Wushu sport: Encyclopedia - Wushu sport

Wushu (sport)

Wushu, also known as modern wushu or contemporary wushu, is both an exhibition and a full-contact sport based on a reinterpretations of traditional Chinese martial arts. Created in the People's Republic of China after 1949, Wushu has spread globally through the International Wushu Federation (IWUF), which holds the World Championships of Wushu every two years; the first World Championships were held in 1991 in Beijing.

Wushu is composed of two disciplines: taolu (套路, forms) and sanda (散打, sparring)^[1].

Wushu forms are martial art patterns and maneuvers for which competitors are judged and given points according to specific rules. The forms comprise basic movements (stances, kicks, punches, balances, jumps and sweeps) particular to a traditional Chinese martial art style and can be changed for competitions to highlight one's strengths. Competitive forms can vary in length from 1 minute, 30 seconds for the hard styles to over five minutes for internal styles.

Wushu sport - Events

Wushu, similar to gymnastics, contains several separate events, the main ones being:

• Barehanded
  • 長拳 Changquan (Long Fist)
  • 南拳 Nanquan (Southern Fist)
  • 太極拳 Taijiquan (Taiji Fist)

• Short Weapons
  • 刀 Dao (single-edged sword)
  • 劍 Jian (double-edged sword)
  • 太極劍 Taijijian (Taiji double-edged sword)
  • 南刀 Nandao (Southern single-edged sword)

• Long Weapons
  • 棍 Gun (Staff)
  • 槍 Qiang (Spear)
  • 南棍 Nangun (Southern Staff)

Most events were first set up in 1958.

Changquan refers to long-range extended wushu styles like Chaquan (查拳), Huaquan (華拳), Hongquan (洪拳), and Shaolinquan (少林拳), but this wushu form is a modernized style derived from movements of these and other traditional styles. Changquan is the most widely-seen of the wushu forms, and includes whirling, running, leaping, and acrobatics. Changquan is difficult to perform, requiring great flexibility and athleticism, and is often practised from a young age.

Nanquan refers to wushu styles originating in south China (i.e., south of the Yangtze River, including Hongjiaquan (洪家拳), Cailifoquan (蔡李佛拳), and Yongchunquan (詠春拳). Many are known for vigorous, athletic movements with very stable, low stances and intricate hand movements. This wushu form is a modern style derived from movements of these and other traditional southern styles. Nanquan typically requires less flexibility and has fewer acrobatics than Changquan, but it also requires greater leg stability and power generation through leg and hip coordination. This event was created in 1960.

Taijiquan is a wushu style famous for slow, relaxed movements, and often seen as an exercise method for old people. This wushu form is a modern recompilation based on the Yang (楊) style of Taijiquan, but also including movements of the Chen (陳), Wu (吳), Wu (武), and Sun (孫) styles.

Dao refers to any curved, one-sided sword/blade, but this wushu form is a Changquan method of using a medium-sized willow-leaf-shaped dao (柳葉刀).

Jian refers to any double-edged straight sword/blade, but this wushu form is a Changquan method of using the jian.

Gun refers to a long staff slightly less tall than the user with his arms stretched up, but this wushu form is a Changquan method of using the gun.

Qiang refers to a flexible spear with red hair attached to the spearhead, but this wushu form is a Changquan method of using the qiang.

Taijijian is an event using the jian based on traditional Taijiquan jian methods.

Nandao is a weapon that appears to be based on the butterfly swords of Yongchunquan, but has been lengthened and changed so that only one is used (as opposed to a pair). This event is a Nanquan method, and was created in 1992.

Nangun is a Nanquan method of using the gun. This event was created in 1992.

These events are performed using compulsory or individual routines in competition. Compulsory routines are those routines that have been already created for the athlete, resulting in each athlete performing basically the same set. Individual routines are routines that an athlete creates with the aid of his/her coach, while following certain rules for difficulty, number of acrobatics, etc.

Previously international wushu competitions most often used compulsory routines, while high-level competitions in China most often used individual routines. However, after the 2003 Wushu World Games in Macau it was decided to opt for individual routines in international competition with nandu (difficulty movements) added for additional point bonuses.

There is some controversy concerning the inclusion of nandu in wushu because many of the movements created for the specific events are not originally movements used in those styles. In addition the number of injuries which have resulted from the inclusion of these nandu have caused many people to question their inclusion.

Those who support the new difficulty requirements follow the assertion that they help to progress the sport and improve the overall physical quality of the athletes.

Another modern form of wushu is called sanda (sometimes called sanshou), which is a modern fighting method and sport influenced by both traditional Chinese boxing, chinese wrestling methods called Shuai Chiao and other chinese grappling techniques such as Qin Na. It has all the combat aspects of wushu. Sanda appears much like kickboxing or Muay Thai, but includes many more throwing techniques. Sanda fighting competitions are often held alongside taolu or form competitions.

Wushu sport - Other routines

The majority of routines used in the sport are new, modernized recompilations of traditional routines. However, routines taken directly from traditional styles, including the styles that are not part of standard events, may be performed in competition, especially in China. These routines generally do not garner as many points as their modern counterparts, and are performed in events separate from the compulsory routine events. Among these, the more commonly seen routines include:

• Baguazhang (八卦掌) - Eight-Trigrams Palm
• Bajiquan (八極拳) - Eight Extremes Fist
• Chaquan (查拳) - Cha Fist
• Chuojiao (戳腳) - Poking Feet
• Ditangquan (地躺拳) - Ground-Prone Fist
• Fanziquan (翻子拳) - Overturning Fist
• Houquan (猴拳) - Monkey Fist
• Huaquan (華拳) - Hua Fist
• Paochui (炮捶) - Cannon Punch
• Piguaquan (劈掛拳) - Chop-Hitch Fist
• Shequan (蛇拳) - Snake Fist
• Taijiquan (太极拳） - Ultimate Supreme Fist/Boxe
• Tantui (弹腿）- Spring Leg
• Tang Lang Hu Shi - Praying Mantis and Tiger Style
• Tonglonquan (螳螂拳) - Praying Mantis Fist
• Tongbeiquan (通背拳) - Through-the-Back Fist
• Wing Chun (永春)
• Xingyiquan (形意拳) - Shape-Intent Fist
• Yingzhaoquan (鷹爪拳) - Eagle Claw Fist
• Zuijiuquan (醉酒拳) - Drunken Fist

Similarly, there is also a traditional weapons category, which often includes the following:

• Changsuijian (長穗劍) - Long-Tasseled Sword
• Shuangshoujian (雙手劍) - Two-Handed Sword
• Jiujiebian (九節鞭) - Nine Section Whip
• Sanjiegun (三節棍) - Three Section Staff
• Shengbiao (繩鏢) - Rope Dart
• Dadao (大刀) - Great Sword
• Pudao (撲刀) - Pu Sword
• Emeici (峨嵋刺) - Emei Daggers
• Shuangdao (雙刀) - Double Broadsword
• Shuangjian (雙劍) - Double Sword
• Shuangbian (雙鞭) - Double Nine Section Whips
• Shuanggou (雙鈎) - Double Hooksword

Wushu sport - Famous Wushu Practicioners

Jet Li (李連杰) is possibly the most famous wushu practitioner in the world. He started wushu as a competition sport and gained fame as he took the National Wushu Champion of China title five times, later demonstrating his wushu on the silver screen. Many of his old teammates have also appeared on-screen with him, especially in his older movies.

British actor and stuntman Ray Park (Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, X-Men) is a well-known practitioner.

Richard brandon is a 6 time world champion and currenly is running a studio in palo alto.

Wushu sport - Wushu as an Olympic event

The IWUF placed a bid to the International Olympic Committee to have wushu included in the Beijing 2008 Olympics, but did not meet with success. Richard Brandon 6 time world champion

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Wushu sport", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki