Kung Fu origins date back to over four thousand years ago. This is the oldest of all the martial arts and it was first practiced by Chinese soldiers in combat. Legend has it that the hand techniques were developed by the Yellow Emperor who began his reign in 2698 BC.

He was a notable leader who had written about intellectual subjects such as Chinese medicine, the martial arts, and astrology. He was the founder of a type of wrestling called Jiao Di. Contestants would wear helmets with horns attached and fought one another with the horns. Apparently, Jiao Di was used on the battlefields with outstanding results.

Whether the legend is true or not, this type of wrestling did exist and is considered to be the first ever martial arts. It went on to include other techniques such as pressure-point hits, strikes, blocks, and joint-locks. Apart from being used in military battles, Jiao Di became a popular recreational activity and regular contests were held.

When the Zhou Dynasty came into power, the martial arts further developed alongside other ancient Chinese philosophies like Taoism, Confucianism and I-Ching. The opposites, Ying and Yang, which were part of Taoism, included the hard/soft fighting techniques that exist in present-day Kung Fu. The mystical elements of Kung Fu philosophy came from I-Ching.

The name Kung Fu was first used during the 6th Century AD when Bodhidarma, a Buddhist monk, arrived at the newly founded Shaolin Temple. Although Buddhism had been in existence in China for several hundred years, it was Bodhidarma who incorporated the martial arts into the religion.

The Shaolin monks became dedicated to Kung Fu and became famous throughout China. They were involved in many military confrontations and were praised for ridding their province of bandits. During the 17th Century, people from all over China visited them to learn more about Kung Fu.

Shaolin Kung Fu is physically demanding. The monks therefore completely dedicated themselves to many hours of rigorous training every day. They believed this was the only way to be better than ordinary men. At this time, rival Taoist monks who lived on the Wudang Mountain practiced varying styles of Kung Fu.

In 1966 when the architect of Chinese communism, Mao Zedong, began his Cultural Revolution, Kung Fu and many other practices like Feng Shui were forbidden. He aimed to rid the country of all traditions which he thought would interfere with the quest to make China truly communistic.

Kung Fu masters were therefore faced with two choices. They could either go into hiding or flee from the country. Unfortunately, those who took the first option suffered harshly. The ones that fled overseas set up Kung Fu schools in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Europe, and the United States. The Communist Party of China (CPC) eventually lifted the ban on Kung Fu and other martial arts.

Although Kung Fu origins clearly show that this was a martial art developed for the specific purpose of fighting, the philosophy has changed over time. The art is now practiced not only as a form of self-defense, but as a discipline that involves harmony of the body, mind and soul.

Author Bio: Watch Karate movies at your leisure by visiting your local action movie expert. You can check out the latest martial arts movies with the click of a button!

Category: Education
Keywords: karate, kung fu, entertainment, movies, film, business, family, society, recreation, leisure, travel