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Customs & Culture
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Wushu
Wushu, Chinese martial arts, known in the West as kungfu,
is a cultural heritage of the Chinese people which has been enriched through
the ages. With its graceful movements and salubrious effects on health,
it has a strong appeal to a vast multitude of people.
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Shaolinquan
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The origin of Wushu may traced back to prehistoric
times when our ancestors used stones and wooden clubs in hunting. both
for subsistence and self defense. In tribal strifes they used their tools
of production as weapons of war, During the Shang(17th-16th century BC.)
and Zhou(11th century-221 BC.) dynasties, with the development of productive
forces, especially that of techniques in bronze casting, the variety of
weapons increased and their quality improved. In the Jin(265-439) and
Southern and Northern(420-581) dynasties Wushu came under the influence
of Buddhism and Daoism. Ge Hong(284-364), a famous physician and Taoist
philosopher, intergrated Wushu with Qigong , an important
branch of traditional Chinese medicine. His theories of "exernal
and internal work" in Wushr are still universally accepted today.
The court examination system initiated in the Tang Dynasty(618-907) required
both military men and scholars to practice Wushu.
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Taijiquan
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Because of its long history incorporating differences
in culture, ideology,region, and usage, Wushu has developed into a great
variety of schools and styles. There are over one hundred schools of boxing
in the Yillow River valley area and about racteristics. Changquan
demandds quickness and valour, and it is liked by young people. Taijiquan,
characterized by its slow rhythm and gentle movements, is suitable for
people of all ages, especially elderly people.
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Xingyiquan
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Xingyiquan, vigorous in its balanced motions
and poised steps, is popular with young and middle aged piople. Nanquan
is widespread in China's southern areas. Its practitioners utter shouts
and cries now and then to make their movements more forceful. Shaolinquan,
popular in the north, is known for its short routines of movenents and
swiftness and vigor. In certain styles such as tanglang quan the
Mantis boxing and xuiquan the Drundard Boxing, the pratitioner imitates
animals and birds as well as drunken humans.In
spite of its rich variety, wushu has four main types: bare-handed boxing,
the wielding of weapons, combat, and collective performances. The weapons
used in wushu fall into three categories: long weapons includeing spears
and broadswords; short weapons such as short swords, daggers and hooks;
and flexible weapons which include nine-section cudgels and three-section
cudgels.
However, wushu is by no means limited to the external
movement. It emphasizes the full display of the internal temperament,
mental attitude and potential of the human being. The practice of Wushu
not only strengthens the bones and muscles but also the internal organs
and intelligence. To be more specific, Wushu stresses that the mind directs
the circulation of energy flow (Qi) within the body and that the inner
circulation of energy generates the external strength, so demonstrating
the combination of external and internal forces. Cultivating energy flows
inside the body in order to improve the basic structures inside the body
is an important purpose of wushu exercises.
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Chen Taijiquan
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Chinese Wushu is more than Kungfu. It embodies a profound
philosophy and a sense of human life and social values It is the summation
of the code of conduct for the adjustment of the relationships between
man and man and between man and nature. Wushu emphasizes traditions, experience
and rational knowledge, all of which are clearly reflected in the martial
ethics of Wushu. Martial ethics advocates respect for human life. In ancient
China , human beings were regarded as the most valuable treasure of nature.
Man is called one of the "four greats", together with the heaven
, earth and truth, or law of natural activities. Martial ethics requires
that a person exercices self-restraint, never abusing his abilities to
seek personal gratification or to oppress those weaker than himself. He
should seek to uphold justice, remain fearless in the face of brutality,
and cultivate modesty and a spirit of cooperation.
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Jet Lee
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Wushu is not only a way to enhance one's health and
skills. Its long association with dance has lent an enriching artistic
quality. At the same time, its emphasis on posture, composure, self-control,
spirit, and lively exercise imbues it with a beautifying effect on the
physic, and a positive effect on the character. These qualities turn Wushu
into Wuyi-martial artisry.Wushu enjoys great
popularity in China, and it is captivating the attention of more and more
people in the world because of its uniqueness and charisma originating
from the traditional oriental culture. |
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