by C. Li

Created on: June 15, 2007

Chinese Martial Arts is in general a very deep and wellspring of knowledge. There is actually no way to encapsulate it completely nor describe it. Chinese Martial Arts is commonly called "Kung Fu" (meaning accomplishment through hard work and discipline) and "Wushu" (which literally means martial arts in Chinese). The Chinese Martial Arts have been around for thousands of years and have derived into hundreds of different styles. There are most likely more styles of martial arts in China then there are varying dialects.

Some people owe the origins of martial arts in China to a famous Buddhist monk who took a pilgrimage from India to China and brought with him various exercises to keep the body fit and the mind sharp. He was was not immediately admitted into a temple in China, so he sat down and performed a meditation in which he faced a wall for 9 straight years before the temple admitted him. He taught them exercises because he found the monks there became lazy or disoriented for too many hours of sitting meditation.

Other origins of Chinese Martial Arts come from Chinese medical practices. One famous set of exercises was derived from a famous doctor that imitated different animals. The person practiced these postures and exercises to acquire the strengths of various animals (and most often required breathing exercises to couple the body motions). This was an early form of "Qi Gong" which are meditative practices or exercises to develop the body's natural internal energy which is called "qi" (pronounced "chee").

Other people feel that martial arts existed in China well before the Indian monk brought his yoga-like exercises. However, nonetheless Chinese Martial Arts has flourished and reached the borders of nations all around the world. It is practiced worldwide for its benefits of health, fitness, self-defense abilities, and self-confidence. I feel though it is an extremely deep art, it also VERY difficult to find a knowledgeable coach then yet to also find a knowledgeable coach that truly desires to coach. Too many Chinese Martial Arts teachers these days are under qualified and try to make a quick buck by filling their students' heads with ideas of mysticism and stories versus truly training them in the true art. Because of this it is best for new students to watch several different classes before deciding on a school. No matter how knowledgeable or famous a teacher is, it is the quality and attitude of the students that best display the school's attributes. Also, remember there are no secrets or shortcuts to martial knowledge. Only hard training and correct practice can skill develop. Don't fall into gimmicks and don't buy videos. Learn from a teacher from the beginning. There you go.

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