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By Nemelou Despuez, Contributor
Jet Li, Jacky Chan and Bruce Lee are more than
blockbuster movie stars. They are the most famous exponents of a
most ancient fighting tradition.
As Chinese films gain international recognition
with their remarkable fight scenes, wushu, the ancient Chinese
martial arts, is also inadvertently promoted.
Wushu, also called Kung fu, appeared in China
around 2,500 years ago. Though wushu and kung fu were
interchangeably used to describe Chinese martial arts, it is good to
note that the two terms have different meanings. Kung Fu literally
means “time and energy,” while wushu is translated as
“war-like techniques.” Kung fu made it to the mainstream
vocabulary in the 1960s because of the popularity of Lee who used
the term in his movies.
The flamboyant form of wushu popular today is
actually a product of the Communist take-over in China in 1949. The
communists seeing the sport potential of traditional kung fu
concocted a unified version of Chinese martial arts that
incorporates elements from non-combative sources such as gymnastics
and dance. Practitioners of Chinese martial arts today can be
roughly divided as traditionalists and modern. Those belonging to
the traditionalist camp often comment that modern wushu has lost a
lot of its fighting essence and is just good for show. Advocates of
modern wushu on the other hand argue that the Chinese martial arts
should adapt to the changing times or else face extinction.
There is an ancient Chinese proverb that says,
“Before you study art, study etiquette. Before you study wushu,
study manners.” This is true because martial arts was
originally created not to harm or injure another person, but solely
to defend oneself.
There are two kinds of disciplines in wushu.
The first one is Taolu, which is similar to gymnastics that involves
patterns and maneuvers. The second form of wushu is called
sanda (sometimes also called sanshou). This is a fighting
method with combat aspects of grappling and kickboxing techniques.
Wushu master Arnold Buenviaje of the Chi Ching
Martial Arts Association has been teaching this practice for many
years. He said there are a lot of health benefits that wushu
offers, ranging not only from physical wellness, but also in
spiritual and mental health.
In terms of physical health benefits, wushu
builds strong muscles, flexibility and balance in different parts of
the body, hand and eye coordination, stamina, agility, and good
reflexes.
As for mental wellness, this martial art teaches
self-discipline. Wushu practitioners are expected to be
polite, humble, prudent, and non-violent. Many people claimed
that just after few weeks of practicing wushu, their mental will had
strengthened, giving them confidence and determination.
Buenviaje says that practically anyone can learn
wushu, as one can choose appropriate style and practice. For
example, taichi, with its slow and circular movement, is suitable
for older people. Children are most suitable for studying
wushu because their body can respond and adapt easily to rigorous
training that emphasizes acrobatics and athletic prowess.
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