Wushu is the productive labor of ancient human beings. In the case of extremely low productivity in primitive society, human society mainly made a living by hunting and other primitive production activities, and learned how to hit wild animals with bare hands or with sticks, stones and other instruments.
Most of these fighting methods are based on instinctive, spontaneous and random body movements, but these fighting techniques have prepared certain preconditions for the formation of Wushu.
In the survival competition of primitive human beings, people often struggle for food, territory, or the position of leaders, as well as sexual choice between men and women. The struggle of these people effectively promoted the formation of primitive Wushu. At the end of primitive society, the most important content of organized fighting between clans and tribes is the production experience of primitive martial arts and the teaching and practice of fighting techniques. Among them, fighting techniques are often embodied in the form of primitive martial arts dance, which integrates knowledge, skills, physical training and habit formation.
Shang and Zhou Dynasties
? In Shang Dynasty, an important martial arts training method-hunting appeared. During the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, "Wu Dance" was used to train soldiers and 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 health preservation in China. Its "Yi is too high, there are two instruments, two instruments have four elephants, and four elephants have eight diagrams", thus laying the foundation of China Wushu system.
Wushu dance and Wushu are a primitive cultural form. Although the two have their own unique cultural expressions in the development process and began to differentiate, it is sometimes difficult to completely separate Wushu from Wushu when the artistry of dance has not been fully developed and practicality still occupies a very important position. Martial arts dance in this period, of course, has the expression of thoughts and feelings and entertainment, but it also has the practicability of practicing martial arts and fitness, and the action combination of martial arts dance is more in line with martial arts routines Xun Zi A Le Lun emphasizes that holding martial arts dance can not only practice martial arts and strengthen the body, but also make mistakes that cannot be used in sports. This fully affirmed that Wushu dance has the practicality of Wushu.
The practicality of military equipment can be illustrated by the use of Bayu dance on the battlefield during the attack week. Legend has it that Zhou Wuwang conquered the Zhou Dynasty and camped in the commercial suburb on the eve of the decisive battle. The soldiers were full of fighting spirit, singing and dancing. Singing and dancing is a sign of high morale on the one hand, and practicing martial arts on the other. Ba Zhi, the National Records of Huayang: "When Zhou Wuwang cut Zhou, he was actually the teacher of Bashu and wrote Shangshu. Singing and dancing to defeat the enemy on the battlefield may be shouting and waving weapons to charge. Actually, letting the enemy surrender is actual combat.
There is also an "elephant dance" with the theme of Zhou people's elimination of Yin. In the Book of Songs Wei Qing, Zheng Zhu said: "I like dancing, and I like the dance that I stabbed when I was fighting. The king of Wu can't control it." Shu said, "The king of Wen has the method of stabbing, and the king of Wu has joy, dancing like an elephant, and being as happy as dancing." These records show that "Wu Xiang" is a martial arts dance composed entirely of martial arts stabbing movements. The bronze inscription "Kuang E" reads: "Shoot Lu and dance like an elephant. "It may be an important party to train soldiers with elephant dance, and write down an important event for Zhou Wang to participate in the elephant dance exercise himself.
Wu dance
A wealth of etiquette activities reflecting the concept of social hierarchy have been formed to cultivate people's virtue and safeguard social rule. Sacrifice has ceremony, marriage has wedding, and funeral. Archery is not only an important event in social life, but also a shooting ceremony. The so-called shooting ceremony is an archery activity that runs through moral etiquette concepts and rules.
(1) Shooting: Before the big sacrifice, the emperor and the vassal held a shooting ceremony to select the candidates to participate in the sacrifice.
(2) Shooting guests: a shooting ceremony held when the princes came to see the emperor or the princes worshipped each other.
(3) swallow shooting: the swallow shooting ceremony when the emperor and the princes gave a banquet.
(4) Rural shooting: a shooting ceremony held by rural doctors during a rural drinking ceremony. When gathering villagers, they feast and shoot more, which is a widely popular shooting activity.
During the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, Wushu played a very important foundation role and had a far-reaching impact on the development of Wushu in the later period.