The History of Wushu

Wushu is a sport created in the middle 20th century by the communist regime in China as a form of physical exercise and to establish an army proficient in hand-to-hand combat. Its origins derive from the ancient teachings of Chinese martial arts from centuries before.

  1. Ancient Kung Fu

    • As far back as 770 B.C., the ancient art of kung fu was practiced by many Chinese cultures as a means of creating a tight knit army and proving ones manhood. This discipline took a life of its own as many different king fu masters would teach an assortment of techniques. Fighting styles varied from lighting quick, to slow, methodical takedowns.

    Communist Nationalization

    • While many different forms of ancient martial arts were practiced in China for centuries, the Communist Party in 1949 decided they wanted to nationalize the sport and create one set of patterns, rules and forms that all participants would follow. This allowed for greater unity throughout the country. A committee called the All-China Wushu Association was formed to govern the sport and create a competitive body.

    Wushu Disciplines

    • The committee came up with two disciplines of wushu. The taolu would preach more of the forms and movements including kicks, punches, jumps, stances, sweeps and throws; while sanda focuses on applying the skills through competitive sparring matches. The Chinese valued having competitors who were good fighters but also showed respect to the forms and movements. Time limits for fights would last anywhere from two to five minutes.

    Spread of Wushu Through Pop Culture

    • In the 1970s, Western cultures began to experience kung fu movies by Asian actors and the spread of all forms of karate such as wushu began to go global. Children the world over wanted to train in the forms and learn the techniques associated with the ancient art. By the 1990s, schools of the wushu disciplines were set up all across the United States to compete with other types of martial arts.

    International Competition

    • The International Wushu Federation is a governing body that regulates the sport in worldwide competition. They have member associations that agree to adhere to the same set of rules for each competition and teach children the proper wushu ways. In addition to small events held throughout the year, the International Worldwide Wushu championships are scheduled every two years.