Kung Fu

"What is the function of Chinese martial arts? Chinese martial arts, colloquially referred to as kung fu or gung fu and wushu, are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. People practice martial arts mainly for bodybuilding or defensive purposes. Today, martial arts are hailed as one of the four Chinese national treasures, the others being the traditional Chinese medicine, Peking Opera and calligraphy. And today, they still enjoy great popularity among the Chinese people of different ethic groups. The Origin and History of Chinese Martial arts Martial arts enjoy a time-honored history, with their roots in early primitive society where the man used sticks and stone wares to fight against the beasts. During this process, they came to have a mastery of some of the basic fighting tactics and techniques. With the emergence of war came improved individual fighting techniques. In the Pre-Qin Period, the vassals all attached much importance to the cultivation and training of soldiers, and as a result, the art of sword play was further developed. In the Han Dynasty, Jue Di, a type of competitive game somewhat resembling boxing, was prevalent in society. Meanwhile, iron weapons were invented and used with certain fixed rules to be followed. In the Jin Dynasty, rules which were meant to be recited and followed by the practitioners, served to guide the practice of martial arts. And this is regarded as the archetype of Chinese martial arts. Later the Tang Dynasty witnessed the prime time of martial arts."