The Term: By History, the word “Kung Fu†is not truly mentioned in any ancient writings. It was coined by a French by the name Jean Joseph Marie Amiot, a missionary who lived in the 18th Century, in reference to Chinese martial arts. Kung Fu is also called Kuoshu, Gongfu, or Wushu, and originally denotes expertise in any ability, and not exclusive to martial arts.
Brief Historical Account: The philosophy, concept, and practice of Kung Fu can be traced back to ancient Chinese texts 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 carry passages related to the practice, propagation, and principles of Chinese martial arts, or Kung Fu as it is known today. One theory on the early history of Kung Fu says 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 discussion 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 treatise entitled, “Five Animals Play” in 220 AD. Kung Fu had become a common word in the Western countries beginning in the late 1960s, popularized by martial arts movies and TV series. Even in the Western World, there is an notable increase in the creation and production of Kung Fu movies featuring great actors/masters such as Jet Li and Jackie Chan.
Basic Principles: The concept of Kung Fu revolves around three 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 a deep desire for learning and development of mind and body. Motivation here is the fundamental driving force. 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 in reaching that goal. Consequently, without discipline, motivation is just a dormant state of mind. Time is the path to perfection in martial arts. Once motivation and self-discipline have set in, a learner has to dedicate a considerable amount of time putting mind and body into practice. An inspired learner does not waste time in useless activities.His/Her doings should reflect real self-discipline and motivation.
Variants and Styles: With the passage of time, many variations and styles have come up in martial arts, or Kung Fu. Some of the more common types include T’ai Chi Ch’uan, Bagua Zhang, Karate, Escrima, Wing Chun, Jujitsu, Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Shaolin, and White Crane.
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