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Kung Fu Tea

Martial Arts History, Wing Chun and Chinese Martial Studies.

It is a bad idea to fall in love in a Kung Fu story. Honestly.

  Kung Fu and the Marriage Market Love and Kung Fu simply do not mix.  At least that is the strongly implied message to be found on the pages (and silver screens) of many traditional Chinese martial arts stories.  Things... Continue Reading →

Thinking About Failure in the Martial Arts

  The Meaning of a Bruised Elbow   I have been working on a couple of projects that have taken me away from blogging in recent days.  These are the sorts of commitments that should bear fruit for the readers... Continue Reading →

Conference Report: Kung Fury – Contemporary Debates in Martial Arts Cinema

Introduction   A few months ago I decided to make a more concerted effort to report on academic conferences and seminars happening within the field of martial arts studies.  My hope is to promote greater awareness of current discussions within... Continue Reading →

Chinese Martial Arts in the News: April 4th, 2016: Taijiquan, Shaolin and New Books

  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... Continue Reading →

“What’s your style?” – Bringing the Training Hall to the Lecture Hall

      Introduction: “What’s your style?”   A couple of months ago a conversion emerged between a few of my colleagues which got me thinking about the effects of personal training on those who wish to write on martial... Continue Reading →

Lives of Chinese Martial Artists (16): Yu Chenghui – Realizing Swordsmanship in an Era of Restoration

    Introduction: The Shadow of History   None of the short, English language, biographies of the respected martial artist and actor Yu Chenghui (1939-2015) have much to say about his struggles or activities during the Cultural Revolution.  Yet even... Continue Reading →

Doing Research (5): Lies I Have Told About Martial Artists

  Introduction   Welcome to the fifth entry in our series of guest posts titled “Doing Research.”  If you missed the first essay by D. S. Farrer (which provides a global overview of the subject), the second by Daniel Mroz... Continue Reading →

Five Social Dimensions of Lightsaber Combat as a Martial Art (Episode II)

***This is the second half of our exploration of lightsaber combat as a martial art.  Reader who have not yet read Part I are strongly encouraged to do so before going on. In the last essay we considering some of... Continue Reading →

Is Lightsaber Combat a Martial Art? (Episode I)

***This is the first half of two part article.  However, readers may actually want to begin by reading my recent post  What are “martial arts,” and why does knowing matter?***   “It [Ludosport] started in 2006 in Italy. A few friends... Continue Reading →

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