"Given China's tumultuous ancient history - of warring clans, warring states and eventually warring dynasties - it's unsurprising that so much energy has been invested in the development and fine-tuning of the martial arts. In a society unable to rely on the government for protection in a land prone to large-scale fighting and banditry, being a capable martial artist was often an essential skill
Styles and techniques
Many kinds of martial arts have evolved over the centuries, but all can be classed into two basic types: external or hard ( waijia), such as the widely known Shaolin kung fu , and internal or soft ( ...
Past and present practitioners
One of the most influential people in the development of Chinese external martial arts was the sixth-century Indian monk Boddhidarma , who spent many years at Shaolin temple soon after its foundation. Here he taught the monks movement andĄ"
|
China Vacations 