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103-721: In April 1928, The Institute held its first national martial arts competition in Beijing in the form of a highly competitive lei tai tournament. It was presided by General Zhang Zhijiang. This competition attracted 400 of the best martial artists in China. In October 1928, the Central Guoshu Institute held another national examination in Nanjing. This event came to be regarded as one of the most significant historic gatherings of Chinese martial arts masters. The tournament

206-432: A triad boss named Ha Saan fu , who was also a master of Internal martial arts . Because Ha dealt in prostitution, gambling, and drugs, Leng challenged Ha to a lei tai bout to halt the expansion of his criminal territory. Ha accepted the challenge and agreed to leave the area if he lost. Ha had previously heard of Master Leng's ability to tear at the flesh of his opponents with his bare hands, so he wrapped his torso with

309-534: A San Shou match." Kung Fu Magazine states just throwing someone off the lei tai in a Sanshou match is 3 points, which is "the [points] equivalent of a spinning hook kick to the head, or a perfect foot sweep." (For Kuoshu and Sanshou competition rules , see "Rule Books" in External links below.) The city of Taizhou, Zhejiang hosted the first "On Water Contest of the 'Liqun Cup' International Traditional Wushu and Unique Feats Tournament" from May 22–26, 1999. It

412-514: A bodyguard to the emperor or a martial arts instructor for the Imperial Military. According to Cung Le , a famous mixed martial arts fighter, "In the old days, if you wanted to announce yourself as a boxer in a new village, you built a lei tai, stood on it, and invited all comers to try and knock you off." Some fighters issued their challenge in the form of a hand written letter to the person they wished to face. This form of challenge

515-671: A certain type of weapon. Forms are meant to be both practical, usable, and applicable as well as to promote fluid motion, meditation, flexibility, balance, and coordination. Students are encouraged to visualize an attacker while training the form. There are two general types of taolu in Chinese martial arts. Most common are solo forms performed by a single student. There are also sparring forms — choreographed fighting sets performed by two or more people. Sparring forms were designed both to acquaint beginning fighters with basic measures and concepts of combat and to serve as performance pieces for

618-502: A compound term it usually translates as "boxing" or "fighting technique." The name of the Japanese martial art kempō is represented by the same hanzi characters. The genesis of Chinese martial arts has been attributed to the need for self-defense , hunting techniques and military training in ancient China . Hand-to-hand combat and weapons practice were important in training ancient Chinese soldiers . Detailed knowledge about

721-405: A continuous set of movements. Forms were originally intended to preserve the lineage of a particular style branch, and were often taught to advanced students selected for that purpose. Forms contained both literal, representative and exercise-oriented forms of applicable techniques that students could extract, test, and train in through sparring sessions. Today, many consider taolu to be one of

824-512: A fighter just rush their adversary. A quick redirection will send a charging opponent off the stage. And falling off can hurt, so fighters must deal with an added psychological factor when they approach the edge. Like Japanese sumo , a fighter must stand their ground. Falling out-of-bounds constitutes a loss. According to the Swiss Open Kusohu Tournament, lei tai permits the kung fu student to show their understanding of

927-499: A group of Chinese martial artists demonstrated their art to an international audience for the first time. The term kuoshu (or guoshu , 國術 meaning "national art"), rather than the colloquial term gongfu was introduced by the Kuomintang in an effort to more closely associate Chinese martial arts with national pride rather than individual accomplishment. Chinese martial arts experienced rapid international dissemination with

1030-414: A leather strap prior to the fight. Both men met on the lei tai some time later and signed a contract that stated the fight could end in death. The crowd watched as both initiated combat. After a few moments, Leng (apparently seeing the leather straps through his ripped clothing) bypassed Ha's armor by forcing his hand down from the top of the wrap and tore out the triad boss' bowels . When Ha fell dead to

1133-406: A measurable form of energy as discussed in traditional Chinese medicine has no basis in the scientific understanding of physics, medicine, biology or human physiology. There are many ideas regarding the control of one's qi energy to such an extent that it can be used for healing oneself or others. Some styles believe in focusing qi into a single point when attacking and aim at specific areas of

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1236-542: A national Wushu system that included standard forms, teaching curriculum, and instructor grading was established. Wushu was introduced at both the high school and university level. The suppression of traditional teaching was relaxed during the Era of Reconstruction (1976–1989) , as Communist ideology became more accommodating to alternative viewpoints. In 1979, the State Commission for Physical Culture and Sports created

1339-618: A precursor to modern Chinese wrestling . The earliest references to Chinese martial arts are found in the Spring and Autumn Annals (5th century BC), where a hand-to-hand combat theory, one that integrates notions of "hard" and "soft" techniques, is mentioned. A combat wrestling system called juélì or jiǎolì ( 角力 ) is mentioned in the Classic of Rites . This combat system included techniques such as strikes , throws , joint manipulation , and pressure point attacks. Jiao Di became

1442-424: A prescribed range of combat and technique to drill on. These drills are often semi-compliant, meaning one student does not offer active resistance to a technique, in order to allow its demonstrative, clean execution. In more resisting drills, fewer rules apply, and students practice how to react and respond. 'Sparring' refers to a more advanced format, which simulates a combat situation while including rules that reduce

1545-660: A result, the International Kuoshu Federation decided to change the rules. "So since 1988, the new rules apply." As previously stated, martial arts were only allowed for performance purposes until 1979. But in March of that year, the Zhejiang Provincial Sports Training Center, Beijing Physical Education University (former Beijing Physical Education Institute), and Wuhan Physical Education College were convened by

1648-427: A sense of community and loyalty within martial arts schools and lineages. Chinese martial arts also often incorporate cultural elements such as music, costumes, and rituals, further deepening the connection to Chinese heritage and traditions. Overall, Chinese martial arts encompass not just physical techniques but a comprehensive system that encompasses philosophy, ethics, medical knowledge, and cultural appreciation. It

1751-659: A special task force to reevaluate the teaching and practice of Wushu. In 1986, the Chinese National Research Institute of Wushu was established as the central authority for the research and administration of Wushu activities in the People's Republic of China. Changing government policies and attitudes towards sports, in general, led to the closing of the State Sports Commission (the central sports authority) in 1998. This closure

1854-556: A sport during the Qin dynasty (221–207 BC). The Han History Bibliographies record that, by the Former Han (206 BC – 8 AD), there was a distinction between no-holds-barred weaponless fighting, which it calls shǒubó ( 手搏 ), for which training manuals had already been written, and sportive wrestling, then known as juélì ( 角力 ). Wrestling is also documented in the Shǐ Jì, Records of

1957-517: A state of deep focus. This kind of concentration helps them to stay present in their movements and techniques , enhancing their responsiveness and physical coordination. Meditation also cultivates the ability for introspection, enabling practitioners to become more keenly aware of their bodily sensations, energy flow, and inner state. Meditation is also closely related to qigong . Through the concentration and adjustments achieved through meditation, martial arts practitioners can better perceive and direct

2060-527: A stronger opponent. If there were no more challengers, they would become the champion. Private duels on the stage had no rules and were sometimes fought to the death. The lei tai first appeared in ancient China , and in its present form during the Song dynasty . However, ancient variations of it can be traced back to at least the Qin dynasty . Today it is used in Sanshou and Kuoshu competitions throughout

2163-611: A team to the 3rd World Kuoshu Championship tournament in Hawaii in 1980. This world tournament, sponsored and organized by an international Kuoshu federation in Taiwan, featured top Chinese stylists from around the world. Although they were nervous about the competition, Huang's students performed surprisingly well. They captured top placing in several divisions, including forms and full contact fighting. In total, they took home six trophies. In 1986, Huang assembled another team to participate in

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2266-556: Is a popular genre that emerged in the early 20th century and peaked in popularity during the 1960s to 1980s. Wuxia films were produced from the 1920s. The Kuomintang suppressed wuxia, accusing it of promoting superstition and violent anarchy. Because of this, wuxia came to flourish in British Hong Kong , and the genre of kung fu movie in Hong Kong action cinema became wildly popular, coming to international attention from

2369-419: Is an elevated fighting arena, without railings, where often fatal weapons and bare-knuckle martial arts tournaments were once held. "Sanctioned" matches were presided over by a referee on the platform and judges on the sides. Participants would lose if they surrendered, were incapacitated, or were thrown or otherwise forced from the stage. The winner would remain on the stage (as its "owner") unless ousted by

2472-604: Is another popular classification method. Kung fu and wushu are loanwords from Cantonese and Mandarin respectively that, in English, are used to refer to Chinese martial arts. However, the Chinese terms kung fu and wushu ( listen (Mandarin) ; Cantonese Yale : móuh seuht ) have distinct meanings. The Chinese equivalent of the term "Chinese martial arts" would be Zhongguo wushu (Chinese: 中國武術 ; pinyin: zhōngguó wǔshù ) ( Mandarin ). In Chinese,

2575-654: Is considered one of the earliest organized Chinese martial arts. The oldest documented evidence of Shaolin's involvement in combat dates back to a stele from 728 AD, which records two significant events: the defense of the Shaolin Monastery against bandits around 610 AD and their subsequent contribution to the defeat of Wang Shichong at the Battle of Hulao in 621 AD. However, between the 8th and 15th centuries, there are no surviving records that provide concrete proof of Shaolin's involvement in combat activities. Between

2678-460: Is encountered in a number of Chinese martial arts. Qi is variously defined as an inner energy or "life force" that is said to animate living beings; as a term for proper skeletal alignment and efficient use of musculature (sometimes also known as fa jin or jin ); or as a shorthand for concepts that the martial arts student might not yet be ready to understand in full. These meanings are not necessarily mutually exclusive. The existence of qi as

2781-498: Is impossible for a student to progress in the Chinese martial arts. A common saying concerning basic training in Chinese martial arts is as follows: 内外相合，外重手眼身法步，内修心神意氣力。 Which translates as: Train both Internal and External. External training includes the hands, the eyes, the body and stances. Internal training includes the heart, the spirit, the mind, breathing and strength. Stances (steps or 步法) are structural postures employed in Chinese martial arts training. They represent

2884-724: Is this holistic approach that distinguishes Chinese martial arts as not just a means of self-defense but as a way of life, promoting personal growth, cultural understanding, and the pursuit of harmony and excellence. The Basics ( 基本功 ) are a vital part of any martial training, as a student cannot progress to the more advanced stages without them. Basics are usually made up of rudimentary techniques, conditioning exercises , including stances . Basic training may involve simple movements that are performed repeatedly; other examples of basic training are stretching, meditation, striking , throwing , or jumping. Without strong and flexible muscles, management of qi or breath, and proper body mechanics, it

2987-490: Is to consider the weapon as an extension of the body. It has the same requirements for footwork and body coordination as the basics. The process of weapon training proceeds with forms, forms with partners and then applications. Most systems have training methods for each of the Eighteen Arms of Wushu ( 十八般兵器 ; shíbābānbīngqì ) in addition to specialized instruments specific to the system. Application refers to

3090-428: Is viewed as an attempt to partially de-politicize organized sports and move Chinese sport policies towards a more market-driven approach. As a result of these changing sociological factors within China, both traditional styles and modern Wushu approaches are being promoted by the Chinese government. Chinese martial arts are an integral element of 20th-century Chinese popular culture. Wuxia or "martial arts fiction"

3193-582: The Jissen Kumite (full-contact fighting) of Kyokushin Karate. On top of being forced from or thrown to the floor of the stage, the fights sometimes continued until either boxer conceded defeat, was severely injured and could no longer fight, or was even killed. One example of a death on stage was described by Hung Gar Grandmaster Chiu Kow (1895–1995), father of Grandmaster Chiu Chi Ling . The fight took place between Hung Gar Master Leng Cai Yuk and

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3296-568: The Han Shu (history of the Former Han dynasty ) written by Ban Gu . Also, the noted physician, Hua Tuo , composed the "Five Animals Play"—tiger, deer, monkey, bear, and bird, around 208 AD. Taoist philosophy and their approach to health and exercise have influenced the Chinese martial arts to a certain extent. Direct reference to Taoist concepts can be found in such styles as the " Eight Immortals ," which uses fighting techniques attributed to

3399-641: The Ming period 's Yijin Jing or "Muscle Change Classic", a text written in 1624 attributed to Bodhidharma. References of martial arts practice in Shaolin appear in various literary genres of the late Ming: the epitaphs of Shaolin warrior monks, martial-arts manuals, military encyclopedias, historical writings, travelogues, fiction, and poetry. However, these sources do not point out any specific style that originated in Shaolin. These sources, in contrast to those from

3502-716: The Nationalist government banned the old traditions of private duels on the lei tai in 1928 because too many people were dying. In order to screen the best practitioners for teaching positions at the newly founded Central Guoshu Institute , and in the provincial schools, Generals Zhang Zhi Jiang (张之江) (1882–1966), Li Liejun (1882–1946) and Li Jinglin (1885–1931) held the first modern full contact, national competition in October 1928. Many traditional masters did not compete because they believed their skills could only be proven in serious duels and not "sporting" contests. However,

3605-714: The United States Kuoshu Federation and The World Kuoshu Federation , notes that "Kuoshu has another meaning as 'national art.' In 1928, the Central Kuoshu Academy was formed, and they sponsored a full-contact tournament, but when the Chinese Communist Party took over China, the Nationalist government moved to Taiwan, where, in 1955, they held a full-contact tournament, calling it lei tai. At that time, they used

3708-1092: The Wu hu xia jiangnan (五虎下江南 - " Five tigers heading south of Jiangnan "). In 1933, the institute again hosted the national competition. The rules said, "...if death occurs as a result of boxing injuries and fights, the coffin with a body of the deceased will be sent home." Empty Handed: xíng yì quán , tài jí quán , bā guà zhǎng , chá quán , xīn wǔ shù (Modern MA), lián bù quán (linking step fist) , zá quán (mixed hybrid), xíng quán(line fist) , duō jiǎo ( chuō jiǎo ), pī guà quán etc, Weapons: jiàn (sword), dāo (saber), gùn (staff) , qiāng (spear) , biān (whip) etc. Conditioning: qì gōng , tiě shā shǒu (iron sand palm) , hóng shā shǒu (red sand palm) etc. Combat: Empty Handed: yǐ jí sàn dǎ (kickboxing), shuāi jiāo (wrestling) le quán jī (western boxing) , rì běn pī cì shù (kendo) - Weapons: cháng bīng (long) , duǎn bīng (short) etc 。 The center relocated several times during World War II and returned to Nanjing in 1946. It closed in 1948 due to lack of funding. When

3811-467: The Wu hu xia jiangnan (五虎下江南 – " Five tigers heading south of Jiangnan "): In 1933, the institute again hosted the national competition. The rules said, "...if death occurs as a result of boxing injuries and fights, the coffin with a body of the deceased will be sent home." Winners of this contest include: Differing mainly in regulations, such as Kuoshu's allowing competitors to strike the same place twice, kuoshu and sanshou are examples of how popular

3914-412: The bow stance are examples of stances found in many styles of Chinese martial arts. In many Chinese martial arts, meditation is considered to be an important component of basic training. Meditation can be used to develop focus, mental clarity and can act as a basis for qigong training. Through meditation , martial arts practitioners learn to regulate their breath, relax their bodies, and enter

4017-473: The practical use of combative techniques. Chinese martial arts techniques are ideally based on efficiency and effectiveness. Application includes non-compliant drills, such as Pushing Hands in many internal martial arts, and sparring , which occurs within a variety of contact levels and rule sets. When and how applications are taught varies from style to style. Today, many styles begin to teach new students by focusing on exercises in which each student knows

4120-399: The 16th and 17th centuries, at least forty sources exist to provide evidence both that monks of Shaolin practiced martial arts, and that martial practice became an integral element of Shaolin monastic life. The earliest appearance of the frequently cited legend concerning Bodhidharma's supposed foundation of Shaolin kung fu dates to this period. The origin of this legend has been traced to

4223-406: The 1970s. The genre underwent a drastic decline in the late 1990s as the Hong Kong film industry was crushed by economic depression. In the wake of Ang Lee 's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), there has been somewhat of a revival of Chinese-produced wuxia films aimed at an international audience, including Zhang Yimou 's Hero (2002), House of Flying Daggers (2004) and Curse of

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4326-477: The 3rd water lei tai. The tournament venue was Aquatic Training Centre, Tainan Canal, Tainan , Taiwan . This was the first International event hosted by the ICKF to be held entirely on water. Kung Fu Magazine states the lei tai's railless architecture does not allow a fighter to trap an opponent in the turnbuckle , so the fighting strategy shifts away from power boxing to more evasive "circling" maneuvers. Nor can

4429-525: The 5th World Kuoshu Championship. Huang served as Head Coach of the U.S. team. The 6th Championship took place in 1989 So by 1992, Taiwan had already sponsored seven Kuoshu lei tai fighting events. Meanwhile, in China, "Kuoshu had been oppressed during the Cultural Revolution ," notes president Huang, "and martial arts was then allowed only for performance until 1979, when wushu was allowed to include self-defense, so practitioners began writing

4532-712: The Golden Flower (2006), as well as Su Chao-pin and John Woo 's Reign of Assassins (2010). China boasts a rich history of martial arts traditions encompassing numerous styles, totaling in the hundreds. Over the course of the past two millennia , a multitude of distinct styles have been developed, each with its own unique techniques and philosophies. These styles are often categorized into "families" (家; jiā), "schools" (派; pai), or "sects" (門; men). While each style possesses its own characteristics, there are also common themes that thread through different styles. Some styles draw inspiration from animal movements, replicating

4635-514: The Grand Historian , written by Sima Qian (ca. 100 BC). In the Tang dynasty , descriptions of sword dances were immortalized in poems by Li Bai . In the Song and Yuan dynasties , xiangpu(相扑) contests were sponsored by the imperial courts. The modern concepts of wushu were fully developed by the Ming and Qing dynasties. The ideas associated with Chinese martial arts changed with

4738-473: The Kuomintang resettled on Taiwan many Guoshu Masters and students went with them. Not until 1950 was the Guoshu Organization once again formed. Taiwan - (Headquarters) - ICKF - International Chinese Kuoshu Federation - http://www.ickf-kuoshu.org/ U.S.A - (Headquarters) - TWKSF -The World Kuo Shu Federation - Huang, Chien Liang - https://twksf.org/ Lei tai The lei tai

4841-673: The National Government in 1928 and the Jing Wu Athletic Association (精武體育會) founded by Huo Yuanjia in 1910 are examples of organizations that promoted a systematic approach for training in Chinese martial arts. 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,

4944-700: The Shandong, Hebei and Guangdong provincial teams, the Beijing Physical Education University and City teams and the Wuhan Physical Education College team were summoned to the conference to help formulate the regulations and points system of the sport. Ten months later, the very first Sanshou competition was held in November 1982. The original fighting area was a nine-meter diameter open circle, but it

5047-470: The Tang period, refer to Shaolin methods of armed combat. These include a skill for which Shaolin monks became famous: the staff ( gùn , Cantonese gwan ). The Ming general Qi Jiguang included a description of Shaolin kung fu and staff techniques in his book, Jixiao Xinshu , which can translate as New Book Recording Effective Techniques . When this book spread across East Asia, it had a great influence on

5150-457: The [6th century BC] by Sun Tzu ( simplified Chinese : 孙子 ; traditional Chinese : 孫子 ; pinyin : Sūnzǐ ), deals directly with military warfare but contains ideas that are used in the Chinese martial arts. Taoist practitioners have been practicing daoyin (physical exercises similar to qigong that was one of the progenitors to tai chi ) from as early as 500 BC. In 39–92 AD, "Six Chapters of Hand Fighting", were included in

5253-702: The absence of either one would render the practitioner's skills unbalanced or deficient, as yin and yang alone are each only half of a whole. If such differences did once exist, they have since been blurred. Chinese martial arts training consists of the following components: basics, forms, applications and weapons; different styles place varying emphasis on each component. In addition, philosophy, ethics and even medical practice are highly regarded by most Chinese martial arts. A complete training system should also provide insight into Chinese attitudes and culture. Moreover, many Chinese martial arts styles integrate traditional medical practices into their training. This includes

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5356-654: The agility and power of creatures such as tigers, snakes, or monkeys. Others derive their inspiration from Chinese philosophies, myths, and legends, incorporating their principles and symbolism into their techniques. Certain styles place significant emphasis on harnessing and manipulating qi , while others prioritize competitive aspects, focusing on sparring and tournaments. Chinese martial arts can be split into various categories to differentiate them: For example, "external" ( 外家拳 ) and " internal " ( 內家拳 ). Chinese martial arts can also be categorized by location, as in "northern" and "southern" as well, referring to what part of China

5459-461: The battlefield and to tell time in the capital city. (see Gulou and Zhonglou ) Three kingdoms general Zhang Fei used a "drum beating platform" to teach his soldiers troop movements. It is possible that the lei tai received its name from this type of platform, since a superior fighter might "beat" his opponent like a drum. The fighting area is square, but its exact size varies from source to source. In ancient China , combat sport appeared in

5562-742: The centuries in Greater China . These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" of martial arts. Examples of such traits include Shaolinquan ( 少林拳 ) physical exercises involving All Other Animals ( 五形 ) mimicry or training methods inspired by Old Chinese philosophies , religions and legends. Styles that focus on qi manipulation are called internal ( 内家拳 ; nèijiāquán ), while others that concentrate on improving muscle and cardiovascular fitness are called external ( 外家拳 ; wàijiāquán ). Geographical associations, as in northern ( 北拳 ; běiquán ) and southern ( 南拳 ; nánquán ),

5665-593: The challenger was maimed or killed. Wong never let one challenger leave his school without injury. He was a master of using the technique of cruelty." Shortly afterwards, he was elected as the leader of the Ten Tigers of Canton , who were the top ten kung fu men in Guangdong. Eighteenth generation Chen-style tai chi Grandmaster Chen Zhaopi , third nephew of Chen Fake , set up a platform by Beijing 's " Xuan Wu Men " city gate after an unauthorized article claiming

5768-457: The chance of serious injury. Competitive sparring disciplines include Chinese kickboxing Sǎnshǒu ( 散手 ) and Chinese folk wrestling Shuāijiāo ( 摔跤 ), which were traditionally contested on a raised platform arena, or Lèitái ( 擂台 ). Lèitái were used in public challenge matches first appeared in the Song dynasty . The objective for those contests was to knock the opponent from a raised platform by any means necessary. San Shou represents

5871-470: The characteristics of each immortal. In 495 AD, the first Shaolin temple was constructed on Song Mountain in Henan province. The initial Buddhist monk who propagated Buddhism there was an Indian monk named Buddhabhadra, known as Batuo in Chinese. Historical records suggest that Batuo's first Chinese disciples, Huiguang and Sengchou, possessed exceptional martial skills. For instance, Sengchou's proficiency with

5974-486: The classic texts of Confucianism , Zhou Li ( 周禮 ), Archery and charioteering were part of the "six arts" (simplified Chinese: 六艺 ; traditional Chinese: 六藝 ; pinyin: Liù yì , including rites , music , calligraphy and mathematics ) of the Zhou dynasty (1122–256 BC). The Art of War ( simplified Chinese : 孙子兵法 ; traditional Chinese : 孫子兵法 ; pinyin : Sūnzǐ bīngfǎ ), written during

6077-473: The development of martial arts in regions such as Okinawa and Korea. Most fighting styles that are being practiced as traditional Chinese martial arts today reached their popularity within the 20th century. Some of these include Baguazhang , Drunken Boxing , Eagle Claw , Five Animals , Xingyi , Hung Gar , Monkey , Bak Mei Pai , Northern Praying Mantis , Southern Praying Mantis , Fujian White Crane , Jow Ga , Wing Chun and tai chi . The increase in

6180-592: The end of the Chinese Civil War and the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949. Many well known martial artists chose to escape from the PRC's rule 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 ethnic groups. Within China,

6283-427: The event attracted hundreds of the best Chinese martial artists who participated in boxing, weapons and wrestling in a lei tai ring format. But after the first several days, the fighting competitions had to be halted because two masters were killed and many more seriously injured. The final 12 contestants were not permitted to continue for fear of killing off some of the greatest masters of the time. The overall winner

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6386-479: The evolution of Chinese society and over time acquired some philosophical bases: Passages in the Zhuangzi ( 莊子 ), a Taoist text, pertain to the psychology and practice of martial arts. Zhuangzi , its eponymous author, is believed to have lived in the [4th century BC]. The Tao Te Ching , often credited to Laozi , is another Taoist text that contains principles applicable to martial arts. According to one of

6489-694: The foreign powers. The failure of the rebellion led ten years later to the fall of the Qing dynasty and the creation of the Chinese Republic . The present view of Chinese martial arts is strongly influenced by the events of the Republican period (1912–1949). In the transition period between the fall of the Qing dynasty as well as the turmoil of the Japanese invasion and the Chinese Civil War, Chinese martial arts became more accessible to

6592-556: The form of Leitai, a no-holds-barred mixed combat sport that combined Chinese martial arts , boxing and wrestling. Lei tai in its present form appeared during the Song dynasty when it was used for boxing and Shuai Jiao exhibition matches and private duels. According to the Chinese Kuoshu Institute ( UK ), an ancestor of the lei tai was used during the Qin dynasty to hold Jiao Li wrestling competitions between imperial soldiers. The winner would be chosen to act as

6695-471: The foundation and the form of a fighter's base. Each style has different names and variations for each stance. Stances may be differentiated by foot position, weight distribution, body alignment, etc. Stance training can be practiced statically, the goal of which is to maintain the structure of the stance through a set time period, or dynamically, in which case a series of movements is performed repeatedly. The Horse stance ( 騎馬步/馬步 ; qí mǎ bù / mǎ bù ) and

6798-548: The general public as many martial artists were encouraged to openly teach their art. At that time, some considered martial arts as a means to promote national pride and build a strong nation. As a result, many training manuals (拳譜) were published, a training academy was created, two national examinations were organized and demonstration teams traveled overseas. Numerous martial arts associations were formed throughout China and in various overseas Chinese communities. The Central Guoshu Academy (Zhongyang Guoshuguan, 中央國術館) established by

6901-706: The government-appointed China National Sport Committee (CNSC) to transform Sanshou into a competitive sport. By October, the first three Sanshou teams were created from fighters chosen from the aforementioned wushu colleges. Even more teams were gathered in May 1980. The first official Sanshou rules were drafted in January 1982 when the CNSC convened the National Sanshou Competition Rules Conference in Beijing. Six teams consisting of

7004-461: The human body. Such techniques are known as dim mak and have principles that are similar to acupressure . Most Chinese styles also make use of training in the broad arsenal of Chinese weapons for conditioning the body as well as coordination and strategy drills. Weapons training ( 器械 ; qìxiè ) is generally carried out after the student becomes proficient with the basic forms and applications training. The basic theory for weapons training

7107-517: The internal energy (known as " qi " in qigong ). They learn to manipulate the flow of qi through deep breathing and visualization exercises to promote bodily balance, harmony , and health. Therefore, meditation, as a part of foundational training, offers Chinese martial arts practitioners a comprehensive approach to cultivating both the internal and external aspects. It assists them in developing various aspects of their body, energy, and mind, thereby enhancing their technical skills. The concept of qi

7210-567: The lei tai and then take over his school. In order to become a champion, a fighter had to defeat countless opponents. For instance, Lama Pai Grandmaster Wong Yan-Lam set up his own lei tai platform in front of Hai Tung Monastery in Guangdong after having worked as a famous bodyguard in Northern China . For 18 days, he fought over 150 other martial artists and was never defeated. According to Hop Gar Grandmaster David Chin, "Either

7313-552: The modern development of Lei Tai contests, but with rules in place to reduce the chance of serious injury. Many Chinese martial art schools teach or work within the rule sets of Sanshou, working to incorporate the movements, characteristics, and theory of their style. Chinese martial artists also compete in non-Chinese or mixed Combat sport , including boxing, kickboxing and Mixed martial arts . Forms or taolu (Chinese: 套路 ; pinyin: tàolù ) in Chinese are series of predetermined movements combined so they can be practiced as

7416-457: The most important practices in Chinese martial arts. Traditionally, they played a smaller role in training for combat application and took a back seat to sparring, drilling, and conditioning. Forms gradually build up a practitioner's flexibility, internal and external strength, speed and stamina, and they teach balance and coordination. Many styles contain forms that use weapons of various lengths and types, using one or two hands. Some styles focus on

7519-446: The name for the modern sport of wushu , an exhibition and full-contact sport of bare-handed and weapon forms ( 套路 ), adapted and judged to a set of aesthetic criteria for points developed since 1949 in the People's Republic of China . Quánfǎ ( 拳法 ) is another Chinese term for Chinese martial arts. It means "fist method" or "the law of the fist" ( quán means "boxing" or "fist", and fǎ means "law", "way" or "method"), although as

7622-406: The northern styles include changquan and xingyiquan . Examples of the southern styles include Bak Mei , Wuzuquan , Choy Li Fut , and Wing Chun . Chinese martial arts can also be divided according to religion, imitative-styles ( 象形拳 ), and family styles such as Hung Gar ( 洪家 ). There are distinctive differences in the training between different groups of the Chinese martial arts regardless of

7725-564: The original rules; no protection, and no weight class – whatever number you picked up, you fought together. In 1975, Taiwan sponsored the first World Kuoshu Championship Tournament , and started to have weight class division. The second tournament also took place in Taiwan and was won by Peter Ralston, the first non-Asian to do so. The current president of the United States Kuo Shou Federation Huang Chien-Liang brought six of his students as

7828-486: The overall concept of full-contact kung fu has become. Though a few see a stringent dividing line between the sports, some such as Anthony Goh, president of the United States of America Wushu Kungfu Federation , see less contrast. "The rules will always be slightly different," says Goh, but "the various names all mean the same thing." Others see the distinction as primarily historical. Huang Chien Liang, president of

7931-603: The popularity of those styles is a result of the dramatic changes occurring within the Chinese society. In 1900–01, the Righteous and Harmonious Fists rose against foreign occupiers and Christian missionaries in China. This uprising is known in the West as the Boxer Rebellion due to the martial arts and calisthenics practiced by the rebels. Empress Dowager Cixi gained control of the rebellion and tried to use it against

8034-557: The practice of traditional martial arts was discouraged during the turbulent years of the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1969–1976). Like many other aspects of traditional Chinese life, martial arts were subjected to a radical transformation by the People's Republic of China to align them with Maoist revolutionary doctrine. The PRC promoted the committee-regulated sport of Wushu as a replacement for independent schools of martial arts. This new competition sport

8137-551: The rules for the Sanshou Wushu tournaments, and the Communist government held a tournament called Sanshou." Confirming the common direction of Kuoshu and Sanshou toward safety, however, president Huang approves of the rules changes in full-contact kung fu. "In 1986, at the fifth world tournament in Taiwan, they had a separate weight class, but still no protection. So many people suffered a broken nose and other injuries." As

8240-471: The school. Weapons-based sparring forms are especially useful for teaching students the extension, range, and technique required to manage a weapon. The term taolu (套路) is a shortened version of Tao Lu Yun Dong (套路運動) , an expression introduced only recently with the popularity of modern wushu. This expression refers to "exercise sets" and used in the context of athletics or sport. In contrast, in traditional Chinese martial arts alternative terminologies for

8343-488: The semi-mythical Xia dynasty over 4,000 years ago. It is said that the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi), who ascended to power in 2698 BC, introduced the earliest fighting systems to China. The Emperor is renowned as a great general who, prior to becoming China's leader, authored extensive treatises on medicine, astrology, and the martial arts. One of his primary adversaries was Chi You, credited as the progenitor of jiao di,

8446-418: The stage, his men tried attacking Leng to exact revenge, but the local police quickly arrested Leng to protect him. He was eventually set free. However, the railless architecture of the lei tai allowed a fighter to escape serious injury if they faced a more powerful opponent. All they had to do was leap down from the stage. This constituted a loss, but the boxer lived to fight another day. Despite this option,

8549-661: The state and development of Chinese martial arts became available from the Nanjing decade (1928–1937), as the Central Guoshu Institute established by the Kuomintang regime made an effort to compile an encyclopedic survey of martial arts schools. Since the 1950s, the People's Republic of China has organized Chinese martial arts as an exhibition and full-contact sport under the heading of "wushu" . According to legend, Chinese martial arts originated before

8652-527: The styles originated from, separated by the Yangtze River ; Chinese martial arts may even be classified according to their province or city. The main perceived difference between northern and southern styles is that the northern styles tend to emphasize fast and powerful kicks, high jumps and generally fluid and rapid movement, while the southern styles focus more on strong arm and hand techniques, and stable, immovable stances and fast footwork. Examples of

8755-507: The superiority of Chen-style tai chi appeared in the Beijing Times , causing many martial artists to challenge his skills. Over the course of 17 days, he defeated over 200 people and made many friends. If these examples are followed, it took a fighter anywhere from 17 to 18 days and 150–200 plus consecutive wins to establish their style's dominance in that area. All weapons and boxing matches were conducted without protective gear like

8858-746: The techniques, moves, rooting, breathing and control of character (i.e. anger). Kung fu together with lei tai trains the instincts and timing . It cultivates concentration and relaxation at the same time. It teaches practical combat applications of the disconnected moves learned from sets or taolu ("Forms"). With lei tai a student receives personal feedback on their strengths and weaknesses. Chinese martial arts Chinese martial arts , commonly referred to with umbrella terms kung fu ( / ˈ k ʌ ŋ ˈ f uː / ; Chinese : 功夫 ; pinyin : gōngfu ; Cantonese Yale : gūng fū ), kuoshu ( 國術 ; guóshù ) or wushu ( 武術 ; wǔshù ), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over

8961-539: The term kung fu refers to any skill that is acquired through learning or practice. It is a compound word composed of the words 功 (gōng) meaning "work", "achievement", or "merit", and 夫 (fū) which is a particle or nominal suffix with diverse meanings. Wushu literally means " martial art ". It is formed from the two Chinese characters 武術 : 武 ( wǔ ), meaning " martial " or " military " and 術 or 术 ( shù ), which translates into " art ", " discipline ", " skill " or " method ". The term wushu has also become

9064-659: The time from when the Guoshu was founded and when it dissolved in Mainland China there were many Faculty and Instructors that passed through its doors. The lucky ones left a line of students to carry on their teachings while others just faded away into obscurity due to the ravages of WWII, China's Civil War and the Cultural Revolution. The original masters brought in to teach included Fu Zhensong , Wan Laisheng , Gu Ruzhang , and Li Jinglin . Yang Chengfu

9167-528: The tin staff is documented in the Chinese Buddhist canon. Following Buddhabhadra , another Indian monk named Bodhidharma, also known as Damo in Chinese, arrived at Shaolin in 527 AD. His Chinese disciple, Huike, was likewise a highly skilled martial artist. There are indications that these first three Chinese Shaolin monks—Huiguang, Sengchou, and Huike—may have had a military background prior to embracing monastic life . The Shaolin style of kung fu

9270-467: The type of classification. However, few experienced martial artists make a clear distinction between internal and external styles, or subscribe to the idea of northern systems being predominantly kick-based and southern systems relying more heavily on upper-body techniques. Most styles contain both hard and soft elements, regardless of their internal nomenclature. Analyzing the difference in accordance with yin and yang principles, philosophers would assert that

9373-496: The understanding of meridians, pressure points, and herbal remedies , as well as exercises that promote health, vitality , and longevity. The holistic approach to training seeks to cultivate both internal and external strength, promoting overall well-being and balance. Furthermore, Chinese martial arts serve as a vessel for preserving and transmitting cultural values and attitudes. Respect for teachers, dedication, discipline, and perseverance are instilled in practitioners, fostering

9476-541: The word for "robust or vigorous" (dīng 丁) with the radical for "hand" (shǒu 手). This can mean, "to strike, hit, beat, or fight". In Cantonese , using the Wade-Giles superscript number system, Lei tai is pronounced Leui Toi . A common English rendering of this is "Lui Toi or Loey Toy". Da lei tai is pronounced Da leui toi or Da leui toi . The Chinese military once used a Zhong Jun Lei Gu Tai (中军擂鼓台 – "Central Military Drum Beating Platform") to drum out commands on

9579-525: The world. According to Kung Fu Magazine , the Chinese character ' 擂 ' (in Mandarin lèi or léi ) combines the word for "thunder" (léi 雷) with the radical for "hand" (shǒu 手). It can mean, "to give an open challenge." But taken literally, it means to "beat (a drum)". Tái means "stage" or "platform." It is also commonly referred to as a Dǎ lèi tái ( Traditional : 打擂臺 Simplified : 打擂台 – "Fight Beat (a drum) Platform"). The character for Dǎ combines

9682-478: Was determined by a vote by the participants. Many of the "Top 15" finishers went on to teach at the institute.. The Fifteen athletes in particular that distinguished themselves: Zhu Guofu (朱国福), Gu Ruzhang (顾 汝 章), Wang Yunpeng (王云鹏), Zhang Changyi (张长义), Ma Yufu (马裕甫), Dou Laigeng (窦 来 庚), Yang Shiwen (杨士文), Zhang Yingzhen(张英振), Yang Fawu (杨 法 武), Wang Chengzhang (王成章), Zhu Guozhen (朱国桢), Zhang Weitong (张维 通), Zhu Guolu (朱国禄), Ma Chengzhi (马成智), Hu Jiong (胡 炯) Within

9785-503: Was disassociated from what was seen as the potentially subversive self-defense aspects and family lineages of Chinese martial arts. In 1958, the government established the All-China Wushu Association as an umbrella organization to regulate martial arts training. The Chinese State Commission for Physical Culture and Sports took the lead in creating standardized forms for most of the major arts. During this period,

9888-405: Was forced off or was knocked to the floor of the stage. As a result, no one would want to learn boxing from him. The winner of the bout became the "owner of the platform" and remained on stage unless he was forced off himself. If there were no more challengers, he became the champion and or established the dominance of his style in that area. Another way was to defeat an already established master on

9991-458: Was forced off the stage, landed in water. To improve safety, the lei tai was a meter shorter than a standard one, which lessened the impact and allowed assistants to quickly jump in the pool to rescue any fighter who might have been unconscious. No serious injuries were recorded during this event. There have been more water lei tai's held since this event. In March 2004, the 9th International Chinese Kuoshu Federation (ICKF) World Championship hosted

10094-540: Was here that 24 countries and 28 Chinese national teams, over a thousand competitors in all, gathered to test their skills against each other. The water lei tai was held on the afternoon of the second day of competition (May 23). There were five divisions and it was the most attended event of the tournament. The event was made more difficult when it rained just prior to the matches, making the fighting surface very slippery. Also fighters were restricted to minimal safety equipment, only gloves and shorts. The defeated, who fell or

10197-428: Was illustrated in the movie Fearless , when Jet Li 's character challenges another warrior to a fight. The book Ultimate Sparring: Principles & Practices comments, "martial artists conducted 'Challenge matches' [on the lei tai] to test each other's skills, because of a personal dispute, or to prove one martial system's superiority over another system." Either fighter lost the match and his credibility if he fell,

10300-508: Was later changed to a traditional square lei tai. According to Shuai Jiao Grandmaster Liang Shou Yu, "In the past, San Shou competition was held on the Lei Tai, a 24 x 24-foot (7.3 m) platform 5 feet (1.5 m) high. Victory was decided when an opponent was thrown off the Lei Tai or knocked to the floor. Therefore, Shuai Jiao is an important part of San Shou fighting. A martial artist without any Shuai Jiao skills would not easily survive

10403-739: Was named the Institute's head instructor of tai chi ; Sun Lutang was named head instructor of Xingyiquan; and Fu Zhensong was named head instructor of Baguazhang . In 1929, the governor of Guangdong invited some of the institute's masters (including some of those that had competed in the 1928 lei tai) to come south to establish a "Southern Kuoshu Institute". General Li Jinglin chose five masters to represent northern China: Baguazhang master Fu Zhensong; Shaolin Iron Palm master Gu Ruzhang; Six Harmony master Wan Laishen; Tan Tui master Li Shanwu; and Chaquan master, Wang Shaozhao. These men were known as

10506-416: Was presided by generals Zhang Zhijiang, Li Liejun, and Li Jinglin , who separated the 600 participants into two categories: Shaolin and Wudang . After the first several days of competition, the fighting competitions had to be halted because many participants were severely injured. The final 12 contestants were not permitted to continue, with the public excuse being the fear more injury or a death. The winner

10609-433: Was voted on by a jury of his peers. Many of the "Top 15" finishers (some being Xingyi boxers) went on to teach at the institute. In 1929, the governor of Guangdong Province invited some of the institute's masters (including some of those that had competed in the 1928 lei tai) to come south to establish a "Southern Kuoshu Institute". General Li Jinglin chose five masters to represent northern China. These men were known as

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