Chinese Kung Fu
Kung Fu is a general term that is used to describe all martial arts Chinese martial arts styles, but the official form of Kung Fu taught in the People’s Republic of China is Wu Shu (“War Arts”). It is practiced by millions of Chinese and is included as part of the training for all police and military personnel. The government is more concern with physical aspects of the martial art and instead of spiritual development a student spends their time reading propaganda. When a student is not taking part in political training, they will take part in group and partner exercises as well as weapons practice. At first glance Wu Shu T’Sung looks impressive with a large number of katas and choice of weapons, but it is all flash and no substance.
Wu Shu T’Sung is more about looking good while you perform the art, and isn’t a very pragmatic form of Kung Fu. The form is so rigid it leaves a student unprepared to deal with anyone not using their style of Kung Fu. A practitioner begins with impressive leaps, back flips, and strikes but while doing so leaving themselves open to attacks because the art lacks any real defense. In dealing with an armed attacker a Wu Shu T’Sung student will be unprepared, unless they are carrying a weapon themselves. In the end Wu Shu T’Sung is little more than a theatrical martial art that has never been combat tested. The style even has its critics among modern practitioners of Kung Fu who say the government has stripped all tradition and practically from the art.
This form of Kung Fu is a cultural fighting art, and shouldn’t be used for self defense. Winning the fight is more important than looking good and losing a fight. The famous martial artist and action star Jet-Li practices Wu-Shu, but what happens on screen is pure fantasy. The Shaolin Monks who developed several styles of Kung Fu and influenced the development of Karate understood real combat wasn’t rigid, and that you had to be prepared for deal with a situation as it developed. This newest form of Chinese Kung Fu is visually impressive with acrobatics and martial arts moves it is a far cry from the styles the monks used to defend themselves against bandits and invaders. In the past it was all about substance now it is about flash.
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