The proceedings of the third International Martial Studies Conference offer a unique

opportunity for broadening our historic perspective, drawing focus in particular to

the role of martial activities in intercultural exchange. First of all, it analyzes a field of

study that receives scant attention from both the general public and historians. It also

offers the possibility of comparing scientific, historical, and cultural data belonging to

two geographical areas that have played a fundamental role in developing universal

civilization. Finally, it presents such knowledge and notions not as relegated to a

distant past but still present and alive in contemporary Masters of martial arts.

The promoter and curator of the conference and its associated exhibition Way of

the Sword: Warrior Traditions in China and Italy, Hing Chao, is a highly successful

entrepreneur, a profound scholar of Chinese culture (and especially of traditional

martial arts), and a cultural operator with a marked propensity for intercultural

dialogue: he is, in fact, not only the author of numerous books on martial arts but also

the founder of the International Guoshu Association-an organization dedicated to

safeguarding the heritage of Chinese martial arts-and of the Hong Kong Culture

Festival.

The level of specialization reached by many scientific disciplines and research

sectors makes it difficult for a single scholar to make comparisons and parallels with

other fields of study and with scholars who, in different latitudes, carry out similar

research. Such comparisons, however, are often helpful not only to recognize the

imprint of common humanity but also crucial to better understand notions that have

already been acquired and to renew the perspective in which we analyze them: as

Klukhohn (2018, 18), the American anthropologist, said: "The longest way round is

often the shortest way home."

The papers presented at this conference are significant because they offer updated

information about weaponry and martial art research in Europe and China. They

also provide international scholars with knowledge that sometimes has a limited

circulation outside the country of origin (in this case, Italy and China).

European and Asian Martial Traditions and Their Cultural Impact A Look at Sword Culture from Several Angles - pocket, Engelsk, 2023