Martial Arts Of The World - Webs
Martial Arts Of The World - Webs Martial Arts Of The World - Webs
66 China the Han Chinese majority, as opposed to Manchu practices of wrestling and archery on horseback), especially those of heterodox religious groups and secret societies. In traditional Chinese society, martial arts practice was not so much spiritual as it was the equivalent of keeping firearms. These groups were often considered subversive by the authorities and, indeed, some were. For example, the Taipings, a quasi-Christian cult, grew into a major threat to the regime, occupying a large portion of southeast China between 1850 and 1863. The term wushu as it is used today in the People’s Republic of China is only rarely seen in ancient texts. This term also translates into “martial arts” in English. The term wushu had become commonplace early in the twentieth century (possibly following the Japanese use of shu or jutsu, as in jûjutsu [pliant skill]). Even the young Mao Zedong referred favorably to the Japanese practice of jûjutsu (roushu in Chinese), which he carefully noted had evolved from Chinese skills. The Nationalist government (controlled by the Nationalist Party, known as the Guomindang) adopted the term guoshu (national arts) in 1927 to associate them with modern Chinese nationalism. As a result, the term guoshuguan (national arts hall) has carried over to the present in some overseas Chinese communities. The term kung fu (gongfu) merely means “skill” or “effort” in Chinese. In the eighteenth century, a French Jesuit missionary in China used the term to describe Chinese yogalike exercises. It was accepted for English usage in the United States during the 1960s to describe Chinese self-defense practices seen outside Mainland China as being similar to karate. It was widely popularized by the Kung Fu television series in the 1970s and is now a household word around the world. However, this term evokes a fanciful, exaggerated association of the Chinese martial arts with Shaolin Monastery and Buddhism—a distorted image of these arts, whose origins go back much further than either Buddhism in China or Shaolin Monastery. From early times, the martial arts emphasized weapons skills. The Conversations of the States (Conversations of Qi) mentions five edged weapons: broad sword, straight sword, spear, halberd, and arrow. The Rites of Zhou also lists five weapons: halberd, lance, pike, and long and short spears. The Book of Rites includes archery, charioteering, and wrestling in the seasonal martial training regimen. In the section on music, it further describes martial dances with shield and axe and choreographed halberd and spear movements—early examples of combining ritual with martial techniques into routines commonly known in modern karate parlance as kata. The ancient Chinese aristocracy doubled as priests. Religion and governance converged; therefore, there were rites to support military as well as peacetime activities.
The entries on archery, straight sword, boxing, and even football (more like soccer, which required considerable agility as well as endurance) in the Han History Bibliographies reveal that manuals were written on important martial arts and related skills, although those extant date back no earlier than the Ming dynasty (ca. sixteenth century). Boxing was the basic skill that supplemented weapons, and certain boxing-related techniques were used on horseback as well as on foot, especially weapons-seizing techniques. For example, General Deng Zhan of Wei (ca. A.D. 220–226) was known for his skill with the “five weapons” and for his ability to take on armed opponents empty-handed. During a campaign in A.D. 582, Sui troops, outnumbered and their “five weapons” depleted, successfully fought off a Tujue (Turkic tribe) force with their bare fists, with such ferocity that “the bones in their hands were visible” (Wang 1960, 395, 4694). General Weichi Jingde of Tang (ca. A.D. 627–649) could ride into an opposing army, dodge the enemy’s lance thrusts, seize an enemy lance, and use it against the attackers. When the military examination system was established in 702, the martial arts emphasized for leaders were lance and spear from horseback, and archery from horseback and on foot. There was a test of strength, as well, that consisted of lifting a large city gate log bolt ten times (based on a story that Confucius had displayed great strength by lifting and placing just such a bolt) and carrying approximately five bushels of rice for a distance of twenty paces. Common soldiers were categorized based on their skills with archery, spear, halberd, pike, and sword, and their daring in hand-to-hand combat. A premium was placed on strength and endurance. By the Song dynasty there was a saying: “There are thirty-six types of weapons, and the bow is the foremost; there are eighteen types of martial A Daoist priest practicing martial exercises in a temple in Beijing, China, April 1995. (Peter Turnley/Corbis) China 67
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<strong>The</strong> entries on archery, straight sword, boxing, and even football<br />
(more like soccer, which required considerable agility as well as endurance)<br />
in the Han History Bibliographies reveal that manuals were written on important<br />
martial arts and related skills, although those extant date back no<br />
earlier than the Ming dynasty (ca. sixteenth century). Boxing was the basic<br />
skill that supplemented weapons, and certain boxing-related techniques<br />
were used on horseback as well as on foot, especially weapons-seizing techniques.<br />
For example, General Deng Zhan of Wei (ca. A.D. 220–226) was<br />
known for his skill with the “five weapons” and for his ability to take on<br />
armed opponents empty-handed. During a campaign in A.D. 582, Sui<br />
troops, outnumbered and their “five weapons” depleted, successfully<br />
fought off a Tujue (Turkic tribe) force with their bare fists, with such ferocity<br />
that “the bones in their hands were visible” (Wang 1960, 395,<br />
4694). General Weichi Jingde of Tang (ca. A.D. 627–649) could ride into an<br />
opposing army, dodge the enemy’s lance thrusts, seize an enemy lance, and<br />
use it against the attackers.<br />
When the military examination system was established in 702, the<br />
martial arts emphasized for leaders were lance and spear from horseback,<br />
and archery from horseback and on foot. <strong>The</strong>re was a test of strength, as<br />
well, that consisted of lifting a large city gate log bolt ten times (based on<br />
a story that Confucius had displayed great strength by lifting and placing<br />
just such a bolt) and carrying approximately five bushels of rice for a distance<br />
of twenty paces. Common soldiers were categorized based on their<br />
skills with archery, spear, halberd, pike, and sword, and their daring in<br />
hand-to-hand combat. A premium was placed on strength and endurance.<br />
By the Song dynasty there was a saying: “<strong>The</strong>re are thirty-six types of<br />
weapons, and the bow is the foremost; there are eighteen types of martial<br />
A Daoist priest<br />
practicing martial<br />
exercises in a temple<br />
in Beijing, China,<br />
April 1995. (Peter<br />
Turnley/Corbis)<br />
China 67