Chinese Martial Arts: Kung Fu History, Styles & Culture

Chinese martial arts are arguably some of China's most popular and successful cultural exports. From Shaolin Kung Fu to Tai Chi, these fighting systems blend self-defense, philosophy, and physical culture in ways that have fascinated the world for centuries.

Despite their enduring global popularity, most people's understanding of the Chinese martial arts is limited. This guide explores what kung fu and wushu really mean, how the major styles differ, and the history behind five of the most influential schools.

Understanding the martial arts is also a wonderful doorway into Chinese language and culture. If you'd like to experience them firsthand, the best way is to Learn Chinese in China through full cultural immersion.

01 What Are Chinese Martial Arts? Kung Fu vs. Wushu Meaning

The Chinese martial arts are a collection of hundreds of different fighting styles that developed over centuries of Chinese history. Many styles incorporate philosophical concepts that are intimately connected with Chinese religion and philosophy, especially Taoism.

In Chinese, two terms are used to refer to the martial arts: 功夫 (gōngfū) and 武术 (wǔshù). The word 功夫 is a general term for any skill achieved through hard work, and it is the source of the English term "kung fu."

武术 (wǔshù), rendered in English as wushu, is a more descriptive term. It can be literally translated as "military arts" or "martial arts."

02 History of Chinese Martial Arts: Origins and Early Records

The martial arts have a long history in China. As the name wushu suggests, they are thought to have developed from methods of hand-to-hand combat used by ancient Chinese soldiers.

According to legend, the martial arts were introduced to China by the Yellow Emperor (黄帝, Huángdì), a mythical ruler traditionally dated to before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070–1600 BCE). Like many origin stories in Chinese culture, this account is symbolic rather than historical.

Reliable written references appear much earlier than in most cultures. One of the first mentions of Chinese martial arts occurs in the Spring and Autumn Annals, a court chronicle compiled around the 5th century BCE.

03 Types of Chinese Martial Arts: How Kung Fu Styles Are Classified

Today, there are hundreds of different styles of Chinese martial arts. Various classification schemes have been proposed to help categorize them.

Internal vs. external martial arts (内家拳 vs. 外家拳)

One common way of classifying Chinese martial arts is by separating them into external styles (外家拳 wàijiāquán) and internal styles (内家拳 nèijiāquán). External styles focus on developing agility and physical strength.

Internal styles, by contrast, focus on cultivating the mind, spirit, and qi (气 qì), the vital energy central to traditional Chinese medicine. Many philosophical ideas espoused by Taoism are applied by practitioners of internal styles.

The most popular internal style is Tai Chi, also called Taiji (太极拳 tàijíquán). The most famous external style is Shaolin Kung Fu (少林功夫 Shàolín gōngfū).

The internal versus external classification has been in use since 1669 CE. It remains somewhat controversial, however, since every style actually includes some mix of "internal" and "external" elements.

Northern vs. Southern Chinese martial arts styles

Another common way to classify Chinese kung fu styles is by geographical region. Northern and southern China differ in food, the arts, architecture, and language, and the same is true of their martial arts.

Martial arts from northern China are referred to as 北派 (běipài) and include well-known schools such as Baguazhang and Bajiquan. Northern styles are known for incorporating high kicks and acrobatic elements.

Southern styles are called 南派 (nánpài). They place more emphasis on arm techniques and stable, full-body movements.

Other ways to classify kung fu styles

There are several other ways to classify the Chinese martial arts, and many categories overlap. A single style may be grouped by religion, history, or family lineage at the same time.

Chinese kung fu vs. Japanese martial arts: what's the difference?

To an untrained eye, all martial arts may look the same regardless of country of origin. In reality, countless differences, big and small, exist.

Jiu-jitsu, one of Japan's most well-known martial arts, originated on the battlefields of the Nara period (c. 710–794 CE). Its techniques were designed for close combat, emphasizing parrying and counterattacking long weapons like swords or spears.

Unlike Chinese kung fu, which emphasizes strikes and kicks, jiu-jitsu uses counterattacks that lead to throws and joint locks. Japanese jiu-jitsu, in its own right, is often confused with Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

We caught up with Tony Debelak, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and owner of Gracie Jiu Jitsu Aurora, to ask about the differences. "Traditional Japanese jiu-jitsu," Tony explains, "made its way to Brazil, specifically Rio de Janeiro, in 1925, where Carlos Gracie and his brothers learned from Esai Maeda, a Japanese jiu-jitsu fighter."

Helio Gracie, the smallest and weakest of the brothers, lacked the strength to execute the traditional Japanese techniques. Tony continues, "he found ways to make the techniques work using leverage, timing, and natural body movements, and that transformation became the foundation of what later took on the moniker of Brazilian jiu-jitsu."

04 The 5 Most Popular Chinese Martial Arts Styles

Although there are a multitude of different styles of Chinese martial arts, some are more popular and influential than others. Below are five of the most important styles to know.

1. Shaolin Kung Fu (少林功夫): the world's most famous kung fu style

Shaolin Kung Fu (少林功夫 Shàolín gōngfū) is one of the most popular styles of Chinese martial arts. Considered an "external style," it was developed by monks at the Shaolin Temple in Henan Province.

The Shaolin style is distinguished by quick, forceful movements. It also famously makes use of weapons, including spears and, most iconically, staffs.

Shaolin Kung Fu has a history of over 1,500 years and is traditionally linked to Buddhist monks from outside China. According to legend, one of these monks, Bodhidharma, also founded the Chan school of Buddhism, the precursor to Japanese Zen.

Over the years, Shaolin Kung Fu gained semi-mythic status thanks to the exploits of the temple's "soldier monks." Shaolin monks supported the founders of the Tang dynasty in their successful struggle for the throne, and Ming-era governments later enlisted them to fight off pirate raids along China's coast.

Shaolin monks didn't always enjoy government support, however. During the Qing dynasty, the monastery was accused of anti-Qing activities and destroyed, only to be rebuilt later on.

Today, there are over 1,000 different sub-styles of Shaolin Kung Fu. Various martial arts schools in other countries, including Japan, also trace their origins back to the Shaolin style.

2. Wing Chun (咏春): the kung fu style of Ip Man and Bruce Lee

Wing Chun (咏春 Yǒngchūn) is a southern Chinese kung fu style descended from Shaolin Kung Fu. According to tradition, it has the distinction of having been founded by two women, Ng Mui and Yim Wing-chun.

The Wing Chun style is known for emphasizing technique rather than strength. Practitioners stay relaxed while fighting, achieving a "softness" that lets them bend without breaking, just like bamboo.

Legend has it that founder Ng Mui was living at Shaolin Temple when it was destroyed by Qing dynasty forces. After escaping to the border area between Yunnan and Sichuan, she met a young woman named Yim Wing-chun, the daughter of a tofu merchant.

Upon learning that Yim Wing-chun was soon to be forced into marriage with a local warlord, Ng Mui taught her a modified version of Shaolin Kung Fu for self-defense. The style was later picked up by the Red Boat Opera Group, a Cantonese opera troupe that helped lead a popular uprising in the Qing dynasty's waning years.

Ip Man, featured in the eponymous hit film, was a notable modern practitioner of Wing Chun. He famously taught the style to his student Bruce Lee, whose Hong Kong films helped make Chinese martial arts famous around the world.

3. Bajiquan (八极拳): explosive close-range combat

Bajiquan (八极拳 bājíquán) is another popular Chinese martial art that emerged in the 18th century. It was originally called Baziquan, or "rake fist," because of its trademark swift downward strikes using partially opened fists.

Its current full name is 开门八极拳 (kāimén bājíquán), roughly "open-door fist of the eight extremes." The "open-door" part of this name comes from the practice of forcing an opponent's arms apart in order to strike the body.

Bajiquan features rapid, explosive movements, including elbow and fist strikes. It is considered ideal for short-range combat.

As an iconic Chinese martial art, Bajiquan has influenced pop culture in China and beyond. It frequently appears in Japanese video games, manga, and anime, and Bajiquan-inspired choreography is said to feature in Hollywood productions like The Matrix and games like Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance.

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4. Tai Chi (太极拳): the most popular internal martial art

Tai Chi (太极拳 tàijíquán) is the most well-known of the "internal" Chinese martial arts styles. While it is most commonly practiced today as a gentle, meditative form of exercise, it was originally developed as a form of self-defense.

Tai Chi is sometimes referred to as "shadow boxing." Although most people picture slow movements, several styles include faster-paced elements.

Like many forms of Chinese martial arts, Tai Chi is intimately connected to traditional Chinese belief systems, including Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Its central philosophy is related to the Taoist concepts of yin (阴 yīn) and yang (阳 yáng).

In traditional Taoist metaphysics, yin is a dark, soft, female force, while yang is a hard, bright, male force. Together these two forces make up the universe, and it is important to seek a balance between them.

In Tai Chi, practitioners keep yin and yang in constant flux so that two forces of equal strength are never used against each other. Hardness should be met with softness, and vice versa, since hard force against hard force can only result in deadlock.

The exact origins of Tai Chi are debated. A popular legend credits a medieval Taoist monk, while most historians trace the codified art to Chen Village in Henan Province around the 17th century.

Today, Tai Chi is recognized worldwide for both its cultural value and its health benefits. It was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2020, and the Mayo Clinic recommends it as a gentle way to reduce stress and anxiety.

5. Baguazhang (八卦掌): circle walking and the eight trigrams

Like Tai Chi, Baguazhang (八卦掌 bāguàzhǎng) is considered an "internal style" martial art. Its philosophy draws heavily on Taoist concepts like yin and yang, and it even takes its name from the Taoist trigrams, or bagua.

Dong Haichuan is credited with founding this style in the first half of the 19th century. He synthesized techniques learned from Taoist and Buddhist practitioners he met during his travels in rural China.

The most distinctive feature of Baguazhang is its use of circle walking. Practitioners move in a circular pattern while performing a diverse mixture of strikes, throws, kicks, and grappling moves.

Baguazhang is also known for its diverse array of weapons, including distinctive large broadswords. Interestingly, this style is said to be particularly effective when fighting multiple opponents.

05 Why Learn Chinese Martial Arts? A Window Into Chinese Culture

Due to their connections with Chinese philosophy, religion, and history, the Chinese martial arts provide a fascinating window into traditional Chinese culture. Studying them can deepen your appreciation of everything from Taoist thought to Hong Kong cinema.

Martial arts study pairs especially well with language learning, since terms like 功夫 and 师父 appear constantly in films, conversation, and popular culture. Consider building cultural topics like this into your Chinese study plan.

One of the best ways to understand China, Chinese culture, and the Chinese martial arts is to experience them for yourself. We invite you to join us in Guilin to experience China firsthand through full language and cultural immersion.

06 Chinese Martial Arts Vocabulary

The following terms will help you understand martial arts references in Chinese films, conversations, and culture articles.

07 FAQ

08 Final Thoughts

The Chinese martial arts are far more than fighting techniques. They bring together philosophy, religion, history, and physical culture into living traditions that continue to shape China and the world.

Whether you're drawn to the explosive power of Shaolin Kung Fu or the meditative flow of Tai Chi, exploring these arts will deepen your understanding of Chinese culture. There's no better complement to learning the Chinese language itself.