Heroic Moves: Chinese Martial Arts in Singapore Popular Culture is a travelling exhibition tracing the depiction and dissemination of Chinese martial arts in local newspapers, movies, comics and television drama serials from the 1960s to the present.
Featuring over 60 objects and images, as well as interactive photo-taking spots, the exhibition explores how Chinese martial arts became an integral part of local popular culture while conveying the values associated with the chivalrous world of Chinese martial arts.
The exhibition is presented through five thematic zones. The first zone gives an overview of the exhibition themes and the development of Chinese martial arts in Singapore. Singapore Chin Woo (Athletic) Association and Guang Wu Club are spotlighted as pioneers in offering Chinese martial arts training to the public.
The second zone zooms in on wuxia novels, which were popular in Singapore in the 1960s due to their serialisation by local Chinese newspapers. The reproduced works by three famous wuxia novelists, Liang Yusheng, Jin Yong and Gu Long, are showcased and visitors can learn more about wuxia novels through interactive tactile rollers.
The third zone focuses on wuxia and kung fu movies that were popular in Singapore, featuring memorabilia like posters, cards and magazines. Some of these movies include One-Armed Swordsman (1967), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Drunken Master (1978) and the Ip Man series (2008-2019). A fun feature that visitors can look forward to is the flipbooks that depict the respective fight styles in wuxia and kung fu movies.
The fourth zone is themed around Chinese martial arts comic books that were introduced to readers in Singapore in the 1970s. This zone includes an interactive roller with different clothing options for visitors to customise the overall look of their own wuxia character. It also features a photospot inspired by local artist Wee Tian Beng’s comic rendition of Return of the Condor Heroes (1996-1998).
The final zone concludes with local wuxia and kung fu television drama serials, showcasing familiar local dramas, such as wuxia dramas in the 1980s and kung fu dramas from the 2000s. This zone features posters, photos and scenes of these TV dramas, including Pursuit (1984), Return of the Condor Heroes (1998), The Challenge (2001) and The Good Fight (2019).
Venues:
📅 29 Apr – 17 May | 📍Westgate, The Courtyard
📅 18 May – 31 May | 📍Pasir Ris Mall Level 2
📅 1 Jun – 14 Jun | 📍Junction 8 Level 1
📅 15 Jun – 30 Jun | 📍Jurong West Public Library
When: 29 Apr - 30 Jun 2026, 10am - 10pm
By: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre
