| Wushu is the official martial art taught in the | | | | Sanshou or Sanda the Chinese combat sport |
| People's Republic of China. Wu Shu ("War Arts") is | | | | based off of Chinese boxing, wrestling, and |
| practiced by millions in China, and is included as | | | | kickboxing. Originally, the military used it as a way |
| part of the training for all police and military | | | | to test martial arts, but it developed into a |
| personnel. Though it is a form of Kung Fu which | | | | competition sport in the early part of the |
| has been taught in China for centuries it is a rigid | | | | twentieth century. Sanda draws from Lei tai |
| system, and has no attachment to any of the | | | | martial arts matches where competitors fought |
| mystical beliefs of the past. The government is | | | | barehanded or with weapons on a high platform. |
| more concern with physical aspects of the martial | | | | Fights would continue until death, injury, or one of |
| art and spiritual beliefs been replaced with | | | | the competitors was thrown off the platform. |
| propaganda, and political training which take up | | | | In Sanda today a competitor can still win a match |
| much of the student's training time. When a | | | | by throwing their opponent out of the ring. |
| student is not taking part in political training they | | | | Striking and grappling are allowed, and it is much |
| will take part in group and partner exercises as | | | | more aggressive than Wushu which it is often |
| well as weapons practice. | | | | paired with in tournaments in China. The military |
| Contemporary Wushu was created in 1949 as | | | | has their own version of Sanda, but the sport |
| part of the communist government's attempt to | | | | version restricts a number of moves including |
| create a national sport, and though the people | | | | elbow strikes, chokes, and joint locks. When |
| were more than happy with the styles of martial | | | | competing internationally Sanda practitioners have |
| arts they had already. All previous forms of Kung | | | | fought in many style-versus-style competitions |
| Fu were outlawed and even the Shaolin monks | | | | against Muay Thai, Karate, and Tae Kwon Do |
| were greatly restricted. In recent years the | | | | fighters. |
| government has tried to take the politics out of | | | | Unlike the Japanese art of Jujutsu which is |
| sports, but with limited success because of how | | | | pragmatic Wushu is more about looking good |
| repressive the government is in general. Still | | | | while you perform the art. A typical student will |
| tournaments have been running since the early | | | | do many impressive leaps, back flips, and strikes, |
| 1990's, and the sport is practiced outside of China. | | | | but while doing so leaving themselves open to |
| The two Wushu forms that are practiced are | | | | attacks, because the art lacks any real defense. |
| Taulo and Sanda, but neither is suited for self | | | | In dealing with an armed attacker a Wushu |
| defense. | | | | student will be unprepared unless they're carrying |
| The hand movements are called Ba Ji, tumbling | | | | a weapon themselves (it isn't very practical to |
| moves are Di Tang, and Tung Bi is full arm | | | | carry a Chinese broadsword or spear with you on |
| movements. The animal katas are called Xing Yi. | | | | your morning commute). |
| The weapon katas for Wushu includes a large | | | | If a student of combatives and hand to hand self |
| number of different types of swords, the | | | | defense was to encounter a Wushu student the |
| nine-section whip, three section staffs, spears, and | | | | combatives student may take a few initial hits, |
| other ancient Chinese weapons. The central | | | | but would quickly close with the Wushu student, |
| Committee of National Physical Culture must | | | | and would throw or grapple them and take |
| accredited all students and teachers who must | | | | control of the fight. If the Wushu student was |
| embody the ideals of communism. At first glance | | | | armed with any of their traditional weapons they |
| Wushu looks impressive with a large number of | | | | would find themselves disarmed with their |
| moves and a large selection of weapons in its | | | | weapon in the hands of the fighter who used |
| arsenal to choose from in battle. The art would | | | | practical self defense techniques. In the end |
| seem to be a good choice to study until closer | | | | Wushu is a performance art, and at best a |
| examination. For all its flash this form of Kung Fu | | | | combat martial art that would only get you in |
| lacks substance and won't stand up in real world | | | | trouble in a street fight. The art even has its |
| conditions. | | | | critics among modern practitioners of Kung Fu |
| Taulo is considered to be a form of Kung Fu, but | | | | who say the government has stripped all tradition |
| isn't at all like any of the effective martial arts | | | | and practically from the art. |
| forms of the past and is like gymnastics. It is a | | | | This form of Kung Fu is a sport and shouldn't be |
| point based systems where points are given out | | | | relied on for self defense. It should also be noted |
| based on performances that can last from two | | | | that Colonel Fairbairn who fought in 600 |
| to twenty minutes, and there is no contact. While | | | | non-training fights during his time as a police |
| traditional weapons like swords, butterfly knives, | | | | officer in Shanghai China made an extensive study |
| and staffs are used they're light weight versions | | | | of many Chinese martial arts including Kung Fu |
| and they and the routines are useless in combat. | | | | didn't incorporate them in his many books on |
| The programs are broken up into barehanded, | | | | fighting and self defense. Fairbairn would base his |
| short weapons, and long weapons portions, but | | | | many books on his experiences, and what he |
| include jumps, flips and other impressive routines. | | | | learned at the Kodokan while earning his black belt |
| This style of Kung Fu is completely useless when | | | | in Judo. The lesson is winning the fight is more |
| it comes to self defense, but is a good form of | | | | important then looking good and losing the fight. |
| entertainment. | | | | |