Defining
Wushu
Founder of Qing Long Wushu
When most people (especially in the western world) refer to the martial arts of
china, they usually refer to them as a "kung fu". The use of this word
has been a part of the western thinking for many years. This word has been
wrongly understood and used. Kung fu is a word used to express the quality of
effort one uses in performing a task whether its training in the martial arts or
sweeping a floor. The correct word to use when referring to martial arts of
china is "wuyi". Wuyi is not limited to the use of the hands and feet.
Wuyi includes all the arts that are related to combat such as horseback riding,
archery, the making of weapons, or any other art. Those skills that are used in
the area of combat are called "wushu", which means martial techniques.
To be a wushu, the style must have techniques in four catagories: hand
striking(da), kicking(ti), wrestling(shuai), and seize and control(chin na). The
amount of training in each catagory may differ in one style from another. There
are many styles in china, and anyone of them that trains in the four catagories
can be considered a wushu.
Wushu can also be classified by other catagories; soft,soft-hard,or hard,
northern or southern, and internal or external. Tai-chi is considered a soft
style, and so are some of the techniques relating to the crane. The techniques
associated with the tiger or leopard are considered hard. Through the blending
of many of the styles or adoption of techniques outside of the style, many
styles have become soft-hard. A style is considered a northern style if there is
a greater use of the legs, or considered southern if there is a greater use of
the hands. External styles rely upon the strength and power of the muscles and
tendoms. Internal styles derive strength and power through breathing techniques
and inner energy called "chi".
Today, there is an art form that is being popularized as a wushu, however, it is
gynastic in nature rather than martial. To the western mind this is what wushu
is---gymnastics. This is because the western mind has had no reference to the
fighting arts of china being called wushu. The word "kung fu" had been
accepted for many years and little has been done to correct this error in the
thinking of the western mind.
Marketing practices of this "modern day wushu" also imply that this
particular gynastic art form is wushu as if to be the only wushu. This
disassociation from all the other wushus is easy to do since westerners think
the fighting arts are "kung fu". If westerners start viewing the
martial techniques of china as wushu, how will they view this "modern
day" wushu that is gymnastic? Another good question might be that if the
chinese use the word "wushu" for a fighting art, then why did they
even day use it in reference to this "modern day wushu" which is
gymnastic in nature rather than martial?
After the second world war in 1945, mainland china fell under communist rule,
and martial arts rining was forbidden. Later, the national athletics institute
established wushu training but the martial applications were deleted, preseving
the aesthetic and gymnastic portions. In the 1980"s traditional training
was once again encouraged, but by this time many of the masters had either died
or had left the country. Those that remained did not trust the communist party
and were not willing to share their knowledge. Another effort was to make
wushu a part of the olympics. This then would introduce wushu as a sport, but
china lost the bid to host the olympics.
Attemps were made to bring the martial aspects back into wushu, but the roots of
the gymnastic wushu was now well established and hard to change. Also, the
spirit of training was signigicantly reduced. The young viewed wushu training as
an old fashioned persuit and paid more attention to the materialistic ways of
the western world.
The history of wushu has gone pretty much the way the history of professional
wrestling has gone in the
The fighting arts of china can be viewed very much like the professional
wrestling if the united states. While many styles will bring the martial aspects
back into their training programs, the gymnastic wushu that has become so
popular may continue to remain gymnastic. This would be a very positive path for
these arts. Many will appreciate the values offered in the programs of the
martial wushus. The gymnastic wushu is a reminder of the history of wushu and
the struggles to preserve wushu. Although not martial in nature, many will
appreciate it for the gymnastic abilities of the performers.
Sijo glenn luscher
founder of qing long wushu
longsigung@aol.com