Chinese martial arts, frequently referred to as "Wu Shu," or the art of the military, are some of the most ancient forms of martial arts known to man. Some historians have placed them several hundred years before Christ.
The one thing we are sure of is that they have gone through many, many changes. Unlike other forms of martial arts, (Karate, Judo, Tae Kwon Do, etc.), Chinese martial arts have always remained flexible. This is not to say that Tae Kwon Do is not flexible, it simply means that Tae Kwon Do has been adopted as the Korean military art.
While such arts as Kung Fu may be a part of the Chinese military way, they are also completely separated and used by the common man. The reason for this is quite simple. When there is a war to be faught in China, it is fought by professional soldiers, while in Japan, Korea and most places in the Orient, the Army is made up of conscripted peasants.
Unfortunately, our Western world has tainted Wu Shu, turning it into a sport, which it was never intended to be. That would be tantamount to putting Rembrandt, Picasso and van Gogh into a tournament to see who was the best artist. This, of course, is an absurd idea, because those men are artists, not competitors.
Well, we don't call Kung Fu a martial ART for nothing. It is now, and has always been, an art form. The fact that you can defend yourself with this art is no different than the fact that you can make money as a painter. Neither one of these is your main objective. You are trying to improve yourself mentally, spiritually and physically.
And that's the spirit of Kung Fu.
