| China arguably has the one of the longest | | | | Epitaph for Wang Zhengnan.[1] Stanley Henning |
| histories of continuously recorded martial arts | | | | proposes that the Epitaph's identification of the |
| tradition with hundreds of different styles, | | | | internal martial arts with the Taoism indigenous to |
| perhaps the most of any society in the world. Of | | | | China and its identification of the external martial |
| the hundreds of Chinese martial arts that have | | | | arts with the foreign Buddhism of |
| developed over the past two to four thousand | | | | Shaolin—and the Manchu Qing Dynasty |
| years, there are many distinctive styles with their | | | | to which Huang Zongxi was |
| own sets of techniques and ideas. Also, there are | | | | opposed—may have been an act of |
| many themes common to different styles that | | | | political defiance rather than one of technical |
| lead many to characterize them as belonging to | | | | classification.[2] |
| generalized "families" , of martial art styles. There | | | | External styles |
| are styles that mimic movements from animals | | | | These styles are what most people associate |
| and others that gather inspiration from various | | | | with Chinese martial arts. They are generally fast |
| Chinese philosophies. Some styles put most of | | | | and explosive, focusing on physical strength and |
| their focus into the belief of the harnessing of qi | | | | agility. External styles can be both the traditional |
| energy, while others concentrate solely on | | | | styles focusing on application and fighting, as well |
| competition and exhibition. | | | | as the modern styles adapted for competition and |
| Chinese martial arts can be split into various | | | | exercise. Examples of external styles are |
| categories to differentiate them: For example, | | | | Shaolinquan, with its direct explosive attacks and |
| external and internal (or hard and soft . Chinese | | | | high-kicking aerial maneuvers from which is |
| martial arts can also be categorized by location, as | | | | developed the Korean Taekwondo, and the many |
| in northern and southern as well, referring to what | | | | animal styles inspired by the movements of |
| part of China the styles originated from, | | | | certain animals. External styles begin with a training |
| separated by the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang); | | | | focus on muscular power, speed and application, |
| Chinese martial arts may even be classified | | | | and generally integrate their qigong aspects in |
| according to their province or city. The main | | | | advanced training, after their desired "hard" |
| perceived difference about northern and southern | | | | physical level has been reached. |
| styles is that the northern styles tend to | | | | Internal styles |
| emphasize kicks, jumps and generally fluid and | | | | Internal styles focus on the practice of such |
| rapid movement, while the southern styles focus | | | | elements as awareness of the spirit, mind, qi |
| more on strong arm and hand techniques, and | | | | (breath, or energy flow) and the use of relaxed |
| stable, immovable stances and footwork. | | | | leverage rather than unrefined muscular tension, |
| Examples of the northern styles include | | | | tension that soft stylists call "brute force". While |
| Changquan and the sword and broadsword | | | | the principles that distinguish internal styles from |
| routines used in contemporary Wushu | | | | the external were described at least as early as |
| competitions, and examples of the southern | | | | the 18th century by Chang Nai-chou, the modern |
| styles include Nanquan, Houquan (monkey style) | | | | terms distinguishing external and internal styles |
| and Wing Chun. Chinese martial arts can also be | | | | were first recorded by Sun Lutang; who wrote |
| divided according to religion, imitative-styles , and | | | | that Taijiquan, Baguazhang, and Xingyiquan were |
| more. | | | | internal arts. Later on, others began to include |
| Hundreds of different styles of Chinese martial | | | | other styles in this definition, including |
| arts have developed over the past two thousand | | | | Liuhexinyiquan, Liu He Ba Fa and Yiquan. |
| years, many distinctive styles with their own sets | | | | Some internal stylists say that the difference |
| of techniques and ideas. Also, there are many | | | | between internal and external for them is mostly |
| themes common to different styles that lead | | | | the distinction of the inside and the outside of the |
| many to characterize them as belonging to | | | | body. The reason for the label "internal," according |
| generalized "families" (?, jia) of martial art styles. | | | | to most schools, is that there is a focus on the |
| There are styles that mimic movements from | | | | internal aspects earlier in the training, once these |
| animals and others that gather inspiration from | | | | internal relationships are apprehended (the theory |
| various Chinese philosophies. Some styles put | | | | goes) they are then applied to the external |
| most of their focus into the belief of the | | | | applications of the styles in question. Because of |
| harnessing of qi energy, while others concentrate | | | | the extended periods of time that beginning |
| solely on competition and exhibition. | | | | students are expected to work on very basic |
| Northern styles feature deeply extended | | | | principles in most internal schools, and perhaps also |
| postures—such as the horse, bow, | | | | the prevalence in recent years of many Western |
| drop, and dragon stances—connected | | | | "New Age" oriented schools who are accused by |
| by quick fluid transitions, able to quickly change | | | | traditionalists of emphasizing philosophy and |
| the direction in which force is issued. It is said that | | | | speculation at the expense of hard work (see the |
| northern styles put more focus on legwork, | | | | next paragraph), many people believe internal |
| kicking and acrobatics. Some say this is because | | | | styles lack "external" physical training. In the older |
| the northern Chinese were generally taller than | | | | schools, however, much time is spent on basic |
| those living in southern China, and that they made | | | | physical work, such as stance training (zhan |
| their styles take advantage of their greater range | | | | zhuang), stretching and strengthening of muscles, |
| of motion, especially in their legs. Others claim that | | | | as well as on empty hand and weapon forms |
| the terrain of northern China is more suitable to | | | | which can contain quite demanding coordination |
| kicking techniques, or that the cold of the | | | | from posture to posture. Also, many internal |
| northern Chinese winter caused any focus upon | | | | styles have basic two-person training, such as |
| hand techniques to be physically damaging to the | | | | pushing hands. Some forms in internal styles are |
| practitioner's hands. Still other experts, hold that | | | | performed slowly, though some also include |
| northern styles originally emphasized high kicks as | | | | sudden outbursts of explosive movements, such |
| an expedient against the Mongoloian occupation | | | | as those the Chen style of Taijiquan is famous |
| forces who often fought from horseback and | | | | for teaching earlier than some other styles (e.g. |
| could be easily unseated because they used "very | | | | Yang and Wu). The reason for the generally slow |
| short stirrups" (Peers and Sque, 45). An example | | | | pace is to improve coordination and balance by |
| of a northern style is the modern | | | | increasing the work load, and to require the |
| Chángquán that is the most popular style | | | | student to pay minute attention to their whole |
| in the forms division in most contemporary | | | | body and its weight as they perform a technique. |
| Chinese martial arts competitions held around the | | | | At an advanced level, and in actual fighting, internal |
| world today. There are many northern styles; | | | | styles are performed quickly, but the goal is to |
| some of them are Northern Praying Mantis, | | | | learn to involve the entire body in every motion, |
| Chuojiao, Bajiquan, Taijiquan, Baguazhang, | | | | to stay relaxed, with deep, controlled breathing, |
| Bayingquan, Eagle Claw, and Chaquán. Most | | | | and to coordinate the motions of the body and |
| Korean martial arts are analogous to Northern | | | | the breathing accurately according to the dictates |
| Chinese Style martial arts. | | | | of the forms while maintaining perfect balance. |
| Southern styles | | | | Internal styles have been associated in legend and |
| Southern Chinese martial arts are typified by the | | | | in much popular fiction with the Taoist |
| styles that belong to the related Fujian (Fujian | | | | monasteries of Wudangshan in central China. |
| White Crane, Five Ancestors, Wing Chun) and | | | | Today, only a few traditional schools teaching |
| Hakka (Southern Praying Mantis, Dragon) families | | | | internal styles train martially, even though such |
| of martial arts. As Leung Ting, the head of the | | | | training was originally a part of all internal styles. |
| WingTsun branch of Wing Chun, put it, the | | | | Most schools teach forms that are practiced for |
| common features of the Fujian and Hakka martial | | | | the health benefits only, as this is what most |
| arts are "that during fights, pugilists of these | | | | modern students are looking for and as these |
| systems prefer short steps and close fighting, | | | | students seldom have the time or devotion to |
| with their arms placed close to the chest, their | | | | reach far enough in their training to start focusing |
| elbows lowered and kept close to the flanks to | | | | on the martial aspects. To condition oneself well |
| offer it protection" (Leung, 1978, p. 30). | | | | enough to become adept at the internal style |
| Even though Cantonese styles such as Choy Lee | | | | martial arts is a long-term proposition; many |
| Fut and the Wong Fei-Hung lineage of Hung Kuen | | | | simply lose interest after a few years and never |
| are classified as Southern and feature a | | | | finish the program. Most have no hope as their |
| characteristically Southern emphasis on the arms, | | | | teachers know little. Many people who have not |
| their stances and routines, like those of Northern | | | | fully learned the martial aspects of their style |
| Chinese styles, are respectively wider and more | | | | judge themselves qualified to teach what they do |
| complicated than those of Fujian and Hakka | | | | know publicly anyway, leading to a further |
| styles. High, narrow, pigeon-toed stances are | | | | diminution of the martial applications taught in |
| more prominent in "old" or "village" styles of Hung | | | | many schools. Some of such instructors |
| Kuen but also appear in its Iron Wire Fist | | | | supplement what they are teaching with elements |
| empty-hand routine. | | | | from other schools, internal and external, and their |
| There are sayings that because of their shorter | | | | training becomes further removed from the |
| height, the southern Chinese developed styles | | | | original art. While this gradual watering-down of |
| that were direct and powerful. Similarly, it is | | | | technique has made some external aspects of |
| speculated that the dense urban population of the | | | | internal styles available for a wider audience who |
| south and its humid climate made focusing on | | | | are interested in the purported health benefits of |
| close-quarter hand techniques more practical there | | | | the internal schools, traditional schools see a |
| than the north's focus on jumping and kicking. A | | | | complete martial syllabus as a fundamental, |
| generalized Nanquan (Southern Fist) style has | | | | defining part of their art, both for health and |
| become a popular class in modern Chinese martial | | | | self-defense purposes. They claim that while the |
| arts competitions. It is similar to | | | | students may not need to practice external |
| Chángquán but includes more rapid | | | | applications to derive a benefit from the training, |
| punches and blocks, and fewer jumps. | | | | their teachers should know the applications well, to |
| The most popular Southern style is Wing Chun. | | | | ensure that the movements are trained correctly, |
| Also known as Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun, it is | | | | effectively and safely. For these reasons |
| characterized by short range power, centerline | | | | traditionalists feel that a school not teaching |
| strategy and sticking and deflecting techniques. Its | | | | martial aspects somewhere in their syllabus |
| most famous student is Bruce Lee, whose | | | | cannot be said to be actually teaching the art |
| teacher was Yip Man. Other Southern styles | | | | itself, that they have "graduated themselves", and |
| include Hung Gar and Choy Lee Fut. | | | | that they are much less likely to be able to |
| Internal and External | | | | reproduce the health benefits that have made |
| The distinction between external and internal | | | | complete internal systems famous in the first |
| martial arts comes from Huang Zongxi's 1669 | | | | place. |