Introduction: Wu Song Beats the Tiger One of the fascinating, yet also frustrating, aspects of Chinese popular culture is the facility with which it generates rich new vocabularies to describe the everyday minutia of life. In some areas, most famously... Continue Reading →
(**This article was originally posted under the title "The Wing Chun Jo Fen" in May of 2014. Co-authorship credit for this post goes to my Sifu, Jon Nielson. This post grew out of a conversation that we had about the... Continue Reading →
Introduction At first individuals like Sun Lutang, Chan Wah Shun, Mok Kwai Lan, Li Pei Xian and Cheung Lai Chuen would not seem to have much in common aside from their love of the martial arts. Collectively they hail both... Continue Reading →
Introduction It is that time of year again. A time for lights and laughter. A time for memory and reflection. But mostly it is a time of terror as you contemplate what you will get for that "very particular" martial... Continue Reading →
Introduction This is the third entry in my short series on the local opera traditions of southern China, particularly as they relate to the development of modern martial culture. The first essay addressed the persistent (but poorly understood) relationship between... Continue Reading →
Introduction “Chinese Martial Arts in the News” is a semi-regular feature here at Kung Fu Tea. In these posts I attempt to round-up and briefly discuss the major stories affecting the Chinese hand combat systems. I always pay special attention... Continue Reading →
The impact of the Boxer Uprising was truly global. The political context for the uprising was significantly influenced by national trends. But in the end, the Boxers were really a regional movement. With the exception of a few officially inspired... Continue Reading →
***I am very happy to welcome Rob Argent back to Kung Fu Tea. This is the second post in his ongoing series introducing some of the essential Kung Fu films which have helped to define the genera. In his previous... Continue Reading →
Introduction No subject has been more romanticized among students of Guangdong’s martial arts (and Wing Chun practitioners in particular) than the “Red Boat” companies of the Cantonese regional opera tradition. Late 19th and early 20th century martial arts folklore claimed... Continue Reading →
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