Wushu () (), or
kung fu
Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to with umbrella terms Kung fu (term), kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (sport), wushu (), are Styles of Chinese martial arts, multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater Ch ...
, is a competitive Chinese
martial art. It integrates concepts and forms from various traditional and modern Chinese martial arts, including
Shaolin kung fu
Shaolin kung fu (), also called Shaolin Wushu (), or Shaolin quan (), is the largest and most famous style of Chinese martial arts, kung fu. It combines Chan Buddhism, Chan philosophy and martial arts.
It was developed in the Shaolin Temple in ...
,
tai chi
is a Chinese martial art. Initially developed for combat and self-defense, for most practitioners it has evolved into a sport and form of exercise. As an exercise, tai chi is performed as gentle, low-impact movement in which practitioners ...
, and ''
Wudangquan''. "Wushu" is the
Chinese term for "martial arts" (武 "Wu" = combat or martial, 術 "Shu" = art), reflecting the art's goal as a compilation and standardization of various styles.
[ ] To distinguish it from
traditional Chinese martial arts, it is sometimes referred to as 'Modern Wushu'.
Wushu is practiced both through
forms, called ''taolu'', and as a full-contact
combat sport
A combat sport, or fighting sport, is a contact sport that usually involves one-on-one combat. In many combat sports, a contestant wins by scoring more points than the opponent, submitting the opponent with a hold, disabling the opponent (''knock ...
, known as
''sanda''. It has a long history of
Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to with umbrella terms Kung fu (term), kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (sport), wushu (), are Styles of Chinese martial arts, multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater Ch ...
and was developed in 1949 to standardize the practice of traditional Chinese martial arts,
though attempts to structure the various decentralized martial arts traditions date back earlier when the
Central Guoshu Institute was established at
Nanjing
Nanjing or Nanking is the capital of Jiangsu, a province in East China. The city, which is located in the southwestern corner of the province, has 11 districts, an administrative area of , and a population of 9,423,400.
Situated in the Yang ...
in 1928.
In contemporary times, wushu has become an international sport under the
International Wushu Federation (IWUF), which holds the
World Wushu Championships every two years. Wushu is an official event at the
Asian Games
The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years for athletes of Asia. The Games were regulated by Asian Games Federation from the 1951 Asian Games, first Games in New Delhi, India in 1951, until ...
,
East Asian Youth Games,
Southeast Asian Games
The Southeast Asian Games, commonly known as SEA Games is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia. The games are under the regulation of the Southeast Asian Games Federation with sup ...
,
World Combat Games, and in various other multi-sport events.
History
History and etymology of the term 'wushu'
Traditional Chinese martial arts have existed for thousands of years. The earliest term for 'martial arts', which can be found in the Han history (206BC-23CE), was "military fighting techniques" (兵技巧; bīng jìqiǎo). During the Song period (circa 960CE) the name changed to "martial arts" (武藝; Wǔ Yì). The term 'Wushu' ('Martial Arts') was also occasionally used. The term 'Wushu' was, for example, found in a poem by Cheng Shao (1626–1644) from the Ming dynasty. In 1928 the 'officially sanctioned' name was changed to "national arts" (國術; guóshù) when the
National Martial Arts Academy was established in Nanjing. The term reverted to Wushu under the People's Republic of China during the early 1950s.
The word ''Wǔ'' (武) means "Martial" and is composed of two parts: “walk” or “stop” (止; zhǐ) and “lance” (戈; gē). The term wushu being used for 'martial arts' goes back as far as the
Liang Dynasty
The Liang dynasty (), alternatively known as the Southern Liang () or Xiao Liang () in historiography, was an imperial dynasty of China and the third of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties period. It was pre ...
(502–557) in an anthology compiled by Xiao Tong (蕭通), (Prince Zhaoming; 昭明太子 d. 531), called "Selected Literature" (文選; Wénxuǎn). The term is found in the second verse of a poem by Yan Yanzhi titled: ''Huang Taizi Shidian Hui Zuoshi'' (皇太子釋奠會作詩).
History of the martial sport of wushu
Wushu, as a 'martial sport', was created by the
Chinese Communist Party
The Communist Party of China (CPC), also translated into English as Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Founded in 1921, the CCP emerged victorious in the ...
(CCP) in the 20th Century. This was part of an over-arching social, cultural and political movement lead by that Party, to modernize China as it saw fit. In 1958CE, the CCP government established an organization for martial arts training. The Chinese State Commission for Physical Culture and Sports led the creation of standardized forms for most of the major arts. During this period, a national wushu system that included standard forms, teaching curriculum, and instructor grading was established. Wushu was introduced at both the high school and university level. This new system sought to incorporate common elements from many styles and forms as well as the general ideas associated with Chinese martial arts. Stylistic concepts such as hard, soft, internal, and external, as well as classifications based on schools such as
Shaolin,
tai chi
is a Chinese martial art. Initially developed for combat and self-defense, for most practitioners it has evolved into a sport and form of exercise. As an exercise, tai chi is performed as gentle, low-impact movement in which practitioners ...
, ''
Wudangquan'', and others were all integrated into one system. Wushu became the government-sponsored standard for training in martial arts in China.
The push for standardization continued leading to widespread adaptation.
In 1979, China's State Commission for Physical Culture and Sports created a special task force for teaching and practice of Wushu. In 1986, the Chinese National Research Institute of Wushu was established as the central authority for the research and administration of wushu activities in China. Changing government policies and attitudes towards sports in general led to the closing of the
State Sports Commission (the central sports authority) in 1998. This closure is viewed as an attempt to partially de-politicize organized sports and move Chinese sports policies towards a more
market-driven approach. As a result of these changing sociological factors within China, both traditional styles and modern wushu approaches are being promoted by the
International Wushu Federation.
''Taolu''

Wushu events are performed using compulsory or "individual routines" or ''taolu'' () in competition. Throughout the 1990s until 2005 for international competitions, athletes competed with routines that were choreographed by IWUF assigned coaches or athletes. In November 2003, a major revision in the ''taolu'' competition rules occurred: deduction content was standardized, judges' roles were organized and expanded, and the degree of difficulty component, also known as ''nandu'' (
難度; difficulty movements), was added. This category is worth 2 points of the 10 total. The quality of movements category is worth 5 points, and the overall performance category is worth 3 points. These changes were first implemented at the
2005 World Wushu Championships, and individual routines have become standard where an athlete creates a routine with the aid of his/her coach while following certain rules for difficulty and technical requirements. Only the age group C and B athletes at the
World Junior Wushu Championships still compete with compulsory routines at an international level. All junior events including group A athletes (which compete with individual routines), all traditional events, and all non-standard ''taolu'' events (ie. S''huangdao'', ''baguazhang,'' etc.), are judged without the degree of difficulty component.
In addition to events for individual routines, some wushu competitions also feature dual and group events. The dual event, also called ''duilian'' (對練), is an event in which there is some form of sparring with weapons or without weapons. The group event, also known as ''jiti'' (集體), requires a group of people to perform together and smooth synchronization of actions is crucial. Usually, the group event also allows instrumental music to accompany the choreography during the performance. The carpet used for the group event is also larger than the one used for individual routines. The
2019 World Wushu Championships was the first international wushu competition to feature such an event.
Barehanded
* ''
Changquan'' () is an event derived from styles such as ''
chaquan'', ''
huaquan'', and
Shaolin kung fu
Shaolin kung fu (), also called Shaolin Wushu (), or Shaolin quan (), is the largest and most famous style of Chinese martial arts, kung fu. It combines Chan Buddhism, Chan philosophy and martial arts.
It was developed in the Shaolin Temple in ...
as well as other traditional styles. ''Changquan'' is the most popular and difficult of all wushu events, which requires great speed, power, accuracy, and flexibility. Most professional athletes in China start training in this style starting at a young age.
* ''
Nanquan'' () is an event derived from styles that originated in the southern regions of China such as ''
Hung Ga'', ''
Choy Li Fut'',
Jow-Ga kung fu, and
Wing Chun
Wing Chun (Cantonese) or Yong Chun (Mandarin Chinese, Mandarin) (, lit. "singing spring") is a concept-based martial art, a form of Nanquan (martial art), Southern Chinese kung fu, and a close-quarters system of self-defense. It is a martial ...
. ''
Nanquan'' typically requires less flexibility and has less emphasis on acrobatics than ''
changquan'', but it also requires greater leg stability, speed, and power generation through leg, hip, and shoulder coordination.
*
Tai chi
is a Chinese martial art. Initially developed for combat and self-defense, for most practitioners it has evolved into a sport and form of exercise. As an exercise, tai chi is performed as gentle, low-impact movement in which practitioners ...
as a wushu ''taolu'' event, is largely based on the
Yang-style tai chi but also includes movements of the
Chen,
Wu,
Wu (Hao), and
Sun
The Sun is the star at the centre of the Solar System. It is a massive, nearly perfect sphere of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core, radiating the energy from its surface mainly as visible light a ...
styles. Competitive contemporary tai chi is distinct from the traditional first form for styles it draws from, in that it typically involves difficult balances and jumps which require great balance, control, and flexibility. The tai chi event as well as other tai chi-based events are usually performed with musical accompaniment.
Short weapons

* ''
Daoshu'' () is an event that uses the ''dao'' using ''changquan'' methods of movement.
*
Jianshu () is an event that uses the ''jian'' using ''changquan'' methods of movement.
* ''
Nandao'' () was introduced into international wushu competition in 1999. The weapons and techniques are based on the
butterfly swords of
Wing Chun
Wing Chun (Cantonese) or Yong Chun (Mandarin Chinese, Mandarin) (, lit. "singing spring") is a concept-based martial art, a form of Nanquan (martial art), Southern Chinese kung fu, and a close-quarters system of self-defense. It is a martial ...
, a Southern style. The blade has been lengthened and modified so that a singular sword is used.
* ''
Taijijian'' is an event that uses the ''jian'' based on traditional tai chi ''jian'' methods. This event was added to international competition in 1999.
* ''Taijishan'' () is an event that uses a Chinese
hand fan
A handheld fan, or simply hand fan, is a broad, flat surface that is waved back and forth to create an airflow. Generally, purpose-made handheld fans are folding fans, which are shaped like a Circular sector, sector of a circle and made of a thi ...
with traditional tai chi methods. This event was created in 2019 ahead of Wushu's participation in the
2026 Summer Youth Olympics (originally scheduled for 2022), and so it has yet to debut in competition.
Long weapons
* ''
Gunshu'' () is an event that uses a staff with ''changquan'' methods of movement. Staffs were traditionally made from
white wax wood, but
carbon fiber
Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers ( Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon comp ...
staff have become the standard in international competition since the 2010s since they are lighter and more durable.
* ''
Qiangshu'' () is an event that uses a spear using ''changquan'' methods of movement. The shaft of the spear is generally more flexible and longer than what is used in the ''gunshu'' event.
* ''
Nangun'' () was introduced into international wushu competition in 1999. It uses a staff with ''nanquan'' methods of movement. The staff is generally much thicker and heavier than the one used in the ''gunshu'' event.
The majority of routines used in the sport are new, modernized recompilations of traditional routines. However, routines taken directly from traditional styles, including the styles that are not part of standard events, may be performed in competition, especially in China. Many of these styles though are events in the World Kung Fu Championships, another IWUF-run event that is exclusively for traditional styles of wushu. The more commonly seen routines include:
Traditional weapons routines
There is also a traditional weapons category, which often includes the following:
''Sanda''
The other major discipline of contemporary Chinese wushu is known as ''
sanda'', ''yundong sanda'' (运动散打; ''yùndòng sǎndǎ'', sport free-fighting), or ''jingzheng sanda'' (竞争散打; ''jìngzhēng sàndǎ'', competitive free-fighting). ''Sanda'' is a fighting method, sport, and applicable component of wushu/kung fu influenced by traditional Chinese boxing, of which takedowns and throws are legal in competition, as well as all other sorts of striking (use of arms and legs). Chinese wrestling methods are called ''
shuai jiao
''Shuai jiao'' () is the term pertaining to the ancient jacket wrestling Wushu (sport), wushu style of Beijing, Tianjin and Baoding of Hebei Province in the North China Plain which was codified by Shan Pu Ying (善撲营 The Battalion of Excel ...
'' and other Chinese grappling techniques such as ''
Chin Na
Qin Na () is the set of joint lock techniques used in the Chinese martial arts to control or lock an opponent's joints or muscles/tendons so they cannot move, thus neutralizing the opponent's fighting ability. ''Qin Na Shu'' ( meaning "techniq ...
''. It has all the combat aspects of wushu.
''Sanda'' appears much like
kickboxing
Kickboxing ( ) is a full-contact hybrid Martial arts, martial art and Boxing (disambiguation), boxing type based on punch (combat), punching and kicking. Kickboxing originated in the 1950s to 1970s. The fight takes place in a boxing ring, norma ...
or
Muay Thai
Muay Thai or Muaythai (, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, the Art of Eight Limbs or the Science of Eight Limbs, is a Thai martial art and full-contact combat sport that uses stand-up striking, sweeps, and various clinch fighting, cl ...
but includes many more grappling techniques. ''Sanda'' fighting competitions are often held alongside ''taolu'' or form competitions. ''Sanda'' represents the modern development of ''lei tai'' contests but with rules in place to reduce the chance of serious injury. Many Chinese martial arts schools teach or work within the rule sets of ''sanda'', working to incorporate the movements, characteristics, and theory of their style.
Chinese martial artists also compete in non-Chinese or mixed combat sports, including boxing, kickboxing, and
mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world.
In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...
. ''Sanda'' is practiced in tournaments and is normally held alongside ''taolu'' events in wushu competitions. For safety reasons, some techniques from the self-defense form such as elbow strikes, chokes, and joint locks, are not allowed during tournaments. Competitors can win by knockout or points which are earned by landing strikes to the body or head, throwing an opponent, or when competition is held on a raised lei tai platform, pushing them off the platform. Fighters are only allowed to clinch for a few seconds. If the clinch is not broken by the fighters, and if neither succeeds in throwing his opponent within the time limit, the referee will break the clinch. In the U.S., competitions are held either in boxing rings or on the raised lei tai platform. Amateur fighters wear protective gear.
Amateur ''sanda'' allows kicks, punches, and throws. King of Sanda, a competition held in China, is held in a ring similar to a boxing ring in design but larger in dimension. Professionals wear no protective gear except for gloves, cups, and mouthpieces, and "professional sanda" allows knee and elbow strikes (including to the head) as well as kicking, punching, and throwing.
Some ''sanda'' fighters have participated in fighting tournaments such as K-1, Muay Thai, boxing, and Shoot Boxing. They have had some degree of success, especially in Shoot Boxing competitions, which is more similar to ''sanda''. Due to the rules of kickboxing competition, ''sanda'' fighters are subjected to more limitations than usual. Also, notable competitors in China's mainstream mixed martial arts competitions, Art of War Fighting Championship, and Ranik Ultimate Fighting Federation are predominantly of wushu background. ''Sanda'' has been featured in many style-versus-style competitions. Muay Thai is frequently pitted against ''sanda'' as is karate, kickboxing, and
taekwondo
Taekwondo (; ; ) is a Korean martial art and combat sport involving primarily kicking techniques and punching. "Taekwondo" can be translated as ''tae'' ("strike with foot"), ''kwon'' ("strike with hand"), and ''do'' ("the art or way"). In ad ...
. Although it is less common, some ''sanda'' practitioners have also fought in publicly viewed American mixed martial arts competitions.
Competitions
Major international and regional competitions featuring wushu include:
*
World Wushu Championships
*
World Junior Wushu Championships
*
World Games (2009, 2013, 2022)
*
World Combat Games
*
Asian Games
The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years for athletes of Asia. The Games were regulated by Asian Games Federation from the 1951 Asian Games, first Games in New Delhi, India in 1951, until ...
*
East Asian Games
*
East Asian Youth Games
*
National Games of China
*
South Asian Games
The South Asian Games is a quadrennial multi-sport event held among athletes from South Asia. The South Asia Olympic Council, which was formed in 1983, governs it. The Games consist of seven countries, namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, N ...
*
Southeast Asian Games
The Southeast Asian Games, commonly known as SEA Games is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia. The games are under the regulation of the Southeast Asian Games Federation with sup ...
*
Mediterranean Games
The Mediterranean Games is a multi-sport event organised by the International Committee of Mediterranean Games (CIJM). It is held every four years among athletes from countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea in Africa, Asia and Europe. The fi ...
*
Lusofonia Games
Wushu is not a
Summer Olympic sport
Sport is a physical activity or game, often Competition, competitive and organization, organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The numbe ...
; the IWUF has repeatedly backed proposals for wushu to be added to the Olympic program, most recently as one of eight sports proposed for the
2020 Summer Olympics
The officially the and officially branded as were an international multi-sport event that was held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some of the preliminary sporting events beginning on 21 July 2021. Tokyo ...
in
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Japan. However, it failed to reach the final shortlist, and the
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee (IOC; , CIO) is the international, non-governmental, sports governing body of the modern Olympic Games. Founded in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas, it is based i ...
(IOC) ultimately voted for the re-inclusion of
wrestling
Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves di ...
instead. Wushu was formally introduced into the Olympics as an exhibition sport
in Berlin, in 1936, on Chancellor Hitler's request. In March 2015, IWUF executive vice president Anthony Goh stated that the Federation was planning to propose wushu again for the
2024 Summer Olympics
The 2024 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad () and branded as Paris 2024, were an international multi-sport event held in France from 26 July to 11 August 2024, with several events started from 24 July. P ...
.
As part of new IOC rules allowing host committees to accept proposals for new sports to be added to the program (allowing the addition of sports of local interest to the Olympic program under an "event-based" model), in June 2015, wushu was shortlisted again as part of eight sports proposed for inclusion in the 2020 Games in this manner.
However, it did not make the final shortlist of five.
On 8 January 2020, it was announced by the
IOC that Wushu will be added to the
2022 Summer Youth Olympics (which has been rescheduled to 2026).
Owing to its cultural significance in China, the IOC allowed the organizers of the
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...
in
Beijing
Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
to hold a
wushu tournament in parallel with the Games as a separate eventthe first time that the IOC has allowed such an event.
Wushu was also a
demonstration sport
A demonstration sport, or exhibition sport, is a sport which is played to promote it, rather than as part of standard medal competition. This occurs commonly during the Olympic Games but may also occur at other sporting events.
Demonstration sport ...
at the
2014 Summer Youth Olympics
The 2014 Summer Youth Olympics (), officially known as the II Summer Youth Olympic Games , and commonly known as Nanjing 2014 ( zh, c=南京2014, p=Nánjīng Èr Líng yī sì), were the second Youth Olympic Games, Summer Youth Olympic Games, an ...
at
Nanjing
Nanjing or Nanking is the capital of Jiangsu, a province in East China. The city, which is located in the southwestern corner of the province, has 11 districts, an administrative area of , and a population of 9,423,400.
Situated in the Yang ...
, which featured events for Group A athletes who qualified at the World Junior Wushu Championships earlier that year. Wushu was also part of the 2014 Nanjing Sports Lab along with skateboarding, roller skating, and sports climbing.
Notable practitioners
*
Steve Coleman – Longest running Great Britain Wushu champion 2002–present, Captain GB Wushu Team, starred as Shane Powers in the film
On the Ropes.
*
Jon Foo – Learned
kung fu
Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to with umbrella terms Kung fu (term), kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (sport), wushu (), are Styles of Chinese martial arts, multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater Ch ...
when he was 8 years old, but didn't begin serious training in wushu until he was 15. Starred as
Jin Kazama
is a fictional character and the protagonist of Bandai Namco Entertainment, Bandai Namco's ''Tekken'' series. Introduced in the 1997 game ''Tekken 3'', he has been the central character of the series from that game onwards. Trained by his grand ...
in the film adaptation of
Tekken.
*
Cung Le: Cung Le is an American Vietnamese and successful wushu ''sanda'' and
Mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world.
In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...
fighter. He has won a lot of medals.
*
Jet Li
Li Lianjie (courtesy name Yangzhong; born 26 April 1963), better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a Chinese-born Singaporean Martial arts, martial artist and actor. With a Jet Li filmography, film career spanning more than forty years, Li is re ...
(李連杰/李连杰) – possibly the most famous wushu practitioner in the world. He started wushu as a competition sport and gained fame as he took the National Wushu Champion of China title five times as an original member of the Beijing Wushu Team, he was later selected to demonstrate his wushu on the silver screen in the worldwide hit film ''
Shaolin Temple
Shaolin Monastery ( zh, labels=no, c=少林寺, p=shàolínsì), also known as Shaolin Temple, is a monastic institution recognized as the birthplace of Chan Buddhism and the cradle of Shaolin kung fu. It is located at the foot of Wuru Peak o ...
''. Many of his old teammates have also appeared on-screen with him, especially in his older movies.
*
Zabit Magomedsharipov: Russian Dagestani fighter who was undefeated in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...
before retiring. He fought with an striking and takedown focused style. He graduated from the prestigious
Five Directions of the World multi-disciplinary school in Dagestan, studying Wushu Sanda.
*
Ray Park – Showcased his skills in wushu in several major films, including his portrayal of
Darth Maul in 1999's ''
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace'', as well as Toad in the film ''
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 (September 1963). Although initial ...
'' (2000) and as stunt-double for
Robin Shou and
James Remar in ''
Mortal Kombat Annihilation''. He also heavily retrained before filming ''
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra'', in which he portrayed the martial arts expert
Snake Eyes.
*
Muslim Salikhov: Russian Dagestani fighter and the first King of Kung Fu outside of China. He has participated in MMA competitions such as the
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...
(UFC).
*
Wu Bin (吳彬/吴彬) – Jet Li's coach in the
Beijing Wushu Team, training more wushu champions than any other coach in China.
*
Wu Jing (吳京/吴京) – Chinese actor who was sent to the Beijing Sports Institute at
Shichahai in Beijing when he was 6 years old. Like Jet Li, he competed as a member of the Beijing Wushu Team in national-level wushu competitions in China. Both his father and grandfather were also martial artists
[Jacky Wu's Bio](_blank)
/ref>
* Jade Xu (徐慧慧) is a martial arts actress and multiple World Wushu Champion. She won the World Championships three times in a row and the first (''gun''/staff) and second (''dao''/broadsword) place in the Olympic Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008 and became one of the most famous female wushu athletes in the world. Soon after her athletic career, Jade Xu received offers to star in various international Film and TV productions, such as Tai Chi 0, Tai Chi Hero, and Michael Jackson: One, and successfully launched her second career, as an actress.
* Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen Chi-tan ( zh, c=甄子丹, p=Zhēn Zǐdān, j=, first=j; born 27 July 1963) is a Hongkongers, Hong Kong actor, filmmaker, martial artist, and action director. He is the recipient of various accolades, including three Golden Horse Fi ...
(甄子丹) – Chinese martial artist and actor, who trained with the Beijing Wushu Team. Gold medalists for various international Wushu Competitions. Known for his portrayal of Ip Man, the mentor of Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee (born Lee Jun-fan; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was an American-born Hong Kong martial artist, actor, filmmaker, and philosopher. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy which was formed from ...
.
* Yuan Wenqing (原文庆) – One of the most famous, successful, and skilled wushu practitioners in the world who has won countless gold medals in Chinese, World, and Asian Championships. He is a former Shanxi
Shanxi; Chinese postal romanization, formerly romanised as Shansi is a Provinces of China, province in North China. Its capital and largest city of the province is Taiyuan, while its next most populated prefecture-level cities are Changzhi a ...
Wushu team athlete trained by the coaches Pang Lintai and Zhang Lingmei. He is most famous for his ''changquan'', ''daoshu'', ''gunshu'', ''shuangdao'', and ''ditangquan''. A number of his routines (''taolu'') became the official standard competition routines (GuiDing) for many years until the new ''guiding taolu'' was introduced.
* Zhao Changjun: Zhao is one of the most decorated Wushu champions ever. Only one other martial artist has challenged his winning record: Jet Li. In Wushu circles, it is said that the '70s belonged to Jet, but the '80s belonged to Zhao. Even throughout the 70's, Zhao was always pressuring Jet. From the late '70s to the late '80s, Zhao captured ten individual all-around titles in national and international events. He has earned 54 gold medals and has demonstrated in five continents for over thirty countries. ''Kung Fu Magazine'' considers Zhao one of the greatest wushu masters of all time. He's also a staunch proponent of traditional martial arts.
Criticism
Wushu has faced criticism as a competitive sport. It has been criticized by some traditional martial artists for being too commercialized, losing many of its original values, and potentially threatening old styles of teaching. Such critics argue that contemporary wushu helped to create a dichotomy between formwork and combat application.
See also
* Kung fu
Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to with umbrella terms Kung fu (term), kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (sport), wushu (), are Styles of Chinese martial arts, multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater Ch ...
*Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to with umbrella terms Kung fu (term), kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (sport), wushu (), are Styles of Chinese martial arts, multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater Ch ...
* Eighteen Arms of Wushu
* List of Chinese martial arts
This article contains a concise listing of individual systems of Chinese martial arts. Listings of various branches of a martial art system are located on a corresponding Wikipedia page which details the history of the system. The following list ...
*Wuxia
( , literally "martial arts and chivalry") is a genre of Chinese literature, Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. Although is traditionally a form of historical fantasy literature, its popularity ha ...
*Chinese culture
Chinese culture () is one of the Cradle of civilization#Ancient China, world's earliest cultures, said to originate five thousand years ago. The culture prevails across a large geographical region in East Asia called the Sinosphere as a whole ...
References
Further reading
* ''Mastering Wushu'', Jiang Bangjun and Emilio Alpanseque,
* ''Fundamentals of High Performance Wushu: Taolu Jumps and Spins'', Raymond Wu,
* ''Kung Fu Elements'', Liang Shou-Yu and Wu Wen-Ching,
External links
Wushu.in
– Martial arts community online
International Wushu Federation
nbsp;– Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wushu (Sport)
Chinese martial arts terminology
Chinese martial arts
Sports originating in China
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