Kung Fu

Kung Fu (Chinese, “hard work” or “man of attainment”), Chinese martial art encompassing both armed and unarmed techniques. Covering all formats of combat (punches, kicks, throws, grappling, holds, and locks), it exists in several hundred different styles drawing its influences from the animal kingdom, the natural elements, and mysticism. Kung fu seeks to develop more from its students than the ability to defend oneself. It is steeped in philosophy and tradition largely as a result of its close historical ties with the Chinese religious movements of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. Today, kung fu is taught widely throughout the world, but is not as readily competitive as other martial arts because of the inherent danger of its many deadly techniques.

Most exponents of kung fu believe that it became firmly established in Chinese culture with the arrival of Bodhidharma at the Songshan Shaolin Monastery in the 6th century. What originally started as a set of exercises based upon the movements of animals soon became established as the famous martial art of Shaolin boxing, which ultimately evolved into the many different styles practised throughout the world today. The arts are frequently divided into Northern or Southern, and Internal (soft) or External (hard). The Northern styles are typified by their emphasis on high kicks and shallow stances while the Southern systems are usually characterized by their low stances and emphasis on hand techniques. It is believed that migrants from northern China to Korea took with them their version of kung fu which became established as the Korean art of Taekwondo, while the trade which occurred between the southern provinces of China and Okinawa played a major part in the development of karate. Among the more popular styles practised throughout the world today are Hung Kuen, Praying Mantis, Choy Lee Fut, and Wing Chun. Each style is distinct and follows its own unique principles. Wing Chun was made famous by the late martial-arts film star Bruce Lee and is now the most widely practised form of kung fu in the world. Although well accomplished in the Wing Chun system, Lee felt that it did not address itself to the individual or the many different environments which may dictate its use and so evolved his own system of kung fu which he named Jeet Kune Do (the Way of the Intercepting Fist).

The exponent of kung fu will be adept at a wide variety of combat techniques including open hand and fist strikes, short- and long-range kicks, vital point strikes, holds, locks, throws, and blocks. Many systems have their own unique training methods for developing hand or arm toughness, sensitivity, hand power, balance, and so on. Kung fu styles frequently utilize their own specialized training equipment such as sand bags for hand toughening, wooden dummies for arm toughening and for coordination and solo practice, and cast-iron rings for strength training and arm toughening. Practitioners develop their skill through the practise of kuens (complicated sets of techniques completed in set sequences), pre-set sparring, system drills, and free-sparring.

Kung fu clubs (kwoons) usually have a system of grading to denote a student's advancement in the particular discipline, and this is usually denoted by a coloured sash awarded by the instructor (sifu). Although competition exists in kung fu, like the discipline itself, it is very varied in its format. A practitioner may choose traditional non-contact point fighting, semi-contact fighting, full contact fighting, or (the most historically traditional) San Shou or Kou Shou, which is full-contact fighting with limited rules. They may also choose to compete in open-hand or weapons-form competition.