Martial arts originated in China. The origins of Chinese martial arts can be traced back to primitive society.
In primitive society, there were only a few beasts and the natural environment was very harsh. In the process of fighting against nature, people developed primary offensive and defensive methods such as punching, kicking, finger grabbing, jumping and rolling. Later, they learned to make and use stone or wooden tools as weapons, and some unarmed weapons were developed. And the fighting and killing skills using equipment, this is the germ of martial arts.
It can be seen from the existing archaeological discoveries that in the Paleolithic Age, pointed stone tools, stone balls, stone hand axes, and spears processed with bone angles have appeared. By the end of the Neolithic Age, a large number of stone axes, stone shovels, stone knives, bone harpoons, arrowheads, and even copper axes and copper axes appeared. Most of these primitive production tools and weapons later became the predecessors of martial arts equipment.
It can be seen from the existing archaeological discoveries that in the Paleolithic Age, pointed stone tools, stone balls, stone hand axes, and spears processed with bone angles have appeared. By the end of the Neolithic Age, a large number of stone axes, stone shovels, stone knives, bone harpoons, arrowheads, and even copper axes and copper axes appeared. Most of these primitive production tools and weapons later became the predecessors of martial arts equipment.
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The development of martial arts
Shang and Zhou Dynasties
During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, chariot warfare was the main form of warfare. The archery skills required for battle and the skills of using spears, spears, halberds and other long weapons have become the main content of military training. At the same time, boxing and wrestling were also important parts of military training and selection of warriors, and a certain competition system was formed.
At that time, dance and martial arts were indistinguishable and merged into one, which was called "wuwu". It is to practice the experience used in actual combat according to a certain formula. It is a symbol of the sublimation of ancient martial arts from perceptual knowledge to rational knowledge, from fragmentation to systematic evolution, and is also the prototype of martial arts routines.
Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period
During the Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period, military warfare gradually changed from chariot warfare to infantry and cavalry warfare, which resulted in large changes in weapons and martial arts.
This made the selection and training of soldiers more stringent, promoting the development of military skills. At the same time, sports that are performative, competitive and entertaining are more popular, with fencing being the most popular, and the functions of martial arts are developing into diversification.
With the collapse of slavery, military martial arts gradually flowed into the folk. Their martial arts skills were based on individuality. Under the premise of individuality, martial arts skills developed in a diversified manner. As the multi-functional development of martial arts and the increasing perfection of techniques, martial arts theories derived from practice began to take shape.
The Qin, Han, and Three Kingdoms Periods
The Qin, Han, and Three Kingdoms periods were the rising period of China’s feudal society. The development of politics, economy, and culture created conditions for the diversified development of martial arts. . During this period, many martial arts books were published, such as Ban Gu's "Book of Han·Yiwenzhi" among the Thirteen Military Techniques, which included six chapters of "Hand Fight" and thirty-eight chapters of "Swordsmanship".
The embryonic form of martial arts schools began to appear. For example, Cao Pi mentioned in "Dian Lun·Automatic Preface" that swordsmanship has "methods" and are different, which confirms the formation of schools; the sword has basically replaced the sword in Military status, but the non-military use of swords has been further developed; the sword skills of the Han Dynasty, as well as sumo wrestling and wrestling also began to spread eastward to Japan during this period.
During the Jin Dynasty and the Southern and Northern Dynasties
During the Jin Dynasty and the Southern and Northern Dynasties, martial arts gradually integrated with health preservation in the integration of culture. However, due to the prevalence of metaphysics and the pursuit of alchemy and immortality, its negative impact has hindered the development of martial arts to a certain extent.
Sui and Tang Dynasties
In the second year of Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty during the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the martial arts examination system was implemented, and martial arts talents were selected through examinations, which greatly promoted the development of martial arts. The establishment of the martial arts examination system undoubtedly stimulated more people's enthusiasm for martial arts practice. To a certain extent, it had a positive impact on the prevalence of martial arts and chivalry in the Tang Dynasty, and greatly promoted the prosperity and development of martial arts.
Song and Yuan Dynasties
During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, folk martial arts training activities with folk associations as the main body flourished, such as "Yinglue Society", "Bow and Arrow Society", "Sumo Wrestling Society" "wait. The formation of "society" has created favorable conditions for the teaching, exchange and development of folk martial arts.
Cities in the Song Dynasty were developed, and a large number of folk artists with martial arts as their profession appeared in some entertainment mass entertainment venues such as "Washe" and "Goulan". Their performances included not only individual training but also sparring, which greatly promoted the development of Taozi martial arts in the direction of performance.
Ming and Qing Dynasties
The Ming and Qing Dynasties were a period of great development of martial arts. An important symbol of its prosperity was the proliferation of schools. Different styles of boxing and equipment were greatly developed. Wushu as a The various values ??of military technology, fitness methods and performance skills are recognized and utilized by people.
Since the Ming Dynasty, representatives such as Qi Jiguang, Cheng Zongyou and Mao Yuanyi have summarized relatively systematic basic theories on the techniques, tactics and teaching training of martial arts since the Song Dynasty, such as Qi Jiguang's "New Book of Ji Xiao", He Liangchen's "Zhen Ji" summarizes the step-by-step teaching and training rules such as boxing as the basis for learning equipment, and clearly puts forward the fitness and strengthening effects of martial arts.
In the Qing Dynasty, martial arts was further combined with Taoist health preservation, inner alchemy and daoyin skills, and gradually formed martial arts internal skills.
On this basis, a number of new types of boxing that focused on internal training, such as Tai Chi, Xingyiquan, and Baguazhang, emerged and developed rapidly.
Since then, the status of cold weapons in the military has obviously faded. Because martial arts has the functions of fitness, self-defense, and self-defense, it can adapt to the changes of the times and gradually become an integral part of modern Chinese sports. On this basis, we further absorb the nutrients of traditional culture, enrich exercise forms, sublimate techniques and theories, and continue to develop along the direction of sports without losing the connotation of offense and defense.
Republic of China period
During the Republic of China period, the Chinese nation was weak and impoverished. There was a rising voice from all walks of life to promote Chinese quintessence sports. Traditional Chinese martial arts were re-recognized by the Chinese people. Some people studied martial arts and developed martial arts. New societies with the theme of martial arts activities were established one after another. The "Jingwu Sports Association" established in Shanghai in 1910 is the longest-lasting and most influential folk martial arts group.
At the same time, influenced by the advanced physical education experience in the West, martial arts has entered the physical education classes of schools at all levels; the research on martial arts has also gradually developed, and some martial arts treatises have appeared one after another, such as the martial arts historian Tang Hao's "Shaolin Wudang Test", "Shaolin Wudang Test", "Shaolin Wudang Test", etc., all began to understand and study martial arts from a modern scientific point of view. Martial arts evolved and developed greatly during the Republic of China.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Martial Arts