| Origins: China. Modern Wushu was created
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| | Ditang Chuan
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| to standardize and nationalize the many
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| | Tai Zu Chuan
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| types of Chinese martial arts. Wushu is a
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| | Tong Bei Chuan
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| general term that simply means martial
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| | Fan zi Chuan
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| arts, but most often when referring to
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| | Shaolin Chuan
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| wushu one is referring to contemporary or
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| | Tai Chi Chuan
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| sport wushu. For the purposes of this
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| | Hsing I Chuan
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| profile, I will concentrate on sport
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| | Ba Gua Zhang
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| wushu.
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| | Weapon Styles: Common weapons seen in
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| Wushu is the national sport of China and
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| | competition include
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| has spread around the world. There is
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| | Broadsword
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| sometimes a philosophical divide between
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| | Straight Sword
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| practitioners of sport wushu,
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| | Three section staff
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| specifically those who only work forms or
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| | long staff
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| Taolu, and traditional practitioners who
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| | whip chain
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| practice the combative aspects of the
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| | rope dart
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| martial arts.
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| | meteor hammer
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| The Two Sides of Contemporary Wushu:
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| | tiger hooks (hook sword)
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| Wushu consists of two major areas of
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| | Doubled versions of the swords, chains or
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| practice - forms, or taolu, and sparring,
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| | tiger hooks
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| or sanda/sanshou.
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| | Wushu and the Olympics: Supporters of
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| Taolu or Forms: Taolu is the portion of
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| | wushu have been fighting to be included
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| the sport that has begun to explode in
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| | into the Olympics as a demonstration
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| popularity worldwide. Wushu forms are
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| | sport, with hopes of becoming a medal
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| explosive, energetic and expressive. The
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| | sport like Tae Kwon Do and Judo. The
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| forms contain an impressive ebb and flow
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| | sport made it to the final selection
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| to them. Their artistic and gymnastic
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| | committee but failed to make it into the
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| qualities are very impressive. The speed,
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| | 2008 Summer Olympics. This disappointed
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| agility and flexibility of top level
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| | the many teams from all over the world
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| wushu athletes is something that any
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| | who had held team qualifier events and
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| athlete can admire.
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| | had been training with the hope of one
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| Sparring or San Da: The other side of
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| | day being Olympic athletes. In an effort
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| contemporary wushu is competitive
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| | to showcase wushu to a huge international
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| sparring, also knows as sanda or sanshou.
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| | audience, the Chinese decided to hold a
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| This involves full contact fighting with
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| | large international competition in
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| safety equipment. The fighters utilize
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| | Beijing to run with the Olympic Games.
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| kicks, punches and throws in a scored
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| | The Future of Wushu: Contemporary wushu
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| match.
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| | will continue to change and grow, but to
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| Sub-styles: Wushu is as diverse and
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| | what end is not certain. As wushu
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| varied as the traditional Chinese martial
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| | continues its path towards Olympic medal
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| arts. Wushu competitions have divisions
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| | sport designation, it will have to become
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| for everything from the fast, hard and
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| | more and more standardized and
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| acrobatic to soft and slow tai chi
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| | sport-like, further removing it from its
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| (although the tai chi performed in
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| | martial history. The same has happened
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| competition is infinitely more athletic
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| | with Tae Kwon Do and Judo, as we see
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| in nature than the typical form you may
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| | schools that focus solely on the Olympic
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| see done by senior citizens in your
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| | versions of those sports and have very
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| neighborhood park).
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| | little traditional combat training left
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| Empty Hand Styles: Empty hand styles
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| | in them. Hopefully traditional kung fu or
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| include
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| | wushu schools will be able to fill the
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| Chang Chuan (long fist)
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| | need for tradition and leave sport wushu
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| Nan Chuan (southern fist, also a broad
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| | schools free to develop and grow into a
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| term that includes many styles. A common
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| | whole new art form and sport.
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| form seen is a tiger/crane set)
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