It’s odd that we would think in terms of differences when it comes to Kung Fu and Karate, for there are more similarities than one would suspect. They are both combative arts, after all, and karate is actually descended from kung fu. To really understand the differences one needs to consider the arts as a whole, and how they evolve.
In the beginning, those beautiful, refined kung fu forms were most likely designed by peasant conscripts who were given swords and commanded to fight or die. Training methods came about, and eventually workable routines were taught. Is it too much to imagine that certain of the soldiers, weary and tired of war, would find their way to the Shaolin monastery, where art as an art blossomed?
From the Shaolin Temple the arts exploded, spreading across China, and growing into concepts and taking on different forms. This was the beginning of such styles as wing chun (vin tsung) kung fu, Long Fist (Choy Lee Fut, Hung Gar, and so on), and the various animal methods (mantis, monkey, dog fist, five animal, and so on). And, of course, Shaolin styles most likely grew into soft style arts as Pa Kua Chang and Tai Chi Chuan.
This being the basic history of the matter, we can see a certain evolution of art. Hard, practical tricks tend to become softer, more flowing, and people come to understand that one’s art can be workable without too much reliance on strength kung fu. Thus, the arts change from hard fists to guiding and sliding palms and turning and flowing whole body motions.
Oh, sure, every once in a while you will see a resurgence of old, hard style kung fu. You will have Chinese boxers, full of vim and vigor, wanting to return to the good, old punch in the face philosophy. For the most part, however, the people who espouse such a return are young and don’t know better, are half trained and overwhelmed by data from other systems, or otherwise guilty of youthful exuberance.
On the whole, however, you will see techniques become more polished and, eventually, making a translation to a softer, easier to work method. Thus, hard style karate, even such bulls as shotokan or kyokushinkai, will become smoother, require less effort and require more intelligence. It is an interesting concept, that the die hard karate of today will transmogrify into the liquid style of shaolin kung fu in the future.
Or, and here’s a kicker, that the extreme combat karate style of today will become combat wudan style of tomorrow. Could that bassai dai and bassai sho form of today eventually translate into the bassai tai chi of tomorrow? Could those young men doing their makiwara training eventually become like the old men of Chen village tai chi chuan, doing their shuto uke and mae geri as if they are being filmed in slow motion?
This author believes that this change is bound to happen. The effects of growing old slow martial arts practitioners down down, and the effects of wisdom tend to make men smarter, and it is this combination of factors that will change the hard into the soft, the karate into the kung fu, and the overzealous into the temperate. Now, pardon me, I need to go do my sochin kata tai chi style.
Watch the video related to tai chi
Tai Chi 24 Form with English titles inserted between postures; edited version of video copied from www.taiji.de. The background music is “Simplified Tai Chi Chuan (24 Form)” from the CD “Tai Chi Melody” by the Shanghai Chinese Traditional Orchestra. The MP3 can be purchased from Amazon at: www.amazon.com
Help answer the question about tai chi
What are the best reference materials for tai chi longform?I am learning tai chi at the moment, and really need an illustrated guide to the 108 moves. Not so that I can learn from the book, but just so I can have images of the moves in the set to prompt my memory. I know such a guide must exist – what is the best one? And more importantly, can I find one online for free?
Many thanks.
About Author
Al Case -
About the Author:
To be a complete martial artist you must know more than one art. <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link']);” rel=”external nofollow” target=”_blank” href=”http://www.monstermartialarts.com”>Monster Martial Arts</a> has a dozen different DVD courses at incredible savings. Pick up a free ebook while you’re at <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link']);” rel=”external nofollow” target=”_blank” href=”http://www.monstermartialarts.com”>Monster Martial Arts</a> 2.
Tags: kung fu forms