As a researcher who focuses on the martial arts in modern China and North America, I do not claim any special expertise in the rich fighting traditions of South East Asia. Still, one of the gratifying aspects of running a blog like this is being able to share the thrill of new discoveries. … Continue reading
An Old Metaphor Violence has many faces. It may appear in an inter-personal, domestic, social or political form. It’s physical aspects exist on a spectrum ranging from school yard fights all the way up to interstate war. And as the recent attack on a group of Republican congressional representatives and staff … Continue reading
Introduction Welcome to “Chinese Martial Arts in the News!” This is a semi-regular feature here at Kung Fu Tea in which we review media stories that mention or affect the traditional fighting arts. In addition to discussing important events, this column also considers how the Asian hand combat systems are portrayed in the mainstream media. … Continue reading
Who was China’s “Number One Sword?” Few individuals come to be known as both a warlord and a “sword saint.” Even by the standards of China’s tumultuous 1920s, the carving out of two such notable public personas was an impressive achievement. Yet General Li Jinglin managed to leave his stamp on both … Continue reading
Introduction Occasionally life takes a turn and one’s personal martial arts training gets moved to the back burner. The last couple of weeks have been like that as my wife and I have been engulfed in a seemingly unending move. It certainly could have been worse as on paper it was a … Continue reading
Martial Arts Exhibitions, Old and New Earlier today I saw a Facebook notice reminding me that I am about to miss an event with the lightsaber combat group that I am currently doing an ethnography with. They have been asked to give an exhibition by a local charity. The entire thing … Continue reading
Romanticizing the Chinese Martial Arts Vintage postcards or other ephemera may be interesting to students of martial arts studies for a variety of reasons. When assessing this material, we are often drawn to photographic images that might reveal lost details of how things “were really done.” I have come across a few … Continue reading
Introduction Prof. Phillip Zarrilli’s name will already be familiar to many. His book, When the Body Becomes All Eyes: Paradigms, Discourses and Practices of Power in Kalarippayattu, a South Indian Martial Art (Oxford UP, 2000) was an important landmark in the development of Martial Arts Studies. It provided readers with both the first … Continue reading
Introduction Greetings! I am currently on the road for a conference and workshop. As such, I will be sharing some papers that were presented at the Martial Arts Studies Research Network’s recent conference in Bath. If you missed the first or second presentation in this series, click here to see the discussion of … Continue reading
Introduction Greetings! I am currently on the road for a conference and workshop. As such, I will be sharing some papers that were presented at the Martial Arts Studies Research Network’s recent conference in Bath. If you missed the first presentation in this series, click here for the discussion of “Bartitsu and Suffragette Jujitsu … Continue reading
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