Chinese martial arts history and practice

Martial Arts

Three of the most significant Chinese martial arts traditions include Chuan Fa, Kung Fu, and Wushu. Chuan Fa has also become part of the Japanese martial arts tradition, where it is known as Kenpo, also spelled Kempo. Chuan Fa translates as "fist law," and Kempo means "fist law" in Japanese. However, "the Chinese system from which Kenpo was derived underwent so many changes that, while most of the Kenpo techniques can be found scattered among the hundreds of Chinese fighting systems, there is no single system in China today that resembles Kenpo," (Tracy).

The origins of Chuan Fa are steeped in legend. Buddhist temples in China have recorded a history of how Chuan Fa first developed after an Indian Buddhist monk traveled to China around 520 BCE. An Indian Buddhist master Prajnatara instructed his student Bodhidharma to travel to China "re-teach the principles of Buddhism and share the knowledge of Dhyana," ("Kempo History"). Prajnatara was deeply concerned that Buddhism was on the decline in China and hoped Bodhidharma would help reinvigorate Buddhist traditions. When Bodhidharma arrived at the Shaolin temple, he did discover a loss of morale and soon began to teach fundamental martial arts techniques known collectively now as "the art of Shih Pa Lo Han Sho (the 18 hands of Lo Han)." The techniques were embraced as the means by which to maintain physical health while meditating for extended periods, but eventually became transformed into rich fighting traditions.

Chuan Fa remains relevant and attractive as a martial art practice because of its historical connection with the Shaolin temple. The practices of Chuan Fa became popular in the United States when Chinese immigrants brought their traditions with them. The martial art in its Japanese form Kenpo has flourished also, especially after the Mitose family popularized it in Hawaii.

Kung Fu traces its history to 525 CE, but ironically also traces its roots to Bodhidharma. Like Chuan Fa, Kung Fu claims a historical connection to the Shaolin temple and to the original 18 exercises that Bodhidharma taught there when he first arrived from India. However, sources related to the history of kung fu in China contradict one another. One source traces the origin of the word to two Chinese words: kung meaning energy, and fu meaning time (Tsui-Po). Another source claims that the term kung fu is a bastardization of a Chinese phrase meaning "well done," and "Westerners then mistakenly began calling this strange but wonderful art, Kung-Fu," (Allen Academy). Most sources trace the origin of Kung Fu to Bodhidharma, but one source claims, "Kung-Fu is the most ancient of all martial arts and it is possible to trace its roots back more than 4,000 years," ("The History of Kung Fu").

Regardless of exactly how the system originated in China, Kung Fu has been developed into a system of martial arts that differs from others in its espousal of five "animal" forms including dragon, tiger, crane, leopard, and snake. Each of these five animal forms includes sets of exercises to strengthen different parts of the body and aspects of the mind. When fused, the five forms offer a complete hard/soft approach to the fighting arts (Tsui-Po). Like other Chinese martial arts, Kung Fu combines mental discipline with physical practice. Kung fu practices have changed considerably over the centuries, in spite of its retaining the core forms. After the Cultural Revolution, Chinese martial arts traditions were brought to the new world, where they changed even more dramatically with Western practitioners. Bruce Lee popularized a specific format of kung fu martial arts.