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Written by Damian Ross
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Thursday, 05 March 2009 13:34 |
Kung fu and wushu are popular terms that have become synonymous with Chinese martial arts. Each term can describe different martial arts traditions and can also be used in a context without referencing martial arts. Colloquially, kung fu (or gong fu) alludes to any individual accomplishment or cultivated skill. In contrast, wushu is a more precise term that refers to general martial activities. The term wushu has also become the name for a modern sport similar to gymnastics involving the performance of adapted Chinese bare-handed and weapons forms (taolu ??) judged to a set of contemporary aesthetic criteria for points.
Chinese martial arts: cultural activity or combat worthy? It's difficult with all martial arts to separate culture from combat. But one thing's for sure, the original intent of Chinese martial arts was exercise that developed into a combat activity. The combat forms of Chinese martial arts are not the popular ones we see today.
One thing is for certain, the actual combat techniques used in 1122 B.C. were probably very similar to what you saw on the battlefields of feudal Japan.
Men on horse back, spears, archers and foot soldiers. No flying people standing on tree limbs, no magic no death-touch; just proven battlefield techniques.
When self defense and close combat pioneer, William E. Fairbairn conducted his research in Shanghai, he studied a wide variety of Chinese systems. He pulled only the essential techniques and incorporated them into his hand to hand fighting system. To learn more about this system go HERE. |
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Last Updated on Monday, 13 April 2009 13:37 |
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Chinese Martial Arts 
