1. Next Page The word Wushu comes from a combination of two Chinese words: Wu means ‘war’ and Shu means ‘arts’. Wushu is derived from Chinese martial arts.
2. The sport of wushu is both an exhibition and a full-contact sport derived from traditional Chinese martial arts. It was created in the People’s Republic of China after 1949, in an attempt to nationalize the practice of traditional Chinese martial arts.

Wushu, which is also referred to as kung-fu, is the collective term for the martial art practices which originated and developed in China, and wushu is the well-spring of all Asian martial practices. Over its long history, wushu has developed into numerous distinct styles and systems, each incorporating their own techniques, tactics, principles and methods, as well as the use of a wide variety of traditional weaponry. The differing styles that have emerged focus on many aspects of combat, but more importantly they have absorbed the popular philosophies and moral practices of the people in China over the past 5000 years of development. With that, wushu has developed into more than just a simple system of attack and defense and has become a way to cultivate the body, mind and spirit in a positive way that is beneficial to all that practice it.

Wushu (武 术 ), in Chinese simply means “martial arts.” In the west wushu is more commonly known as kung fu, from the Chinese “gong fu,” which refers to a skill or trade gained by discipline and hard work. Wushu (武术) is a form of contemporary Chinese martial arts that blends elements of performance and martial application. Wushu training emphasizes quickness, explosive power, and natural, relaxed movement. The wushu practitioner must combine flexibility.

The sport of wushu is both an exhibition and a full-contact sport derived from traditional Chinese martial arts. It was created in the People’s Republic of China after 1949, in an attempt to nationalize the practice of traditional Chinese martial arts. Most of the modern competition forms were formed from their parent arts by government-appointed committees. In contemporary times, wushu has become an international sport through the International Wushu Federation (IWUF), which holds the World Wushu Championships every two years.

Wushu Sanshou

Competitive wushu is composed of two disciplines: taolu (forms) and sanda (sparring). Taolu involve martial art patterns and maneuvers for which competitors are judged and given points according to specific rules. The forms comprise basic movements (stances, kicks, punches, balances, jumps, sweeps and throws) based on aggregate categories of traditional Chinese martial art styles and can be changed for competitions to highlight one’s strengths. Competitive forms have time limits that can range from 1 minute, 20 seconds for some external styles to over five minutes for internal styles. Modern wushu competitors are increasingly training in aerial techniques such as 540 and 720 degree jumps and kicks to add more difficulty and style to their forms.

What Is Wushu

Wushu can be seen in almost all action movies today, promoted by the likes of Jet Li, Donnie Yen, and Chow Yun Fat, amongst others.