Chinese Kungfu
General introduction
Kungfu, also known as Wushu or martial arts, is one of the Chinese ancient traditional sports and is the most valuable Chinese 
cultural heritage. It is probably one of the earliest and longest lasting sports which utilize both brawn and brain.
Wushu is very rich in form and content, encompassing hundreds of styles and thousands of routines, each with its own distinctive features. Wushu has been developed for thousands of years and enjoyed by Chinese people, because it is of great importance in conditions and community where nature adapts things and only the fittest survives. Many Chinese people practice Wushu for the purpose of health, physical training and self-defense. It is not only of skill but also a type of traditional Chinese culture. Since China has been flourishing both in culture and acrobatic skills, these two fields then gradually combined together to form the distinctive martial art. It is science and good sport. There will be full scope for Wushu's special character and benefits in the "All People's Health Plan of China". Wushu is more and more enjoyed by the World. Now Wushu is not only immensely popular in China but also arousing interest among foreigners and is taught in many countries throughout the world. That is the Chinese people's great contribution to the whole world for people's health and happiness.
Chinese Kung Fu combines both of theory and practice and combines the techniques of self-defense and obtaining good health.
It is thought that the origins of Chinese Kung Fu can be traced to primeval society. At that time people use cudgels to fight wild beasts and they slowly accumulated experience in self defense. During the Shang Dynasty, hunting was considered as an important part of Kung Fu training.
During Shang and Zhou Dynasties, martial arts evolved into a kind of dancing. Usually the dancing movements in martial arts were utilized to train soldiers and increase morale. During Zhou Dynasty, martial-arts dancing were designated as a component of education. The application of wrestling techniques at the battlefield received much attention from various states during the period of Spring and Autumn. The emperor held twice yearly wrestling contests spring and autumn to select the best exponents of martial arts. At the same time, the skill and technology in sword forging was increasing and the sword ceremony developed rapidly. During the Qin and Han Dynasties, wrestling, swordplay, and martial arts dancing were very popular. A well known instance was Xiang Zhuang's Sword Dancing in Hongmen Banquet of the same period. The style of his performance was very close to today's martial arts. Spear play reached its summit in Han Dynasty when many techniques for spear usage were practiced. The Five-animal-style exercise was another innovation of Hua Tuo in the development of Chinese martial arts.
Kung Fu examinations were proposed and implemented during the Tang Dynasty. The best combatants would receive titles and awards through the examination thereby propelling the development of martial arts. By this time martial arts had evolved to be an artistic form and an independent genre and were gradually introduced to many countries in Southeast Asia. Today Kung Fu is honored as the ancestor of kickboxing, karate, aikido, and judo.
The Song and Yuan Dynasties was one highpoint Kung Fu's development and the practice of Kung Fu by civil organizations became more and more popular. Some organizations or clubs centered on the use of spear play and cudgel, and they were called Yinglue Organizations; while others majored in the practice of arching and therefore called Arching Origination. Performer called Luqi People made a living by performing martial arts all over the country. Usually the performances were carried out by a one or two people.
Chinese Kung Fu thrived during the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty saw many genres came into being and numerous books on martial arts were published. The Emperors of the Qing Dynasty banned the practice of martial arts, and the folk had to set up clubs or societies to pass down the secrets of the art. Many schools sprang up with example being taiji, xingyi shadowboxing, eight–diagram shadowboxing. The Qing Dynasty also saw the integration among genre. Wrestling techniques were introduced into martial arts, facilitating its improvement and maturing. This period was a watershed shed between genres for appreciation and those for actual combat.
In 1927 the Central National Martial Arts Society was established and in August, 1936, Chinese Martial Arts Team went to Berlin to participate the Olympics Games. The Chinese Martial Arts Association was established and in 1985 the International Marital Arts Invitational Tournament was held in Xi'an with the establishment of International Martial Arts League.
The first Asian Martial Arts Tournament was held in Hengbin in 1987 and in 1990; martial arts were for the first time listed as a competition event in the 11th Asian Games. In 1999, The International Martial Arts League was invited to join the International Individual Events Federation by International Olympic Committee. That was the sign of Chinese Martial Arts global acceptance & appeal.
Weapons
The weapons used by Wushu masters originate mainly from ancient military weapons. The Eigh-teen-Arms, the term used to describe
Wushu weaponary includes the sabre, spear, sword, halbert, axe, battle axe, hook, fork, whip, mace, hammer, talon, trident-halberd, cudgel, long-handled spear, short cudgel, stick and meteor hammer. Some weapons are used to fight at a distance, while others at close range. Some are overt whereas others are covert. Some are hard while others are soft. Their functions are wide ranging-they beat, kill, hit, shoot and block with cutting blades, hooks, points or pricks.
The assortment of Wushu weapons has added to the colorful programs of martial arts, and proficiency in Wushu involves being skilled in the techniques and usage of the Eighteen-Arms. A brief introduction to the weapons and their individual characteristics follows.
Sabre the most commonly-used weapon, is the first among the 18 Main Weapons. In practicing Sabre, the common techniques are: hacking, cutting, stirring, cloud sabre, stretching, trowel, lunging, hanging, springing, parrying, back chopping, hiding, intercepting, twisting, wrapping Guonao, sweeping, pressing, pushing, blocking, dividing, bringing and pointing. Sabre play has characteristics that are swift, overwhelming and powerful. Sabre play in its daily training can balance the development of the muscles and improve the health and ability of the organs.
Spear is one of the long weapons and the king of Wushu Weapons. Blocking, sweeping piercing, splitting, poking, lunging, hacking, circling and stirring are its characteristics.
Rapier, one of the short Wushu Weapons, is the father of the Wushu Weapons. In rapierplay, the common techniques are lunging, up-stirring, chopping, trowel, withdrawing, stirring, intercepting, pointing and so on. Rapier play's characteristics are light, swift, graceful and flexible.
Cudgel is a long weapon. There are many different cudgel routines and cudgel styles, but they have the same characteristics. These are chopping, splitting, circling, pointing, stirring, blocking, and sweeping and so on. Playing cudgel requires familiarity with hand and arm forms. The body should be joined together with the cudgel in movement. Power is at the cudgel tip. Sweeping should be fierce. Cudgel play should be fierce, swift and powerful. There is a saying: Spear lunging a line, cudgel sweeping a space. All the above-mentioned weapon routines and styles are taught by famous masters and experts.
Wushu Pattern and Schools
As a unique national sport, Wushu has advantages in many aspects. To begin with, it builds strong bodies, steels and will-power as well as giving training in fighting skills. On the other hand, as it contains many beautiful, graceful movements, it can be appreciated as a kind of body motion art and therefore it is not only used for fighting scenes in Chinese opera but employed in modern movies. Further more, since Wushu is merged with Chinese culture, a Wushu training process is also a self-cultivating process. So people will raise their quality and spirits as well as their fighting skills as they are training. Wushu pattern comprises fist pattern and weapon pattern. Fist pattern has been the main content of Wushu since ancient times. Fist pattern comprises schools of Shaolinquan, Taijiquan, Changquan, Nanquan, Xingyiquan and Baguazhang.
Shaolin Kungfu
Shaolin Kungfu has originated in the particular Buddhist cultural environment in the Shaolin Temple of Mountain Songshan over a long history. It is one of the ways the monks in the Shaolin Temple practice the Chan Buddhism. The soul of the Shaolin Kungfu is rooted in the wisdom of Chan Buddhism which reflects a thorough understanding of the life.
Shaolin Kungfu is the one school among a myriad of Chinese martial arts schools, which enjoys the longest history, the most complete and the largest system. The design and the arrangement of Shaolin Kungfu movements are based on the medical knowledge of ancient China. Those movements fit the natural structure of the human body and give full play to the potential of the human body．
Being the outstanding example of ancient Chinese martial arts culture, Shaolin Kungfu is very popular in many countries with different cultures. It is a vivid legend in the history of the civilization. Shaolin Kungfu has already become the important spiritual asset of the Chinese people and the precious cultural inheritance owned by all the people in the world.
Tai Ji Quan
Taiji Quan is a Taoist martial art. One account of the history of Taiji Quan credits its development to the Taoist immortal Chang San-feng, who is said to have drawn the inspiration for the art by watching a fight between a snake and an aggressive eagle. Chang San-feng was reportedly a master of Shaolin Kung Fu who reached an extraordinary level of cultivation through Taoist meditation practices. Another account of the history of Taiji Quan is that many different Kung Fu masters developed it over a long period of time; as a synthesis of internal meditation and martial technique. Either way, the written history of Taiji Quan goes back about 300 years and it was not until the turn of the 20th century that it was introduced to the general public.
Taiji Quan is a very unique and powerful art, for both internal power and longevity. Taiji Quan is a martial art which embodies Taoist philosophy. When Taiji Quan was developed, the martial arts were very aggressive. One's proficiency was measured by the strength and aggression of attack, in terms of the Taoist principle of yin and yang this was a purely "yang" conception of martial arts. What was revolutionary about Taiji Quan was the incorporation of the yin element to fighting. In Taiji Quan one uses a balance of yin techniques with yang techniques, a balance between yielding and attacking. It is for this reason that Taiji Quan is described as "a needle hidden in cotton" or "hardness concealed in softness".
Presently Taiji Quan is rapidly growing in popularity for the tremendous health benefits which come through practice. Clinical studies have shown that T'ai Chi practice can lower blood pressure, reduce nervous tension, and benefit the immune, digestive, cardiovascular and respiratory systems. At this time, over one hundred million people practice Taiji Quan on a regular basis.
The heart of the Taiji Quan system is the practice of the single Taiji Quan form. The form practice of Taiji Quan is the foundation of the training. Though Taiji Quan is done slowly, the movements are very difficult and strenuous. Regular practice of Taiji Quan greatly improves the functioning of the bodily systems.
Chinese Qigong
On a very elemental level, qigong is a form of meditation. The most disciplined masters of qigong stress its meditational aspect more than the exercise and breathing components that are usually associated with it. As a form of meditation, qigong is focused on harnessing the primordial force of qi (chi), which, it is claimed, every normally-functioning human being is capable of communicating with. "Qigong" is composed of two characters: "qi" (sometimes written as "chi" as an aid to pronunciation, but think instead of "chee" as in "cheese") and "gong" (sometimes written as "kung" as an aid to pronunciation, but "gung" so it rhymes with "jung" – as in Carl Jung the psychiatrist and contemporary of Sigmund Freud – i.e., with more of a "g" sound than a "k" sound, is probably easier for Westerners to get their sound pipes around). "Qi" means air, or breath, but it is more like the breath that God "breathed" into Adam than the air one draws in and exhales, i.e., a life-giving force, or "energy". "Gong" means effort applied in a disciplined manner, or "work", so "qigong" means "energy work".
