| The Term: | | | | production of martial arts movies starring great actors |
| Historically, the term "Kung Fu" is not really featured in | | | | masters such as Jackie Chan and Jet Li. |
| any ancient texts. It was first coined by a Frenchman | | | | Basic Principles: |
| named Jean Joseph Marie Amiot, a missionary who | | | | The concept of Kung Fu revolves around three basic |
| lived in the 18th Century, in reference to Chinese | | | | principles - Motivation, Self-discipline and Time. |
| martial arts. Kung Fu is also called Gongfu, Wushu, or | | | | According to experts, the real motivation behind |
| Kuoshu, and originally denotes expertise in any skill, and | | | | learning Kung Fu is inspiration and not force, which |
| not exclusive to martial arts. | | | | should come from an inner craving to learn and |
| Brief History: | | | | develop the mind and body. Motivation here is the |
| The practice, philosophy, and concept of Kung Fu can | | | | fundamental driving force. There is no external or |
| be traced back to ancient Chinese texts such as | | | | worldly gain for the learner, and the only reward is that |
| Zhuang Zi, Dao De Jing, and Sun Zi Bing Fa (Art of | | | | of knowledge, skill, strength and wisdom. |
| War written by Sun Zi), all written between 1111-255 | | | | In Kung Fu, discipline is complementary to motivation. |
| BC. These texts contain passages related to the | | | | Discipline puts motivation into deed and action. A |
| practice, propagation, and principles of Chinese martial | | | | learner has to make an effort into what he has been |
| arts, or Kung Fu as it is known today. | | | | motivated for, and self-discipline helps him get started |
| One theory regarding the first written history of Kung | | | | and guides him to achieve that goal. Therefore, without |
| Fu suggests that the Yellow Emperor, who reigned | | | | discipline, motivation is just a dormant state of mind. |
| from 2698 BC, wrote the first treatise on Chinese | | | | Time is the path to perfection in martial arts. Once |
| martial arts. Others give credit to Taoist monks for | | | | motivation and self-discipline have set in, a learner has |
| introducing an art form that resemble modern Tai Chi | | | | to spend a considerable amount of time putting mind |
| around 500 BC. Then in 39-92 AD, Pan Ku included | | | | and body into practice. A truly inspired learner does not |
| "Six Chapters of Hand Fighting" in his discourse on the | | | | have the privilege to waste time, stay idle or indulge in |
| history of the Han dynasty (Han Shu). As the | | | | fruitless activities. Everything done by him/her should |
| popularity of martial arts progressed, a physician | | | | reflect real motivation and self-discipline. |
| named Hua T'uo also wrote his own treatise entitled, | | | | Variants and Styles: |
| "Five Animals Play" in 220 AD. | | | | With the passage of time, numerous variants and |
| Kung Fu had become a common word in the West | | | | styles have come up in martial arts, or Kung Fu. Some |
| beginning in the late 1960s, popularized by martial arts | | | | of the more popular ones include Karate, Escrima, |
| movies and TV series. The Western world today has | | | | Wing Chun, Jujitsu, Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Shaolin, White |
| also seen an immense upsurge in the creation and | | | | Crane, T'ai Chi Ch'uan, and Bagua Zhang. |