I'm not mentally ill, I'm a master of a thousand faces!

Chapter 387, Martial Arts Association: Their Chinese martial arts are not orthodox!

At this moment.

The publicity and promotion efforts are also proceeding in an orderly manner.

Meanwhile, Ye Weixin's team also received some news.

Some of the promotional information came from the Huaxia Wushu Association.

When the message came from over there, the meaning was quite clear.

You should promote traditional Chinese martial arts.

Why didn't you ask us first?

This left Ye Weixin somewhat bewildered.

Did I hear something wrong?

"Does your martial arts association have such a rule? Chen Zhihui, come here and translate for me, what's going on?"

After hearing this phone call, Ye Weixin, who was in Hong Kong, felt a bit doubtful about life.

At this moment, Chen Zhihui's lips twitched.

"As expected, these scoundrels still found you. Ignore them."

It turns out that there are also factions within the martial arts association. One type is the formal martial arts rating system, which is what martial arts actors often come into contact with. They are formal and standardized, and most of them work in sports schools, while a small number are involved in the acting and dance industries.

He is also the standard setter for the Wushu Association's rating system.

Hong Kong martial arts actors are very familiar with the group from the Martial Arts Association, but there's another group—the ones who came this time to ask for publicity fees and patent fees.

It's completely different.

They consider themselves to be legitimate successors of prestigious schools, the true inheritors of the righteous path, and the sole representatives of Chinese martial arts. In fact, if we must say so, they are indeed successors of prestigious schools.

It is precisely because of this orthodox legacy of a prestigious lineage that they are able to maintain a place in the Martial Arts Association without engaging in any production.

"To be honest, I used to be one of them, and I was very proud of my orthodox title. In fact, I am still proud of my identity as a successor of Northern Fist," Chen Zhihui murmured. "But later I realized that this is not the true way to promote Chinese martial arts."

"They fake Tai Chi and perform Qigong to make money. One so-called Tai Chi master from the South can take on 20 combat experts by himself and push them down with one push. When I saw them making money like this, I began to feel ashamed to associate with them."

At this moment, Ye Weixin understood.

"I see, he's here to collect protection money from me, right?"

"Yes, but from our perspective, the protection fee they collect isn't entirely without its benefits. They also have a group of followers, and if we get them to cooperate in promotion, we can turn those who believe in the so-called orthodox Chinese martial arts into our audience."

Chen Zhihui was conflicted at this moment.

If we don't pay them protection money, as soon as they say that this martial art is not orthodox, and this spreads through online channels, then the martial arts hype promoted by "Ip Man" will be wasted.

Think about it.

Even the legitimate inheritors of martial arts associations say this isn't a national art, so how can you promote it?

But Chen Zhihui really found these people disgusting.

To some extent, these so-called orthodox inheritors are the scum of the martial arts world.

Ye Weixin also decisively chose to refuse at this time.

"Asking me to give money to a bunch of fame-seeking bastards is just wishful thinking on their part."

"Don't bother with them. We have enough publicity gimmicks now. Anyway, we have 'The Warlords' ahead of us. I don't expect commercial success. As long as we can achieve the same level of success as 'SPL: Kill Zone' and break even with a small profit, I'll be satisfied."

At least breaking even and making a small profit can prove to investors that real-life martial arts films, although niche, have not yet declined to the point of extinction.

That's enough.

Continuing the family line is enough.

"How about it? Ip Man on the other side of Hong Kong."

"They're ignoring us."

"Alright, I know their answer now."

"Honestly, they're making movies about traditional Chinese martial arts, and it's one thing if they don't invite us to provide guidance, but now they really don't want to spend a single penny. They're even using the authentic martial arts of our ancestors! Is there no justice left? Is there no law?"

"Does he think we, the martial arts world, are easy to bully?!"

At this moment, several men dressed in Tang suits, around 50 years old, and looking imposing, were filled with righteous indignation.

Although they lack exercise, which has made them overweight, they still speak with great force when they curse.

They won't pay because it's "Ip Man".

They had no money to share.

"I'm so angry! Tell Xiao Zhong to pour me a cup of tea so I can calm down."

At this moment, Ma Guohu, a successor of Southern Fist Tai Chi, was angrily directing the staff of the martial arts association.

Although they do not engage in any production activities, they occupy a floor within the martial arts association.

They treated the staff like servants.

"Master Ma, calm down, calm down. I, as a legitimate successor of Wing Chun, haven't said anything. At worst, we won't give them any certification this time. We can just issue a statement saying that this martial art is not legitimate. Wouldn't that be fine? It's a flop movie with a tight budget, so they can't afford to give us much money."

The middle-aged woman next to her is named Milan Fang. She claims to be a legitimate successor of Wing Chun, and her mother was a disciple of Ip Man, making her a legitimate third-generation disciple.

She was the one who once fought 20 people by herself at a martial arts performance competition in southern China.

It has countless followers.

"It's not his money I want, it's his attitude! You have no idea how awful he was on the phone. When I introduced myself, he didn't even recognize me! He doesn't even know us, a group of legitimate martial arts practitioners. What respect does he have for us? He has absolutely no respect whatsoever!"

Ma Guohu spoke aggressively.

His shouting and cursing could be heard throughout the entire floor.

However, some people think that this movie called "Ip Man" may really be in big trouble.

Their cunning.

It's really small.

On another floor, Wu Jing was discussing internal affairs of the martial arts association with his father.

"These old guys are really annoying. If they have so much energy, why don't they go and train themselves and really hone their martial arts skills? Instead, they're here saying strange things."

Wu Jing looked down on the things upstairs and was even quite annoyed.

He was using the title of a so-called master of Chinese martial arts.

But in reality, they can't even hold a horse stance for 5 minutes.

Wu Jing found this kind of self-serving and fame-seeking behavior disgusting; it was undoubtedly an insult to people like them who practiced martial arts normally.

A deeply frustrating insult.

Especially when Wu Jing saw his father, the head instructor of Shichahai Martial Arts Academy and a key member of the Martial Arts Association.

Not only do we work ourselves to the bone every day, but we also have to be treated like slaves by those people, and our pay isn't even as good as those who just sit around drinking tea in the office.

"Alright, stop complaining. No matter what, they are inheritors of orthodox martial arts. You can treat them as inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, as a storefront. It's not too hard to understand why the country gives them preferential treatment."

Although Wu Jinquan felt somewhat helpless, he understood.

As non-hereditary inheritors, they have a duty to act as the face of this place.

Even the legitimacy of the martial arts association depends on those people.

"It's really damn frustrating. It's not the capable people who step up, but these incompetent bastards who hold positions without doing anything."

"Existence is its own justification."

Despite saying that, Wu Jinquan still added, "However, these guys who hold positions without doing their jobs are indeed clueless."

"Right? I think they are the real culprits who insulted Chinese martial arts. When I go to outside fighting gyms to practice, I don't dare to say that I practice martial arts. As soon as I say that I practice martial arts, people will automatically give me some leeway and won't fight me with all their might. They are really afraid of hurting me."

This kind of concession is more unpleasant than directly looking down on him.

This impression is probably created by those so-called martial arts masters who frequently appear on television programs, and their nonsensical performances.

What's truly hurt is the feelings of those who genuinely practice martial arts and carry on the tradition of Chinese martial arts.

The worst part is that there's no way to refute it.

After all, they are an officially recognized national martial arts school; it's you unorthodox practitioners who should be kicked out.

This does indeed seem somewhat ridiculous.

It's also somewhat tragic.

"Do you want to see the movie 'Ip Man'? Dad, the young man you tested back then is the lead actor." At this moment, Wu Jing remembered that he and Li Yun had fought back then.

Now, time has passed, and he has become a leading actor. At the same age, he has already left others far behind.

That kind of feeling is definitely complex.

"That third-level martial arts actor, I wonder if his martial arts have improved these days." Wu Jinquan paused and said, "If it really came down to a fight, he'd be much better than you."

"You don't need to tell me, of course I know about this."

Wu Jing was speechless at this moment, and of course he emphasized again: "Back then I couldn't beat him. As for now, I am no longer the same as before. And he is not following the pure martial arts route. Unlike me, he has so much energy to devote to martial arts training."

Martial arts skills are directly proportional to talent and training volume, yet Li Yun surprisingly chose to focus on acting skills as an actor.

This also made Wu Jinquan feel a little regretful, as Li Yun's martial arts talent was beyond doubt.

It's fair to say he's never seen such incredible martial arts talent.

If he continues down this path, he might very well become a grandmaster.

If one is proficient in a martial art, one might very well grow into someone even more powerful than those who seek fame and fortune.

The martial arts world is missing a genius like him.

However, everyone chooses their own path, and since he chose this path as an actor, others can only feel sorry for him and won't say much else.

"Alright, I don't have anything to do lately, so let's go see 'Ip Man' together, just to relax."

Wu Jinquan even felt in his heart that it would have been better if the movie had been a little worse.

If the quality is good, but it's affected by those self-proclaimed masters who are just trying to gain fame, he would even feel a little guilty.

After all, nominally, they are also supported by the Martial Arts Association.

It was also the choice of the Wushu Association.

News of the Wushu Association spread quickly, thanks to the power of online channels.

They brought with them documents and announcements personally written by those reputable masters from prestigious schools.

The martial arts used in the movie "Ip Man" were not taught by any of the major orthodox schools. The martial arts used are not authentic Chinese martial arts. Viewers are advised not to be misled and to severely condemn those who are merely pretending to be experts.

When this statement came out, it was like knocking off half a leg of "Ip Man". Martial arts itself is a very important promotional gimmick, but at this point, it had reached a stage of near-collapse.

"Is this even true? We've become beggars just because we're making movies?" Li Yun didn't know how to react when he heard this news.

It has to be said that the Martial Arts Association's approach is really quite unconventional.

How come I never knew this approach was so unconventional?

However, the statement from these senior figures in the Martial Arts Association only made matters worse for the promotion of "Ip Man".

They could have used the gimmick of authentic Chinese martial arts.

But now that microphone has been snatched away by others, your authentic Chinese martial arts gimmick can't be used anymore.

This is undoubtedly a terrible thing.

At least from a publicity perspective, this is a terrible thing; it's like losing a label.

A rather important label.

"They're just using the 'orthodox' label, and a lot of people happen to buy into it. There's nothing you can do about it."

Jiang Chenggang felt extremely helpless about this.

From a personal perspective, Ye Weixin's assertiveness is perfectly reasonable.

Why should I give money to those people?

Just because they hold positions without doing any work?

That's the kind of logic it is.

But if you want to claim the legitimate title, you will inevitably need to leverage their influence.

The principle of spending money to avoid disaster.

I believe everyone understands this.

"Li Zi, if it were you, you would probably pay money to avoid trouble, right? You have to say, what he did was too sloppy." Jiang Chenggang said to Li Yun in a serious tone.

However, Li Yun stroked his chin and said with a slightly matter-of-fact air.

"If it were me, I wouldn't just refuse them, I'd also give them a piece of my mind on the spot to vent my anger."

Jiang Chenggang was somewhat taken aback when he heard this.

Although he knew that those old hands in the martial arts association weren't all that great, shouldn't the adult world only consider pros and cons?

"I certainly won't tolerate those clueless guys."

Li Yun said, "If they can truly shoulder the responsibility of promoting traditional Chinese culture, then it's understandable that they enjoy this benefit. But in reality, what they're doing is no different from swindling and cheating."

The former master Ma Baoguo, and the so-called Lanfang Tai Chi master, are definitely the culprits behind the low reputation of Chinese martial arts.

He dabbled in half-baked martial arts and used it to cheat and swindle others.

You could say that if they were just using their ancestors' names to do something for show, that would be one thing, but they insist that they know the real stuff and are doing real kung fu.

That would be incredibly embarrassing.

Around the turn of the millennium, they still had a share of the market, but as the internet gradually developed, their voice became weaker and weaker, and they lost their former advantages.

As more and more people associate themselves with traditional Chinese martial arts, when their scams and unrealistic claims collapse, the backlash against them will also turn against traditional Chinese martial arts.

Supporting these bastards is also a sin of the decline of Chinese martial arts.

If it were me, I wouldn't give them a single penny.

"Let them criticize us, even if it's controversial, it's still controversial. Let the dust settle. The most important thing about a movie is its quality. Our 'Ip Man' is the highest quality domestic film in this period, so what are we afraid of?" Li Yun said with a faint smile.

Jiang Chenggang really wanted to say something.

However, this is indeed a lull in Hollywood blockbusters, and it is precisely during such times that domestic commercial films tend to flood the market, giving them a chance to survive under the pressure of Hollywood.

Only a few low-budget Hollywood movies are shown here.

But even though the phoenix tail is gone, the chicken head is still there!

That new era film, which was highly anticipated by the industry, is a representative work of the new era of domestic commercial blockbusters.

The Warlords.

One step from a superstar.

Asia's most handsome man.

The kung fu emperor who returned from Hollywood to become a king.

These three elements, along with the massively budgeted commercial blockbuster, generated an overwhelming amount of buzz even before the episode aired.

The cast is so amazing, it's hard to imagine how this movie could possibly lose.

He was destined to be the box office champion this season; in comparison, "Ip Man" could only be considered a mid-sized production.

Commercial films follow a certain logic.

Input and output are directly proportional.

This is true in most cases.

The two investments are not on the same scale.

Jiang Chenggang then offered a reminder.

"There was another movie from the same period as yours called 'The Warlords'."

"I didn't exclude him either."

Li Yun then came to Hong Kong. Compared with the premiere of "The Warlords", the premiere of "Ip Man" was much more modest. Whether in terms of the number of media outlets or the online attention, it was inferior.

It wasn't that Yip Wai-shun couldn't afford to hire the media; it was simply that the media was far more interested in his other work.

The Kung Fu Emperor's first stop back in China is a film shot with Hollywood's narrative art and special effects technology.

Advanced experience from Hollywood.

Various fancy titles, various useful gimmicks.

Both attract more media attention to that particular film.

As for "Ip Man", there were negative news even before it was released. Even the Chinese Martial Arts Association certified that the movie was not authentic, and the claims it made were of dubious origin.

They lost a match before the show even started.

This is the huge disadvantage that the movie "Ip Man" has compared to the movie "The Warlords".

At this point, the creators of "The Warlords" were no longer very interested in the movie "Ip Man".

Most people don't think he can cause any trouble anymore.

It's just that one person's ideas are different from theirs.

"Are you sure, Andy Lau? You want to come to the premiere of 'Ip Man'?" Ye Weixin listened incredulously to Andy Lau's phone call.

"Of course, I filmed the entire movie 'The Warlords,' and I've seen the preview version, so I don't have much expectation for it."

Andy Lau smiled slightly and said, "I'm just a viewer of the film 'Ip Man.' I'm curious about it. Mr. Ip, you should welcome me, right?"

"Of course!"

(End of this chapter)