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