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Chinese Kung-fu
Learn Chinese - History and Culture
Chinese Martial Arts known as Chinese Kung-fu by most foreigners, is a traditional Chinese physical activity with thousands of years of history. As a precious element of China's cultural heritage, Chinese Kung-fu has also won its name all around the world for its broad and deep meanings and its Oriental features, which cover it with a mysterious veil.

The origin of Chinese Kung-fu, according to some historical records and antique discoveries, can be dated back even to prehistoric times. Survival back then meant scrambling to take or protect food from others and animals. Kicking, boxing and blocking were a part of daily life. In the later primitive societies these skills began to appear at ceremonial rituals where they were combined with dance to represent their heroes, thus forming the earliest series of Kong-fu moves and performances.

A part of the holistic Oriental Civilization, Chinese Kung-fu is effective both in battle and in building physical strength. In addition, it unites with the traditional medicine concepts of human's main and collateral channels, Qi and blood. To conclude, as a crystallization of the wisdom gathered in the ancient Chinese lands, it allows people of any age to build up their bodies.

The series of Chinese Kong-fu skills and trick can be divided into Chinese boxing and weapon skills. When we say "practicing Kung-fu", it usually refers to the former. Different geography and terrain fostered different boxing skills and styles, and as a result Chinese boxing contains lots of schools, of which many may sound quite familiar (since they often appear on TV soap operas), like Shaolin, Taiji, Wudang, Emei, Kunlun, and Hongmen boxing. Generally speaking, Nan boxing (meaning those formed in the areas south of Yangtze River) is more popular, as the so-called saying "Southern (Nan) Boxing and Northern (Bei) Kicking." As for weapons, broadsword, sword, spear and stick are the four frequently used weapons.

In modern times, Chinese Kung-fu was first introduced abroad to the United States by Chinese-American Kung-fu master Bruce Lee, whose agile movements in a series of his great movies swept American audiences off their feet. Thanks to the giant influence of the American movie industry, it soon swept across the world. The entire globe was enchanted by the magic act, starting the upsurge of interest in Chinese Kung-fu. From then on, Chinese Kung-fu learners can be found everywhere. Now, Lee's followers, Jacky Chan (Cheng Long) and Jet Lee (Li Lianjie) carry the baton pushing themselves to novel heights.

Coming up to date, Chinese Kung-fu has become something of a necessity in movies and soap operas. In this we can detect human being's deep yearning for heroes, whom, always holding consummate skills, gain victory over their enemies. To further delight audiences, moviemakers add more and more modern techniques into their films exaggerating the effect of Kung-fu. Remember, Kung-fu is a real and powerful movement, but not witchcraft.
 

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