The Term: By History, the term “Kung Fu” is not truly mentioned in any old writings. It was coined by a Frenchman named Jean Joseph Marie Amiot, a missionary who lived in the 18th Century, in reference to Chinese martial arts. Kung Fu is also called Wushu, Kuoshu, or Gongfu, and originally denotes expertise in any skill, and not singly to martial arts.
Short Historical Account: The practice, philosophy, and concept of Kung Fu can be traced back to early Chinese writings such as Zhuang Zi, Dao De Jing, and Sun Zi Bing Fa (Art of War authored 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 suggests that the Yellow Emperor, who reigned from 2698 BC, wrote the first treatise on Chinese martial arts. Others credit the Taoist monks for introducing an art form that is close 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 its popularity 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, made popular by TV and movies depicting martial arts. The Western world today has also seen an notable increase in the creation and production of Kung Fu movies featuring great actors/masters such as Jackie Chan and Jet Li.
Basic Principles: The concept of Kung Fu revolves around three basic principles – Motivation, Self-discipline and Time. According to experts, the real motivation behind learning Kung Fu is inspiration and not force, which should emanating from a deep desire to learn and develop the 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 knowledge, skill, strength and wisdom. In Kung Fu, discipline is complemental to motivation. Discipline puts motivation into deed and action. A learner should do an effort for what makes him/her motivated, 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 dedicate a considerable amount of time putting body and mind into practice. An inspired learner does not have the privilege to waste time, stay idle or indulge in fruitless activities. Everything done by him/her should reflect true self-discipline and motivation.
Variants and Styles: With the passage of time, numerous variants and styles have come up in 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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