Introduction: Informants and the Problem of Reliability The study of the traditional martial arts has tended to rely rather heavily on interviews with “participant informants.” Cultivating relationships with informants and learning about their worldview consumes much of a... Continue Reading →
Lives of Chinese Martial Artists (10): Chen Shichao and Chen Gongzhe: Creating the Jingwu Revolution
Introduction It is hard to think of any group or association that has had a greater effect on the emergence of the modern Chinese martial arts than the Jingwu Athletic Association. Founded in Shangahi in the closing years of... Continue Reading →
Introduction Welcome to another edition of Chinese Martial Arts in the news. This is a semi-regular feature in which we review a roundup of media stories dealing with the martial arts over the last three to four weeks. We try... Continue Reading →
Introduction: Gender and the History of the Chinese Martial Arts Women are a challenging subject in Chinese martial studies. One the one hand traditions about female boxers, nuns, bandits and heroes abound in the folklore of the “Rivers and Lakes.” ... Continue Reading →
I found that I could not analyze ritual symbols without studying them in a time series in relation to other “events,” for symbols are essentially involved in social process. I came to see performance of ritual as distinct phases in... Continue Reading →
Introduction: Technology, Disruption and Education The current renaissance in the academic study of the martial could not have come at a better time. In fact, it is probably a powerful confluence of forces, both theoretical, political and technological that are... Continue Reading →
Introduction One of the most important, though often overlooked, events of the late 18th and early 19th centuries was the creation and growth of the "Canton Trade System." This highly regulated trade, carried out between Chinese and European merchants in... Continue Reading →
Introduction Earlier this week an unexpected story started to make the rounds of various internet news outlets. Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao of Timor Leste (East Timor) issued a proclamation banning the practice of Pencak Silat, an indigenous martial art that... Continue Reading →
Introduction In September of 1850 a Major in the Imperial Army stationed in Guangdong took his own life. Records indicate that he was older and struggling with a chronic illness. Given the state of medicine in the middle of the... Continue Reading →
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