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WHAT IS KUNG FU / WUSHU ?

(a simplified explanation)

In the West, Chinese Martial Arts is known as Kung Fu.

Kung means Skill and Fu means Great.

In China, Martial Arts are called Wu Shu.

“Wu” can translate as “Martial” - ”Shu” as “Art”.

Wushu has a history dating back over two thousand years. It encompasses attacking and defensive movements. It includes amongst many hundreds of styles such as:-

The External Martial Art Styles of:

Chang quan (long fist), Nanquan (southern fist), Zha quan (Moslem fist).

The Internal Martial Art Styles of:

Taijiquan (supreme ultimate fist), Hsingiquan (mind fist), Baquaquan (eight directions fist).

As well as Weapons, for example: Sword, Broadsword, Staff, Spear, Three sectioned staff etc.

Wushu is an art form because of the profundity and beauty of the postures and movements, the skill involved in performing them and the deep philosophical thoughts that permeate both the history and practice of it.

Wushu can be practised for:

HEALTH: Regular practice will promote Physical fitness, cardio vascular fitness,increased flexibility, strength, balance co-ordination, a calmness, increased feeling of self worth etc

SPORT: Competitions to perform routines or Sparring

COMBAT: Applications of routines, striking, locking, grappling, groundwork,self defence etc.

Wushu should be studied in the light of modern science, in as much, it is closely associated with the physiology of exercise, sports-medicine, bio-mechanics, ethics and aesthetics. It incorporates everything from meditation, health exercises, external forms (fast moves learned in sequences), martial applications through to full contact fighting.

Descriptions of Chinese martial arts can be traced to the Xia Dynasty which existed more than 4000 years ago. Their origin is attributed to self defence needs, hunting activities and military training in ancient china. Hand to hand combat and weapons practice were important components in the training of Chinese soldiers. From this beginning, Chinese martial arts proceeded to incorporate different philosophies and ideas into its practice—expanding its purpose from self-defense to health maintenance and finally as method of self-cultivation. The influence of martial ideals in civilian society spread into poetry, fiction, and eventually film.

Kung fu and Wushu are popular terms that have become synonymous with Chinese Martial Arts However, the Chinese terms Kung Fu (Pinyin: gông fû ) and wushu have very different meanings. The Chinese literal equivalent of "Chinese martial art" would be zhôngguó wǔshù.

In Chinese, kung fu can be used in contexts completely unrelated to martial arts, and refers colloquially to any individual accomplishment or skill cultivated through long and hard work. In contrast, wushu is a more precise term for general martial activities.

Wǔshù literally means "martial art". It is written with two Chinese characters, wǔ, meaning, "martial" or "military", and shù, which translates into discipline, skill, or method.

The term wushu has also become the name for a modern sport involving the performance of adapted Chinese bare-handed and weapons forms judged to a set of contemporary aesthetic criteria for points.

Five animals of Kung Fu

Tiger, Crane, Leopard, Snake, Dragon

In the Chinese martial arts, imagery of the Five Animals —Tiger, Crane, Leopard, Snake, Dragon—appears predominantly in southern Styles. The Five Animal martial arts supposedly originated from the Henan Shaolin Temple which is the north of China, even though imagery of these particular five animals as a distinct set (i.e. in the absence of other animals such as the horse or the monkey as in Tai Chi Chuan) is rare in Northern Wushu

Master McLinney’s Wushu Syllabus is based upon standardised genuine Kung Fu routines as practised in the Peoples Republic of China Wushu Syllabus. It consists of several styles plus many routines including Changquan, Nanquan, Zhaquan, Shaolinquan, Sword routines, Competition routines, Combat routines etc. The aim of White Tiger Wushu is to benefit the health and fighting ability of its members and encourage them to fulfil their potential as responsible human beings

Beginners Welcome