Kung fu is one of a number of Chinese martial arts designed to refine the body and the mind. It is perhaps one of the most widely known Chinese martial arts, because many films incorporate kung fu techniques. There are hundreds of styles of kung fu taught all over the world, although they can be loosely divided into two camps: Shaolin style kung fu, and other techniques, some of which have a
history which out dates the Shaolin order. Kung fu is seen with a variety of different spellings including gung fu and gong fu. This spelling variation is due to the difficulty of transliterating from Chinese to other languages. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Chinese was transliterated using the
Wade-Giles
system, which transposed the Chinese “
g” sound with a “k.” Parts of China and
Taiwan still use the
Wade-Giles system, but most of China has begun to use pinyin, which has replaced the “k” of the
Wade-Giles system with a “g.” Bruce
Lee and other famous martial artists from China also used the “g” when
talking about gung fu. Shaolin gung fu has its origins in the fifth century. Like some other martial arts, it began in religious temples, where the monks sought a mind and body discipline.
In addition to the fighting style, kung fu also includes mental exercises and religious practices designed to balance the whole body. Kung fu is fundamentally about aligning the practitioner with chi, the life
force which is believed to move all around us. Shaolin temples resembled universities, integrating a wide range of subjects of
study. Therefore, traditional Shaolin styles such as Wing Chun, Crane, Praying
Mantis, and Hung Gar incorporate
knowledge from fields outside martial arts, such as the healing arts and meditation. Advocates for Shaolin styles believe that they are more rounded martial arts styles, and that practitioners will benefit from them on a whole body level. Other fighting styles, some of which predate the Shaolin style, are also lumped under the kung fu umbrella. They include Pa-
Kua, Eagle Claw, and Eight Drunken Immortals styles. These kung fu disciplines are not considered to be Shaolin style because they did not originate in temples, and are focused primarily on fighting techniques. Whether Shaolin or otherwise, kung fu is characterized by self defense tactics which turn the energy of an attacker against him or her. Although the techniques
may vary,
individual kung fu styles teach grapples, throws,
kicks, punches, and the use of weapons such as staffs. In addition to the physical discipline, most kung fu styles place an emphasis on
respect, honor, and living a balanced life.
