The Origin and Development of Wushu in China
China Wushu has a long history and a broad mass base. It is a bright pearl in the traditional culture of China. After continuous innovation, refinement and development, it has gradually formed a traditional Chinese national sports project, which includes various equipment routines and antagonistic sports forms and pays attention to both internal and external training. It has the functions of strengthening physique, self-defense, competitive competition, performing entertainment, exchanging skills, enhancing friendship and cultivating sentiment, and is deeply loved by the masses.
The concept of Wushu
In the long historical process, the expression of Wushu concept is different in different periods, and its connotation and extension develop and change with the development of social history and Wushu itself. From the shape of the word, "Wu" consists of "Zhi" and "Ge"; To stop a brother is to stop the activities of force, and "technique" is a strategy, method and skill. Historically, the development of Wushu has been influenced by China's philosophy, military science, traditional Chinese medicine, health preservation and ancient dance. In primitive society, the concept of Wushu refers to "fighting" in people's hunting activities; During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, it was called "technical attack"; The word Wushu appeared in Han Dynasty and was used until the end of Ming Dynasty. In the early Qing Dynasty, the word "Wu" was borrowed from Selected Works of Southern Dynasties. National martial arts in the Republic of China; After the founding of New China, the word Wushu is still in use. With the change of history, the gradual disappearance of cold weapons, the emergence of special martial arts equipment and a large number of boxing routines, the formulation of antagonistic events and martial arts competition rules, martial arts has evolved into one of the sports. Great changes have taken place in the content, form and training methods of Wushu, and the concept of reflecting the essential attributes of things is constantly changing. 1988 65438+In February, the Wushu Academy of the State Sports Commission and the Wushu Branch of the Chinese Sports Science Association held the "National Wushu Academic Seminar" in Beijing, and determined that Wushu is a national traditional sport in China, with Wushu as the main content, routines and fighting as the sports forms, and both internal and external training.
Second, the origin and development of Wushu
Wushu sprouted in primitive society. Wushu originated from the productive labor of our ancient ancestors. In the production activities of hunting pigs, people have created weapons such as stone knives, stone hammers and sticks, and gradually learned skills such as evasion, long jump, tumbling and chopping, chopping and stabbing with stone tools and sticks. In the era of clan commune, tribal wars often occurred, so we constantly sum up the experience of fighting on the battlefield. The relatively successful hitting, stabbing, boxing and legs were imitated, taught and practiced, which promoted the germination of Wushu.
Wushu was formed in slave society. After the establishment of the Xia Dynasty, in order to meet the needs of actual combat, Wushu developed into practicality and standardization. Martial arts activities in Xia Dynasty mainly developed in the following two aspects: first, martial arts activities in the army, and second, school education based on martial arts.
In Shang and Zhou Dynasties, hunting, as an important means of martial arts training, appeared in Shang Dynasty. During the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, soldiers were trained with "martial dance" to boost morale. Shooting and dancing were also listed as one of the educational contents in the schools established in the Zhou Dynasty. According to legend, the Book of Changes, an important work in the history of China martial arts, appeared in the Zhou Dynasty. This book contains rich philosophical thoughts, which has a far-reaching impact on the development of China's health preservation. Easy to be too high, there are two instruments, two instruments have four elephants, and four elephants have gossip. The emergence of Taiji theory laid the foundation of China Wushu system. After entering the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, each Warring States period attached great importance to the application of technology in the battlefield. Qi Henggong held a "gladiator" in the spring and autumn to select heroes from all over the world. During this period, the manufacture of swords and kendo have achieved unprecedented development.
Wushu developed in feudal society. Since Qin and Han Dynasties, wrestling and fencing have prevailed. With the custom of "banquet dance", dancing with musical instruments often appears when drinking. For example, "Xiang Zhuang's sword dance is intended to serve the public" in the "Hongmen Banquet" recorded in Historical Records of Xiang Yu is the embodiment of this form. In addition, there are "knife dance" and "dance troupe", which are entertaining, but technically closer to today's routine sports.
Since the Tang Dynasty, the martial arts system has been implemented, which has promoted the development of martial arts, such as awarding honorary titles to soldiers with special skills. General Pei Min's swordsmanship was unique in the world for a while, and it was called the "three unique skills" in the Tang Dynasty together with Pei Min's swordsmanship, Li Bai's poems and Zhang Xu's cursive script. It can be seen that Wushu, as a literary form, has been quite influential.
During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, folk Wushu activities with Wushu organizations as the main body flourished, and there appeared "English Club" and "Archery Club" which practiced guns and sticks. Due to the active commercial economy, there are "vagrants" who wander the rivers and lakes, practice martial arts and buy works of art for a living. There are not only solo exercises, but also duet exercises.
The Ming and Qing Dynasties were a period of great development of Wushu, with many schools and different kinds of boxing. There are dozens of boxing methods such as Changquan, Monkey Boxing, Shaolin Boxing and Neijia Boxing. At the same time, Tai Ji Chuan, Xingyiquan and Bagua Boxing were formed.
In modern times, Wushu adapted to the changes of the times and gradually became an organic part of modern sports in China. During the Republic of China, many martial arts organizations such as boxing clubs and samurai clubs appeared among the people. 1927, the Central Wushu Museum was established in Nanjing. 1936 China Wushu Team went to Berlin Olympic Games to perform.
After the founding of People's Republic of China (PRC), Wushu developed vigorously. From 65438 to 0956, Chinese Wushu Association established Wushu Association and Wushu Team, which formed an unprecedented extensive network of mass Wushu activities and opened up a broad road for the development of Wushu. From 65438 to 0985, the first international Wushu invitational tournament was held in Xi 'an, and the preparatory committee of the International Wushu Federation was established, which was a historic breakthrough in the development of Wushu. 65438-0987 The first Asian Wushu Championship was held in Yokohama, marking the entry of Wushu into the Asian Games. 1990 Wushu was first included in the 1 1 Asian Games. 1999, the International Wushu Federation was accepted as a member of the official International Sports Federation of the International Olympic Committee. This is another historic breakthrough in the development of Wushu, which means that Wushu will soon become an Olympic event in the near future, which means the further realization of the grand goal of "pushing Wushu to the world"!
Third, the content and classification of Wushu
The content of Wushu is rich and colorful, which can be divided into routine exercise and fighting exercise according to its sports form.
(1) Routine sports is a set of sports forms based on the changing laws of martial arts movements, offensive and defensive advances and retreats, the combination of static and dynamic movements, the combination of rigidity and flexibility, and the coexistence of reality and falsehood. Conventional sports are divided into single sports, double sports and group sports according to their sports forms.
1 Individual training includes unarmed boxing and equipment; 2 Duet is an attack and defense fighting routine conducted by two or more people according to predetermined procedures; 3. Group exercise is the movement of two people with bare hands and equipment, or with bare hands and equipment.
(2) Fighting is a form of confrontation in which two people fight wits, skills and courage according to certain rules under certain conditions.
Fourthly, the characteristics and functions of Wushu.
(A) the characteristics of martial arts
Wushu, as a military training method at first, was closely related to ancient military struggle, with obvious offensive and defensive characteristics. In practice, its purpose is to kill and subdue the other side, often forcing the other side to lose its resistance by the most effective means of attack and defense. These technologies are still used in the military and public security departments. As a sport, Wushu still has the characteristics of attack and defense technically, but it combines attack and defense with regular sports. Fighting embodies the characteristics of martial arts offensive and defensive fighting, which is basically consistent with actual technical attack, but from the perspective of sports, it is restricted by competition rules and is based on the principle of not hurting the other side. For example, Sanshou restricts some traditional practical techniques in Wushu, strictly stipulates the hitting position and protective gear, and the instruments used by short soldiers are changed accordingly, while the pushers compete under special technical regulations. Therefore, it can be said that martial arts fighting action has strong offensive and defensive skills, but it is different from practical skills.
The national style of both internal and external cultivation and its wide adaptability;
It is a major feature of China Wushu to study physical norms and seek a holistic view of spiritual communication and internal and external integration. The so-called interior refers to the mental activities such as heart, spirit and mind and the operation of breath; The so-called external, that is, hands, eyes, body steps and other physical activities. Inside and outside, form and god are interrelated and unified whole. The characteristics of Wushu "both internal and external cultivation, both form and spirit" are mainly reflected in Wushu techniques and techniques. It is the principle of all factions to "practice the spirit inside and the bones and muscles outside" The forms and contents of Wushu practice are rich and varied, including competitive Sanshou, pushing hands and fighting short soldiers, all kinds of boxing methods, equipment and sparring, and all kinds of martial arts training methods. Different kinds of boxing and equipment have different action structures, technical requirements, exercise methods and amounts, which can meet the needs of people of different ages, sexes and constitutions. People can choose to practice according to their own conditions and hobbies. At the same time, the requirements for site equipment are low, commonly known as "the place where cattle are beaten". Practitioners can change the content and method of practice according to the size of the venue, and even if there is no equipment for the time being, they can practice boxing and acrobatics with their bare hands. Generally speaking, it is also limited by time and season. Compared with many sports, it has wider adaptability.
(B) the role of martial arts
1 Enhance physical self-defense:
The movements of Wushu routines include flexion and extension, balance, jumping, tumbling, falling, etc. Almost all parts of the human body should participate in the movements. Systematic Wushu training requires high physical qualities such as speed, strength, dexterity, endurance and flexibility. Almost all parts of the human body participate in sports, so that people's body and mind can be fully exercised. Wushu pays attention to regulating breath, activating qi and nourishing the mind, which is very beneficial to regulating the internal environment balance, regulating qi and blood, improving human function and strengthening the body.
2 Exercise will and cultivate moral sentiment:
Practicing martial arts tests the quality of will in many aspects. To practice basic skills, we should constantly overcome the pain and hone the will quality of "practicing three or nine in winter and three volts in summer", which will remain unchanged all the year round and persevere. Routine exercises should overcome boredom and cultivate the qualities of hard work, perseverance and never complacency. When you meet a strong player, you can overcome passive avoidance and exercise your fearless and indomitable fighting will. After long-term exercise, we can cultivate people's good habits and will and morality of diligence, hard work, courage, tenacity, openness and eagerness to learn.
3 competitive watching, enriching cultural life:
Wushu has high ornamental value, and it has always been loved by people, whether it is routine performance or Sanshou competition. Cui Zongzong, a good friend of Li Bai, a great poet in the Tang Dynasty, praised him for "dancing swords in all directions and holding his head high"; In Du Fu's "Watching Disciples Dance Sword", there is "the eternal romantic sun, dancing sword everywhere". The audience is like a mountain lost between them, the world moves back and forth and follows her movements. " The hero of the Han dynasty, "see it within 300 miles." It shows that whether it is a competition performance routine to show Wushu skills and skills or an antagonistic Sanshou competition with wits and wits, it will be fascinating, give people beautiful enjoyment and have high ornamental value.
4 exchange skills and enhance friendship:
Wushu is rich in connotation, technology and theory are interlinked, and there will be a feeling of "endless art" after entry. Mass Wushu activities have become a good means for people to learn skills, exchange ideas and enhance friendship. With the wide spread of martial arts in the world, it can also promote exchanges with foreign martial arts lovers. Wushu lovers in many countries like Wushu routines and Sanshou. They learn about China culture and explore oriental civilization by practicing martial arts. Through sports competitions and cultural exchanges, Wushu plays an increasingly important role in friendly exchanges with people all over the world.