Search

Kung Fu Tea

Martial Arts History, Wing Chun and Chinese Martial Studies.

Category

Biography

An Overview of Ma Shi Tong Bei Training

  ***Greetings.  I am currently traveling for a duanbing ("short weapon," e.g., Chinese competitive fencing) workshop with Ma Yue Shifu in Michigan.  As such I thought it might be appropriate to publish something about the fascinating Ma family and their... Continue Reading →

Ng Chung So – Looking Beyond the “Three Heroes of Wing Chun”

Note: this article originally appeared as a guest post at "Wing Chun Geeks." Ng Chung So: Looking Beyond the “Three Heroes of Wing Chun” The origins of Wing Chun are shrouded in mystery.  We seem to like it that way. ... Continue Reading →

Through a Lens Darkly (59): John S. S. Leong and Southern Kung Fu in 1969.

  A Quick Note Last week I noted that I would be taking a short break from blogging to finish off a few projects (conference papers, book chapters and article drafts) with upcoming deadlines.  I haven’t worked my way through... Continue Reading →

Revisiting Alfred Lister: The Noble Art of Self-Defense in China (Part II)

  Introduction This is the second half of our two part series on the life and writings of Alfred Lister.  A civil servant in Hong Kong during the second half of the 19th century, Lister provided his readers with some... Continue Reading →

Revisiting Alfred Lister: A Forgotten Observer of the Southern Chinese Martial Arts (Part I)

    ***We have now come to the point in the semester that I call "deadline season."  As such, we will be dipping into the archives over the next few weeks to give me some additional time to work on... Continue Reading →

A Short List of Women Who Shaped the Southern Chinese Martial Arts

  Introduction Friday morning posts are usually written the day before, and it just so happens that this week’s Thursday falls on Valentine’s Day. That complicates things for reasons that are both understandable and a few which are a little... Continue Reading →

Hawkins Cheung and the Making of Modern Wing Chun History

    Regrets As many readers will already know, Master Hawkins Cheung Hok Jin passed away on Sunday February 3rd 2019, in Los Angeles.  Within the martial arts community regrets take many forms.  One of my great regrets is that I... Continue Reading →

Meditations on the Blade, Ultra-Modernity and the Fine Art of Self-Promotion

    The Unexpected Giant Some of the essays at Kung Fu Tea are the result of several days of careful research and thinking.  This is not going to be one of those pieces. I started out with a great... Continue Reading →

Wang Ziping and the Early Days of Wushu: Two Important Films

  Introduction Wang Ziping (1881-1973) was an iconic figure within the world of the Republican martial arts.  Having gained fame through his many feats of strength and public fights, the Muslim martial artist from Heibi province went on to hold... Continue Reading →

Up ↑