Note: Abridged and modified version originally published in 2010 Bruce Lee is the father of Mixed Martial Arts (Webb, 2009) Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is an eclectic combat sport combining striking and grappling techniques extracted mainly from muay Thai, Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ), western wrestling and boxing, which through the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) banner, […]
During the Republican period (1912 to 1949) the proponents of the National Essence Movement sought not only to promote native martial practices but also its technical and theoretical study by applying modern western methodologies. Chinese martial arts have been described in different ways over the centuries, however it would not be until the beginning of […]
In 2007 we had the honour to interview professor Ma Mingda one of the foremost authorities on traditional Chinese martial arts, whose family has a long history that extends to the early Qing dynasty. Since then professor Ma Mingda has retired from university teaching, even though he lectures on special occasions and continues teaching martial […]
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 was unsuccessful in […]
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 culture, even though […]
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 violent social, […]
“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 moment we are […]
“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 this situation must change? We must wake up […]
The China of the early XXth century experienced major political and social changes thanks to a combination of local and foreign forces creating the right environment from which many reformers arose. In the realm of Chinese martial arts, Ma Liang (馬良) also know as Ma Zizhen (馬子真, 1875-1947) would give a start to the modernization […]
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 their “respects” to […]
Zhongguo Wu Xue 