Acronym Definition
DCKF Database Customisation Kit File
DCKF Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan Front
DCKF Direct Chronic Kidney Failure
DC Digital Cables
DC Digital Camera
DC Digital Certificate
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DCKF DC Kung Fu
DCKF Dansk Chinchilla K?ledyrs Forening
DCKF Daniel Chong Kah Fui
DCKF Danska Chinchilla Keldjurs f?reningen
DCKF Deok Cheon Koong F.
DCKF 덕천궁보문단지소개 | 오락/스포츠/문화시설 | 숙박시설.
DCKF DC Kung Fu
Chinese martial arts describes the enormous variety of martial arts styles
originating in China.
Kung fu and wushu are popular terms that have become synonymous with Chinese
martial arts. However, the Chinese terms kung fu (Chinese: 功夫 pinyin: gōngfū)
and wushu (traditional Chinese: 武術; simplified Chinese: 武术) have very distinct
connotations. Each term can describe different martial arts traditions and can
also be used in a context without referencing martial arts. Colloquially, kung
fu (or gong fu) alludes to any individual accomplishment or cultivated skill. In
contrast, wushu is a more precise term that refers to general martial
activities. The term wushu has also become the name for a modern sport similar
to gymnastics involving the performance of adapted Chinese bare-handed and
weapons forms (tàolù 套路) judged to a set of contemporary aesthetic criteria for
points.
History of Chinese Martial arts
Ancient depiction of martial monks practicing the art of self defense.The
origins of Chinese martial arts are traced to self-defense needs, hunting
activities and military training in ancient China. Hand to hand combat and
weapons practice were important components in the training of Chinese soldiers.
From this beginning, Chinese martial arts proceeded to incorporate different
philosophies and ideas into its practice - expanding its purpose from
self-defense to health and finally as method of self cultivation. In return,
influence of martial arts ideals can be found in poetry, fiction and film.
Chinese martial arts is now an integral element of Chinese culture.
According to legend, the reign of the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi, traditional date
of ascension to the throne, 2698 B.C.) introduced the earliest forms of martial
arts to China. The Yellow Emperor is described as a famous general who, before
becoming China’s leader, wrote lengthy treatises on medicine, astrology and the
martial arts. He allegedly developed the practice of jiao di or horn-butting and
utilized it in war. Regardless of these legends, jiao di evolved during the Zhou
Dynasty (2nd millennium B.C.) into a combat wrestling system called jiao li, the
practice of which in the Zhou Dynasty was recorded in the Classic of Rites. This
combat system included techniques such as strikes, throws, joint manipulation,
and pressure point attacks. Jiao li became a sport during the Qin Dynasty (221 -
207 B.C.). Jiao li eventually became known as shuai jiao, its modern form.
Sophisticated theories of martial arts based on the opposing ideas of yin and
yang, and the integration of "hard" and "soft" techniques are recorded in the
annals of the Spring and Autumn Period (722 BCE–481 BCE).
The Han History Bibliographies record that, by the Former Han (206 BCE–8 CE),
there was a distinction between no-holds-barred weaponless fighting, which it
calls shǒubó (手搏), for which "how-to" manuals had already been written, and
sportive wrestling, then known as juélì or jiǎolì (角力). Wrestling is also
documented in the Shǐ Jì, The Records of the Grand Historian, written by Sima
Qian dating from 109 BC to 91 BC.
In the Tang Dynasty, descriptions of sword dances were immortalized in poems by
Li Bai. In the Song and Yuan dynasties, xiangpu (the earliest form of sumo)
contests were sponsored by the imperial courts. The modern concepts of wushu
were fully developed by the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Martial arts are also mentioned in Chinese philosophy. Passages in the Zhuangzi
(庄子), a Daoist text, pertain to the psychology and practice of martial arts.
Zhuangzi, its eponymous author, is believed to have lived in the 4th century BC.
The Tao Te Ching, often credited to Lao Zi, is another Daoist text that contains
principles applicable to martial arts. According to one of the classic texts of
Confucianism, Zhou Li (周禮/周礼), Archery and charioteering were part of the "six
arts" (traditional Chinese: 六藝; simplified Chinese: 六艺; pinyin: liu yi,
including rites, music, calligraphy and mathematics) of the Zhou Dynasty (1122 -
256 B.C.E.). The Art of War ( 孫子兵法), written during the 6th century B.C. by Sun
Tzu ( 孫子), deals directly with military warfare but contains ideas that are used
in the Chinese martial arts. Those examples shows that over time, the ideas
associated with Chinese martial arts changed with the evolving Chinese society
and over time acquired philosophical basis.
Taoist practitioners have been practicing Tao Yin, physical exercises similar to
Qigong that was one of the progenitors to Tai Chi Chuan, at least as early as
the 500 B.C. era. In 39-92 A.D., "Six Chapters of Hand Fighting", were included
in the Han Shu (history of the Former Han Dynasty) written by Pan Ku. Also, the
noted physician, Hua Tuo, composed the "Five Animals Play" - tiger, deer,
monkey, bear, and bird, around 220 B.C. Taoist philosophy and their approach to
health and exercise can still be seen in the Internal styles of Chinese martial
arts.
A sparring form of Shaolinquan, an external style of Chinese martial arts, being
demonstrated at Daxiangguo Monastery in Kaifeng, Henan.With regards to the
Shaolin style of martial arts, the oldest evidence of Shaolin participation in
combat is a stele from 728 A.D. that attests to two occasions: a defense of the
Shaolin Monastery from bandits around 610 A.D., and their subsequent role in the
defeat of Wang Shichong at the Battle of Hulao in 621 A.D. From the 8th to the
15th centuries, there are no extant documents that provide evidence of Shaolin
participation in combat. However, between the 16th and 17th centuries there are
at least forty extant sources which provided evidence that, not only did monks
of Shaolin practice martial arts, but martial practice had become such an
integral element of Shaolin monastic life that the monks felt the need to
justify it by creating new Buddhist lore. References to Shaolin martial arts
appear in various literary genres of the late Ming: the epitaphs of Shaolin
warrior monks, martial-arts manuals, military encyclopedias, historical
writings, travelogues, fiction, and even poetry. These sources, in contrast to
those from the Tang period, refer to Shaolin methods of unarmed combat, as well
as combat utilising various weapons. These include the spear (Qiang), and with
the weapon that was the forte of Shaolin monks and for which they had become
famous—the staff (Gun, pronounced as juen). By the mid-16th century, military
experts from all over China were traveling to Shaolin to study its fighting
techniques. The fighting styles that are practiced today were developed over the
centuries, after having incorporated forms that came into existence later. Some
of these include Bagua, Drunken Boxing, Eagle Claw, Five Animals, Hsing I, Hung
Gar, Lau Gar, Monkey, Praying Mantis, Fujian White Crane, Wing Chun and Tai Chi
Chuan.
The present view of Chinese martial arts are strongly influenced by the events
of the Republican Period (1912-1949). In the transition period between the fall
of the Qing Dynasty as well as the turmoils of the Japanese invasion and the
Chinese Civil War, Chinese martial arts became more accessible to the general
public as many martial artists were encouraged to openly teach their art. At
that time, some considered martial arts as a means to promote national pride and
improve the health of the Nation. As a result, many martial arts training
manuals (拳普) were published. and numerous martial arts associations were formed
throughout China and in various oversea Chinese communities. The Central Guoshu
Academy (Zhongyang Guoshuguan, 中央國術館/中央国术馆) established by the National
Government in 1928 and the Jing Wu Athletic Association (精武體育會/精武体育会) founded by
Huo Yuanjia in 1910 are examples of organizations that promoted a systematic
approach for training in Chinese martial arts. A series of provincial and
national competitions were organized by the Republican government starting in
1932 to promote Chinese martial arts. In 1936, at the 11th Olympic Games in
Berlin, a group of Chinese martial artists demonstrated their art to an
international audience for the first time. Eventually, those events lead to the
popular view of martial arts as a sport.
Chinese martial arts started to spread internationally with the end of the
Chinese Civil War and the founding of the People's Republic of China on October
1, 1949. Many well known martial art practitioners chose to escape from the
PRC's rule and migrate to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other parts of the world. Those
masters started to teach within the overseas Chinese communities but eventually
they expanded their teachings to include people from other cultures.
Within China, the practice of traditional martial arts was discouraged during
the turbulent years of the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1969-1976). Like many
other aspects of traditional Chinese life, martial arts was subjected to a
radical transformation by the People's Republic of China in order to align it
with Maoist revolutionary doctrine. The PRC promoted the committee-regulated
sport of Wushu as a replacement to independent schools of martial arts. This new
competition sport was disassociated from what was seen as the potentially
subversive self-defense aspects and family lineages of Chinese martial arts
previously exhibited by the Boxer Rebellion. Rhetorically, they also encouraged
the use of the term "Kuoshu" (or Guoshu meaning "the arts of the nation"),
rather than the colloquial term gongfu, in an effort to more closely associate
Chinese martial arts with national pride rather than individual accomplishment.
In 1958, the government established the All-China Wushu Association as an
umbrella organization to regulate martial arts training. The Chinese State
Commission for Physical Culture and Sports took the lead in creating
standardized forms for most of the major arts. During this period, a national
Wushu system that included standard forms, teaching curriculum, and instructor
grading was established. Wushu was introduced at both the high school and
university level. The suppression of traditional teaching was relaxed during the
Era of Reconstruction (1976-1989), as Communist ideology became more
accommodating to alternative viewpoints. In 1979, the State Commission for
Physical Culture and Sports created a special task force to reevaluate the
teaching and practice of Wushu. In 1986, the Chinese National Research Institute
of Wushu was established as the central authority for the research and
administration of Wushu activities in the People's Republic of China. Changing
government policies and attitudes towards sports in general lead to the closing
of the State Sports Commission (the central sports authority) in 1998. This
closure is viewed as an attempt to partially de-politicize organized sports and
move Chinese sport policies towards a more market-driven approach. As a result
of these changing sociological factors within China, both traditional styles and
modern Wushu approaches are being promoted by the Chinese government.
Styles
Styles of Chinese martial arts
See also: List of Chinese martial arts
The Yang style of Taijiquan being practiced on the Bund in ShanghaiChina has one
of the longest histories of continuously recorded martial arts tradition of any
society in the world, and with hundreds of styles probably the most varied. Over
the past two to four thousand years, many distinctive styles have been
developed, each with its own set of techniques and ideas . There are also common
themes to the different styles, which are often classified by "families" (家, jiā),
"sects" (派, pai) or "schools" (門, men) of martial art styles. There are styles
that mimic movements from animals and others that gather inspiration from
various Chinese philosophies, myths and legends. Some styles put most of their
focus into the harnessing of qi energy, while others concentrate solely on
competition and exhibition. Each style offers a different approach to the common
problems of self-defense, health and self-cultivation.
Chinese martial arts can be split into various categories to differentiate them:
For example, external (外家拳) and internal (内家拳) . Chinese martial arts can also
be categorized by location, as in northern (北拳) and southern (南拳) as well,
referring to what part of China the styles originated from, separated by the
Yangtze River (Chang Jiang); Chinese martial arts may even be classified
according to their province or city. The main perceived difference about
northern and southern styles is that the northern styles tend to emphasize fast
and powerful kicks, high jumps and generally fluid and rapid movement, while the
southern styles focus more on strong arm and hand techniques, and stable,
immovable stances and fast footwork. Examples of the northern styles include
Changquan and Xingyiquan. Examples of the southern styles include Nanquan and
Wing Chun. Chinese martial arts can also be divided according to religion,
imitative-styles (象形拳), and more. There are distinctive differences in the
training between different groups of Chinese martial arts regardless of the type
of classification.
Training
Chinese martial arts training consists of the following components: basics,
forms, applications and weapons. Each style has its own unique training system
with varying emphasis on each of those components . In addition, philosophy,
ethics and even medical practise are highly regarded by most Chinese martial
arts. A complete training system should also provide insight into Chinese
attitudes and culture.
Basics
Basics (基本功) are a vital part of the training, as a student cannot progress to
the more advanced stages without them; without strong and flexible muscles
including the management of the concept of "Chi" (breath, or energy) and proper
body mechanics, many movements of Chinese martial arts are simply impossible to
perform correctly . Basics training may involve a series of simple movements
that are performed repeatedly over a short interval; examples of basics training
include stretching, stance work, rudimentary conditioning, meditation and basic
kicking and punching techniques.
A common saying concerning basic training in Chinese martial arts is as follows:
内外相合,外重手眼身法步,内修心神意气力。
Which can be translated as
Train both Internal and External.
External training includes the hands, the eyes, the body and stances.
Internal training includes the heart, the mind, the spirit and strength.
Stretching
Chinese martial arts pay considerable attention to stretching . Superior speed,
power, and the reduction of injury may be achieved by increasing range of motion
through stretching. Common stretching exercises include joint rotations, static
stretching, and dynamic stretching. These exercises are performed individually,
but may also be practiced in pairs. Different styles have different approaches
to increase the student's flexibility, but those approaches should be consistent
with the fundamentals of sports medicine.
Stances
Stances (steps or 步法) are structural postures employed in Chinese martial arts
training . They represent the foundation and exaggerated form of a fighter's
base. Each style has different names and variations for each stance. Stances may
be differentiated by foot position, weight distribution, body alignment, etc.
Stance training can be practiced statically, the goal of which is to maintain
the structure of the stance through a set time period, or dynamically, in which
case a series of movements is performed repeatedly. The horse riding stance
(骑马步,马步 qí mǎ bù,mǎ bù)and the bow stance are examples of a stances found in
many styles of Chinese martial arts.
Meditation
In many Chinese Martial Art systems, meditation is considered to be an important
component of basic training. Meditation can be used to develop focus, mental
clarity and can act as a basis for qigong training.
Forms
Forms or taolu (Chinese: 套路; pinyin: tào lù) in Chinese are series of
predetermined movements combined so they can be practiced as one linear set of
movements. Forms were originally intended to preserve the lineage of a
particular style branch, and were often taught to advanced students who were
selected to preserve the art's lineage. Forms were designed to contain both
literal, representative and exercise-oriented forms of applicable techniques
which would be extracted, tested and trained by students through sparring
sessions. Many believe that Kung Fu form needs to be both practical, usable, and
applicable as well as promoting flow, meditation, flexibility, balance and
coordination. Often kung fu teachers are heard to say "train your form as if you
were sparring and spar as if it were a form."
Types of Forms
There are two general types of forms in Chinese Martial Arts. Most common are
"solo forms" which are performed by a single student. There are also "sparring"
forms, which are choreographed fighting sets performed by two or more people.
Sparring forms were designed both to acquaint beginning fighters with basic
measures and concepts of combat, and to serve as performance pieces for the
school. Sparring forms which utilize weapons are especially useful for teaching
students the extension, range and technique required to manage a weapon. Today
many styles of Kung Fu, as well as styles of Wushu, consider forms to be one of
the most important practices in Chinese Martial Arts. Traditionally, forms
played a smaller role in training combat application, and were eclipsed by
sparring, drilling and conditioning. Forms gradually build up a practitioner's
flexibility, internal and external strength, speed and stamina, and teach
balance and coordination. Many styles contain forms using a wide range of
weapons of various length and type, utilizing one or two hands. There are also
styles which focus on a certain type of weapon.
Controversy of Modern Form Work
Even though forms in Chinese martial arts are intended to depict realistic
martial techniques, the movements are not always identical to how techniques
would be applied in combat. Many forms have been elaborated upon, on the one
hand to provide better combat preparedness, and on the other hand to look more
aesthetically pleasing. One manifestation of this tendency toward elaboration
which goes beyond combat application is the use of lower stances and higher,
stretching kicks. These two maneuvers are unrealistic in combat and are utilized
in forms for exercise purposes. Many modern schools have replaced practical
defense or offense movements with acrobatic feats that are more spectacular to
watch, thereby gaining favor during exhibitions and competitions. The People's
Republic of China has been criticized by traditionalists for endorsing the more
acrobatic, show-oriented Wushu competition. Appearance has always been important
in many traditional forms as well; forms were often performed for entertainment
purposes long before the advent of modern Wushu. Throughout the history of
Chinese Martial Arts, practitioners have looked for supplementary income by
performing on the streets or in theaters. Many traditional Chinese Martial
Artists, as well as practitioners of modern sport combat, have become critical
of the perception that forms work is more relevant to the art than sparring and
drill application. Another reason why the martial techniques often appear
different in forms when contrasted with sparring application is thought by some
to come from the concealment of the actual functions of the techniques from
outsiders, namely rival schools or the authorities, since China has been ruled
by foreign powers in the past.
Modern Forms: Wushu
Modern forms are used in sport wushu, as seen in this staff routineSee also:
Wushu (sport)
As forms have grown in complexity and quantity over the years, and many forms
alone could be practiced for a lifetime, styles of modern Chinese martial arts
have developed that concentrate solely on forms, and do not practice application
at all. These styles are primarily aimed at exhibition and competition, and
often include more acrobatic jumps and movements added for enhanced visual
effect compared to the traditional styles. Those who generally prefer to
practice traditional styles, focused less on exhibition, are often referred to
as traditionalists. Many traditionalists consider the evolution of today's
Chinese martial arts as undesirable, saying that much of its original value is
lost.
Application
Application training refers to the training of putting the martial techniques to
use. Chinese martial arts usually contain a large arsenal of techniques and make
use of the whole body; efficiency and effectiveness is what the techniques are
based on . When and how applications are taught varies from style to style; in
the early stages of a student's training, most styles focus on drills in which
each student knows what range of combat is being practiced and what attack to
expect. Gradually, fewer and fewer rules are applied, and the students learn how
to react and utilize technique. 'Sparring' refers to the major aspect of
application training, which simulates a combat situation but usually includes
rules and regulations to reduce the chance of serious injury to the students.
The subject of application training is a controversial one, and is the subject
of a raging debate between the Neo-Traditional Martial Artists and Sports and
traditional martial artists. In the neo-traditionalist view, martial arts
training should eventually lead to and be proven by actual combat as well as
being governed by a moral philosophy; neo-traditionalists often believe sparring
to test techniques is either irrelevant because of thier disbelief in the
validity of a regulated test setting, or because the system's techniques are
supposedly too dangerous to use outside of a real combat situation. In contrast,
the sport-competition and traditionalist view suggests that all of the
techniques in Chinese Martial Arts should be repeatedly time-tested through
sparring to insure their effectiveness. An example of this approach in the
Chinese Martial Arts is the tradition of Lei tai (擂臺/擂台, raised platform
fighting) and Sanda (散打) or sǎnshǒu (散手) . Lèitái represents public challenge
matches that first appeared in the Song Dynasty. The objective for those
contests was to knock the opponent from a raised platform by any means
necessary. San Shou and Sanda represents the modern development of Lei Tai
contests, but with rules in place to reduce the chance of serious injury. Many
Chinese martial arts schools teach or work within the rulesets of San Shou and
Sanda, working to incorporate the movements, characteristics, and theory of
their style.
Weapons training
Most Chinese styles also make use of training the broad arsenal of Chinese
weapons for conditioning the body as well as coordination and strategy drills .
Weapons training (qìxiè 器械) are generally carried out after the student is
proficient in the basics, forms and applications training. The basic theory for
weapons training is to consider the weapon as an extension of your body. The
same requirements for footwork and body coordination is required . The process
of weapon training proceed with forms, forms with partners and then
applications. Most systems have training methods for each of the Eighteen Arms
of Wushu (shíbābānbīngqì 十八般兵器) in addition to specialized instruments specific
to the system.
Martial arts and morality
Traditional Chinese schools of martial arts, such as the famed Shaolin monks,
often dealt with the study of martial arts not just as a means of self-defense
or mental training, but as a system of ethics . Wude (武德) can be translated as
"martial morality" and is constructed from two Chinese characters, "wu" (武)
which means martial and "de" (德) which means morality. Wude (武德) deals with two
aspects; "morality of deed" and "morality of mind". Morality of deed concerns
social relations; morality of mind is meant to cultivate the inner harmony
between the emotional mind (Xin, 心) and the wisdom mind (Hui, 慧). The ultimate
goal is reaching no extremity (Wuji, 無極) (closely related to the Taoist concept
of wu wei), where both wisdom & emotions are in harmony with each other.
Morality of deed
Humility (Qian Xu; 謙虛/谦虚 qiānxū)
Loyalty (Zhong Cheng; 忠誠/忠诚 zhōngchéng)
Respect (Zun Jing; 尊敬 zūnjìng)
Righteousness (Zheng Yi; 正義/正义 zhèngyì)
Trust (Xin Yong; 信賴/信赖 xìnlài)
Morality of mind
Courage (Yong Gan; 勇氣/勇气 yǒngqì)
Endurance (Ren Nai; 忍耐 rěnnài)
Patience (Heng Xin; 性心 xìngxīn)
Perseverance (Yi Li; 毅力 yìlì)
Will (Yi Zhi; 意志 yìzhì)
Use of qi
Qigong
The concept of qì or ch'i (氣/气), the inner energy or "life force" that is said
to animate living beings, is encountered in almost all styles of Chinese martial
art. Internal styles are reputed to cultivate its use differently than external
styles.
One's qi can be improved and strengthened through the regular practice of
various physical and mental exercises known as qigong. Though qigong is not a
martial art itself, it is often incorporated in Chinese martial arts and, thus,
practiced as an integral part to strengthen one's internal abilities.
There are many ideas regarding controlling one's qi energy to such an extent
that it can be used for healing oneself or others: the goal of medical qigong.
Some styles believe in focusing qi into a single point when attacking and aim at
specific areas of the human body. Such techniques are known as Dim mak and have
principles that are similar to acupressure. Some suggest that by practicising
qigong to an advanced level it is possible to cause a physical reaction to an
opponent without even touching the opponent. This is a popular concept in
Chinese martial arts movies but is rarely seen in the everyday world.
Notable practitioners
Chinese martial artists
See also: Wushu_practitioners
Examples of well-known practitioners (武术名师) throughout history:
Huo Yuanjia was a famous Chinese martial artist, whom Jet Li portrayed in
Fearless.
An alleged photo of Wong Fei Hung. Some dispute this, however, pointing to the
striking similarity to a photo of a man known to have been a son of Wong Fei
Hung.Yue Fei (1103-1142, Chinese: 岳飛) - was a famous Chinese general and patriot
of the Song Dynasty. Martial arts styles such as Eagle Claw and Xingyi attribute
their creation to Yue. However, there is no historical evidence to support the
claim he created these styles.
Ng Mui (late 1600s, Chinese: 五梅大師) - was the legendary female founder of many
Southern martial arts such as Wing Chun Kuen, Dragon style and White Crane. She
is often considered one of the legendary Five Elders who survived the
destruction of the Shaolin Temple during the Qing Dynasty.
Yang Luchan (1799-1872, Chinese: 楊露禪) - was an important teacher of the soft
style martial art known as tai chi chuan in Beijing during the second half of
the 19th century. Yang is known as the founder of Yang style tai chi chuan, as
well as transmitting the art to the Wu/Hao, Wu and Sun tai chi families.
Ten Tigers of Canton (late 1800s, Chinese: 廣東十虎) - was a group of ten of the top
Chinese martial arts masters in Guangdong (Canton) towards the end of the Qing
Dynasty (1644–1912). Wong Kei-Ying, Wong Fei Hung's father, was a member of this
group.
Wong Fei Hung (1847-1924, Chinese: 黃飛鴻) - was considered to a Chinese folk hero
during the Republican period. More than one hundred Hong Kong movies were made
about his life. Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li have all portrayed his
character in blockbuster pictures.
Huo Yuanjia (1867-1910, Chinese: 霍元甲) - was the founder of Chin Woo Athletic
Association who was known for his highly publicized matches with foreigners. His
biography was recently portrayed in the movie Fearless (2006).
Yip Man (1893-1972, Chinese: 葉問) - was a master of the Southern martial art of
Wing Chun and the first to teach this style openly. Yip Man was the teacher of
Bruce Lee. Most major branches of Wing Chun that exist today were developed and
promoted by students of Yip Man.
Bruce Lee (1940 - 1973, Chinese: 李小龍) - is a Chinese American martial artist and
actor considered as an important icon in the 20th century. He practiced Wing
Chun, a traditional southern style of kung fu, and made it famous. He later
developed his own methodology regarding martial arts which he founded under the
name Jeet Kune Do.
Jackie Chan (B. 1954, Chinese: 成龍) - is a Hong Kong martial artist and actor
widely known for injecting physical comedy into his martial arts performances,
and for performing complex stunts in many of his films.
Jet Li (B. 1963, Chinese: 李連杰) - is the five-time sport wushu champion of China,
later demonstrating his skills in cinema.
Popular culture
References to the concepts and use of Chinese martial arts can be found in
popular culture. Historically, the influence of Chinese martial arts can be
found in books and in the performance arts specific to Asia. Recently, those
influences have extended to the movies and television that targets a much wider
audience. As a result, Chinese martial arts have spread beyond its ethnic roots
and have a global appeal.
Martial arts plays a prominent role in the literature genre known as wuxia(武侠小说).
This type of fiction is based on a Chinese concepts of chivalry, a separate
martial arts society (Wulin, 武林) and a central theme involving martial arts.
Wuxia stories can be traced as far back as 2nd and 3rd century BC, becoming
popular by the Tang Dynasty and evolving into novel form by the Ming Dynasty.
This genre is still extremely popular throughout East Asia and provides a major
influence for the public perception of the martial arts.
Martial arts influences can also be found in Chinese opera of which Beijing
opera is one of the best-known examples. This popular form of drama dates back
to the Tang Dynasty and continues to be an example of Chinese culture. Some
martial arts movements can be found in Chinese opera and some martial artists
can be found as performers in Chinese operas.
In modern times, Chinese martial arts have spawned the genre of cinema known as
the martial arts film. The films of Bruce Lee were instrumental in the initial
burst of Chinese martial arts' popularity in the West in the 1970s. Martial
artists and actors such as Jet Li and Jackie Chan have continued the appeal of
movies of this genre. Martial arts films from China are often referred to as
"Kung Fu movies" (功夫片), or "Wire Fu" if extensive wire work is performed for
special effects, and are still best known as part of the tradition of Kung Fu
Theater. (see also: wuxia, Hong Kong action cinema).
A U.S. network TV western series of the early 1970s called Kung Fu also served
to popularize the Chinese martial arts on television. With 60 episodes over a
three-year span, it was one of the first North American TV shows that tried to
convey the philosophy and practice of Chinese martial arts. The use of Chinese
martial arts techniques can now be found in most TV action series, although the
philosophy of Chinese martial arts are seldom portrayed in depth.

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gamers' issues is IJFG.com IJFG.COM
Internet Junction For Gamers Internet Junction
For Gamers, Runescape Market and More IJFG.COM This site has Jokes, Pranks, Runescape and other cool games at IJFG.COM. RuneScape is set in a medieval
fantasy world, similar to "Guild Wars" or "EverQuest", where players control
character representations of themselves. As with most massive multiplayer online roleplaying games (MMORPG), there is no overall objective or end to the game.
Players explore, form alliances, perform optional tasks, and complete quests for
rewards and to build character's skills.
Internet Junction For Gamers, Runescape Market and More. IJFG.com IJFG.com
RuneScape takes place in the fantasy-themed realm of Gielinor, which is divided
into several different kingdoms, regions, and areas. Players can travel
throughout the gaming world on foot, by using magical teleportation spells or
devices, or mechanical means of transportation. Each region offers different
types of monsters, materials, and quests to challenge players. Players are shown
on the screen as customisable avatars. They set their own goals and objectives,
deciding which of the available activities to pursue. There is no linear path
that must be followed. Players can engage in combat with other players or with
monsters, complete quests, or increase their experience in any of the available
skills. Players interact with each other through trading, chatting, or playing
combative or cooperative mini-games.
Internet Junction For Gamers, Runescape Market and More IJFG.COM
IJFG.com
.
Another useful site is
Rune Web ruwb.com . This site
is about more serious runescape gold trading, account exchange, gold for real
life cash and many services. And the tips how toavoid getting lured/scammed
while using market place. Black, red stuffs. For programming, visual basics,
java, C/C++, scar and all other languages such as PHP, HTML, ASP, Delphi. There
are also sections for graphics talents. Plus many cool video and fund stuff.
How do you compare the best
runescape website or forums? Here comes the Best Runescape Internet Ranks:
Best Runescape Internet Ranks brir.com Best
Runescape Internet Ranks. BRIR BRIR.com
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