Wushu (sport)
Wushu , or kung fu, is a Chinese martial art. It integrates concepts and forms from various traditional and modern Chinese martial arts, including Shaolin kung fu, tai chi, and Wudangquan. "Wushu" is the Chinese term for "martial arts", reflecting the art's goal as a compilation and standardization of various styles. To distinguish it from traditional Chinese martial arts, it is sometimes referred to as 'Modern Wushu'.
Wushu is practiced both through forms, called taolu, and as a full-contact combat sport, known as sanda. It has a long history of Chinese martial arts and was developed in 1949 to standardize the practice of traditional Chinese martial arts, though attempts to structure the various decentralized martial arts traditions date back earlier when the Central Guoshu Institute was established at Nanjing in 1928.
In contemporary times, wushu has become an international sport under the International Wushu Federation, which holds the World Wushu Championships every two years. Wushu is an official event at the World Games, Asian Games, East Asian Youth Games, Southeast Asian Games, World Combat Games, and in various other multi-sport events.
History
History and etymology of the term 'wushu'
have existed for thousands of years. The earliest term for 'martial arts', which can be found in the Han history, was "military fighting techniques". During the Song period the name changed to "martial arts". The term 'Wushu' was also occasionally used. The term 'Wushu' was, for example, found in a poem by Cheng Shao from the Ming dynasty. In 1928 the 'officially sanctioned' name was changed to "national arts" when the National Martial Arts Academy was established in Nanjing. The term reverted to Wushu under the People's Republic of China during the early 1950s.The word Wǔ means "Martial" and is composed of two parts: “walk” or “stop” and “lance”. The term wushu being used for 'martial arts' goes back as far as the Liang Dynasty in an anthology compiled by Xiao Tong, called "Selected Literature". The term is found in the second verse of a poem by Yan Yanzhi titled: Huang Taizi Shidian Hui Zuoshi.
History of the martial sport of wushu
Wushu, as a 'martial sport', was created by the Chinese Communist Party in the 20th Century. This was part of an over-arching social, cultural and political movement lead by that Party, to modernize China as it saw fit. In 1958CE, the CCP government established an organization for martial arts training. The Chinese State Commission for Physical Culture and Sports led the creation of standardized forms for most of the major arts. During this period, a national wushu system that included standard forms, teaching curriculum, and instructor grading was established. Wushu was introduced at both the high school and university level. This new system sought to incorporate common elements from many styles and forms as well as the general ideas associated with Chinese martial arts. Stylistic concepts such as hard, soft, internal, and external, as well as classifications based on schools such as Shaolin, tai chi, Wudangquan, and others were all integrated into one system. Wushu became the government-sponsored standard for training in martial arts in China. The push for standardization continued leading to widespread adaptation.In 1979, China's State Commission for Physical Culture and Sports created a special task force for teaching and practice of Wushu. In 1986, the Chinese National Research Institute of Wushu was established as the central authority for the research and administration of wushu activities in China. Changing government policies and attitudes towards sports in general led to the closing of the State Sports Commission in 1998. This closure is viewed as an attempt to partially de-politicize organized sports and move Chinese sports policies towards a more market-driven approach. As a result of these changing sociological factors within China, both traditional styles and modern wushu approaches are being promoted by the International Wushu Federation.
''Taolu''
Wushu events are performed using compulsory or "individual routines" or taolu in competition. Throughout the 1990s until 2005 for international competitions, athletes competed with routines that were choreographed by IWUF assigned coaches or athletes. In November 2003, a major revision in the taolu competition rules occurred: deduction content was standardized, judges' roles were organized and expanded, and the degree of difficulty component, also known as nandu, was added. This category is worth 2 points of the 10 total. The quality of movements category is worth 5 points, and the overall performance category is worth 3 points. These changes were first implemented at the 2005 World Wushu Championships, and individual routines have become standard where an athlete creates a routine with the aid of his/her coach while following certain rules for difficulty and technical requirements. Only the age group C and B athletes at the World Junior Wushu Championships still compete with compulsory routines at an international level. All junior events including group A athletes, all traditional events, and all non-standard taolu events, are judged without the degree of difficulty component.In addition to events for individual routines, some wushu competitions also feature dual and group events. The dual event, also called duilian, is an event in which there is some form of sparring with weapons or without weapons. The group event, also known as jiti, requires a group of people to perform together and smooth synchronization of actions is crucial. Usually, the group event also allows instrumental music to accompany the choreography during the performance. The carpet used for the group event is also larger than the one used for individual routines. The 2019 World Wushu Championships was the first international wushu competition to feature such an event.
Barehanded
- Changquan is an event derived from styles such as chaquan, huaquan, and Shaolin kung fu as well as other traditional styles. Changquan is the most popular and difficult of all wushu events, which requires great speed, power, accuracy, and flexibility. Most professional athletes in China start training in this style starting at a young age.
- Nanquan is an event derived from styles that originated in the southern regions of China such as Hung Ga, Choy Li Fut, Jow-Ga kung fu, and Wing Chun. Nanquan typically requires less flexibility and has less emphasis on acrobatics than changquan, but it also requires greater leg stability, speed, and power generation through leg, hip, and shoulder coordination.
- Tai chi as a wushu taolu event, is largely based on the Yang-style tai chi but also includes movements of the Chen, Wu, Wu, and Sun styles. Competitive contemporary tai chi is distinct from the traditional first form for styles it draws from, in that it typically involves difficult balances and jumps which require great balance, control, and flexibility. The tai chi event as well as other tai chi-based events are usually performed with musical accompaniment.
Short weapons
- Daoshu is an event that uses the dao using changquan methods of movement.
- Jianshu is an event that uses the jian using changquan methods of movement.
- Nandao was introduced into international wushu competition in 1999. The weapons and techniques are based on the butterfly swords of Wing Chun, a Southern style. The blade has been lengthened and modified so that a singular sword is used.
- Taijijian is an event that uses the jian based on traditional tai chi jian methods. This event was added to international competition in 1999.
- Taijishan is an event that uses a Chinese hand fan with traditional tai chi methods. This event was created in 2019 ahead of Wushu's participation in the 2026 Summer Youth Olympics, and so it has yet to debut in competition.
Long weapons
- Gunshu is an event that uses a staff with changquan methods of movement. Staffs were traditionally made from white wax wood, but carbon fiber staff have become the standard in international competition since the 2010s since they are lighter and more durable.
- Qiangshu is an event that uses a spear using changquan methods of movement. The shaft of the spear is generally more flexible and longer than what is used in the gunshu event.
- Nangun was introduced into international wushu competition in 1999. It uses a staff with nanquan methods of movement. The staff is generally much thicker and heavier than the one used in the gunshu event.
Traditional weapons routines
There is also a traditional weapons category, which often includes the following:''Sanda''
The other major discipline of contemporary Chinese wushu is known as sanda, yundong sanda, or jingzheng sanda. Sanda is a fighting method, sport, and applicable component of wushu/kung fu influenced by traditional Chinese boxing, of which takedowns and throws are legal in competition, as well as all other sorts of striking. Chinese wrestling methods are called shuai jiao and other Chinese grappling techniques such as Chin Na. It has all the combat aspects of wushu.Sanda appears much like kickboxing or Muay Thai but includes many more grappling techniques. Sanda fighting competitions are often held alongside taolu or form competitions. Sanda represents the modern development of lei tai contests but with rules in place to reduce the chance of serious injury. Many Chinese martial arts schools teach or work within the rule sets of sanda, working to incorporate the movements, characteristics, and theory of their style.
Chinese martial artists also compete in non-Chinese or mixed combat sports, including boxing, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts. Sanda is practiced in tournaments and is normally held alongside taolu events in wushu competitions. For safety reasons, some techniques from the self-defense form such as elbow strikes, chokes, and joint locks, are not allowed during tournaments. Competitors can win by knockout or points which are earned by landing strikes to the body or head, throwing an opponent, or when competition is held on a raised lei tai platform, pushing them off the platform. Fighters are only allowed to clinch for a few seconds. If the clinch is not broken by the fighters, and if neither succeeds in throwing his opponent within the time limit, the referee will break the clinch. In the U.S., competitions are held either in boxing rings or on the raised lei tai platform. Amateur fighters wear protective gear.
Amateur sanda allows kicks, punches, and throws. King of Sanda, a competition held in China, is held in a ring similar to a boxing ring in design but larger in dimension. Professionals wear no protective gear except for gloves, cups, and mouthpieces, and "professional sanda" allows knee and elbow strikes as well as kicking, punching, and throwing.
Some sanda fighters have participated in fighting tournaments such as K-1, Muay Thai, boxing, and Shoot Boxing. They have had some degree of success, especially in Shoot Boxing competitions, which is more similar to sanda. Due to the rules of kickboxing competition, sanda fighters are subjected to more limitations than usual. Also, notable competitors in China's mainstream mixed martial arts competitions, Art of War Fighting Championship, and Ranik Ultimate Fighting Federation are predominantly of wushu background. Sanda has been featured in many style-versus-style competitions. Muay Thai is frequently pitted against sanda as is karate, kickboxing, and taekwondo. Although it is less common, some sanda practitioners have also fought in publicly viewed American mixed martial arts competitions.