A Brief History of the Arts

By Cindy Jackson, 1^st Dan

                   Martial Arts are various kinds of fighting arts, with or without weapons, most of which originated in East Asia. Martial arts are now practiced throughout the world. About 100 million people participate in the martial arts as a means of self-defense, physical fitness, mental tranquility, and competition. There are about 200 distinct martial arts, and within each one are specific schools called styles or systems. These styles number in the thousands.

                 China has long been considered the father of Asian martial arts, certainly influencing the arts of Japan and Korea .  Japan ’s karate is reputed to have come from the Shaolin kung-fu of China .  Korea ’s famous “ Three Kingdoms ” and their martial arts were influenced by nearby China as well.  Chinese Martial arts are distinguished from other martial arts by their circular arm and hand movements. 

                 Kung-Fu is by far the most popular Chinese martial art.  The term kung-fu means “hard work” or “skilled achievement”. Kung Fu employs punches, strikes, kicks, and some throws. Kung Fu tends to use open-hand techniques, and many Kung Fu styles use such weapons as swords or staffs. Kung Fu is believed to have originated in China more than 2,000 years ago.

                 Chinese martial arts are separated into two categories – external and internal.  External Chinese martial arts are those that use muscular force, combined with speed and sheer strength to produce power.  Internal Chinese martial arts use what the Chinese call “chou jing”, or wise force to overcome their opponents.  They combine qi (chi) energy with muscle strength to produce power.  Internal training often includes standing meditation and special qi developing exercises.

                 Japanese martial arts are more straight line fighting styles.  Japanese arts range from empty hand martial systems to joint locking and throwing systems to styles devoted entirely to weapons’ practice. 

                 Karate, meaning “empty hand,” is the most popular Japanese art.  In Karate, directed or focused blows of the hands and feet, accompanied by special breathing and shouts, are dealt from poised positions.  Karate is related to Judo and jujitsu but stresses techniques for striking, with lethal kicks and punches, rather than wrestling or throwing an opponent. Great attention is given to knowing the most vulnerable points of the body.  The most common blows used are chops or knife hands. 

                 Judo is also quite popular in Japan .  Judo, which means “gentle way”, is a hand-to-hand sport, held between two competitors, in which opponents use movement, balance, and leverage to gain advantage over each other.  The sport emphasizes gaining an advantage by giving way to an attacking force.  A Judo contestant seeks to throw or pin an opponent to the mat, or to apply holds that confine the opponent’s movement. 

  Japan can also claim ownership to other popular arts, such as Jujitsu, Aikido, and Ninjutsu.  Japanese martial arts are seeped in tradition and discipline to one’s teacher and to the art itself.

 As Korea lies between Japan and China , Korean martial arts look a little like the arts of both countries; however, modern day Korean martial arts show a special creativity not seen as much in the arts of other countries.  For example, Korean martial arts like Hapkido are a combination of advanced throwing, joint locking and kicking techniques, which make Hapkido a well-balanced self-defense art. 

 Tae Kwon Do is certainly the most well-known Korean Martial Art.  Tae Kwon Do means “hand,” “foot,” and “way of life.”  There is continual debate over who the founder of TKD is.  Many people believe that General Choi Hong-hi is the founder, while others are adamant that it was NOT General Choi but a collaboration of several Korean instructors. 

 Modern day Tae Kwon Do is influenced by many other Martial Arts.  The most important of these arts is Japanese Karate.  Japan dominated Korea during 1910 until the end of WWII.  During WWII, lots of Korean soldiers were trained in Japan .  The influence that Japan has given to Tae Kwon Do are the quick, linear movements that characterize the various Japanese systems. 

 Tae Kwon Do has bragging rights to some of the most powerful kicking techniques of the martial arts.  It allows the artist to use the legs to devastating effect.  Tae Kwon Do is a particularly good martial art for women because of the emphasis on kicking.  Women are usually smaller than men and kicks are generally more powerful than punches.  Tae Kwon Do recently became an Olympic medal sport in 2000, making it one of the most popular martial arts in the world.

 Although Tae Kwon Do is the best known Korean Martial Art, there are over 30 others, such as Hapkido, Tang Soo Do, and Kuk Sool Won.  Kuk Sool Won is a modern combination of ancient Korean martial arts, being one of the few Korean fighting arts that incorporates weapons training along with unarmed combat techniques. 

 Movies have been the single most influential factor behind the growing popularity of martial arts.   In 1973, Chinese-American actor Bruce Lee died and his famous movie “Enter the Dragon” was released. The success of Lee and this movie generated a huge interest in the martial arts, and schools opened and flourished worldwide. During the 1970s more students took up the study of martial arts than at any time before or since.  The arts have remained popular today.