| The Term: | | | | such as Jackie Chan and Jet Li. |
| Historically, the term "Kung Fu" is not | | | | Basic Principles: |
| really featured in any ancient texts. It | | | | The concept of Kung Fu revolves around |
| was first coined by a Frenchman named | | | | three basic principles - Motivation, |
| Jean Joseph Marie Amiot, a missionary | | | | Self-discipline and Time. |
| who lived in the 18th Century, in | | | | According to experts, the real |
| reference to Chinese martial arts. Kung | | | | motivation behind learning Kung Fu is |
| Fu is also called Gongfu, Wushu, or | | | | inspiration and not force, which should |
| Kuoshu, and originally denotes expertise | | | | come from an inner craving to learn and |
| in any skill, and not exclusive to | | | | develop the mind and body. Motivation |
| martial arts. | | | | here is the fundamental driving force. |
| Brief History: | | | | There is no external or worldly gain for |
| The practice, philosophy, and concept of | | | | the learner, and the only reward is that |
| Kung Fu can be traced back to ancient | | | | of knowledge, skill, strength and |
| Chinese texts such as Zhuang Zi, Dao De | | | | wisdom. |
| Jing, and Sun Zi Bing Fa (Art of War | | | | In Kung Fu, discipline is complementary |
| written by Sun Zi), all written between | | | | to motivation. Discipline puts |
| 1111-255 BC. These texts contain | | | | motivation into deed and action. A |
| passages related to the practice, | | | | learner has to make an effort into what |
| propagation, and principles of Chinese | | | | he has been motivated for, and |
| martial arts, or Kung Fu as it is known | | | | self-discipline helps him get started |
| today. | | | | and guides him to achieve that goal. |
| One theory regarding the first written | | | | Therefore, without discipline, |
| history of Kung Fu suggests that the | | | | motivation is just a dormant state of |
| Yellow Emperor, who reigned from 2698 | | | | mind. |
| BC, wrote the first treatise on Chinese | | | | Time is the path to perfection in |
| martial arts. Others give credit to | | | | martial arts. Once motivation and |
| Taoist monks for introducing an art form | | | | self-discipline have set in, a learner |
| that resemble modern Tai Chi around 500 | | | | has to spend a considerable amount of |
| BC. Then in 39-92 AD, Pan Ku included | | | | time putting mind and body into |
| "Six Chapters of Hand Fighting" in his | | | | practice. A truly inspired learner does |
| discourse on the history of the Han | | | | not have the privilege to waste time, |
| dynasty (Han Shu). As the popularity of | | | | stay idle or indulge in fruitless |
| martial arts progressed, a physician | | | | activities. Everything done by him/her |
| named Hua T'uo also wrote his own | | | | should reflect real motivation and |
| treatise entitled, "Five Animals Play" | | | | self-discipline. |
| in 220 AD. | | | | Variants and Styles: |
| Kung Fu had become a common word in the | | | | With the passage of time, numerous |
| West beginning in the late 1960s, | | | | variants and styles have come up in |
| popularized by martial arts movies and | | | | martial arts, or Kung Fu. Some of the |
| TV series. The Western world today has | | | | more popular ones include Karate, |
| also seen an immense upsurge in the | | | | Escrima, Wing Chun, Jujitsu, Judo, Tae |
| creation and production of martial arts | | | | Kwon Do, Shaolin, White Crane, T'ai Chi |
| movies starring great actors/masters | | | | Ch'uan, and Bagua Zhang. |