By William A. General Qi Jiguang (1528 – 1588) was born in a hereditary military family in 1528 at Dengzhou, Shandong province. Qi received education in both the Classics and military skills from a tender age and assumed his father’s rank in 1544. He took the military examinations receiving the Juren degree in 1549, but […]
Category: Research
Japanese Martial Arts in Russia, The creation of Sambo and Sino-Russian Cooperation at Whampoa
By William A. Note: Updated on 8/12/2017 When Japan was forced to open its borders to foreigners beginning the Meiji Restoration, it also helped spread Japanese culture overseas in the form of movements like Japonism (from the French Japonisme) or the interest for Japanese objects from around 1872 onwards. This movement influenced European arts and […]
Torn Between Tradition and Modernization, Examples from Japan and China
By William A. Note: This illustration appears to depict someone who looks more like Gichin Funakoshi father of Shotokan Karate rather than Chouki; Japanese sources point out this editorial mistake was a point of bitter rivalry between the two men. Western influence in Japan and China was a source of national self-reflection triggering at times […]
Western Perceptions of Chinese Martial Arts
by William A. “If one has to fight, let civilization defeat barbarism (…) if they [the Chinese] could have the qualities of any of the western countries, it would be enough to stop such enterprise. Moreover, one would have to think what the Chinese could do to us in such case… However, right at this […]
An Overview of Chinese Martial Arts in the Olympics
By William A. with Translations by Mei C. “It is difficult to find a Chinese citizen in good shape, eager to learn new things, with a strong and proper attitude in life, this makes them lack courage and motivation. They have the characteristics of sick men; How many generations must pass until we realize that […]
Perceptions of the “Sick” Men of East Asia in Spanish-speaking Countries
By William A. A Chinese martial arts master has died, the students make preparations for his funeral in anticipation of those people seeking to pay their respects. During a moment of silence following a speech by one senior member of the Chinese school, a group of Japanese martial artists make their entrance and arrogantly offered […]
Martial Studies in Latin-America
By William A. “El hijo del Li Yuan, Li Shimin 李世民(el segundo emperador de la Dinastía Tang) quedó aprisionado en Luoyang. Para salvar a su hijo Li Shimin, Li Yuan buscó la ayuda del Monasterio Shaolin para reprimir la revuelta dirigida por Wang Shichong 王世充y rescatar a su hijo. El abad del monasterio Shaolin Zhi […]
Ming Victory over Japanese Pirates Scroll
Credits to Mei C. for correcting my draft translation and Azusa M. for her help with the Japanese text. After a hiatus to take care of my new baby girl and a holiday to the Rockies I got the itch to write again. A post in the Kung Fu Tea: Martial Arts History, Wing Chun […]
Una visión histórica de las artes marciales mixtas en China
Por William Acevedo y Mei Cheung Publicado en: Revista de Artes Marciales Asiáticas, 2011 English Version: A Historical Overview of Mixed Martial Arts in China Resumen Las Artes Marciales Mixtas (MMA) se han convertido en uno de los deportes de combate que más rápidamente ha crecido en el siglo XXI, atrayendo a millones de espectadores […]
Martial Destination: A Lifetime Dedicated to the Martial Traditions, An Interview with Professor Ma Mingda
By William A., M.Eng., P.E.g, Translations by Brenda H. Ph.D. and Mei C. B.A. (Original Published in Kung Fu Taiji Magazine) One of the most influential Chinese martial arts scholars in China today is without a doubt professor Ma Mingda, a history professor at Jinan University in the city of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Most of […]