Column the History Politics and Identity of Chinese Martial Arts

Column the history, politics, and identity of chinese martial arts. In Ireland, BRUCE Lee and Jackie Chan are arguably two of the most famous Chinese thanks to their kung fu movies. The Chinese martial art, also known as Wushu, has long been recognized as an integral part of Chinese culture. The combination of fighting style and weapon skills, martial arts and Chinese philosophy and religion is unique and remarkable. Today, Wushu is widely regarded as one of the most famous aspects of Chinese culture.

An increasing number of Irish people practice Chinese martial arts for health and self-improvement, attracting audiences around the world

But more than that. Chinese martial arts help promote cross-cultural exchange and understanding between China and the world. The history of Chinese martial arts dates back to the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC), when the practice of combat techniques using a variety of weapons became part of military training. In the 19th century, Chinese martial arts became associated with politics, nationalism, and ethnic identity because of the political unrest and economic hardship caused by domestic revolts and Western aggression. As anti-foreign sentiments accumulated as a result of imperial expansion, farmers in northern China came to practice Chinese martial arts for the purpose of self-defense and resistance to foreign powers.

With the help of folk religion, the grassroots martial arts club gave birth to the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901), which forged social bonds and sparked an upheaval in anti-foreign democracy. After the unsuccessful insurrection, a nationalist re-used Chinese martial arts to train revolutionary forces to overthrow the Qing government. It played a role in the formation of national consciousness among the Chinese and contributed to China's transformation from a “heavenly empire” to a modern nation-state.

After the founding of the Republic of China in 1912, fueled by modern Chinese nationalism focused on anti-imperialism, national reunification, and national revival, martial arts training builds the people's physique and strengthens the state, and in some views achieves national salvation. From the late 1920s, the nationalist government officially established Chinese martial arts academies and societies in major cities across the country, and manuals, textbooks, and papers were published in large quantities. During the Chinese era, martial arts novels (about martial artists) and kung fu movies also appeared.

Living in an era of rapid social change and influenced by the dominant nationalism created by revolutions, foreign invasions, imperialist occupation and war, Chinese novelists and filmmakers consciously or unconsciously use Chinese martial arts to create cultural identities and republics. Collective contemporary ethnic identity among the Chinese during the infancy of, These wuxia novels and films, in turn, helped the Chinese martial arts make rhetorical claims about national identity. A Usia culture mixed with nationalism was formed.

Following the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, following a communist sports policy tainted with nationalism and self-reinforcing goals, the government launched a nationwide campaign to promote the Chinese martial art now called Wushu. Incorporate into the newly established national sports system. The goal was to train strong and healthy citizens for national defense and building a “new China”.

However, during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), Wushu suffered great setbacks as it was considered representative of elitist and feudal culture. Wushu competitions have been suspended and Wushu teams at all levels have stopped training. Wushu society and clubs have been closed. Kung Fu manuals and weapons were confiscated and destroyed by the rebels, and trainees had to be trained in secret. Nevertheless, not all martial arts activities ceased. Various politicized martial arts movements have been created to interpret and promote Mao Zedong's path and foster revolutionary activism.

When the Cultural Revolution disappeared in the early 1970s, Wushu began to resurrect and was used for diplomatic exchanges between China and foreign countries. Modern, From the late 1970s, in the context of China's reform and opening up, Wushu began to be promoted as both a competitive sport and a sport for all to achieve the goal of modernization. Wushu academies, societies and schools flourished. Local and national competitions and traditional martial arts exhibition shows are organized by the Ministry of Sports and the Chinese Martial Arts Association to promote the martial arts. By the 1990s, wushu had experienced distinct development and became a popular sport and entertainment among the general public. The revival of Wushu over the past 30 years shows how the people valued and preserved Wushu.

The second half of the 20th century also saw the rapid development of kung fu movies. It serves two purposes: to discover traditional Chinese culture and to build a modern Chinese national identity. Reflecting anti-imperialist and defensive nationalism from the early 1970s, Hong Kong-produced kung fu films began to form a new cultural imagination that energized China, relying on images of muscular, masculine bodies to create "negation" in regalia "It has been. Chinese martial arts. The essential spirit of the film is to inherit and preserve the core values ​​of Chinese tradition and to emphasize ethnic identity. They functioned as an important vehicle for the maintenance and re-creation of the state.

This distinctive form of nationalist discourse was adopted in later years from kung fu films produced in Hong Kong and mainland China. Much of this film is set in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and has a plot based on major historical events. They express a strong sense of anti-imperialism, anti-feudalism, nationalism and patriotism. The essence of this film is to inherit and preserve the core values ​​of Chinese tradition and to emphasize national identity. Nationalist-inspired kung fu films not only promoted a revival of Chinese martial arts, they made it a symbol of indigenous virtue and power.

It has spread throughout China and the world over the past few decades. Chinese martial arts academies, clubs and societies were established by overseas Chinese martial artists and kung fu trainees from Asia, America, Africa, Europe and Oceania. In the United States, Chinese martial arts master John Leong opened the Seattle Kung Fu Club in 1963. That same year, Bruce Lee opened the Jun Fan Gung Fu Lab in Seattle.

Chinese martial arts were introduced to Ireland in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and in the following years several kung fu academies and schools were established in Ireland. These include the Island Wing Tsun Organization based in Dublin and White Crane Kung Fu & Tai Chi, Chen Tai Chi Ireland based in Galway, Shaolin Ireland based in Cork, and Shaolin Temple in Slane. In summary, Chinese martial arts as a unique cultural heritage are currently making a great contribution to promoting cross-cultural exchange and understanding between China and the world.

In the words of Kung Fu movie star Jet Li: “Wushu is now a global sport that brings us all together. Coming from different countries, different cultures and different religions, we all become one family of Wushu in pursuit of a better balance in life. , work and friendship”.