Chinese martial arts

Chinese martial arts
	Welcome form in Chinese martial arts
Traditional Chinese	武術
Simplified Chinese	武术
Literal meaning	martial art
Transcriptions
Mandarin
- Hanyu Pinyin	wǔshù

Chinese martial arts is also known by the Mandarin Chinese term, wushu. It is popularly known as kung-fu. It includes a number of fighting styles^[1] that have developed over the centuries in China.

These fighting styles are often classified according to common features, identified as "families" (jiā), "sects" (pài) or "schools" (mén) of martial arts. Examples of such features include physical exercises that copy certain animals, or training methods inspired by Taoism, and legends.^[2]

Styles focusing on qi are called "internal" (nèijiāquán), while others concentrate on improving muscle and heart fitness, and are called "external" (wàijiāquán). They are also often classed according to region, that is "northern" (běiquán) and "southern" (nánquán).

Chinese Martial Arts Media

Kung fu/Kungfu or Gung fu/Gongfu (/ˌkʌŋˈfuː/ (About this sound listen) or /ˌkʊŋˈfuː/; 功夫, Pinyin: gōngfu) is a Chinese term referring to any study, learning, or practice that requires patience, energy, and time to complete.
Mural at Shaolin temple from 1830's depicting forearm strikes and reverse kicks
Depiction of fighting monks demonstrating their skills to visiting dignitaries (early 19th-century mural in the Shaolin Monastery).
Two Brazilian fighters in a Sanda/Sanshou match. Sanda is a modernized form of Kung Fu and one of the two disciplines of Sport Wushu
The Yang style of tai chi being practiced on the Bund in Shanghai
Military Museum: Ancient Weapons. Complete indexed photo collection at WorldHistoryPics.com.
Kung fu/Kungfu or Gung fu/Gongfu (/ˌkʌŋˈfuː/ (About this sound listen) or /ˌkʊŋˈfuː/; 功夫, Pinyin: gōngfu) is a Chinese term referring to any study, learning, or practice that requires patience, energy, and time to complete.
Shaolin Kung-fun demonstration by École Shi Miaofeng during Forom des langues 2014
Modern forms are used in the sport of wushu, as seen in this staff routine