Martial Arts in China, Information about this Practice

Martial arts in China are part of a diverse variety of systems of native martial arts. These systems or styles are also known as Wushu, Kuo-shu or Chuan-fa, depending on the group of people that are practicing them. The denomination with one or another term could imply differences as far as criteria regarding its practice.

Martial arts are usually used as a way to learn self defense. Martial arts are also beneficial for mental health. These relax and teach concentration and self-control. Tibetan monks say that there exist two types of exercises:

1.External, focused on the strengthen and development of the body. 2.Internal, focused on the development of the inner force. This type of exercise is calmed and helps to gain calm and inner health.

Almost all martial arts are in accordance to the monks, a way of inner exercise.

There is no way to tell exactly the period of time that these were created, it all took an evolutionary process that may have taken hundreds of years.

Chinese martial arts were not fully known in the Occident until 1898. At first, Chinese people did not want to share them because others may have seen these arts as something with commercial purposes only, one of the biggest propagators was Bruce Lee (1940 – 1973).

Martial arts have a rich past but in many cases it has been misunderstood due to ignorance of its real roots or as a consequence of the distortion of the real historical evolution of these techniques so that it can attract the attention of the neophyte. So there are several myths that are described in most publications about martial arts of Chinese origin, which do not include academic sources that support them.

There are many styles of Kung Fu but the most important in terms of organization, entertaining methods and morality were developed at the Buddhist monastery of Shaolin. These characteristics made learning at the Shaolin temple a symbol of respect and dignity.

The term Kung Fu means experience, what is acquired with time and it had its main exponents in the Shaolin temple, in the Honan province and in the north area of central China.

Other martial arts. Jeet Kune Do “the way of the intercepting fist”. It is a system of martial arts and a life philosophy developed by Bruce Lee. JKD is characterized by six principles, “Multiculural arts”, “Range”, “Five ways of attack”, “Individual and instructor preference”, “Environment” and “absorb what is useful”.

Sanda (free style boxing, in Chinese language) is a new martial art that combines Kung Fu, Taichi and Wushu creating a very strict discipline. Choy Li Fu, it combines many techniques of martial arts from north and south China's Kung Fu, the powerful hand and arm of the techniques of Shaolin (forms of animals from the south) and agile feet that characterizes north China. Dim Mak also known as Death Touch (a manipulation of arteries) it's essential in Shaolin Kung Fu and Karate Jitsu.