More Resources About Philosophy & Culture
From Shuai Jiao to Judo, China to Japan by Mintai Tang
The early morning drowsiness was still floating around my head as I walked up the gray, concrete ramp towards the open area underneath the Diablo Valley College library, also known as the “training ground.” The sun is still sitting behind the gloomy clouds and the air smells of rosemary from the nearby bushes. I breathed in the fresh air like a child at the park, knowing that within twenty-five minutes my quadriceps would be quivering from exhaustion and that within an hour I would be gasping for oxygen to enter my overworked lungs. It’s surprising that the police and bystanders never bother my Kung Fu family and me as we begin our warm ups, fighting routines, and weapons training in the cool early morning breeze, all part of what is known as “Zhong Guo Wu Shu ,” or Chinese martial arts. Almost anyone who has seen an action movie would be able to recognize the stereotypical punching, kicking, and loud sword clashing of Chinese martial arts, but what a lot of people don’t know is that the first styles of martial arts in China were actually wrestling, also known as Shuai Jiao.The wrestling art of Shuai Jiao is not very widely practiced, and Shifu (a martial title meaning “teacher father”) James Man Chin, my mentor, is one of the few instructors of it in California. Once the younger students and I have finished our hand and weapons training, Shifu then brings us to the mats laid out over the concrete ground beneath the library by the fragrant rosemary bushes and begins to drill us on grappling techniques. He begins by demonstrating techniques he feels are important for us to learn and then allows us to take turns practicing on each other. After we all practice the movements a few times, he stops us, demonstrates a different but related technique, and we begin practicing again.
It’s amazing just how many techniques and variations there are in Shuai Jiao. The many falls, take downs, and throws seen in Shuai Jiao look almost like Judo, Japanese sport wrestling, to many bystanders. However, Shuai Jiao predates Judo by several thousand years. Despite this fact, Judo has grown to become a nationally practiced Olympic sport while Shuai Jiao has barely spread outside of China. This led me to ask the question: How has Shuai Jiao wrestling influenced the techniques used in contemporary Judo?
Wuxia - the Chinese Martial Arts Fiction
Martial arts are now an integral part of popular culture. However, there is a distinctive difference between the ideas expressed in the East and the values being adapted in the West. It is interesting to understand how those subtle differences affect the public's present perception and the future of Chinese martial arts.
Sports, Blood Sports and the Mixed Martial Arts
Many people view martial arts as a sport. This idea for traditional Chinese martial arts is only a recent phenomena. The orgin of this idea can be traced to the National Government policies of the 1920's. Wushu can now be considered to be the sporting event with particular rules and regulation that can be use for competitions. However, it should seen as a complement not an alternative to traditional practise.
Women's Contribution
An interesting and important aspect of Chinese Martial Arts is the contribution of women to its evolution and development. Despite being a predominately male activity, the martial arts have attracted some remarkable female contributors. Their involvement re-emphasizes the point that the practice of traditional Chinese Martial Arts depends on mind, will, and spirit, and that physical strength is less important.
