Chinese Kung Fu

Kung Fu, also known as martial arts, is one of the best-known traditional Chinese cultures. Kung Fu is popular and influential across the globe, and most foreigners get to known Chinese martial arts through tons of movies with leading roles played by famous Kung Fu stars, such as Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Michele Yeoh. The earliest martial arts in China could date back to 4,200 years ago when ancestral tribes took actions to defend the attack of beasts or the invasion of foreign nations. And gradually, a complete set of action routines were practiced for the main purpose of killing and subduing the enemies in warship.

However, the term Kung Fu didn't become well-known in western countries until the superstar Bruce Lee gained big fame worldwide by a series of Kung Fu movies. Thereupon, a lot of classic Kung Fu styles bumped into the spotlight, which were chased after by flocks of enthusiasts. Actually, the real Kung Fu is not just like the ones demonstrated in movies, but has developed into many different variations and styles identified as "families","sects", or "schools" of martial arts around the globe. Below, we will go over a few of the most popular styles of Kung Fu, including Tai Chi, Wing Chun, Shaolin and Qigong.

Built in 495 AD, Shaolin temple is considered as the cradle of Chinese Kung Fu, and this style of Kung Fu is the earliest institutionalized Chinese martial arts. Well known both at home and abroad, Shaolin Kung Fu is closely tied to the monks and the wisdom of Zen Buddhism. Various kinds of sub-styles include tumbling, cudgel, jumping, rolling and joint locks make Shaolin Kung Fu not only self-defense skills but also aesthetically pleasing showy performances.

In recent years, an increasing number of foreigners become enthusiastic about Shaolin Fung Fu, and take the trouble of traveling a long distance to learn it in China. Learning some Shaolin Kung Fu will be an experience that takes months and even years, which would help to build up a strong body and heart.

Aka Tai Ji Quan, Tai Chi is absolutely one of the best known and most popular forms of martial arts. In most open parks of China, you could usually see groups of seniors moving gracefully with flowing motions, and you might even catch some Chinese seniors playing Tai Chi in the gardens in your home community. With a history of 2,500 years, Tai Chi absorbs the advantages of different marital arts and creates a set of slow-paced, relaxing, rhythmic and meditative body movements full of grace and balance.

Tai Chi is practiced worldwide as a body and mind exercise that is believed able to help practitioners to find inner peace and calmness, and also seek anti-aging, longevity, stress relief, mental freshness, and spiritual development. There are tests to prove that Tai Chi does good to treatment of heart disease, high blood pressure and arthritis.

Known as Yong Chun in Chinese, Wing Chun is one of the most aggressive and strongest styles of Chinese martial arts. It is also the most representative form of southern Kung Fu popularized by Bruce Lee's teacher, Yip Man. Wing Chun focuses more on self-defense utilizing both striking and grappling skills in close quarters combat on one's feet, and specializes in defeating and disabling opponents with rapid strikes and kicks by arms and legs. Centerline is critical for fighters to position themselves right for defense and attack, which is similar to that of Jeet Kune Do, the martial arts style of former Wing Chun practitioner Bruce Lee. The Grandmaster Ip Man had taught Wing Chun openly in mainland China and Hong Kong, and his students inherited the martial arts in a direct line across the world. In recent years, Wing Chun is still popular among young westerners as it is very practical in self-defense combat and easy to pick up in a relatively short term of time.

Qigong is definitely one of the most difficult and incredible skills in both internal and external styles Chinese martial arts. Traditionally, Qigong is a system of deep breathing and conditioning exercises that make your muscles extremely resistant to pain, impact and injure. It is the source of power and foundation for most internal style of martial arts including Tai Chi, Xing Yi Quan, and Baguazhang.

On YouTube, you are most likely to see some Chinese Kung Fu practitioners breaking a brick with bare hands. More incredibly, some Qigong masters are able to bend an iron bar against a wall with his throat, have running electric drill against one's head for full 10 seconds but stay safe and sound, or lie down on metal spikes while breaking stones with their heads. Thrilling but it is the power of Qigong. For the majority, Qigong is now practiced as a way to cultivate and balance one's mind and energy for health and spirituality.

• Enjoy a Fantastic Kung Fu Show at Beijing Red Theater

If you yearn for a thrilling Chinese martial arts experience in your China tour, the easiest and best option is to go to Beijing Red Theater for the show The Legend of Kung Fu. The show is a wonderful modern day theatrical performance of traditional Chinese martial arts, with real Kung Fu skills and scenes demonstrated by brilliant Kung Fu masters from all over China. The actors do not speak Chinese nor English, but you could have an easy clue about the story layout from the English narrations above the stage. The fabulous stage performance and vibrant show atmosphere make it the most loved Kung Fu show in China that shall not to be missed for Kung Fu enthusiast and families with kids. Tickets should be booked in advance since they are often sold out.

Show Time: 7:30 - 8:50 p.m. daily
Address: 44 Xingfu Dajie, Chongwen District, Beijing

• Meet the Last Kung Fu Monks in Shaolin Temple


It is said that most Chinese Kung Fu styles are actually originated from Shaolin, and watch the wonderful Kung Fu show is a not-to-miss thing for Shaolin Temple visit. Rooted in the forest of Songshan Mountain, Shaolin Temple offers five fixed Kung Fu shows every day at the theatre, and the schedule is varied by seasons. Each show takes about half an hour, during which you could you would marvel at Shaolin monks' excellent martial arts featuring animal types of fists like tiger, monkey, snake and cudgel play. The show is already covered in your entrance ticket.

It is easy to make a side trip from Luoyang, an ancient capital city, to Shaolin, Dengfeng. A lot of high-speed trains are available from touristy cities including Beijing, Xian and Longmen, so it is the highly recommended to plan a visit to the Shaolin Temple if you are a Kung Fu lover.

• Tai Chi Exercise at Temple of Heaven

Temple of Heaven is a must-see of any Beijing tours. If visiting the temple in the morning, you have a big chance to meet some local seniors doing some Kung Fu as their daily workout in the open park. Beside the shuttlecock, diablo and sword play, Tai Chi is the most popular exercise that is usually done by a group of people with a leading master. If interested, you are more than welcome to join them and learn some basic moves of Tai Chi. It is for free and a good way to contact with locals.

• Pick Up a Tai Chi Class on a Yangtze River Cruise


Seriously, the best chance for you to learn real ChineseTai Chi could be obtained from an epic Yangtze River Cruise between Chongqing and Yichang. During a leisurely river sightseeing, you could refresh your day by joining a Tai Chi class on the deck to experience Chinese seniors' favorite morning exercise. There will be a professional master demonstrating the movements step by step, and give you some one-to-one guide.