The Modern Chinese Arts

Back in the early 1990’s I spent some time working in Pasadena, Calif.

 

 

One day I was browsing in a used book store near Ed Parker’s dojo. There I found a used set of books on the Chinese arts in a boxed set for a mere pittance. Though used they were in very good shape, however entirely in Chinese. I do read drawings well. There were 10 books in all covering a wide range of arts and weapons skills. More geared to modern Wushu. But many traditional practices too.

 

 

This was before YouTube, but the detail geared toward basic training, allows you to see much more clarity about technique execution that what YouTube mostly shows.

 

 

Now Wushu is a modern competition and exhibation show, so why the relevance. Consider the Country of China developed this based on traditional practices. It solidly links to many traditional practices. Not based on a small islands practices, but a systematic vision of lifetime training, with maybe a billion students involved in this training.

 

 

For example one volume shows how youth skills are developed. Then how training advanced skills are developed. The soft arts tai chi, hsing I and bagua are addressed. Southern art are addressed. A standard Whshu form is addressed, more based on Northern skills, Weapons skill with sabre, straight sword and staff are addressed. Even a section on 2 person drills or empty hand, weapons and tai chi skills are shown.

 

In all a general overview on the developments in Chinese training.

 

That so many are undergoing this program, and a glimpse how they are advancing training surely should be of interest.

 

 

First we should look as some youth training.

 

 

Then an adult drill

 

Finally a 2 person drill.

 

Of course these are but a few examples of the training shown in this series of books.