette. Athletes are required to perform the Baoquan salute (fist-and-palm salute) before the bout, between rounds, and after the competition, reflecting the traditional Wushu principle: “Learn respect before technique; cultivate virtue before practicing Wushu.”

 

In addition, the championship features 11 annual individual awards, including the King of Kicks, Iron Fist King, Golden Knee King, Fast Throw King, Fighting Spirit King, Rookie King, Popularity King, and Chinese Wushu Virtue Award, creating a comprehensive honors system to recognize and motivate outstanding competitors.

Zhang Yuping, Secretary-General of the International Wushu Federation, attends the press conference.

 

An Elite Lineup

Five Highlights to Watch

The championship brings together 112 of China’s leading Sanda athletes, including world champions, Asian champions, and national champions, promising competition at the highest level.

The season features five major highlights:

 

Highlight 1: Champions Gather for Elite Competition
A total of 112 top athletes will compete on the same stage, with every step forward showcasing the strength and competitive excellence of Chinese Sanda.

 

Highlight 2: The Road to the Crown, Full of Suspense
Across 203 interconnected bouts, the four-stage competition format creates a progressive journey through the season, with suspense building at every stage.

 

Highlight 3: Men and Women Competing at the Highest Level
Dedicated women’s divisions provide female Sanda athletes with a top-level competitive platform, reflecting the comprehensive development of Chinese Wushu.

 

Highlight 4: A Rich Honors System Celebrating Virtue and Skill
Highly competitive prize incentives reward outstanding performance, complemented by 11 annual awards, participation tokens, divisional champion honors, and other distinctions.

 

Highlight 5: A Renewed Brand Inspired by Contemporary Chinese Culture

The championship introduces four core IP categories spanning culture, events, athletes, and cultural and creative products. Original trophies, medals, championship belts, and the official mascot Awu were unveiled, alongside exclusive Chinese-inspired apparel, comics, and animation—bringing Wushu beyond the competition arena and into everyday life, and taking it from China to the world.

Xu Weining, Chairman of Guowu Media, delivers remarks.

 

A Renewed Brand

Building an Original Chinese Sports Super IP

 

In his remarks, Xu Weining, Chairman of Guowu Media, said that the relaunch of SANDAWANG is not simply about recreating the past, but about redefining the standard for professional Chinese Wushu competition in a new era.

 

Positioned around a national platform, national standards, and a national brand, the championship follows a strategy of “competition at the core, culture as the soul, and communication as the wings,” with the goal of building an original Chinese sports IP with international influence.

 

On the cultural front, the championship draws deeply on the heritage of Chinese Wushu. Through the hexagonal competition platform, original championship belts, and a contemporary Chinese visual identity, it combines traditional cultural depth with youthful and international expression.

 

On the communications front, SANDAWANG is building a four-pillar IP matrix designed for today’s evolving media landscape.

 

Heritage Ceremony

An Immersive Experience

 

Five Themed Exhibitions Unveiled at the Press Conference

The press conference also offered an immersive showcase of the cultural appeal of Chinese Wushu.

 

Five themed exhibitions were presented at the venue: a Wushu Culture Exhibition, Wushu-Themed Calligraphy Exhibition, SANDAWANG Original Animation Exhibition, Chinese-Inspired Wushu Apparel Exhibition, and SANDAWANG Cultural and Creative Products Exhibition.

 

Together, the exhibitions allowed guests to experience both the deep cultural heritage of Wushu and its vitality in the contemporary era.

Chi Yongjun, Executive President of Guowu Media, delivers a keynote speech.

 

Significance for a New Era

Wushu in a New Era

 

In his remarks, Deputy Director Chen Chong noted that SANDAWANG holds a distinctive place in the history of Chinese Wushu. Its return under the theme “Legacy of Champions” represents an important effort to creatively transform and innovatively develop China’s outstanding traditional culture.

Group Photo

 

A strong sporting nation contributes to a strong China, and national prosperity provides a foundation for sporting excellence.

 

The 2026 China Wushu SANDAWANG Championship represents a vivid practice of building China into a leading sporting nation while promoting the preservation and development of China’s outstanding traditional culture in the new era.

 

With competition at its core, culture as its soul, industry as its driving force, and communication as its pathway, the championship seeks to present to the world the strength, spirit, and character of China, allowing Chinese Wushu to shine with renewed brilliance in the new era.

 

Beginning at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, the 2026 China Wushu SANDAWANG Championship is now officially underway.