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the definition of wushu - part 1
I've trained in wushu for 28 years. Along the way, I've met thousands of martial artists and witnessed scores of martial arts styles, and have picked up much from them. Here is my opinion on the general state of martial arts, and on wushu in particular.
Wushu, translated literally, means martial arts. (Wu = "martial, Shu = "art form"). When it was first developed, its primary purpose was (and will always be) for survival. Hunting animals, procuring food, fighting against aggressive wildlife, surviving harsh weather conditions, and so forth prompted the birth of this mode of behavior. Alone, wu is just fighting, military-based attack. Combined with Shu it transcends one level and becomes an intricate, purposeful skill.
Wushu adapts to suit the continually changing survival needs of people. Survival as the purpose remains constant; the only things different are the threats and circumstances in which people find themselves. First, as I've already said, people used wushu to protect themselves from nature. Then the human race graduated from a nomadic lifestyle to settlements. From one settlement sprung multiple settlements. Then suddenly people were fighting one another, so the forms of wushu evolved to adapt to person-to-person fighting. It is basically the same story told on different scales: fighting to protect oneself, fighting to safeguard one's household, combating for a city, going to war for a country. In each situation underlies the exact same purpose: to survive.
And step into the civilization of today -- history once again dictates that wushu modify its conduct and form of exhibition. What does this mean? With the advent of technology, you have guns, cannons, nuclear bombs, and other advanced weapons. Learning wushu no longer serves the purpose of fighting hand to hand against tigers, outside invaders, and so forth. Today, if you kill or maim someone with an astounding wushu move learned from some ten-year intensive training program, it will not help you to survive. The police will catch you for murder, society will frown upon you, and the whole deed would have been much more quickly performed through pulling a trigger on a pistol with a silencer. Now, society values the exhibition and practice of wushu in different ways. You have massive Olympic events broadcasted to half the world for entertainment. You have action movies in which characters express themselves through fluid martial arts motion. Now, wushu can pave the way to a career that earns big bucks. Big bucks translate to a higher standard of living, which is a boon for survival. Notice that the goal (survival) is the same. It is only the path to survival that's different. Another way that wushu can enhance survival (and this, in my opinion, is the best reason of all) is that it allows a person to exercise his body and improve his health. Regardless of whether one is in the past, present, or future, one will always need to take care of one's body. Self-defense is another reason why someone today might practice wushu, but I do not really advocate this particular end. If you're faced with a problem, it is better to go to the police or seek recourse with some reliable authority.
I want to make an important distinction here. Many people may perceive that only wushu has changed over the course of human evolution, but this is not true. Look at any other sport of today -- boxing, for example. Long ago, no doubt, boxing originated as a way to survive against harsh primitive circumstances. One boxed mainly to kill an attacker. But things have changed and people don't box today to kill attackers. Some of them might desire an illustrious sports career, so they can earn a lifestyle of luxury. The same goes with wrestling, fencing, archery, and other sports. Do you think they've been the same throughout thousands of years? No, they've perpetually adapted as a necessity to the changing conditions of history.
Another tidbit I find interesting. Nowadays, one associates the word, "Kung-fu" with punches, kicks, martial arts champions, fighting. But the original meaning of "kung-fu" was never intended to describe martial arts in any way. Kung-fu originally referred to the time and energy spent in learning something. A successful chef expends lots of "kung-fu" to cook the tastiest dishes. A doctor undergoes considerable "kung-fu" to be able to take care of sick people. A martial artist uses lots of "kung-fu" in practicing his physical forms so he may display them to audiences one day. The term "kung-fu" was first broached to Western audiences by Bruce Lee when he stepped into the spotlight and used it to describe his martial arts. From there, a misconception arose and people began using "kung-fu" to refer to Bruce Lee, martial arts, punches, kicks, and the whole related system. So it is really a misnomer, a word whose meaning expanded to encompass other objects.
