Chinese Kung Fu
Chinese Kung Fu is a commonly used term for all the martial arts styles in China. In fact, Wushu is the correct traditional term to use to describe Chinese Martial Arts. The word Kung Fu was first used by a western Jesuit Missionary named Pere Amoit after witnessing exercises and training regimen in China. He called it "Cong Fou" in his personal journals. (he probably confused the Chinese descriptive words, Kung Fu, meaning expert or skilled as a result of dedicated training, thinking that it was the name of the martial art he was observing. Literally, the term kung fu can be applied to the description of the work of an expert in any field, like a skilled painter, a master chef or a craftsman wood carver.)
The term "Kuo-Shu" was popular in China until about 1930. This term has since been popularized by Taiwan to describe Chinese Martial Arts.
Kung Fu describes numerous forms of External and Internal styles including those using bare hands or weapons. Generally speaking, they are divided into two schools: the South school and the North school.
The North school originated from Shaolin Temple, the Holy Land of Buddhism, and is called the Shaolin Sect, with its boxing called Waijiaquan. The South school originated from Wudang Mountain, the Holy Land of Taoism, and is called the Wudang Sect, with its boxing called Neijiaquan. Thus Wudang and Shaolin are recognised as the two main and important sects of Chinese martial artsas they have been practiced in China for thousands of years. Some of the well known external styles are Shaolinquan, Changquan, Hongquan and Fanziquan, while some well known internal styles are Taichi, Bagua, Xingyi and Water Style. With the promotion of Chinese movies and expansion of Opening and Reforming Policy in China, Kung Fu has become a popular international sport that all people can learn and use to attain its inherent benefits. Aside from a method of self-defense, Kung Fu has been developed into a sport capable of improving a participant's health and fitness; improving their reaction time, jumping ability, balance, flexibility, coordination, power and speed. Even athletes for other sports are taking up Kung Fu training to complement their physical pursuits and to improve the quality of their performance.
Recently, Chinese Kung Fu has been modernized. Training and competing standard systems have been set up. Complementing its fighting function, Kung Fu has become a more athletic and aesthetic performance and competitive sport. Perhaps more than any other practitioner, Bruce Lee opened the eyes of the Western world to the fascinating practices of Chinese martial arts; now the worldwide followers of the various related disciplines number in the millions.
Consequently more and more foreigners are travelling to China to learn the mysteries of Kung Fu, so in order to promote Kung Fu internationally, China Zhengzhou International Shaolin Kung Fu Festival will be held twice annually.
Recommended Tour: 13 Days Chinese Kung Fu Tour to Shaolin Temple and Wudang Mountain
(Destination: Beijing-Zhengzhou-Dengfeng Shaolin Temple-Luoyang-Xian-Wudang Mountain-Wuhan-Shanghai)
Top 10 Kung Fu Hometowns in China
Chinese Kung Fu is a commonly used term for all the martial arts styles in China. It is a combination of different styles and techniques. Developing over centuries, Kung Fu well integrated with strength, elegance and philosophy. It becomes an important part of the traditional culture in China. Nowadays, Kung Fu is not just famous in china. It is also very popular throughout the world. Kung Fu now is one of the symbols of Chinese Culture. Here list you China's top ten hometowns of Chinese Kung Fu... More
Original of Chang Chuan Chang Chuan, also know as Long Chuan or Tai Zhu Chuan, is one of the classic Shaolin Kung Fu Styles. It is said that Chang Chuan was created by Zhao Kuang Yin, who is know as Song Tai Zhu, the first emperor of Song Dynasty (960-1279). As Zhao Kuan Yin once learned Kung Fu in the Shaolin Temple, and was renowned for his staff-fighting skills during the wars. People called the Kung Fu style he taught as “Zhang Chuan”, which had the m... More
Mantis Fist, or Tanglang Chuan, is one of the most famous traditional Kung Fu style in China. It is a kind of pictographic boxing, and also one of the four most famous fist form style in Shandong. Mantis Boxing was the cohesion of the advantages of a lot of martial schools in the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. Origin of Mantis Fist Mantis Fist was created by Wang Lang during the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty, with a history of more than 300 years. It is said that Wang... More
The origin of Bagua Palm Bagua Palm, also known as Youshen Bagua Palm or Bagua Lianghuang Palm, is a fist form style emphasizing on the variety of palm techniques and movements. As the movements of the fist form style can be divided in to 8 directions which is similar to the Eight Trigrams of Zhou Yi, hence the name. Bagua palm was created by Dong Haichuan, who lived in Wen An County of Hebei Province, in Qing Dynasty (1797-1882AD). With inspiration form the “Yi” th... More
Wing Chun Chuan, or Wing Tsun, is one of the middle south fists form kung fu style in China. Wing Chun Chuan has a history of about 250-300 years. The origin of Wing Chun Chuan For the origin of the style, there are three main kinds of view. Some said it was created by Yan Shanniang, who lived in Wing Chun County (Yong Chun County), and hence the name. It is one of the most popular fist form style of Shaolin Kung Fu branch, which also has developed well in Europe. Some said it ... More
Zui Chuan, or Drunkard Chuan, is a kind of fist form style imitating drunkard’s movements. The movements of the fist looks like drunkard who can not walk straight and go swaying. To practice this fist does not need you drunk a lot. It is just the gesture and movement, the people is still sober. The origin of the Zui Chuan Generally, it is considered as a fist style created in movies. The real origin of Zui Chuan is still remained to be proven. But there are many Chinese ... More
Shaolin Kung Fu emphasizes Ch'an Buddhism. Ch'an derives its name from the Indian word Dhyana, which simply means 'Meditation'. Dhyanna was an Indian form of Buddhist meditation stressing sitting meditation and other forms of meditation to help bring about enlightenment in its practitioners. Dhyanna is essentially meditation practice, as part of Buddhist practice. Indian martial techniques and exercises predate their counterparts in China, just as Indian Buddhism and Dhyanna medit... More
Mysterious and wondrous, Qigong is an outstanding legacy of Chinese culture as well as an important part of traditional Chinese medicine. As a form of traditional breathing exercise, Qigong has been practiced by the Chinese for thousand of years. Literally, qi means air or breath, in fact, it refers to the body's physiology functions. Qingong experts call it the internal qi or datian qi which generate life. In ancient Chinese cosmology, qi is closely tied in with spirit as distinguished from phy... More
Today if you take an early morning walk in the cities or towns of China, you'll see people practicing Tai Chi Chuan in parks, on the sidewalks and open-air areas. Why it is so deeply loved and widely practiced by Chinese people? Let's find out. Tai Chi meaning the great ultimate, one of the essential concepts of the ancient Chinese philosophy on the world system, first appeared in the Book of Change. Where there is Taichi, there is peace and harmony between the positive and the negative... More
Kungfu means arsenal the 'Eighteen Arms' in ancient China but there is many more in use. Almost all fights are accompanied by weapon usage of one kind or another. The combination of fist fights and weapon usage allows for a fuller and more efficient application of Kungfu skills while sharpening the insight of combat and control and enriching the program of Kungfu exercise. The combination of offence and defense is the essence of Kungfu. Implications of offence and defense permeate the comple... More
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