Introduction to Kung Fu

The origins of Kung Fu (also written as Gung Fu , and today bearing the meaning of a Chinese martial art) are hidden behind many myths of outrageous deeds and impossible folklore. Much of its recorded history has been lost, with only a few fragments surviving. Its beginnings can be traced back more than three thousand years in China, when personal combat first developed into a science. But it is only during the Han Dynasty (around 200 CE) that records of empty-hand and empty-hand against weapon combat techniques and strategies are printed in a chapter of Han Shu I Chih. The earliest records of martial arts schools date back to the era of the Six Dynasties (264-581 CE). The next major chapter in the history of Chinese martial arts is traced back to contributions from Ch'an Buddhism, and the foundation of the infamous Shaolin Temple. Shaolin is the name of a Temple on Mt. Songshan at Dengfeng in Henan Province. This temple was originally built for the Indian Buddhist monk Ba Tuo by Emperor Wen Di of the Liu Song period in 495. Later, in 527, it became highly significant with the arrival of the Indian monk Bodhidharma (Ta-Mo in Chinese). Ta-Mo, the twenty-eight Buddhist patriarch, noticed upon his arrival that many monks displayed symptoms of improper nutritio nand lack of exercise, and thus could not concentrate properly during meditation. Ta-Mo reasoned that a healthy body lead to a healthy mind and ultimately to the full development of Qi, or one's vital energy. It is believed that TaMo retreated to meditate upon this problem. In a cave on Wu Ru peak behind the temple, he stayed in intense meditation for nine straight years. This meditation lead to the conception of Ch'an Buddhism and of the beginnings of Shaolin Kung Fu. His initial contribution consisted of two forms of qigong (breathing and energy development) and one fighting form: yijinjing (the muscle tendon change classic), xisuijing (the marrow washing) and Lohan shi bas hou (18 hand methods of the Lohan). Accordingly, Shaolin kungfu therefore encompasses both internal and external methods of development. While many fighting styles had existed for centuries, Ta-Mo's contribution at Shaolin Temple is considered by many to be the birth of the first truly systemized martial art. His profound contributions would eventually elevate combat skills to be much more than simple fighting techniques. Kung Fu became a vehicle for spiritual transformation. As Shaolin's reputation grew, martial artists would travel great distances to this temple to become monks. Each would bring his unique martial skills with him. Additionally, generals and other warriors would retire to the temple as monks, and brought their styles and expertise with them. The Shaolin system thus became a dynamic system that was always evolving. Over the last 1500 years, Shaolin Temple has been burned down 3 times. Each time it was rebuilt. Each time, the surviving monks would escape the destruction and teach their Shaolin kung fu to others. Consequently, pieces of the art of Shaolin were widely spread. Many Chinese Kung Fu styles, and many non?Chinese fighting styles alike, now trace their roots to this temple.

Huo Yuanjia（Fearless）

Huo Yuanjia (Chinese: 霍元甲; pinyin: Huò Yuánjiǎ) [Cantonese: Fok Yuen Gap] (c.1868-1910) was a Chinese martial artist and co-founder of the Chin Woo Athletic Association, a martial arts school in Shanghai. A practitioner of the martial art Mízōngyì, he is considered a hero in China for challenging foreign fighters in highly publicized matches at a time when Chinese sovereignty was being eroded by foreign concessions and spheres of influence. Due to his heroic status, legends and myths about events in his life are difficult to discern from the facts.

Huo Yuanjia died on August 9, 1910 at 42 years of age from arsenic poisoning. Some accuse the Japanese of being responsible while others speculate that the European colonists may have been responsible.[citation needed]

In 1989, the tomb of Huo Yuanjia and his wife was relocated. Black spots were discovered in the pelvic bones, in which Tianjin Municipality Police Laboratory confirmed that they contained arsenic.[citation needed] Consequently, it is difficult to ascertain whether his death was caused by malicious poisoning or wrong prescription of medicine. This was because arsenic trioxide has been used therapeutically for approximately 2,400 years as a part of Chinese medicine.

Historian Chen Gongzhe, who was also one of Huo's students, believed that the cause of his teacher's death was hemoptysis disease. Chen wrote that as Huo Yuanjia was introduced to a Japanese doctor by the Judo instructor as his health declined. The doctor prescribed some medicine for his condition, but Huo Yuanjia's health continued to deteriorate. Huo was admitted to Shanghai Red Cross Hospital where he died two weeks later. Although Chen Gongzhe did not mention that the medicine prescribed by the Japanese doctor contained arsenic or any other poison, some leaders of the Chin Woo Athletic Association speculate that Huo was poisoned around the time of his death.

Chinese Kung Fu Styles—Tai Chi Chuan

Tai chi chuan (traditional Chinese: 太極拳; simplified Chinese: 太极拳; pinyin: tàijíquán; Wade-Giles: t'ai4 chi2 ch'üan2) is an internal Chinese martial art often practiced for health reasons. Tai chi is typically practiced for a variety of other personal reasons: its hard and soft martial art technique, demonstration competitions, health and longevity. Consequently, a multitude of training forms exist, both traditional and modern, which correspond to those aims. Some of tai chi chuan's training forms are well known to Westerners as the slow motion routines that groups of people practice together every morning in parks around the world, particularly in China.

Today, tai chi has spread worldwide. Most modern styles of tai chi trace their development to at least one of the five traditional schools: Chen, Yang, Wu/Hao, Wu and Sun. The origins and creation of tai chi are a subject of much argument and speculation. However, the oldest documented tradition is that of the Chen family from the 1820s.

Tai chi classes have become popular in hospitals, clinics, community and senior centers in the last twenty years or so, as baby boomers age and the art's reputation as a low stress training for seniors became more well-known. As a result of this popularity, there has been some divergence between those who say they practice tai chi primarily for self-defense, those who practice it for its aesthetic appeal (see wushu below), and those who are more interested in its benefits to physical and mental health. The wushu aspect is primarily for show; the forms taught for those purposes are designed to earn points in competition and are mostly unconcerned with either health maintenance or martial ability. More traditional stylists believe the two aspects of health and martial arts are equally necessary: the yin and yang of tai chi chuan. The tai chi "family" schools therefore still present their teachings in a martial art context, whatever the intention of their students in studying the art.

Along with Yoga, tai chi is one of the fastest growing fitness and health maintenance activities in the United States.

Jet Li

Li Lianjie (born April 26, 1963), better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a Chinese martial artist, actor, wushu champion, and international film star. After three years of intensive training with Wu Bin, Li won his first national championship for the Beijing Wushu Team. After retiring from wushu at age 17, he went on to win great acclaim in China as an actor making his debut with the film Shaolin Temple (1982). He went on to star in many critically acclaimed martial arts epic films, most notably the Once Upon A Time In China series, in which he portrayed folk hero Wong Fei Hung. His first role in a Hollywood film was as a villain in Lethal Weapon 4 (1998), but his first Hollywood film leading role was in Romeo Must Die (2000). He has gone on to star in many Hollywood action films, most recently starring beside Jackie Chan in The Forbidden Kingdom (2008), and as the titular villain in The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor (2008) opposite Brendan Fraser. He is set to star in the upcoming film The Expendables.

Li is a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism. His master is Lho Kunsang of the Drikung Kagyu lineage of the Kagyu school.

In 1987, Li married Beijing Wushu Team member and Shaolin Temple series co-star Huang Qiuyan, with whom he had two daughters. They divorced in 1990, Since 1999, he has been married to Nina Li Chi (born Li Zhi), a Shanghai-born, Hong Kong-based actress. He has two daughters with her as well, Jane (born 2000) and Jada (born 2002).

Li was in the Maldives when the tsunami hit during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Although it was widely reported at the time that he had died during the disaster, he only suffered a minor foot injury, caused by a piece of floating furniture, while he was guiding his 4-year-old daughter Jane to safety. The two were by the pool and slightly above the beach when the wave came ashore.

Chinese Kung Fu Styles—Shaolin Kung Fu

Shaolin Kungfu (Shaolin Martial Art) is one of the most influential genres of Chinese martial arts, and it's named after where it originated -- the Shaolin Temple, founded in 495 AD on the Songshan Mountain in Dengfeng County, Henan Province in Central China. The monks in the Shaolin Temple began to study martial arts during the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-581) and this tradition prevailed during the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907).
Shaolin Kungfu is famous both at home and abroad as a highly-effective method of self-defense and building health. It has quiet internal side and a mighty external side. Combining external and internal, "hard" and "soft" exercises, Shaolin Kungfu involves various methods of fighting techniques, consisting of barehanded boxing and weaponry combat.

Influence outside of China

Some lineages of Karate have oral traditions that claim Shaolin origins. Martial arts traditions in Japan and Korea, and Southeast Asia cite Chinese influence as transmitted by Buddhist monks.

Recent developments in the 20th century such as Shorinji Kempo (少林寺拳法) practised in Japan's Sohonzan Shorinji (金剛禅総本山少林寺) still maintains close ties with China's Song Shan Shaolin Temple due to historic links[21]. Japanese Shorinji Kempo Group financial contributions to the maintenance of the historic edifice of the Song Shan Shaolin Temple in 2003 received China's recognition.

Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan was born in Hong Kong on April 7th, 1954. His parents, Charles and Lee-lee Chan named him Chan Kong-sang which means "born in Hong Kong." Jackie weighed 12 pounds when he was born and his mother required surgery to deliver him. Jackie's parents were so poor that they had to borrow money from friends to pay the doctor.

When Jackie was seven years old Charles took a job as the head cook at the American embassy in Australia. He felt that it would be best for Jackie to stay behind in Hong Kong to learn a skill and so enrolled him in the China Drama Academy where Jackie would live for the next 10 years of his life.

During Jackie's time at the school, he learned martial arts, acrobatics, singing, and acting. The school was meant to prepare boys for a life in the Peking Opera. Chinese opera was very different from any other kind of opera. It included singing, tumbling, and acrobatics as well as martial arts skills and acting.

While at the China Academy, Jackie made his acting debut at age eight in the Cantonese movie "Seven Little Valiant Fighters: Big and Little Wong Tin Bar." He later teamed with other opera students in a performance group called "The Seven Little Fortunes." Fellow actors Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao were also members. Years later the three would work together and become known as The Three Brothers. As Jackie got older he worked as a stuntman and an extra in the Hong Kong film industry.

When Jackie was 17, he graduated from the China Drama Academy. Unfortunately the Chinese opera was no longer very popular, so Jackie and his classmates had to find other work. Each year many movies were made in Hong Kong and there was always a need for young, strong stuntmen. Jackie was extraordinarily athletic and inventive, and soon gained a reputation for being fearless; Jackie Chan would try anything. Soon he was in demand.

Over the next few years, Jackie worked as a stuntman, but when the Hong Kong movie industry began to fail, he was forced to go to Australia to live with his parents.

Jackie was very unhappy in Australia. The construction work was difficult and boring. His salvation came in the form of a telegram from a man named Willie Chan. Willie Chan worked in the Hong Kong movie industry and was looking for someone to star in a new movie being made by Lo Wei, a famous Hong Kong producer/director. Willie had seen Jackie at work as a stuntman and had been impressed. Jackie called Willie and they talked. Jackie didn't know it but Willie would end up becoming his best friend and manager. Soon Jackie was on his way back to Hong Kong to star in "New Fist of Fury." It was 1976 and Jackie Chan was 21 years old.

Jackie was becoming a huge success in Asia. Unfortunately, it would be many years before the same could be said of his popularity in America. After a series of lukewarm receptions in the U.S., mostly due to miscasting, Jackie left the States and focused his attention on making movies in Hong Kong. It would be 10 years before he returned to make Rumble in the Bronx, the movie that introduced Jackie to American audiences and secured him a place in their hearts (and their box office). Rumble was followed by the Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon series which put Jackie on the Hollywood A List.

Despite his Hollywood successes, Jackie became frustrated by the lack of varied roles for Asian actors and his own inability to control certain aspects of the filming in America. He continued to try, however, making The Tuxedo, The Medallion, and Around the World in 80 Days, none of which was the blockbuster that Rush Hour or Shanghai Noon had been.

Jackie's lifelong devotion to fitness has served him well as he continues to do stunt work and action sequences in his films.

Jackie has been married to Lin Feng-Jiao since 1982 and has a son, actor-singer Jaycee Chan. To learn more about Jackie you can read his biography, I Am Jackie Chan.

Chinese martial arts

Chinese martial arts, also known as wushu (traditional Chinese: 武術; simplified Chinese: 武术; pinyin: wǔshù), and popularly as kung fu (Chinese: 功夫 pinyin: gōngfū) consists of a number of fighting styles that were developed over the centuries. Example of fighting styles include Bagua, Drunken Boxing, Eagle Claw, Five Animals, Hsing I, Hung Gar, Lau Gar, Monkey, Bak Mei Pai, Praying Mantis, Fujian White Crane, Wing Chun and Tai Chi Chuan. Those fighting styles can be classified according to common themes that are identified as "families" (家, jiā), "sects" (派, pai) or "schools" (門, men) of martial art. Example of themes are physical exercises that mimic movements from animals or a history and training method that gather inspiration from various Chinese philosophies, myths and legends. Some styles has their training focus on the the harnessing of qi power and is labeled internal (内家拳), while others concentrate on improving muscle and cardiovascular fitness and is labeled external (外家拳). Geographical association, as in northern (北拳) and southern (南拳), is another popular method of categorization. Each fighting style offers a different approach to the common problems of self-defense, health, and self-cultivation from a Chinese perspective.
China has one of the longest histories of continuously recorded martial arts tradition of any society in the world,[dubious – discuss] and with hundreds of styles probably the most varied. Over the past two thousand years, many distinctive styles have been developed, each with its own set of techniques and ideas.[29] There are also common themes to the different styles, which are often classified by "families" (家, jiā), "sects" (派, pai) or "schools" (門, men) of martial art styles. There are styles that mimic movements from animals and others that gather inspiration from various Chinese philosophies, myths and legends. Some styles put most of their focus into the harnessing of qi energy, while others concentrate solely on competition and exhibition. Each style offers a different approach to the common problems of self-defense, health and self-cultivation.