Kung-Fu

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In general, kung fu/kungfu or gung fu/gongfu refers to the Chinese martial arts, also called wushu and quanfa. In China, it refers to any study, learning, or practice that requires patience, energy, and time to complete. In its original meaning, kung fu can refer to any discipline or skill achieved through hard work and practice, not necessarily martial arts. The Chinese literal equivalent of "Chinese martial art" would be There are many forms of kung fu, namely Shaolin Kung Fu, Wing Chun, Tai chi, etc. and are practiced all over the world. Each form of kung fu has its own principles and techniques. It is only in the late twentieth century, that this term was used in relation to Chinese martial arts by the Chinese community.The Oxford English Dictionary defines the term "kung-fu" as "a primarily unarmed Chinese martial art resembling karate."This illustrates how the meaning of this term has been changed in English. The origin of this change can be attributed to the misunderstanding or mistranslation of the term through movie subtitles or dubbing.References to the concepts and use of Chinese martial arts can be found in po[CENSORED]r culture. Historically, the influence of Chinese martial arts can be found in books and in the performance arts specific to Asia. Recently, those influences have extended to the movies and television that targets a much wider audience. As a result, Chinese martial arts have spread beyond its ethnic roots and have a global appeal. Martial arts play a prominent role in the literature genre known as wuxia. This type of fiction is based on Chinese concepts of chivalry, a separate martial arts society and a central theme involving martial arts. Wuxia stories can be traced as far back as 2nd and 3rd century BCE, becoming po[CENSORED]r by the Tang Dynasty and evolving into novel form by the Ming Dynasty. This genre is still extremely po[CENSORED]r in much of Asia and provides a major influence for the public perception of the martial arts. Martial arts influences can also be found in dance, theater and especially Chinese opera, of which Beijing opera is one of the best-known examples. This po[CENSORED]r form of drama dates back to the Tang Dynasty and continues to be an example of Chinese culture. Some martial arts movements can be found in Chinese opera and some martial artists can be found as performers in Chinese operas. In modern times, Chinese martial arts have spawned the genre of cinema known as the Kung fu film. The films of Bruce Lee were instrumental in the initial burst of Chinese martial arts' po[CENSORED]rity in the West in the 1970s. Bruce Lee was the iconic international superstar that po[CENSORED]rized Chinese martial arts in the West. The influence of Chinese martial art have been widely recognized and have a global appeal in Western cinemas starting off with Bruce Lee. Martial artists and actors such as Jet Li and Jackie Chan have continued the appeal of movies of this genre. Jackie Chan successfully brought in a sense of humour in his fighting style in his movies. Martial arts films from China are often referred to as "kung fu movies" , or "wire-fu" if extensive wire work is performed for special effects, and are still best known as part of the tradition of kung fu theater. (see also: wuxia, Hong Kong action cinema). The talent of these individuals have broadened Hong Kong's cinematography production and rose to po[CENSORED]rity overseas, influencing Western cinemas. In the west, kung fu has become a regular action staple, and makes appearances in many films that would not generally be considered "Martial Arts" films. These films include but are not limited to The Matrix Trilogy, Kill Bill, and The Transporter. Martial arts themes can also be found on television networks. A U.S. network TV western series of the early 1970s called Kung Fu also served in an attempt to mainstream the Chinese martial arts on television. With 60 episodes over a three-year span, it was one of the first North American TV shows that tried to convey the philosophy and practice in Chinese martial arts. The use of Chinese martial arts techniques can now be found in most TV action series, although the philosophy of Chinese martial arts is seldom portrayed in depth.