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Kung Fu Tea

Martial Arts History, Wing Chun and Chinese Martial Studies.

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Southern China

Ritual, Tradition and Memory in Singapore’s Chinese Martial Arts Community

  Introduction: Chinese Martial Studies, Embodied Knowledge and Identity. In 2011 SUNY (State University of New York) Press released a collected volume (edited by D. S. Farrer and John Whalen-Bridge) titled Martial Arts as Embodied Knowledge: Asian Traditions in a... Continue Reading →

An Updated and Revised Social History of the Hudiedao (Butterfly Swords)

  In January of 2013 I posted an essay titled "A Social and Visual History of the Hudiedao (Butterfly Sword) in the Southern Chinese Martial Arts." As a student of Wing Chun I have always been fascinated by these weapons, and... Continue Reading →

Collecting Chinese Swords and other Weapons in late 19th Century Xiamen (Amoy)

  Introduction: Xiamen and the Chinese Martial Arts Marketplace I am interested in the martial arts history of Fujian province.  Many areas of China can rightly claim an illustrious past when it comes to producing famous boxers, military officers or... Continue Reading →

Ip Man and the Prostitute: Female Sexuality as a Weapon in Traditional Chinese Martial Culture

  Introduction: Masculinity as a Core Value in the Traditional Southern Martial Arts. One of the few facts that everyone seems to “know” about Wing Chun is that the art was created by a female.  Whether this is actually true... Continue Reading →

Forgetting about the Gun: Firearms and the Development of the Southern Chinese Martial Arts

***Its my birthday!  To celebrate we are taking a second look at an early photograph with one of my favorite pictures of a Japanese samurai.  And essay that comes with it is decent as well.  Enjoy!***   Giving Up the... Continue Reading →

Lessons from the South – Martial Arts of Vietnam, Part II

  ***What follows in the second installment in our short guest series considering the history and development of the Vietnamese martial arts.  Enjoy****   Lessons from the South By Trần Khải Hoài   In the previous section, we looked at... Continue Reading →

Views from the South – Martial Arts of Vietnam, Part I

Giáng long thôi sơn (“Descending dragon presses the mountain”)—Vietnamese martial artists training amidst Cham ruins in Bình Định of southcentral Vietnam. Source:  ZingNews.   ***Greetings!  What follows is the first installment in a short series discussing the martial arts and martial culture of Vietnam.Trần Khải... Continue Reading →

Lives of Chinese Martial Artists (3): Chan Wah Shun and the Creation of Wing Chun

Chan Wah Shun and his Place in the Modern Wing Chun Community One of the biggest problems in researching the history of the martial arts is the martial artists themselves.  They love their styles (or the businesses that they support)... Continue Reading →

Lives of Chinese Martial Artists: Qiu Jin—the Last Sword-Maiden, Part I.

  ***Greetings!  This was my first entry in the long running "Lives of Chinese Martial Artists" series. Rather than just profiling the most famous martial artists I attempted to look at the actual life experiences of a wide range of... Continue Reading →

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