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Transcript

The Origin

of

Chinese

Martial Arts

by

Rebecca Whalen

  • likely began long before history
  • discovered or created in conflict between humans, other humans and animals
  • experiences accumulated and techniques discovered, then passed down

Through the Dynasties

509 BCE

  • Confucius suggested that people practice the literary arts as well as the martial arts
  • kung fu began to be practiced by ordinary citizens

Tang Dynasty: descriptions of sword dances were immortalized in poems by Li Bai.

  • expanding purpose from self-defense to health maintenance and a method of self-cultivation

Song and Yuan Dynasties: xiangpu (the earliest form of sumo) contests were sponsored by the imperial courts.

  • can be found in poetry, fiction
  • Chinese martial arts are now an integral element of Chinese culture.

Ming and Qing Dynasties: modern concepts of wushu were fully developed.

  • Descriptions of Chinese martial arts can be traced to the Xia Dynasty
  • self-defense needs, hunting activities and military training in ancient China
  • incorporate different philosophies and ideas into its practice
  • According to tradition, the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi in 2698 BCE) introduced the earliest forms of martial arts to China
  • wrote lengthy essays on the martial arts.

Shǒubó kung fu [practiced during the Shang dynasty (1766–1066 BCE)], and Xiang Bo (from the 600s BCE), are just two examples of ancient Chinese kung fu

The present view of Chinese martial arts is strongly influenced by the events of the Republican Period (1912–1949).

Chinese martial arts became more accessible to the general public as many martial artists were encouraged to openly teach their art.

Some considered martial arts as a means to promote national pride and build a strong nation.

A series of provincial and national competitions were organized by the Republican government starting in 1932 to promote Chinese martial arts.

In 1936, at the 11th Olympic Games in Berlin, a group of Chinese martial artists demonstrated their art to an international audience for the first time. Eventually, those events lead to the popular view of martial arts as a sport.

Globalization

Chinese martial arts started to spread internationally with the end of the Chinese Civil War and the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Many well known martial art practitioners chose to escape from the PRC and migrate to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other parts of the world. Those masters started to teach within the overseas Chinese communities but eventually they expanded their teachings to include people from other cultures.

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