One of my preferred blogs, "Kung Fu Tea" brings a much needed lucid historical, sociological and political perspective to the study of chinese martial arts. It can be asked what such a view can add to one's practice, as at the end of the day it is the quality of the practice that counts. My point of view is that such perspective helps the modern practiotiner to demistify the art, and in doing so free the study from the more superstitious claims. These claims are often distracting from the concrete, pratical aspects of the practice.
Most of the historical records of the chinese martial arts as known today do not come from earlier than the nineteenth century. The last two centuries were a period of great transformation for China, it is naive to consider that the evolution of martial arts exist in isolation from this context. The perspectives, terminology and techniques passed down by tradition were and still are being strongly influenced by the social and political environment. The sincere practitioner can only gain in clarity by acknowledging this.
Even if there is a small accent on Wing Chun, the site adresses chinese martial arts in general, internal and external (if this differentiation really applies for this point of view). Some of my preferred subjects are the following The review of lives and legends of great figures are also of great interest, as the accent in understanding the context of those lives and the relations with the art of those masters gives a new angle to the relations that the practice can have with our own lives. For my own practice, I found the articles immediately relevant :
Most of the historical records of the chinese martial arts as known today do not come from earlier than the nineteenth century. The last two centuries were a period of great transformation for China, it is naive to consider that the evolution of martial arts exist in isolation from this context. The perspectives, terminology and techniques passed down by tradition were and still are being strongly influenced by the social and political environment. The sincere practitioner can only gain in clarity by acknowledging this.
Even if there is a small accent on Wing Chun, the site adresses chinese martial arts in general, internal and external (if this differentiation really applies for this point of view). Some of my preferred subjects are the following The review of lives and legends of great figures are also of great interest, as the accent in understanding the context of those lives and the relations with the art of those masters gives a new angle to the relations that the practice can have with our own lives. For my own practice, I found the articles immediately relevant :
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