A few of the Kung Fu styles

China arguably has the one of the longestEpitaph for Wang Zhengnan.[1] Stanley Henning
histories of continuously recorded martial artsproposes 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. OfChina and its identification of the external martial
the hundreds of Chinese martial arts that havearts with the foreign Buddhism of
developed over the past two to four thousandShaolin—and the Manchu Qing Dynasty
years, there are many distinctive styles with theirto which Huang Zongxi was
own sets of techniques and ideas. Also, there areopposed—may have been an act of
many themes common to different styles thatpolitical defiance rather than one of technical
lead many to characterize them as belonging toclassification.[2]
generalized "families" , of martial art styles. ThereExternal styles
are styles that mimic movements from animalsThese styles are what most people associate
and others that gather inspiration from variouswith Chinese martial arts. They are generally fast
Chinese philosophies. Some styles put most ofand explosive, focusing on physical strength and
their focus into the belief of the harnessing of qiagility. External styles can be both the traditional
energy, while others concentrate solely onstyles 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 variousexercise. 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 . Chinesehigh-kicking aerial maneuvers from which is
martial arts can also be categorized by location, asdeveloped the Korean Taekwondo, and the many
in northern and southern as well, referring to whatanimal 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 classifiedand generally integrate their qigong aspects in
according to their province or city. The mainadvanced training, after their desired "hard"
perceived difference about northern and southernphysical level has been reached.
styles is that the northern styles tend toInternal styles
emphasize kicks, jumps and generally fluid andInternal styles focus on the practice of such
rapid movement, while the southern styles focuselements 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 includetension that soft stylists call "brute force". While
Changquan and the sword and broadswordthe principles that distinguish internal styles from
routines used in contemporary Wushuthe external were described at least as early as
competitions, and examples of the southernthe 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 bewere first recorded by Sun Lutang; who wrote
divided according to religion, imitative-styles , andthat Taijiquan, Baguazhang, and Xingyiquan were
more.internal arts. Later on, others began to include
Hundreds of different styles of Chinese martialother styles in this definition, including
arts have developed over the past two thousandLiuhexinyiquan, Liu He Ba Fa and Yiquan.
years, many distinctive styles with their own setsSome internal stylists say that the difference
of techniques and ideas. Also, there are manybetween internal and external for them is mostly
themes common to different styles that leadthe distinction of the inside and the outside of the
many to characterize them as belonging tobody. 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 frominternal aspects earlier in the training, once these
animals and others that gather inspiration frominternal relationships are apprehended (the theory
various Chinese philosophies. Some styles putgoes) they are then applied to the external
most of their focus into the belief of theapplications of the styles in question. Because of
harnessing of qi energy, while others concentratethe extended periods of time that beginning
solely on competition and exhibition.students are expected to work on very basic
Northern styles feature deeply extendedprinciples 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 changetraditionalists of emphasizing philosophy and
the direction in which force is issued. It is said thatspeculation 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 becausestyles lack "external" physical training. In the older
the northern Chinese were generally taller thanschools, however, much time is spent on basic
those living in southern China, and that they madephysical work, such as stance training (zhan
their styles take advantage of their greater rangezhuang), stretching and strengthening of muscles,
of motion, especially in their legs. Others claim thatas well as on empty hand and weapon forms
the terrain of northern China is more suitable towhich can contain quite demanding coordination
kicking techniques, or that the cold of thefrom posture to posture. Also, many internal
northern Chinese winter caused any focus uponstyles have basic two-person training, such as
hand techniques to be physically damaging to thepushing hands. Some forms in internal styles are
practitioner's hands. Still other experts, hold thatperformed slowly, though some also include
northern styles originally emphasized high kicks assudden outbursts of explosive movements, such
an expedient against the Mongoloian occupationas those the Chen style of Taijiquan is famous
forces who often fought from horseback andfor teaching earlier than some other styles (e.g.
could be easily unseated because they used "veryYang and Wu). The reason for the generally slow
short stirrups" (Peers and Sque, 45). An examplepace is to improve coordination and balance by
of a northern style is the modernincreasing the work load, and to require the
Chángquán that is the most popular stylestudent to pay minute attention to their whole
in the forms division in most contemporarybody and its weight as they perform a technique.
Chinese martial arts competitions held around theAt 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. Mostand to coordinate the motions of the body and
Korean martial arts are analogous to Northernthe breathing accurately according to the dictates
Chinese Style martial arts.of the forms while maintaining perfect balance.
Southern stylesInternal styles have been associated in legend and
Southern Chinese martial arts are typified by thein much popular fiction with the Taoist
styles that belong to the related Fujian (Fujianmonasteries of Wudangshan in central China.
White Crane, Five Ancestors, Wing Chun) andToday, only a few traditional schools teaching
Hakka (Southern Praying Mantis, Dragon) familiesinternal styles train martially, even though such
of martial arts. As Leung Ting, the head of thetraining was originally a part of all internal styles.
WingTsun branch of Wing Chun, put it, theMost schools teach forms that are practiced for
common features of the Fujian and Hakka martialthe health benefits only, as this is what most
arts are "that during fights, pugilists of thesemodern 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, theirreach far enough in their training to start focusing
elbows lowered and kept close to the flanks toon 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 Leemartial arts is a long-term proposition; many
Fut and the Wong Fei-Hung lineage of Hung Kuensimply lose interest after a few years and never
are classified as Southern and feature afinish 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 Northernfully learned the martial aspects of their style
Chinese styles, are respectively wider and morejudge themselves qualified to teach what they do
complicated than those of Fujian and Hakkaknow publicly anyway, leading to a further
styles. High, narrow, pigeon-toed stances arediminution of the martial applications taught in
more prominent in "old" or "village" styles of Hungmany schools. Some of such instructors
Kuen but also appear in its Iron Wire Fistsupplement what they are teaching with elements
empty-hand routine.from other schools, internal and external, and their
There are sayings that because of their shortertraining becomes further removed from the
height, the southern Chinese developed stylesoriginal art. While this gradual watering-down of
that were direct and powerful. Similarly, it istechnique has made some external aspects of
speculated that the dense urban population of theinternal styles available for a wider audience who
south and its humid climate made focusing onare interested in the purported health benefits of
close-quarter hand techniques more practical therethe internal schools, traditional schools see a
than the north's focus on jumping and kicking. Acomplete martial syllabus as a fundamental,
generalized Nanquan (Southern Fist) style hasdefining part of their art, both for health and
become a popular class in modern Chinese martialself-defense purposes. They claim that while the
arts competitions. It is similar tostudents may not need to practice external
Chángquán but includes more rapidapplications 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 iseffectively and safely. For these reasons
characterized by short range power, centerlinetraditionalists feel that a school not teaching
strategy and sticking and deflecting techniques. Itsmartial aspects somewhere in their syllabus
most famous student is Bruce Lee, whosecannot be said to be actually teaching the art
teacher was Yip Man. Other Southern stylesitself, 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 Externalreproduce the health benefits that have made
The distinction between external and internalcomplete internal systems famous in the first
martial arts comes from Huang Zongxi's 1669place.