Disgraced China kung fu master re-emerges as ‘godfather of nightclubs’ performing ‘lightning’ moves
- Swindling, self-proclaimed martial arts guru who fell from grace reappears as a nationwide nightclub performer
A disgraced kung fu master in China has made a comeback in nightclubs, performing his infamous self-created martial arts moves.
Ma Baoguo, 72, has been seen by online observers who said he had transformed himself into a “godfather of nightclubs”, appearing at venues in Shanghai, Shenzhen, and other cities across the country.
From Henan province in central China, the birthplace of Chinese kung fu, Ma claims to be a tai chi master who created his own martial arts school and philosophy.
In the nightclubs, Ma wears white attire and performs his signature moves, the Lightning Five Whips, swinging his arms to the music, twisting and bouncing, and ends with a bow to the audience.
He performs on stage with women assistants.
Each show lasts more than 30 minutes and commands a fee ranging from 100,000 to 200,000 yuan (US$28,000) per show, according to Tencent News.
Ma turned to live-streaming on short video platforms last year to sell clothes. He claims his team can earn 420,000 yuan (US$58,000) for each live-stream.
Online sources show that Ma once ran a martial arts school in the UK and hired an MMA retired fighter to stage fake matches, highlighting his supposed kung fu skills.
In May 2020, the self-proclaimed kung fu master became a laughing stock after he was knocked down three times in 30 seconds in one bout.
Internet users in China have created videos inserting Ma into famous action films or altering images to cast him in films such as The Godfather, where he replaced the lead character played by legendary Hollywood actor Marlon Brando.
On Bilibili, a YouTube-like video sharing platform, spoof videos of Ma have attracted about 150 million views.
Later, Ma wrote on Weibo: “The information online is chaotic. I hope everyone can discern things clearly. I have returned to a peaceful life, away from the disputes of the martial arts world.”
In November 2020, China’s official media criticised Ma as a “swindler”, calling him a “fake kung fu master”.
Weibo disbanded his fan group on the platform.
Ma then stopped posting content online and gradually faded from public view.
However, his return in a different guise has sparked much discussion on mainland social media.
“It seems Ma has grasped the secret to gaining traffic, being an object of ridicule is one way to stay famous,” one online observer wrote on Xiaohongshu.
“This is ridiculous. How can someone who tarnishes martial arts reappear and make big money?” said another.
Another observer took a different view: “He has not broken any laws. He earns money with his own skills and brings happiness to others. There’s no need to criticise him.”
China family feud locks son and parents in struggle to send each other to mental hospital
- Warring family split by mental health accusations sees son committed, parents accused of having psychiatric disorders
The plight of a 24-year-old man in China who was detained against his will in a psychiatric hospital by his parents who have poor mental health, has gripped the nation and highlighted irregularities in psychiatric institutions.
Mo Nan, not his real name, said he had been arguing with his parents since he was a secondary school student, leading them to conclude he was mentally ill, according to Huashang News.
They took him for treatment at a psychiatric hospital in Zibo, Shandong province in eastern China, where doctors prescribed medication.
Mo was admitted to a mainland university in 2017, where he studied well and was praised by teachers for helping others.
However, his parents were adamant he was mentally ill after he argued with them, and they asked doctors to increase his medication.
According to the son, his parents decided he was displaying “abnormal behaviour” if he played mobile games, slept late or disagreed with them.
When he did not want to talk to them, they accused him of being “in down spirits”, yet when he became emotional, they said he was “too excited”.
“My only shortcoming is that I obeyed their orders. Even after I went to study at university, I still followed their instructions and swallowed the drugs they gave me,” Mo said, adding: “I resisted too late.”
He became obese and said his memory had deteriorated due to the long-term consumption of psychiatric drugs.
On July 28, 2021, Mo said he was “cajoled” by his parents into attending Zibo Mental Health Centre.
He said without any examination a nurse there just told him he would be hospitalised for three months.
“I was held down on a bed by medical staff and a rope was used to bind me. I was given an injection and an electric shock. My head was so painful it felt as though it would explode,” he said.
Mo said he later found out, from reading his medical documents, that his parents had exaggerated his mental health problems, which led doctors to reach the conclusion that he was seriously ill.
When he was discharged from hospital after 83 days, he tried to persuade his parents to check their own mental health with psychiatric doctors, hoping they would lose the right to supervise him when they were found to be unwell.
Last year, both parents were diagnosed with schizophrenia at Shandong Provincial Mental Health Centre.
However, the diagnosis from Beijing Anding Hospital, a leading psychiatric institution in China, showed they had depression and anxiety, but their situation did not constitute serious psychogenia, doctors concluded.
The report did not say if Mo’s parents were hospitalised.
China’s Mental Health Law stipulates that hospital admission should be voluntary.
However, if a patient is found to have serious mental disorders and has hurt himself or others, the hospital can confine him after obtaining permission from his family.
Cases of people incorrectly hospitalised at psychiatric institutions frequently make headlines in China.
In July, there was a public outcry when it was revealed that a 34-year-old woman had been confined to a psychiatric hospital in southeastern China’s Fujian province for more than 10 years, despite recovering, because her family refused to sign her release document.
