Introduction Are the martial arts good? I think that most people who spend a lot of time practicing any of these systems would reflexively answer “Yes.” I know that I would. Fewer of us would pause to ask about the scope and domain that such a question begs. Good for who? ‘Good’ in…
Tag: Chinese Martial Arts
Through a Lens Darkly (47): The Sword Shops of Beijing’s Bow and Arrow Street
Looking over my posts from the last few months I realized that it has been too long since we discussed new (to us) images of the Chinese martial arts. In this post our friend Sidney Gamble will help to rectify that oversight. Regular readers may recall that Gamble was an American sociologist who documented…
Martial Mythology (1): Yim Wing Chun and the Hero’s Journey
Introduction For someone who doesn’t read classical Chinese, I spend a lot of time in seminars listening to presentations on ancient texts. Cornell regularly invites visiting scholars to discuss their work. While none of these individuals has ever given a talk on a martial arts related project, they almost always suggest points worth thinking…
Chinese Martial Arts in the News: September 11th, 2017: The Back to School Edition!
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. While…
Research Notes: The Big Knife and Ma Liang’s Attempted Comeback
Given that it is a holiday weekend, I will be keeping this research note brief. Still, the subject matter is quite interesting. China’s Republic era dadao, or big knives, generate a good deal of interest among both historians and practical martial artists. They also played a role in the development of General Ma Liang’s…
State, Education and Ma Liang’s New Wushu
The Nation and the Sword Seki Juroji may be one of the most important pioneers of the traditional Asian martial arts who no one has ever heard of. Gainty (2013) notes that Seki was a successful farmer and swordsmanship instructor from Nagano. Like many other individuals from his generation, Seki seemed to have been…
Chinese Martial Arts in the News: August 28th, 2017: Dragon Girls, New Books and the Rebirth of the Long Spear
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. While…
Chinese “Martial Arts” and the Problem of Presentism
Introduction I would like to begin today’s post by noting that Joseph Svinth (whom most of you will already know from his many contributions to Martial Arts Studies) really deserves to be listed as a co-author on this piece. Joe was kind enough to bring Thomas Handforth’s many prints to my attention and…
Ma Liang’s “New Wushu:” Modernizing and Militarizing the Traditional Chinese Martial Arts
Asking “What if?” Few things are more difficult to research than historical events that did not happen. This is especially true for social scientists who approach the question of theory creation and hypothesis testing from a more empirical or positivist angle. Yet difficult is not the same as “impossible.” Nor am I sure…
The Five Tiger Stick Society: Pilgrimage, Local Religion and the Martial Arts
An Unexpected Lunch A friend from graduate school called during one of one of those terrible afternoons that only the month of February can conjure. I was sitting in my windowless office at the University of Utah, ostensibly writing lectures for the semester’s new course preparations. Half an hour later I found myself…
Chinese Martial Arts in the News: August 4, 2017: MMA, Shaolin and Wong Jack Man
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. While…
