The Term: By History, the term “Kung Fu” is not really mentioned in any early writings. It was coined by a Frenchman named Jean Joseph Marie Amiot, a missionary who lived in the 18th Century, referring to Chinese martial arts. Kung Fu is also called Wushu, Kuoshu, or Gongfu, and originally refers expertise in any ability, and not exclusive to martial arts.
Brief History: The concept, practice, and philosophy of Kung Fu can be drawn back to early Chinese writings such as Zhuang Zi, Dao De Jing, and Sun Zi Bing Fa (Art of War written by Sun Zi), all written around 1111-255 BC. These writings contain passages related to the practice, propagation, and principles of what is known today as Kung Fu. One theory regarding the first written history of Kung Fu suggests that the Yellow Emperor, who reigned from 2698 BC, wrote the first documents on Chinese martial arts. Others give credit to Taoist monks for introducing an art form that resemble modern Tai Chi around 500 BC. Then in 39-92 AD, Pan Ku included “Six Chapters of Hand Fighting” in his discourse on the history of the Han dynasty (Han Shu). As the popularity of martial arts progressed, a physician named Hua T’uo also wrote his own study entitled, “Five Animals Play” in 220 AD. Kung Fu had become a common word in the West beginning in the late 1960s, made popular by TV and movies depicting martial arts. The Western world today has also seen an notable increase in the filming of Kung Fu movies starring great actors/masters such as Jet Li and Jackie Chan.
Fundamental Principles: The concept of Kung Fu revolves around 3 basic principles – Self-Discipline, Motivation, and Time. According to experts, the real motivation behind learning Kung Fu is inspiration and not force, which should come from an inner craving for learning and development of mind and body. The vital driving force is motivation. There is no external or worldly benefits for the learner, and the only reward is that of skill, strength, wisdom, and knowledge. In Kung Fu, discipline is complementary to motivation. Discipline puts motivation into deed and action. A learner has to make an effort into what he has been motivated for, and self-discipline assists him get started and guides him to achieve that goal. Thus, motivation is just a state of mind when there is no discipline. Time is the path to perfection in martial arts. Once motivation and self-discipline have set in, a learner has to spend a considerable amount of time putting body and mind into practice. An inspired learner does not waste time in useless activities.His/Her doings should reflect true self-discipline and motivation.
Variants and Styles: With the passage of time, many other variations and styles have come up in martial arts Some of the more popular types include Karate, Escrima, Wing Chun, Jujitsu, Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Shaolin, White Crane, T’ai Chi Ch’uan, and Bagua Zhang.
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