What is Kung-Fu?
Kung-Fu is the westernized term for Chinese Martial Arts and is also written as
Gong-Fu. Kung-Fu actually means something that has taken a long time to achieve,
a profession. A skilled doctor would be said to possess medical kung-fu, or a police
officer would have law enforcement kung-fu. Wu Shu, meaning martial art or skill,
is the more appropriate term. I will use Kung-Fu, though not correct, it has become
accepted and recognized as meaning Chinese Martial Art.
A Brief History of Kung-Fu
The
traditional history of Kung-Fu begins with the Buddhist monk Bodidharma, or
Tamo, travelling to a temple in China around 540 AD. The temple he arrived at
was built in a newly planted forest and called "Young Forest Temple" or better
known as Shaolin Temple. After initially being refused entrance he sat in a
cave and meditated for seven years. When finally being allowed to enter the
temple he was appalled by the generally poor physical condition of the monks he
found there. They could not meditate for long periods because their physical
bodies were weak. Tamo began teaching them basic exercises of what could be
called Chi Kung, to strengthen their bodies and minds. As time went on, and
they became healthier and more physically active, they began to develop and
learn the basics of Chinese Martial Arts. Since the Buddhist monks were in tune
with nature they began patterning the movements from what the saw there, mostly
the animals. The monks did not begin their training as a martial art, they
simply wanted to strengthen their physical bodies to help them meditate longer
and improve minds. Being that this time in Chinese history was ripe with
bandits and conflicts it wasn’t long until some monks used what they had
learned to defend themselves.
As time progressed many monks who had learned the Shaolin system left the
temples and taught a few others what they had learned. These teachings began to
become wide spread and other systems of Kung-Fu were developed and used
throughout China. Chinese Armies were trained and fought using the particular
style of the General who led them. Becoming a military weapon was the downfall
of the Shaolin Temples however. When one ruler came into power he feared the
monks may teach his rivals better skills then his army. To prevent the possible
defeat of his army and thus his downfall, he ordered the temples be destroyed.
This did not completely stop the practice of Shaolin Kung-Fu though. Many monks
escaped and either found refuge in other temples, founded new ones, or roamed
the land teaching others.
It has been said that there are between 500 and 800 different styles of Kung-Fu
practiced today, and many more then this that have been lost.
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Tiger
The Tiger is used to train for strong bones and ligaments and develops
fearlessness and tenacity. It has strong techniques best suited for ripping and
tearing. Not being one of the more subtle forms, a Tiger practitioner will
prefer attack aggressively, overwhelming the opponent. Kicks can range from
powerful, high roundhouses to low sweeping and the hand techniques can be used
as both blocks and attacks. It is a very demanding style possibly best suited
to a larger, stronger person.
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Leopard
Leopard
develops speed, power, and agility while strengthening the muscles and tendons.
Unlike the Tiger, Leopard relies more on speed then strength in it’s attacks.
The hands are used more precisely than Tiger, the Leopard fist is the preferred
weapon for attacking vital areas and ranking. The Leopard practitioner will
also use traps and holds against an opponent’s limbs, often followed up with an
elbow strike to break the arm or leg. Kicks are quick and powerful with the
practitioner jumping and spinning in a flurry of blows.
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Snake
Snake is more of an internal style that is used to build and strengthen Chi as
well as teaching endurance and fluid, supple movement. Snake uses many twisting
and circular movements. Deflecting an opponent by twisting out of range, the
Snake practitioner will spring with quick strikes to the vital points. Eyes and
throat being a favorite target. Snakes flexible stances allow it to use quick,
accurate kicks directed anywhere from the ground to head level.
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Crane
The Crane is
a graceful animal that teaches balance, flexibility, and patience. The Crane
stylist prefers to allow the opponent attack, then quickly moving out of range
or deflecting the blow. The Crane will bide it’s time in choosing a counter
attack, waiting for an opening to deliver pinpoint strikes at the vital points.
A Crane stylist will use long kicks and crane’s beak strikes to disable and
tire the opponent before delivering a finishing blow.
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Dragon 
The Dragon is an exception to the rule that the animal styles were developed
from nature. In Chinese terms the Dragon is a spiritual creature associated
with "good luck" and wisdom. Being a water spirit it can often be found near
rivers. Being a spiritual creature it develops Chi along with suppleness, and
flexibility. The Dragon stylist will first learn external techniques similar to
a purely external system in order to develop powerful techniques. Later they
will combine these with internal techniques. The Dragon will use it’s place as
a spirit to move like smoke around an opponent, eventually delivery a forceful
blow using the internal power they have developed. The Dragon uses it’s
flexibility and footwork to deliver long kicks and grabs that come from an
assumed safe distance from the opponent.
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Preying Mantis
Preying Mantis is a diverse system with many branches or schools. The common
aspects, among others, are agile footwork and strikes to pressure point areas.
The Mantis practitioner will wait for an opening using footwork to evade the
opponent. Once an opening has been found they will use knees, elbows, kicks,
and mantis strikes to deliver power techniques to soft targets and breaking
joints. Mantis doesn’t use a fist as in other styles, but relies on fingertip
strikes. The Mantis may also use a grabbing or hooking technique to allow the
opponent to draw them into a target.
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Hung Gar
Hung Gar is a Southern system that uses strong, low stances and strong, powerful
techniques. The techniques were developed to make efficient use of the limited
space in Southern Chinese cities. Blocks are short and powerful, punches and
kicks are thrown from short ranges with devastating power. Hung Gar is known
for it low, solid horse stance. Practitioners train standing in a horse stance
for several minutes to hours.
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Tai Chi
Tai Chi is an internal art that is most
recognizable as being practiced by large numbers of older people in parks
throughout China. There are five major branches of Tai Chi; Yang, Sun, Wu,
Chen, and Fu. Tai Chi forms are typically performed slowly, allowing a person
to concentrate on body positioning and breathing. A Tai Chi form can last
anywhere from three minutes to an hour or more. Because it does require great
strength or flexibility it is most often performed by older people, yet anyone
can benefit from the techniques. By concentrating on internal development Tai
Chi enhances and strengthens the body and mind allowing one to become healthier
and live longer.
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Chi
Chi can best be described as a force that flows through us and surrounds us.
Every living thing has this force, or energy about it. It flows through our
bodies along pathways, called meridians, which can not be proven to existing in
Western scientific terms, yet have been use in China for centuries. Chi is more
than just energy, it is movement; it not only allows us to move, but is
movement. In the view of Traditional Chinese Medicine illnesses are caused by a
blockage, or out of balance condition, in our Chi pathways.
As represented in the Yin Yang symbol, we must remain balanced in our lives. Yin
must flow into Yang and vice versa. So it is with Chi also, we must be balanced
and flowing to remain healthy.
The Chi in our bodies comes from three sources. Yuan Chi comes from our parents,
it’s what we are born with, and it can not be replenished. Once it is depleted
we will die. Gu Chi comes from the food we eat. More can be acquired from fresh
food than from processed foods, also more is available in fruits and vegetables
than in animal flesh. Da Chi comes from the air we breath. It goes without
saying that the less polluted the air, the better it is for you. All of these
sources are processed through the various organs of the body and are finally
brought together in the lungs to form Zhen Chi or "True Chi".
Like muscles, Chi can be trained and strengthened. By practicing Chi Kung, Tai
Chi, and meditation we can strengthen our Chi to ward off disease and illness.
It can also be used to protect and defend us. Chi can be trained to flow to an
area of the body, such as an arm, to protect it from an attack. It can also be
transmitted to an opponent to push them away or injure them. At high levels Chi
can be transmitted from many meters away. Chi transmission can also be used to
heal other. Practitioners of this art use their Chi to redirect or unblock Chi
flow in others, thus curing them.
Although there are many forms of Chi Kung, training can be roughly divided into
three major groupings. Martial Chi Kung is used to train the body for defense,
allowing it to suffer abuse without injury. Examples of this would be holding a
spear at the throat without cutting. Health Chi Kung is used to strengthen the
body and prevent disease. Spiritual Chi Kung is used for meditation and
strengthening the spirit, it is the most dangerous to practice without proper
instruction.
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populace. It is included with the realization that there may be some
inaccuracies. It is not our intention to deceive or mislead, only to educate.
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