Encyclopedia
This article provides a general overview of Chinese martial arts. For a list of styles, see List of Chinese martial arts.Chinese martial arts refers to the enormous variety of
martial art styles native to
China.
Kung fu and
wushu are popular
Chinese terms that have become synonymous with Chinese martial arts. For more information about these specific terms, see
Kung fu and
Wushu .
History
Chinese martial arts can be traced back to the Zhou dynasty in the 12th century BCE and possibly earlier. As the
Chinese writing system traces back to the
Shang Dynasty and with the unfortunate destruction of many texts during the reign of the first emperor of China, it is difficult to confirm claims of entire books regarding the martial arts being written at earlier times. According to legend, the reign of the
Yellow Emperor introduced the earliest forms of martial arts to China. The Yellow Emperor is described as a famous military general who, before becoming China’s leader, wrote a lengthy treatise about martial arts. He allegedly developed the practice of
Jiao di or horn-butting and utilized it in war. Regardless of these legends, Jiao di evolved during the Zhou Dynasty into a combat
wrestling system called
Jiao li . The practice of Jiao li in the
Zhou Dynasty was recorded in the
Classic of Rites]] This combat system included techniques such as strikes, throws, joint manipulation, and pressure point attacks. The Art of War]]
, written during the 6th century BCE by Sun Tzu, deals directly with military warfare. There are passages in the Zhuangzi that pertain to the psychology and practice of martial arts. Zhuangzi, the author of the same name, is believed to have lived in the 4
th century BCE. The
Tao Te Ching, often credited to
Lao Zi, contains principles that are applicable to martial arts, but the dating of this work is controversial.
Archery and
charioteering were a part of the "six arts" of the
Zhou Dynasty , according to the text
Zhou Li.
Taoist monks are claimed to have been practicing physical exercises that resemble
Tai Chi Chuan at least as early as the 500 BCE era. In 39-92 CE, "Six Chapters of Hand Fighting", were included in the
Han Shu written by Pan Ku. Also, the noted physician, Hua T'uo, composed the "Five Animals Play" - tiger, deer, monkey, bear, and bird, around 220 CE. As stated earlier, the Kung Fu that is practiced today developed over the centuries and many of the later additions to Kung Fu, such as the Shaolin Kung Fu style, later animal forms, and the drunken style were incorporated from various martial arts forms that came into existence later on in China and have accurate historical data relating to their inventors.
In regard to the
Shaolin style that is currently popular, Ý Jin Jing attributed
Bodhidharma , a visiting Indian Buddhist monk, as the progenitor. Bodhidharma visited a monastery, and was unhappy to find that some of the monks would fall asleep during their meditations. Deciding that they needed more physical stamina, he introduced to the monks a system of exercises that later developed into the modern Shaolin style. However, the texts that first attributed him to Shaolinquan have been shown to be unlikely forgeries. Historical evidence has shown that the Shaolin monks during and before this time harboured retired soldiers who taught the monks self-defense techniques that they had learned during military training. Near the 7th century CE, the Shaolin monks, in order to protect themselves from bandits and criminals, began to codify what they had learned into a "Shaolin" style. Interestingly enough, the first fictional martial arts novel for the general public was also written during the T'ang Dynasty in the 6th-7th century CE.
The fighting styles that are practiced today were developed over the centuries, after having incorporated forms that came into existence later. Some of these include Bagua, Drunken Boxing, Eagle Claw, Five Animals, Hsing I, Hung Gar, Lau Gar, Monkey, Praying Mantis, White Crane, Wing Chun and
Tai Chi Chuan.
Styles
- For a list of styles, see list of Chinese martial arts.
China arguably has the one of the longest histories of continuously recorded martial arts tradition with hundreds of different styles, perhaps the most of any society in the world. Of the hundreds of Chinese martial arts that have developed over the past two to four thousand years, there are many distinctive styles with their own sets of techniques and ideas. Also, there are many themes common to different styles that lead many to characterize them as belonging to generalized "families" of martial art styles. There are styles that mimic movements from animals and others that gather inspiration from various Chinese philosophies. Some styles put most of their focus into the belief of the harnessing of qi energy, while others concentrate solely on competition and exhibition.
Chinese martial arts can be split into various categories to differentiate them: For example,
external and
internal . Chinese martial arts can also be categorized by location, as in
northern and
southern as well, referring to what part of China the styles originated from, separated by the
Yangtze River ; Chinese martial arts may even be classified according to their province or city. The main perceived difference about northern and southern styles is that the northern styles tend to emphasize kicks, jumps and generally fluid and rapid movement, while the southern styles focus more on strong arm and hand techniques, and stable, immovable stances and footwork. Examples of the northern styles include
Changquan and the sword and broadsword routines used in contemporary Wushu competitions, and examples of the southern styles include
Nanquan, Houquan and Wing Chun. Chinese martial arts can also be divided according to religion, imitative-styles , and more.
Training
The practise of Chinese martial arts can be divided into two categories - Taolu and Sanshou.
Most styles of Chinese martial arts contain practice of the
application of techniques , but also the practice of what is known as
forms, or
taolu in
Chinese. Forms are a pre-choreographed series of techniques and movements, performed alone or with one or more partners.
Another important part of the training, as in most other physical activities, is what is referred to as
basics , these
basics condition the "beginner" for further training.
Basics
Basics are a vital part of the training, as a student cannot progress to the more advanced stages without them; without strong and flexible muscles, many movements of Chinese martial arts are simply impossible to perform correctly. Basics include such things as stretching, strengthening of muscles, bones and tendons, stamina training, and basic stances, kicks and punches. Some styles also consider jumping, jump-kicks and acrobatics basics. In addition, many styles teach a few basic techniques as well, before moving on to forms. These techniques are normally the most common techniques of the specific style, found in many of the style's forms.
Chinese martial arts pay considerable attention to stretching. Common stretching exercises include general warm-up stretching, stretching in pairs, and various types of stretch kicks, usually practiced with speed. As many Chinese martial arts are formed to suit children and higher-level students who have been practicing since childhood, they can include basic exercises that require very high flexibility in order to be possible to perform at all.
Forms
Forms or
taolu are series of techniques put together after one another so they can be practiced as one whole set of movements. Some say that forms resemble a choreographed dance, though martial artists often argue that a general difference is the speed and explosiveness seen in most external styles, and that the movements are actual fighting techniques.
These forms sought to incorporate both the internal and external of kung fu. A kung fu form needs to be both practical, usable and applicable as well as promoting flow, meditation, flexibility, balance and coordination. Often kung fu teachers are heard to say "train your form as if you were sparring and spar as if it were a form".
Types of forms
There are two types of forms in Chinese martial arts. Most common are the solo forms, performed alone by one person, but there are also "sparring" forms, which are a type of choreographed fighting sets performed by two or more people.
Many styles consider forms as one of the most important practices, as they gradually build up the practitioner's strength and flexibility, speed and stamina, and teach balance and coordination. They also function as a tool for both the students and the teacher to remember the many techniques taught by the style, and sort them into various groups.
A style can have many compartments, both empty-handed and with weapons. In most styles, empty-handed techniques are the most common, but many styles also contain forms using a wide range of weapons of various length and type, utilizing one or two hands. There are also styles that only practice a certain weapon, containing only forms with the specific weapon.
Forms are meant to work the body. Once a basic structure is able be maintained in the body forms are then used to work that structure. Forms develop a sensibility of moving from position to position. This teaches the body to react.
Some forms focus specifically on punching and kicking, while others focus on joint manipulation, grappling, jump kicking, or weapons. Still other forms focus on different styles of movement, or on using specific hand configurations. Often, forms will combine several of these attributes.
Appearance of forms
Even though forms of Chinese martial arts are based on martial techniques, the movements might not always be identical to how the techniques they symbolize would look when applied in combat. This is due to the way many forms have been elaborated, on the one hand to provide better combat preparedness and on the other hand to look more beautiful. One easily understood manifestation of this tendency toward elaborations that go beyond what most often might be used in combat is the inclusion of lower stances and higher kicks. The regular practice of techniques while using lower stances both adds strength to the same techniques when used with higher stances, and also facilitates using the same techniques in the lower stances when the realities of combat make doing so the most appropriate choice.
In recent years, as the perceived need for self-defense has decreased, many modern schools have replaced practical defense or offense movements with acrobatic feats that are more spectacular to watch, thereby gaining favor during exhibitions and competitions. The mainland Chinese government has especially been criticized by traditionalists for "watering down" the wushu competition training it promotes. Appearances have been important in many traditional forms as well, seen as a sign of balance but not the most important requirement of successful training. Some martial artists have looked for supplementary income by performing on the streets or in theaters, although in the most traditional schools such performance is forbidden.
Another reason why the martial techniques might look different in forms is thought, by some, to come from a need to "disguise" the actual functions of the techniques from outsiders . The intention was to leave the forms in such a state that they could be performed in front of others without revealing their actual martial functions, while retaining their original functionality in a less obvious form. However some forms were created for other reasons other than combat and martial application, some forms were created to help martial artists to develop certain qualities. For example acrobatics blended into martial arts helps martial practitioners develop strength, balance and flexibility as well as looking aesthetic.
Modern forms
As forms have grown in complexity and quantity over the years, and many forms alone could be practiced for a lifetime, styles of modern Chinese martial arts have developed that concentrate solely on forms, and do not practice application at all. These styles are primarily aimed at exhibition and competition, and often include more acrobatic jumps and movements added for enhanced visual effect compared to the traditional styles. Those who generally prefer to practice traditional styles, focused less on exhibition, are often referred to as
traditionalists. Many traditionalists consider the evolution of today's Chinese martial arts as undesirable, saying that much of its original value is lost.
Application and Sparring
Application training or
sparring refers to the training of putting the martial techniques to use. When and how applications are taught varies from style to style, but in the beginning, most styles focus on certain drills where each person knows what technique is being practiced and what attack to expect. Chinese martial arts usually contain a large arsenal of techniques and make use of the whole body, efficiency and effectiveness is what the techniques are based on. However many chinese martial arts appear to be flowery and 'fancier' than other arts but the movements are very meaningful in terms of application. Gradually, fewer and fewer rules are applied, and the students learn how to react and feel what technique to use, depending on the situation and the type of opponent.
Nowadays, many Chinese martial arts choose not to practice much application at all, as the need for self-defense has become less significant in the societies of today. The introduction of
firearms has made the traditional weapons and empty-handed martial arts lose much of their power, as even a completely untrained person can kill a master of any style by firing a gun from a safe distance. Before guns existed, however, knowledge of martial arts could save both your and your family's life. Because of this, the applications of the techniques were often considered sacred, and were commonly kept secret from all but family and the closest friends. Today, the views on this tradition of keeping things secret are very mixed, and some schools openly teach applications to anyone willing to learn. Others still require the students to show that they are worthy before teaching applications, "worthy" usually meaning that the students can be trusted that they will not use their knowledge to a bad purpose. It must be pointed out in fairness that some of the masters were in fact members of the criminal underworld and that some of the actual skill and applications of the various systems were developed in real and extremely violent confrontations both armed and unarmed. This dichotomy did and still does exist.
There are also modern styles that practice application and even focus solely on them. Aimed mostly at modern competition, they are rarely found being practised and taught alone, and normally found alongside traditional Chinese martial arts. One such style that has grown quite popular is called
Sanda . Many schools of Chinese martial arts schools teach sanshou and work to incorporate its movement, characteristics and theory into sanshou's modern context. It is popular as a competition event and allows martial practioners to both practise and put their skill to use in a friendly, non-hostile environment. It is similar to
Muay Thai and is a type of sparring competition where the competitors wear protection and gloves, and get points when scoring a hit on the opponent or performing a successful throw. Sanshou involves both stand up striking and grappling, and as a modern competition rules are limited for safety reasons, in turn limiting technique and other components of the martial arts. However, many of these skills and techniques are still practised among many sanshou practioners, such as chin na and ground fighting.
Weapons training
Most Chinese styles also make use of training the broad arsenal of Chinese weapons for conditioning the body as well as coordination and strategy drills.
Use of qi
The concept of
q́ or
ch'i , the inner energy or "life force" that is said to animate living beings, is encountered in almost all styles of Chinese martial arts. Internal styles are reputed to cultivate its use differently than external styles.
One's qi can be improved and strengthened through the regular practice of various physical and mental exercises known as qigong. Though qigong is not a martial art itself, it is often incorporated in Chinese martial arts and, thus, practiced as an integral part to strengthen one's internal abilities.
There are many ideas regarding controlling one's qi energy to such an extent that it can be used for healing oneself or others: the goal of medical qigong. Some styles believe in focusing qi into a single point when attacking and aim at specific areas of the human body , to cause maximum damage or disable certain functions of the body. Some go so far as to think that at an advanced level it is possible to cause harm without even touching the opponent, a popular concept in Chinese martial arts movies.
Notable practitioners
- Jackie Chan - Hong Kong martial artist and actor widely known for injecting physical comedy into his martial arts performances, and for performing complex stunts in many of his films.
- Jet Li - Five-time sport wushu champion of China, later demonstrating his skills on the silver screen.
- Ten Tigers of Canton - a group of ten of the top Chinese martial arts masters in Guangdong towards the end of the Qing Dynasty .
Popular culture
In modern times, Chinese martial arts have spawned the genre of cinema known as the martial arts film. The films of
Bruce Lee were instrumental in the initial burst of Chinese martial arts' popularity in the West, and lately, martial artists and actors such as
Jet Li and
Jackie Chan have appeared in later films. Martial arts films from China are often referred to as "
Kung Fu movies" .
A
U.S. network TV western series of the early
1970s called Kung Fu also served to popularize the Chinese martial arts on television.
The show was disliked by some Chinese people due to the lead character,
David Carradine, being white. Futhermore,
Bruce Lee, wanted the starring role, but was denied the part due to the existent prejudice against Asian actors of the time.
Anime and manga
Chinese martial arts appears many times in
Japanese
anime and
manga.
- The action manga Fist of the North Star uses the concept of internal and external fighting styles and various dead points of a human body.
- The Dragon Ball Z series also uses many concepts from Wuxia and Chinese fantasy novels.
- In the anime and manga Naruto, the character Rock Lee
...
, a practitioner of Taijutsu, uses many concepts and techniques from Chinese martial arts. He also shares many similar traits with Bruce Lee, like a birthday and name.And also Gai has many martial arts technics, but he does not have similar traits with Bruce Lee.
- In the anime-styled , the "Bending" disciplines are each based on a style of Kung-fu. Waterbending is based on Tai Chi, firebending on Northern Shaolin, earthbending on Hung Gar, and airbending on Ba Gua. One character even uses the rare Chu Gar Southern Praying Mantis style.
References
See also
- List of Chinese martial arts
- Wushu , Wushu
- Neigong
- San shou
...
- Taijitu
- Taiji
- Wing Chun
- Choy Lee Fut
- Kung fu
- Eighteen Arms of Wushu
- Poekoelan
