| Though English speakers use the term Kung Fu to refer generally to all martial arts of Chinese origin, the precise Chinese term for marital arts is wu shu. Kung fu in Chinese can be translated as work or skill. The origin of martial arts in China has been traced all the way back to around 500 AD, when Buddhist monks began practicing qigong, or energy cultivation techniques, which they found also greatly improved their physical strength. When Manchuria took over China and began the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), martial arts were outlawed in order to prevent rebellion, though government forces continued to practice traditional hand-to-hand fighting techniques and civilians—including the monks of the legendary Shaolin Temple—kept up their practice in secret. Revolution swept China in 1911 and the Qing dynasty fell. Over the next two decades, the history and secrets of Chinese martial arts were revealed to the public, opening up the traditional martial arts practices to greater scrutiny, as well as Western influence. Around this time, they began to be adapted to serve as a form of recreation and fitness. After the triumph of the Nationalists and the unification of China in 1928, the government moved to formalize the role of martial arts in Chinese society, requiring public schools to include martial arts in their physical education programs. The rise of the Communists after World War II continued the process of mainstreaming martial arts, as many of the religious elements were ... |
