Kungfu

Chinese aggressive arts, generally alleged beneath the awning agreement kung fu (/ˈkʊŋ ˈfuː/; Chinese: 功夫; pinyin: gōngfu; Cantonese Yale: gūng fū), kuoshu (國術; guóshù) or wushu (武術; wǔshù), are several hundred angry styles that accept developed over the centuries in China. These angry styles are generally classified according to accepted traits, articular as "families" (家; jiā), "sects" (派; pài) or "schools" (門; mén) of aggressive arts. Examples of such ancestry accommodate Shaolinquan (少林拳) concrete contest involving Five Animals (五形) assuming or training methods aggressive by Old Chinese philosophies, religions and legends. Styles that focus on qi abetment are alleged centralized (内家拳; nèijiāquán), while others that apply on convalescent beef and cardiovascular fettle are alleged alien (外家拳; wàijiāquán). Geographical association, as in arctic (北拳; běiquán) and southern (南拳; nánquán), is addition accepted allocation method. Chinese aggressive arts, generally alleged beneath the awning agreement kung fu (/ˈkʊŋ ˈfuː/; Chinese: 功夫; pinyin: gōngfu; Cantonese Yale: gūng fū), kuoshu (國術; guóshù) or wushu (武術; wǔshù), are several hundred angry styles that accept developed over the centuries in China. These angry styles are generally classified according to accepted traits, articular as "families" (家; jiā), "sects" (派; pài) or "schools" (門; mén) of aggressive arts. Examples of such ancestry accommodate Shaolinquan (少林拳) concrete contest involving Five Animals (五形) assuming or training methods aggressive by Old Chinese philosophies, religions and legends. Styles that focus on qi abetment are alleged centralized (内家拳; nèijiāquán), while others that apply on convalescent beef and cardiovascular fettle are alleged alien (外家拳; wàijiāquán). Geographical association, as in arctic (北拳; běiquán) and southern (南拳; nánquán), is addition accepted allocation method.

Kung fu and wushu are loanwords from Cantonese and Mandarin appropriately that, in English, are acclimated to accredit to Chinese aggressive arts. However, the Chinese agreement kung fu and wushu (About this soundlisten (Mandarin) (help·info); Cantonese Yale: móuh seuht) accept audible meanings.[1] The Chinese agnate of the appellation "Chinese aggressive arts" would be Zhongguo wushu (Chinese: 中國武術; pinyin: zhōngguó wǔshù) (Mandarin).

In Chinese, the appellation kung fu (功夫) refers to any ability that is acquired through acquirements or practice. It is a admixture chat composed of the words 功 (gōng) acceptation "work", "achievement", or "merit", and 夫 (fū) which is a atom or nominal suffix with assorted meanings.

Wushu actually agency "martial art". It is formed from the two Chinese characters 武術: 武 (wǔ), acceptation "martial" or "military" and 術 or 术 (shù), which translates into "art", "discipline", "skill" or "method". The appellation wushu has additionally become the name for the avant-garde activity of wushu, an exhibition and full-contact activity of bare-handed and weapon forms (套路), acclimatized and advised to a set of artful belief for credibility developed back 1949 in the People's Republic of China.[2][3]

Quanfa (拳法) is accession Chinese appellation for Chinese aggressive arts. It agency "fist method" or "the law of the fist" (quan agency "boxing" or "fist", and fa agency "law", "way" or "method"), although as a admixture appellation it usually translates as "boxing" or "fighting technique." The name of the Japanese aggressive art kempō is represented by the aforementioned hanzi characters.
History

The alpha of Chinese aggressive arts has been attributed to the charge for self-defense, hunting techniques and aggressive training in age-old China. Hand-to-hand activity and weapons convenance were important in training age-old Chinese soldiers.[4][5]

Detailed ability about the accompaniment and development of Chinese aggressive arts became attainable from the Nanjing decade (1928–1937), as the Axial Guoshu Institute accustomed by the Kuomintang administering fabricated an ability to abridge an all-embracing analysis of aggressive arts schools. Back the 1950s, the People's Republic of China has organized Chinese aggressive arts as an exhibition and full-contact activity beneath the branch of “wushu”.
Legendary origins

According to legend, Chinese aggressive arts originated during the semi-mythical Xia Dynasty (夏朝) added than 4,000 years ago.[6] It is said the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) (legendary date of ascent 2698 BCE) alien the ancient angry systems to China.[7] The Yellow Emperor is declared as a acclaimed accepted who, afore acceptable China's leader, wrote diffuse treatises on medicine, astrometry and the aggressive arts. One of his capital opponents was Chi You (蚩尤) who was accustomed as the architect of jiao di, a advertiser to the avant-garde art of Chinese wrestling.[8]
Early history

The ancient references to Chinese aggressive arts are begin in the Spring and Autumn Annals (5th aeon BCE),[9] area a hand-to-hand activity theory, one that integrates notions of "hard" and "soft" techniques, is mentioned.[10] A activity angry arrangement alleged juélì or jiǎolì (角力) is mentioned in the Archetypal of Rites.[11] This activity arrangement included techniques such as strikes, throws, collective manipulation, and burden point attacks. Jiao Di became a activity during the Qin Dynasty (221–207 BCE). The Han History Bibliographies almanac that, by the Former Han (206 BCE – 8 CE), there was a acumen amid no-holds-barred weaponless fighting, which it calls shǒubó (手搏), for which training manuals had already been written, and active wrestling, again accepted as juélì (角力). Angry is additionally accurate in the Shǐ Jì, Annal of the Grand Historian, accounting by Sima Qian (ca. 100 BCE).[12]

In the Tang Dynasty, descriptions of brand dances were immortalized in balladry by Li Bai. In the Song and Yuan dynasties, xiangpu contests were sponsored by the administrative courts. The avant-garde concepts of wushu were absolutely developed by the Ming and Qing dynasties.[13]
Philosophical influences

The account associated with Chinese aggressive arts afflicted with the change of Chinese association and over time acquired some abstract bases: Passages in the Zhuangzi (庄子), a Daoist text, affect to the attitude and convenance of aggressive arts. Zhuangzi, its eponymous author, is believed to accept lived in the 4th aeon BCE. The Dao De Jing, about accustomed to Lao Zi, is accession Taoist argument that contains attack applicative to aggressive arts. According to one of the archetypal texts of Confucianism, Zhou Li (周禮/周礼), Archery and charioteering were allotment of the "six arts" (simplified Chinese: 六艺; acceptable Chinese: 六藝; pinyin: liu yi, including rites, music, calligraphy and mathematics) of the Zhou Dynasty (1122–256 BCE). The Art of War (孫子兵法), accounting during the 6th aeon BCE by Sun Tzu (孫子), deals anon with aggressive warfare but contains account that are acclimated in the Chinese aggressive arts.

Daoist practitioners accept been practicing Tao Yin (physical contest agnate to Qigong that was one of the ancestors to T'ai chi ch'uan) from as aboriginal as 500 BCE.[14] In 39–92 CE, "Six Chapters of Duke Fighting", were included in the Han Shu (history of the Former Han Dynasty) accounting by Pan Ku. Also, the acclaimed physician, Hua Tuo, composed the "Five Animals Play"—tiger, deer, monkey, bear, and bird, about 208 CE.[15] Daoist aesthetics and their access to bloom and exercise accept afflicted the Chinese aggressive arts to a assertive extent. Direct advertence to Daoist concepts can be begin in such styles as the "Eight Immortals," which uses angry techniques attributed to the characteristics of anniversary immortal.[16]
Southern and Arctic dynasties (420–589 AD)
Shaolin temple established

In 495 AD, a Shaolin temple was congenital in the Song mountain, Henan province. The aboriginal abbot who preached Buddhism there was the Indian abbot alleged Buddhabhadra (佛陀跋陀罗; Fótuóbátuóluó), artlessly alleged Batuo (跋陀) by the Chinese. There are actual annal that Batuo's aboriginal Chinese disciples, Huiguang (慧光) and Sengchou (僧稠), both had aberrant aggressive skills.[citation needed] For example, Sengchou's ability with the tin agents is alike accurate in the Chinese Buddhist canon.[citation needed] After Buddhabadra, accession Indian[17] accurately Western South Indian monk, Bodhidharma (菩提达摩; Pútídámó), artlessly alleged Damo (达摩) by the Chinese, came to Shaolin in 527 AD. His Chinese disciple, Huike (慧可), was additionally a awful accomplished aggressive arts expert.[citation needed] There are implications that these aboriginal three Chinese Shaolin monks, Huiguang, Sengchou, and Huike, may accept been aggressive men afore entering the apostolic life.[18]
Shaolin and temple-based aggressive arts
Main article: Shaolin Monastery

The Shaolin actualization of kung fu is admired as one of the aboriginal institutionalized Chinese aggressive arts.[19] The oldest affirmation of Shaolin accord in activity is a brace from 728 CE that attests to two occasions: a aegis of the Shaolin Monastery from bandits about 610 CE, and their consecutive role in the defeat of Wang Shichong at the Battle of Hulao in 621 CE. From the 8th to the 15th centuries, there are no actual abstracts that accommodate affirmation of Shaolin accord in combat.

Between the 16th and 17th centuries, at atomic forty sources abide to accommodate affirmation both that monks of Shaolin accomplished aggressive arts, and that aggressive convenance became an basal aspect of Shaolin apostolic life. The ancient actualization of the frequently cited fable apropos Bodhidharma's declared foundation of Shaolin Kung Fu dates to this period.[20] The agent of this fable has been traced to the Ming period's Yijin Jing or "Muscle Change Classic", a argument accounting in 1624 attributed to Bodhidharma.
Depiction of angry monks demonstrating their abilities to visiting dignitaries (early 19th-century mural in the Shaolin Monastery).

References of aggressive arts convenance in Shaolin arise in assorted arcane genres of the backward Ming: the epitaphs of Shaolin warrior monks, martial-arts manuals, aggressive encyclopedias, actual writings, travelogues, fiction, and poetry. However, these sources do not point out to any specific actualization originated in Shaolin.[21] These sources, in adverse to those from the Tang period, accredit to Shaolin methods of armed combat. These accommodate a ability for which Shaolin monks became famous: the agents (gùn, Cantonese gwan). The Ming Accepted Qi Jiguang included description of Shaolin Quan Fa (Chinese: 少林拳法; Wade–Giles: Shao Lin Ch'üan Fa; lit. 'Shaolin anchor technique'; Japanese: Shorin Kempo) and agents techniques in his book, Ji Xiao Xin Shu (紀效新書), which can construe as New Book Recording Effective Techniques. When this book advance beyond East Asia, it had a abundant access on the development of aggressive arts in regions such as Okinawa[22] and Korea.[23]
Modern history
Further information: Avant-garde history of East Asian aggressive arts
Republican period

Most angry styles that are actuality accomplished as acceptable Chinese aggressive arts today accomplished their acceptance aural the 20th century. Some of these accommodate Baguazhang, Drunken Boxing, Eagle Claw, Five Animals, Xingyi, Hung Gar, Monkey, Bak Mei Pai, Arctic Praying Mantis, Southern Praying Mantis, Fujian White Crane, Jow Ga, Wing Chun and Taijiquan. The access in the acceptance of those styles is a aftereffect of the affecting changes occurring aural the Chinese society.

In 1900–01, the Righteous and Harmonious Fists rose adjoin adopted occupiers and Christian missionaries in China. This insurgence is accepted in the West as the Boxer Apostasy due to the aggressive arts and calisthenics accomplished by the rebels. Empress Dowager Cixi acquired ascendancy of the apostasy and approved to use it adjoin the adopted powers. The abortion of the apostasy led ten years after to the abatement of the Qing Dynasty and the conception of the Chinese Republic.

The present appearance of Chinese aggressive arts is acerb afflicted by the contest of the Republican Aeon (1912–1949). In the alteration aeon amid the abatement of the Qing Dynasty as able-bodied as the agitation of the Japanese aggression and the Chinese Civil War, Chinese aggressive arts became added attainable to the accepted accessible as abounding aggressive artists were encouraged to aboveboard advise their art. At that time, some advised aggressive arts as a agency to advance civic pride and anatomy a able nation. As a result, abounding training manuals (拳谱) were published, a training academy was created, two civic examinations were organized and affirmation teams catholic overseas.[24] Numerous aggressive arts associations were formed throughout China and in assorted across Chinese communities. The Axial Guoshu Academy (Zhongyang Guoshuguan, 中央國術館/中央国术馆) accustomed by the Civic Government in 1928[25] and the Jing Wu Athletic Association (精武體育會/精武体育会) founded by Huo Yuanjia in 1910 are examples of organizations that answer a analytical access for training in Chinese aggressive arts.[26][27][28] A alternation of bigoted and civic competitions were organized by the Republican government starting in 1932 to advance Chinese aggressive arts. In 1936, at the 11th Olympic Games in Berlin, a accumulation of Chinese aggressive artists approved their art to an all-embracing admirers for the aboriginal time.

The appellation kuoshu (or guoshu, 國術 acceptation "national art"), rather than the chatty appellation gongfu was alien by the Kuomintang in an ability to added carefully accessory Chinese aggressive arts with civic pride rather than abandoned accomplishment.
People's Republic
Further information: Wushu (sport) and All-embracing Wushu Federation

Chinese aggressive arts accomplished accelerated all-embracing broadcasting with the end of the Chinese Civil War and the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949. Abounding able-bodied accepted aggressive artists chose to escape from the PRC's aphorism and drift to Taiwan, Hong Kong,[29] and added genitalia of the world. Those masters started to advise aural the across Chinese communities but eventually they broadcast their article to accommodate bodies from added indigenous groups.

Within China, the convenance of acceptable aggressive arts was beat during the agitated years of the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1969–1976).[3] Like abounding added aspects of acceptable Chinese life, aggressive arts were subjected to a abolitionist transformation by the People's Republic of China to adjust them with Maoist advocate doctrine.[3] The PRC answer the committee-regulated activity of Wushu as a backup for absolute schools of aggressive arts. This new antagonism activity was afar from what was apparent as the potentially destructive aegis aspects and ancestors lineages of Chinese aggressive arts.[3]

In 1958, the government accustomed the All-China Wushu Association as an awning alignment to adapt aggressive arts training. The Chinese Accompaniment Commission for Concrete Ability and Sports took the advance in creating connected forms for best of the above arts. During this period, a civic Wushu arrangement that included accepted forms, teaching curriculum, and adviser allocation was established. Wushu was alien at both the aerial academy and university level. The abolishment of acceptable teaching was airy during the Era of Reconstruction (1976–1989), as Communist credo became added all-around to another viewpoints.[30] In 1979, the Accompaniment Commission for Concrete Ability and Sports created a appropriate assignment force to reevaluate the teaching and convenance of Wushu. In 1986, the Chinese Civic Analysis Institute of Wushu was accustomed as the axial ascendancy for the analysis and administering of Wushu activities in the People's Republic of China.[31]

Changing government behavior and attitudes appear sports, in general, led to the closing of the Accompaniment Sports Commission (the axial sports authority) in 1998. This cease is beheld as an attack to partially de-politicize organized sports and move Chinese activity behavior appear a added market-driven approach.[32] As a aftereffect of these alteration sociological factors aural China, both acceptable styles and avant-garde Wushu approaches are actuality answer by the Chinese government.[33]

Chinese aggressive arts are an basal aspect of 20th-century Chinese accepted culture.[34] Wuxia or "martial arts fiction" is a accepted brand that emerged in the aboriginal 20th aeon and ailing in acceptance during the 1960s to 1980s. Wuxia films were produced from the 1920s. The Kuomintang suppressed wuxia, accusing it of announcement superstition and agitated anarchy. Because of this, wuxia came to curl in British Hong Kong, and the brand of kung fu cine in Hong Kong activity cinema became berserk popular, advancing to all-embracing absorption from the 1970s. The brand underwent a desperate abatement in the backward 1990s as the Hong Kong blur industry was ashamed by bread-and-butter depression.

In the deathwatch of Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), there has been somewhat of a awakening of Chinese-produced wuxia films aimed at an all-embracing audience, including Zhang Yimou's Hero (2002), House of Flying Daggers (2004) and Curse of the Golden Flower (2006), as able-bodied as Su Chao-pin and John Woo's Reign of Assassins (2010).
Styles
Main article: Styles of Chinese aggressive arts
See also: List of Chinese aggressive arts
The Yang actualization of taijiquan actuality accomplished on the Bund in Shanghai

China has a continued history of aggressive arts traditions that includes hundreds of altered styles. Over the accomplished two thousand years, abounding characteristic styles accept been developed, anniversary with its own set of techniques and ideas.[35] There are additionally accepted capacity to the altered styles, which are about classified by "families" (家; jiā), "sects" (派; pai) or "schools" (門; men). There are styles that actor movements from animals and others that accumulate afflatus from assorted Chinese philosophies, belief and legends. Some styles put best of their focus into the harnessing of qi, while others apply on competition.

Chinese aggressive arts can be breach into assorted categories to differentiate them: For example, alien (外家拳) and centralized (内家拳).[36] Chinese aggressive arts can additionally be categorized by location, as in arctic (北拳) and southern (南拳) as well, apropos to what allotment of China the styles originated from, afar by the Yangtze River (长江); Chinese aggressive arts may alike be classified according to their arena or city.[24] The capital perceived aberration amid arctic and southern styles is that the arctic styles tend to accent fast and able kicks, aerial all-overs and about aqueous and accelerated movement, while the southern styles focus added on able arm and duke techniques, and stable, adamant stances and fast footwork. Examples of the arctic styles accommodate changquan and xingyiquan. Examples of the southern styles accommodate Bak Mei, Wuzuquan, Choy Li Fut, and Wing Chun. Chinese aggressive arts can additionally be disconnected according to religion, imitative-styles (象形拳), and ancestors styles such as Hung Gar (洪家). There are characteristic differences in the training amid altered groups of the Chinese aggressive arts behindhand of the blazon of classification. However, few accomplished aggressive artists accomplish a bright acumen amid centralized and alien styles, or subscribe to the abstraction of arctic systems actuality predominantly kick-based and southern systems relying added heavily on upper-body techniques. Best styles accommodate both adamantine and bendable elements, behindhand of their centralized nomenclature. Analyzing the aberration in accordance with yin and yang principles, philosophers would advance that the absence of either one would cede the practitioner's abilities asymmetric or deficient, as yin and yang abandoned are anniversary alone bisected of a whole. If such differences did already exist, they accept back been blurred.
Training

Chinese aggressive arts training consists of the afterward components: basics, forms, applications and weapons; altered styles abode capricious accent on anniversary component.[37] In addition, philosophy, belief and alike medical practice[38] are awful admired by best Chinese aggressive arts. A complete training arrangement should additionally accommodate acumen into Chinese attitudes and culture.[39]
Basics

The Basics (基本功) are a basal allotment of any aggressive training, as a apprentice cannot advance to the added avant-garde stages after them. Basics are usually fabricated up of abecedarian techniques, conditioning exercises, including stances. Basal training may absorb simple movements that are performed repeatedly; added examples of basal training are stretching, meditation, striking, throwing, or jumping. After able and adjustable muscles, administration of Qi or breath, and able anatomy mechanics, it is absurd for a apprentice to advance in the Chinese aggressive arts.[40][41] A accepted adage apropos basal training in Chinese aggressive arts is as follows:[42]

    内外相合，外重手眼身法步，内修心神意氣力。

Which translates as:

    Train both Centralized and External. Alien training includes the hands, the eyes, the anatomy and stances. Centralized training includes the heart, the spirit, the mind, breath and strength.

Stances

Stances (steps or 步法) are structural postures active in Chinese aggressive arts training.[43][44][self-published source?] They represent the foundation and the anatomy of a fighter's base. Anniversary actualization has altered names and variations for anniversary stance. Stances may be differentiated by bottom position, weight distribution, anatomy alignment, etc. Attitude training can be accomplished statically, the ambition of which is to advance the anatomy of the attitude through a set time period, or dynamically, in which case a alternation of movements is performed repeatedly. The Horse attitude (骑马步/马步; qí mǎ bù/mǎ bù) and the bow attitude are examples of stances begin in abounding styles of Chinese aggressive arts.
Meditation
In abounding Chinese aggressive arts, brainwork is advised to be an important basal of basal training. Brainwork can be acclimated to advance focus, brainy accuracy and can act as a base for qigong training.

Use of qi
Main article: Qigong

The abstraction of qi or ch'i (氣/气) is encountered in a cardinal of Chinese aggressive arts. Qi is abnormally authentic as an close activity or "life force" that is said to breath alive beings; as a appellation for able ashen alignment and able use of anchor (sometimes additionally accepted as fa jin or jin); or as a autograph for concepts that the aggressive arts apprentice adeptness not yet be accessible to accept in full. These meanings are not necessarily mutually exclusive.[note 1] The actuality of qi as a assessable anatomy of activity as discussed in acceptable Chinese anesthetic has no abject in the accurate compassionate of physics, medicine, analysis or animal physiology.[47]

There are abounding account apropos the ascendancy of one's qi activity to such an admeasurement that it can be acclimated for healing oneself or others.[48] Some styles accept in absorption qi into a distinct point aback advancing and aim at specific areas of the animal body. Such techniques are accepted as dim mak and accept attempt that are agnate to acupressure.[49]
Weapons training
Further information: Chinese swordsmanship

Most Chinese styles additionally accomplish use of training in the ample armory of Chinese weapons for conditioning the anatomy as able-bodied as allocation and activity drills.[50] Weapons training (器械; qìxiè) is about agitated out afterwards the apprentice becomes accomplished with the basal forms and applications training. The basal approach for weapons training is to accede the weapon as an addendum of the body. It has the aforementioned requirements for able and anatomy allocation as the basics.[51] The activity of weapon training accretion with forms, forms with ally and again applications. Best systems accept training methods for anniversary of the Eighteen Arms of Wushu(十八般兵器; shíbābānbīngqì) in accession to specialized instruments specific to the system.
Application
Main article: Lei tai
See also: Sanshou and Shuai jiao

Application refers to the activated use of antagonistic techniques. Chinese aggressive arts techniques are alluringly based on adeptness and effectiveness.[52][53] Appliance includes non-compliant drills, such as Pushing Easily in abounding centralized aggressive arts, and sparring, which occurs aural a array of acquaintance levels and aphorism sets.

When and how applications are accomplished varies from appearance to style. Today, abounding styles activate to advise new acceptance by absorption on contest in which anniversary apprentice knows a assigned ambit of activity and address to assignment on. These drills are about semi-compliant, acceptation one apprentice does not activity alive attrition to a technique, in adjustment to acquiesce its demonstrative, apple-pie execution. In added afraid drills, beneath rules apply, and acceptance convenance how to acknowledge and respond. 'Sparring' refers to the best important aspect of appliance training, which simulates a activity bearings while including rules that abate the adventitious of austere injury.

Competitive activity disciplines accommodate Chinese kickboxing Sǎnshǒu (散手) and Chinese folk angry Shuāijiāo (摔跤), which were commonly contested on a aloft belvedere amphitheatre Lèitái (擂台).[54] Lèitái represents accessible claiming matches that aboriginal appeared in the Song Dynasty. The cold for those contests was to beating the adversary from a aloft belvedere by any agency necessary. San Shou represents the avant-garde development of Lei Tai contests, but with rules in abode to abate the adventitious of austere injury. Abounding Chinese aggressive art schools advise or assignment aural the aphorism sets of Sanshou, alive to absorb the movements, characteristics, and approach of their style.[55] Chinese aggressive artists additionally attempt in non-Chinese or alloyed Activity sport, including boxing, kickboxing and Alloyed aggressive arts.
Forms
Further information: anatomy (martial arts)

Forms or taolu (Chinese: 套路; pinyin: tàolù) in Chinese are alternation of agreed movements accumulated so they can be accomplished as a connected set of movements. Forms were originally advised to bottle the birth of a accurate appearance branch, and were about accomplished to avant-garde acceptance alleged for that purpose. Forms independent both literal, adumbrative and exercise-oriented forms of applicative techniques that acceptance could extract, test, and alternation in through activity sessions.[56]

Today, abounding accede taolu to be one of the best important practices in Chinese aggressive arts. Traditionally, they played a abate role in training for activity appliance and took a aback bench to sparring, drilling, and conditioning. Forms gradually anatomy up a practitioner's flexibility, centralized and alien strength, acceleration and stamina, and they advise antithesis and coordination. Abounding styles accommodate forms that use weapons of assorted lengths and types, appliance one or two hands. Some styles focus on a assertive blazon of weapon. Forms are meant to be both practical, usable, and applicative as able-bodied as to advance aqueous motion, meditation, flexibility, balance, and coordination. Teachers are about heard to say "train your anatomy as if you were activity and batten as if it were a form."

There are two accepted types of taolu in Chinese aggressive arts. Best accepted are abandoned forms performed by a distinct student. There are additionally activity forms — choreographed angry sets performed by two or added people. Activity forms were advised both to accustom alpha fighters with basal measures and concepts of activity and to serve as achievement pieces for the school. Weapons-based activity forms are abnormally advantageous for teaching acceptance the extension, range, and address appropriate to administer a weapon.
Forms in Acceptable Chinese Aggressive Arts
   
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The appellation taolu (套路) is a beneath adaptation of Tao Lu Yun Dong (套路運動), an announcement alien abandoned afresh with the acceptance of avant-garde wushu. This announcement refers to "exercise sets" and acclimated in the ambience of contest or sport.

In contrast, in acceptable Chinese aggressive arts another terminologies for the training (練) of 'sets or forms are:

    lian quan tao (練拳套) – practicing a arrangement of fists.
    lian quan jiao (練拳腳) – practicing fists and feet.
    lian bing qi (練兵器) – practicing weapons.
    dui da (對打) and dui lian (對練) – angry sets.

Traditional "sparring" sets, alleged dui da (對打) or dui lian (對練), were an basic allotment of Chinese aggressive arts for centuries. Dui lian means, to alternation by a brace of combatants opposing anniversary other—the appearance lian (練), refers to practice; to train; to absolute one's skill; to drill. As well, about one of these agreement are additionally included in the name of angry sets (雙演; shuang yan), "paired practice" (掙勝; zheng sheng), "to attempt with backbone for victory" (敵; di), bout – the appearance suggests to bang an enemy; and "to break" (破; po).

Generally, there are 21, 18, 12, 9 or 5 drills or 'exchanges/groupings' of attacks and counterattacks, in anniversary dui lian set. These drills were advised abandoned all-encompassing patterns and never meant to be advised adamant 'tricks'. Acceptance accomplished abate parts/exchanges, abandoned with opponents switching abandon in a connected flow. Dui lian were not abandoned adult and able methods of casual on the angry adeptness of the earlier generation, but they were additionally basic and able training methods. The accord amid distinct sets and acquaintance sets is complicated, in that some abilities cannot be developed with abandoned 'sets', and, conversely, with dui lian. Unfortunately, it appears that best acceptable activity aggressive dui lian and their training alignment accept disappeared, abnormally those apropos weapons. There are several affidavit for this. In avant-garde Chinese aggressive arts, best of the dui lian are contempo inventions advised for ablaze backdrop akin weapons, with assurance and ball in mind. The role of this affectionate of training has breakable to the point of actuality abortive in a activated sense, and, at best, is aloof performance.

By the aboriginal Song period, sets were not so abundant "individual abandoned address strung together" but rather were composed of techniques and adverse address groupings. It is absolutely bright that "sets" and "fighting (two-person) sets" accept been active in TCM for abounding hundreds of years—even afore the Song Dynasty. There are images of two-person weapon training in Chinese bean painting activity aback at atomic to the Eastern Han Dynasty.

According to what has been anesthetized on by the earlier generations, the almost arrangement of acquaintance sets to distinct sets was about 1:3. In added words, about 30% of the 'sets' accomplished at Shaolin were acquaintance sets, dui lian, and two-person assignment training. This arrangement is, in part, apparent by the Qing Dynasty mural at Shaolin.

For best of its history, Shaolin aggressive arts was mostly weapon-focused: staves were acclimated to avert the monastery, not bald hands. Even the added contempo aggressive exploits of Shaolin during the Ming and Qing Dynasties circuitous weapons. According to some traditions, monks aboriginal advised basics for one year and were again accomplished agents angry so that they could assure the monastery. Although angry has been as activity in China for centuries, weapons accept been an basic allotment of Chinese wushu aback age-old times. If one wants to allocution about contempo or 'modern' developments in Chinese aggressive arts (including Shaolin for that matter), it is the over-emphasis on bald duke fighting. During the Northern Song Dynasty (976- 997 A.D) aback belvedere angry is accepted as Da Laitai (Title Fights Claiming on Platform) aboriginal appeared, these fights were with abandoned swords and staves. Although later, aback bald duke fights appeared as well, it was the weapons contest that became the best famous. These open-ring competitions had regulations and organized by government organizations; the accessible additionally organized some. The government competitions, captivated in the basic and prefectures, resulted in accessories for winners, to aggressive posts.
Practice forms vs. kung fu in combat

Even admitting forms in Chinese aggressive arts are advised to characterize astute aggressive techniques, the movements are not consistently identical to how techniques would be activated in combat. Abounding forms accept been abundant upon, on the one hand, to accommodate bigger activity preparedness, and on the added duke to attending added aesthetically pleasing. One appearance of this addiction against addition above activity appliance is the use of lower stances and higher, addition kicks. These two assignment are unrealistic in activity and are acclimated in forms for exercise purposes.[57] Abounding avant-garde schools accept replaced activated aegis or breach movements with acrobatic feats that are added amazing to watch, thereby accepting favor during exhibitions and competitions.[note 2] This has led to criticisms by traditionalists of the endorsement of the added acrobatic, show-oriented Wushu competition.[58] Historically forms were about performed for ball purposes connected afore the appearance of avant-garde Wushu as practitioners accept looked for added assets by assuming on the streets or in theaters. Documentation in age-old abstract during the Tang Dynasty (618–907) and the Northern Song Dynasty (960–1279) suggests some sets, (including two + actuality sets: dui da additionally alleged dui lian) became absolute busy and 'flowery', abounding mainly anxious with aesthetics. During this time, some aggressive arts systems devolved to the point that they became accepted forms of aggressive art storytelling ball shows. This created an absolute class of aggressive arts accepted as Hua Fa Wuyi. During the Northern Song period, it was acclaimed by historians this blazon of training had a abrogating access on training in the military.

Many acceptable Chinese aggressive artists, as able-bodied as practitioners of avant-garde activity combat, accept become analytical of the acumen that forms assignment is added accordant to the art than activity and assignment application, while best abide to see acceptable forms convenance aural the acceptable context—as basic to both able activity execution, the Shaolin artful as an art form, as able-bodied as advancement the attentive activity of the concrete art form.[59]

Another acumen why techniques about arise altered in forms aback assorted with activity appliance is anticipation by some to appear from the beard of the absolute functions of the techniques from outsiders.[60][self-published source?]

Forms convenance is mostly accepted for teaching activity techniques yet aback practicing forms, the practitioner focuses on posture, breathing, and assuming the techniques of both appropriate and larboard abandon of the body. [61]
Wushu
Modern forms are acclimated in the activity of wushu, as apparent in this agents routine
See also: Wushu (sport)

The chat wu (武; wǔ) agency ‘martial’. Its Chinese appearance is fabricated of two parts; the aboriginal acceptation “walk” or “stop” (止; zhǐ) and the additional acceptation “lance” (戈; gē). This implies that “wu’ 武,” is a arresting use of combat.[dubious – discuss] The appellation “wushu 武術” acceptation 'martial arts' goes aback as far as the Liang Dynasty (502-557) in an anthology aggregate by Xiao Tong (蕭通), (Prince Zhaoming; 昭明太子 d. 531), alleged Alleged Abstract (文選; Wénxuǎn). The appellation is begin in the additional ballad of a composition by Yan Yanzhi titled: 皇太子釋奠會作詩 "Huang Taizi Shidian Hui Zuoshi".

    "The abundant man grows the abounding countless things . . .

    Breaking abroad from the aggressive arts,

    He promotes absolutely the cultural mandates."

    (Translation from: Echoes of the Past by Yan Yanzhi (384–456))

The appellation wushu is additionally begin in a composition by Cheng Shao (1626–1644) from the Ming Dynasty.

The ancient appellation for 'martial arts' can be begin in the Han History (206BC-23AD) was "military angry techniques" (兵技巧; bīng jìqiǎo). During the Song aeon (c.960) the name afflicted to "martial arts" (武艺; wǔyì). In 1928 the name was afflicted to "national arts" (国术; guóshù) aback the National Aggressive Arts Academy was accustomed in Nanjing. The appellation changed to wǔshù beneath the People's Republic of China during the aboriginal 1950s.

As forms accept developed in complication and abundance over the years, and abounding forms abandoned could be accomplished for a lifetime, avant-garde styles of Chinese aggressive arts accept developed that apply alone on forms, and do not convenance appliance at all. These styles are primarily aimed at exhibition and competition, and about accommodate added acrobatic all-overs and movements added for added beheld effect[62] compared to the acceptable styles. Those who about adopt to convenance acceptable styles, focused beneath on exhibition, are about referred to as traditionalists. Some traditionalists accede the antagonism forms of today's Chinese aggressive arts as too commercialized and accident abundant of their aboriginal values.[63][64]
"Martial morality"

Traditional Chinese schools of aggressive arts, such as the acclaimed Shaolin monks, about dealt with the abstraction of aggressive arts not aloof as a agency of aegis or brainy training, but as a arrangement of ethics.[39][65] Wude (武 德) can be translated as "martial morality" and is complete from the words wu (武), which agency martial, and de (德), which agency morality. Wude deals with two aspects; "Virtue of deed" and "Virtue of mind". Virtue of accomplishment apropos amusing relations; chastity of apperception is meant to breed the close accord amid the affecting apperception (心; Xin) and the acumen apperception (慧; Hui). The ultimate ambition is all-encompassing "no extremity" (無 極; Wuji) – carefully accompanying to the Taoist abstraction of wu wei – area both acumen and affections are in accord with anniversary other.

Virtues:
Deed Abstraction     Name     Traditional Chinese     Simplified Chinese     Pinyin romanization     Yale Cantonese Romanization
Humility     Qian     謙     谦     qiān     hīm
Virtue     Cheng     誠     诚     chéng     sìhng
Respect     Li     禮     礼     lǐ     láih
Morality     Yi     義     义     yì     yih
Trust     Xin     信     xìn     seun
Mind Abstraction     Name     Chinese     Pinyin romanization     Yale Cantonese Romanization
Courage     Yong     勇     yǒng     yúhng
Patience     Ren     忍     rěn     yán
Endurance     Heng     恒     héng     hàhng
Perseverance     Yi     毅     yì     ngaih
Will     Zhi     志     zhì     ji
Notable practitioners
See also: Category:Chinese aggressive artists and Category:Wushu practitioners

Examples of acclaimed practitioners (武术名师) throughout history:

    Yue Fei (1103–1142 CE) was a acclaimed Chinese accepted and patriot of the Song Dynasty. Styles such as Eagle Claw and Xingyiquan aspect their conception to Yue. However, there is no actual affirmation to abutment the affirmation he created these styles.
    Ng Mui (late 17th century) was the allegorical changeable architect of abounding Southern aggressive arts such as Wing Chun, and Fujian White Crane. She is about advised one of the allegorical Five Elders who survived the abolition of the Shaolin Temple during the Qing Dynasty.
    Yang Luchan (1799–1872) was an important abecedary of the centralized aggressive art accepted as t'ai chi ch'uan in Beijing during the additional bisected of the 19th century. Yang is accepted as the architect of Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan, as able-bodied as transmitting the art to the Wu/Hao, Wu and Sun t'ai chi families.
    Ten Tigers of Canton (late 19th century) was a accumulation of ten of the top Chinese aggressive arts masters in Guangdong (Canton) appear the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912). Wong Kei-Ying, Wong Fei Hung's father, was a affiliate of this group.
    Wong Fei Hung (1847–1924) was advised a Chinese folk hero during the Republican period. Added than one hundred Hong Kong movies were fabricated about his life. Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li accept all portrayed his appearance in blockbuster pictures.
    Huo Yuanjia (1867–1910) was the architect of Chin Woo Athletic Association who was accepted for his awful publicized matches with foreigners. His adventures was afresh portrayed in the cine Fearless (2006).
    Ip Man (1893–1972) was a adept of the Wing Chun and the aboriginal to advise this appearance openly. Yip Man was the abecedary of Bruce Lee. Best above branches of Wing Chun accomplished in the West today were developed and answer by acceptance of Yip Man.
    Gu Ruzhang (1894–1952) was a Chinese aggressive artisan who broadcast the Bak Siu Lum (Northern Shaolin) aggressive arts arrangement above southern China in the aboriginal 20th century. Gu was accepted for his adeptness in Iron Palm duke conditioning amid added Chinese aggressive art training exercises.
    Bruce Lee (1940–1973) was a Chinese-American aggressive artisan and amateur who was advised an important amount in the 20th century.[66] He accomplished Wing Chun and fabricated it famous. Appliance Wing Chun as his abject and acquirements from the influences of added aggressive arts his acquaintance apparent him to, he afterwards developed his own aggressive arts aesthetics that acquired into what is now alleged Jeet Kune Do.
    Jackie Chan (b. 1954) is the acclaimed Hong Kong aggressive artist, blur actor, stuntman, activity choreographer, administrator and producer, and a all-around pop adeptness icon, broadly accepted for injecting concrete ball into his aggressive arts performances, and for assuming circuitous stunts in abounding of his films.
    Jet Li (b. 1963) is the five-time activity wushu best of China, afterwards demonstrating his abilities in cinema.
    Donnie Yen (b. 1963) is a Hong Kong actor, aggressive artist, blur administrator and producer, activity choreographer, and apple wushu clash medalist.
    Wu Jing (b. 1974) is a Chinese actor, director, and aggressive artist. He was a affiliate of the Beijing wushu team. He started his career as activity choreographer and afterwards as an actor.

In accepted culture

References to the concepts and use of Chinese aggressive arts can be begin in accepted culture. Historically, the access of Chinese aggressive arts can be begin in books and in the achievement arts specific to Asia.[67] Recently, those influences accept connected to the movies and television that targets a abundant added audience. As a result, Chinese aggressive arts accept advance above its indigenous roots and accept a all-around appeal.[68][69]

Martial arts comedy a arresting role in the abstract brand accepted as wuxia (武俠小說). This blazon of fiction is based on Chinese concepts of chivalry, a abstracted aggressive arts association (武林; Wulin) and a axial affair involving aggressive arts.[70] Wuxia belief can be traced as far aback as 2nd and 3rd aeon BCE, acceptable accepted by the Tang Dynasty and evolving into atypical anatomy by the Ming Dynasty. This brand is still acutely accepted in abundant of Asia[71] and provides a above access for the accessible acumen of the aggressive arts.

Martial arts influences can additionally be begin in dance, amphitheater [72] and abnormally Chinese opera, of which Beijing opera is one of the best-known examples. This accepted anatomy of ball dates aback to the Tang Dynasty and continues to be an archetype of Chinese culture. Some aggressive arts movements can be begin in Chinese opera and some aggressive artists can be begin as performers in Chinese operas.[73]

In avant-garde times, Chinese aggressive arts accept spawned the brand of cinema accepted as the Kung fu film. The films of Bruce Lee were active in the antecedent access of Chinese aggressive arts' acceptance in the West in the 1970s.[74] Bruce Lee was the iconic all-embracing superstar that affected Chinese aggressive arts in the West with his own aberration of Chinese aggressive arts alleged Jeet Kune Do. It is a amalgam appearance of aggressive art that Bruce Lee accomplished and mastered. Jeet Kune Do is his absolute own different appearance of aggressive art that uses little to minimum movement but maximizes the aftereffect to his opponents. The access of Chinese aggressive art accept been broadly accustomed and accept a all-around address in Western cinemas starting off with Bruce Lee.

Martial artists and actors such as Jet Li and Jackie Chan accept connected the address of movies of this genre. Jackie Chan auspiciously brought in a faculty of humour in his angry appearance in his movies. Aggressive arts films from China are about referred to as "kung fu movies" (功夫片), or "wire-fu" if all-encompassing wire assignment is performed for appropriate effects, and are still best accepted as allotment of the attitude of kung fu theater. (see also: wuxia, Hong Kong activity cinema). The aptitude of these individuals accept broadened Hong Kong's cinematography assembly and rose to acceptance overseas, influencing Western cinemas.

In the west, kung fu has become a approved activity staple, and makes appearances in abounding films that would not about be advised "Martial Arts" films. These films accommodate but are not bound to The Matrix Trilogy, Kill Bill, and The Transporter.

Martial arts capacity can additionally be begin on television networks. A U.S. arrangement TV western alternation of the aboriginal 1970s alleged Kung Fu additionally served to popularize the Chinese aggressive arts on television. With 60 episodes over a three-year span, it was one of the aboriginal North American TV shows that approved to back the aesthetics and convenance in Chinese aggressive arts.[75][76] The use of Chinese aggressive arts techniques can now be begin in best TV activity series, although the aesthetics of Chinese aggressive arts is hardly portrayed in depth.
Influence on Hip Hop

In the 1970s, Bruce Lee was alpha to accretion acceptance in Hollywood for his aggressive arts movies. The actuality that he was a non-white macho who portrayed aggressiveness and angelic abstemiousness resonated with atramentous audiences and fabricated him an important amount in this community.[77] Around 1973, Kung Fu movies became a hit in America above all backgrounds; however, atramentous audiences maintained the films’ acceptance able-bodied afterwards the accepted accessible absent interest. Urban adolescence in New York City were still activity from every apple to Time Square every night to watch the latest movies.[78] Amongst these individuals were those advancing from the Bronx where, during this time, hip-hop was alpha to booty form. One of the antecedents amenable for the development of the basal aspects of hip-hop was DJ Kool Herc, who began creating this new anatomy of music by demography adroit breakdowns of songs and looping them. From the new music came a new anatomy of ball accepted as b-boying or breakdancing, a appearance of artery ball consisting of improvised acrobatic moves. The antecedents of this ball acclaim kung fu as one of its influences. Moves such as the abject low leg ambit and “up rocking” (standing activity moves) are afflicted by choreographed kung-fu fights.[79] The dancers’ adeptness to ad-lib these moves led way to battles, which were ball competitions amid two dancers or crews advised on their creativity, skills, and musicality. In a documentary, Crazy Legs, a affiliate of breakdancing accumulation Rock Steady Crew, declared the breakdancing activity actuality like an old kung fu movie, “where the one kung fu adept says article forth the curve of ‘hun your kung fu is good, but abundance is better,’ again a activity erupts.” [79]

Hip hop accumulation Wu Tang Clan were acutely afflicted by kung fu cinema. The name "Wu Tang" itself is a advertence to the 1983 blur Shaolin and Wu Tang. Subsequent albums by the accumulation (especially their admission anthology Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)) are affluent with references to kung fu films of the 1970s and 1980s, which accumulation associates grew up watching. Several accumulation associates (Ghostface Killah, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, and Masta Killa) had additionally taken their date names from kung fu cinema. Several music videos, promotional photos, etc. affection accumulation associates assuming or agreeable with kung fu regalia and activity sequences.