Chinese+Martial+Arts

Kung-Fu (also widely known as WuShu)



Brief History

Kung-Fu can be called the father of all martial arts; Kung-Fu was the first form of martial arts to ever be recorded in history and many martial art experts claim that Kung-Fu has existed well before it started being recorded. This Chinese combat style is estimated to have existed for about 4000 years and was first created by China's Yellow Emperor. He was a formidable general and had already mastered his own form of hand-to-hand combat. When he become emperor in 2698 BC, he created a competitive sport called //Jiao Di// (Horn Butting) which was later applied to battle and brought victorious results ("The History of KungFu"). As time passed, //Jiao Di//, which was originally contestants wearing horned helmets and ramming each other, started to evolve and develop with the combination of other moves such as blocks, pressure-point attacks and joint-locks; //Jiao Di// was becoming a combat style where users could utilize their whole body. As China entered the Zhou Dynasty, Confucianism and Taoism started to mix with //Jiao Di// and later changed the name to Kung-Fu, which is often translated into "hard work" or "level of achievement."

In 1990, the International WuShu Federation (IWUF )was established in order to promote WuShu; WuShu is the same as Kung-Fu except for the fact that Wu-Shu is used only as a sport - the actual combat form that is used for fighting is Kung-Fu. The first World Championship of WuShu was held in 1991 and every two years the championships are opened. Many people today think that Kung-Fu and WuShu are the same terms (they indicate the same style) but once again, Kung-Fu is for actual combat while WuShu is the sports version of Kung-Fu ("Is WuShu the same as Kung-Fu?").

Fundamentals

Ever since Kung-Fu mixed with the philosophical ideas of Confucianism and Taoism, the fundamentals of this style have changed significantly. The Taoist principles in Kung-Fu emphasize that the body must become one with nature; flow like water, sturdy as rock, swift as wind, powerful as fire are all Taoist principles that Kung-Fu users focus on when they train their bodies and skills or initiate moves. At first sight, anybody can recognize the swift and smooth movements of the arms and body of a Kung-Fu user. Although it seems as if the movements are unnecessary and look too gentle to defend, the smooth movements actually help in both defending and attacking as the body is in constant motion. The continuous flow of the arms and legs can be accelerated in the split of a second to combine the force of the momentum and muscle spurt to let out a fast and sharp attack or block; for instance, Wing Chun (martial art style that branches from Kung-Fu) users can throw out 6 to 7 chain punches __**in a second.**__ media type="youtube" key="ftj_XuTaaXM" height="189" width="216" align="right" ........................................................................................................................................................Wing Chun chain punches --->

Taoist fundamentals allow Kung-Fu users to be smooth and strong at the same time. Kung-Fu users can also control the power of their moves very precisely. The Yin & Yang of Taoism is the fundamental of power control in Kung-Fu; this system represents the soft style and hard style of Kung-Fu. Confucianism was applied to Kung-Fu in a more mental concept. Kung-Fu can also connect to meditation, as often seen in movies or tutorials where Kung-Fu users practice in the mountains for meditation. Being gentle and using Kung-Fu only for protection is a Confucianist influence in the style.

Videos

__**Technique Analyzing from "Human Weapon - Kung Fu"**__

media type="file" key="rear leg.flv" width="243" height="243"...media type="file" key="sanda.flv" width="243" height="243"...media type="file" key="wire fu.flv" width="243" height="243" ...............Rear Leg Front Kick...................................Sanda Takedown.......................................Wire Fu Kick......................