1.
Qigong (artist)
–
For the traditional Chinese meditative practice, see Qigong. Qigong was a renowned Chinese calligrapher, artist, painter, connoisseur and he was an advisor for the September 3 Society, one of Chinas recognized political parties. Qigong was born into a Manchu family in Beijing in 1912, both his great-grandfather and grandfather were Jinshi, the highest Chinese academic title roughly equivalent to a doctoral. He was a descendant of the Yongzheng Emperor through his son Hongzhou, Qi belongs to the Aisin Gioro clan, the Manchu rulers of the Qing Dynasty in China. The character of Qi used in Qigongs name was a name of the ruling Aisin-Gioro clan as dictated by the Qing Imperial Family during the time of the Xianfeng Emperor. It is possible from this code to discern that Qigong was the 10th Generation descendant of the Yongzheng Emperor, Qigong, however, has never used the regal family name to sign any of his calligraphy, paintings, letters, or articles. By refusing the noble surname, Qi wanted to show his resolutions to make a living by himself instead of depending on his noble ancestors and he once responded, tongue-in-cheek, My surname is Qi and given name is Gong. I do not take from my ancestors, nor do I associate with any Eight Banners brotherhood, I rely on my own ability to make a living. Qis father died at the age of 19, when Qi was just two years old, Qigong was legally known as Qi Gong with Qi being his legal surname, but many still regard Qigong as a name in singularity. Therefore, in the English transcriptions of his name he can be variably called Qigong or Qi Gong and he grew up in extreme poverty and was forced to drop out of middle school while still a teenager. He continued to pursue his love of art and knowledge and managed to become a student of leading scholars and painters. To support his family and buy books, he often had to sell his paintings, initially Qi Gong was better known as a painter than a calligrapher. In 1935, he work as a teaching assistant at Fujen University in Beijing. He continued teaching Chinese classics and literature at the university and also taught the study of traditional Chinese antiques at Peking University and he tutored Masters and PhD students until a few years before his death. He learned Chinese calligraphy in his childhood, and studied various historical stone inscriptions of calligraphy in detail. He was deft in merging the characteristics of different eras and authors, and versatile in all the styles, especially the regular script, the running hand. His style embodies the essence of great classical calligraphers like Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi and he was also a learned scholar in the areas of Chinese ancient song lyrics, phonology, semantics, and Dream of the Red Chamber study, and published extensively in these fields. He was also versatile in poetry writing and appreciation
Qigong (artist)
–
Qigong
2.
World Tai Chi and Qigong Day
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World Tai Chi & Qigong Day also acts as an information source on medical research and finding classes in those disciplines. Celebrations include mass tai chi chuan and qigong exhibitions in many cities, World Tai Chi and Qigong Days stated goals are to, Educate the world about emerging medical research revealing health benefits that tai chi chuan and qigong offer. Educate about the use of these ancient traditional Chinese medicine modalities in business, healthcare, education, penal. Provide a global vision of cooperation for health & healing purposes across geopolitical boundaries, thank Chinese culture for the gifts of tai chi and qigong to the world. The local events are organized by local Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong schools, groups. The format of events varies by locality, although most involve free classes, international organizing for the event is done at the World Tai Chi and Qigong Day office in Overland Park, Kansas. The global event began in 1999, CNN Headline News covered the event, which generated interest beyond Kansas City to quickly grow into a national and international event in the following years. In 2013 Harvard Medical School launched a series of lectures regarding medical research on tai chi benefits, the Harvard lecture series homepage was titled Celebrating World Tai Chi Day. Millions of people around the world—65 nations participated in 2011—gather one day each year to celebrate the health and healing benefits of Tai Chi and this global event was founded by Bill Douglas and Angela Wong Douglas, co-authors of The Complete Idiots Guide to Tai Chi and Qigong. Their books chapter entitled, World Tai Chi and Qigong Day, was a force behind the global awareness of this health. This global healing event, in turn, inspired what is now known as World Healing Day, Tai chi chuan Qigong Traditional Chinese medicine Official website
World Tai Chi and Qigong Day
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World Tai Chi & Qigong Day's first event in Kansas City, Missouri, USA
World Tai Chi and Qigong Day
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World Tai Chi & Qigong Day event in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
World Tai Chi and Qigong Day
–
World Tai Chi & Qigong Day event in
Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil
World Tai Chi and Qigong Day
–
Main topics
3.
Manhattan
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Manhattan is the most densely populated borough of New York City, its economic and administrative center, and the citys historical birthplace. The borough is coextensive with New York County, founded on November 1,1683, Manhattan is often described as the cultural and financial capital of the world and hosts the United Nations Headquarters. Many multinational media conglomerates are based in the borough and it is historically documented to have been purchased by Dutch colonists from Native Americans in 1626 for 60 guilders which equals US$1062 today. New York County is the United States second-smallest county by land area, on business days, the influx of commuters increases that number to over 3.9 million, or more than 170,000 people per square mile. Manhattan has the third-largest population of New York Citys five boroughs, after Brooklyn and Queens, the City of New York was founded at the southern tip of Manhattan, and the borough houses New York City Hall, the seat of the citys government. The name Manhattan derives from the word Manna-hata, as written in the 1609 logbook of Robert Juet, a 1610 map depicts the name as Manna-hata, twice, on both the west and east sides of the Mauritius River. The word Manhattan has been translated as island of hills from the Lenape language. The United States Postal Service prefers that mail addressed to Manhattan use New York, NY rather than Manhattan, the area that is now Manhattan was long inhabited by the Lenape Native Americans. In 1524, Florentine explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano – sailing in service of King Francis I of France – was the first European to visit the area that would become New York City. It was not until the voyage of Henry Hudson, an Englishman who worked for the Dutch East India Company, a permanent European presence in New Netherland began in 1624 with the founding of a Dutch fur trading settlement on Governors Island. In 1625, construction was started on the citadel of Fort Amsterdam on Manhattan Island, later called New Amsterdam, the 1625 establishment of Fort Amsterdam at the southern tip of Manhattan Island is recognized as the birth of New York City. In 1846, New York historian John Romeyn Brodhead converted the figure of Fl 60 to US$23, variable-rate myth being a contradiction in terms, the purchase price remains forever frozen at twenty-four dollars, as Edwin G. Burrows and Mike Wallace remarked in their history of New York. Sixty guilders in 1626 was valued at approximately $1,000 in 2006, based on the price of silver, Straight Dope author Cecil Adams calculated an equivalent of $72 in 1992. In 1647, Peter Stuyvesant was appointed as the last Dutch Director General of the colony, New Amsterdam was formally incorporated as a city on February 2,1653. In 1664, the English conquered New Netherland and renamed it New York after the English Duke of York and Albany, the Dutch Republic regained it in August 1673 with a fleet of 21 ships, renaming the city New Orange. Manhattan was at the heart of the New York Campaign, a series of battles in the early American Revolutionary War. The Continental Army was forced to abandon Manhattan after the Battle of Fort Washington on November 16,1776. The city, greatly damaged by the Great Fire of New York during the campaign, became the British political, British occupation lasted until November 25,1783, when George Washington returned to Manhattan, as the last British forces left the city
Manhattan
–
View from
Midtown Manhattan, facing south toward
Lower Manhattan
Manhattan
–
Peter Minuit, early 1600s.
Manhattan
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The
Castello Plan showing the Dutch colonial city of
New Amsterdam in 1660 – then confined to the southern tip of Manhattan Island.
Manhattan
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J.Q.A. Ward 's statue of
George Washington in front of
Federal Hall (on
Wall Street) where he was inaugurated as the first
U.S. President in 1789.
4.
Traditional Chinese characters
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Traditional Chinese characters are Chinese characters in any character set that does not contain newly created characters or character substitutions performed after 1946. They are most commonly the characters in the character sets of Taiwan, of Hong Kong. Currently, a number of overseas Chinese online newspapers allow users to switch between both sets. In contrast, simplified Chinese characters are used in mainland China, Singapore, the debate on traditional and simplified Chinese characters has been a long-running issue among Chinese communities. Although simplified characters are taught and endorsed by the government of Mainland China, Traditional characters are used informally in regions in China primarily in handwriting and also used for inscriptions and religious text. They are often retained in logos or graphics to evoke yesteryear, nonetheless, the vast majority of media and communications in China is dominated by simplified characters. Taiwan has never adopted Simplified Chinese characters since it is ruled by the Republic of China, the use of simplified characters in official documents is even prohibited by the government in Taiwan. Simplified characters are not well understood in general, although some stroke simplifications that have incorporated into Simplified Chinese are in common use in handwriting. For example, while the name of Taiwan is written as 臺灣, similarly, in Hong Kong and Macau, Traditional Chinese has been the legal written form since colonial times. In recent years, because of the influx of mainland Chinese tourists, today, even government websites use simplified Chinese, as they answer to the Beijing government. This has led to concerns by residents to protect their local heritage. In Southeast Asia, the Chinese Filipino community continues to be one of the most conservative regarding simplification, while major public universities are teaching simplified characters, many well-established Chinese schools still use traditional characters. Publications like the Chinese Commercial News, World News, and United Daily News still use traditional characters, on the other hand, the Philippine Chinese Daily uses simplified. Aside from local newspapers, magazines from Hong Kong, such as the Yazhou Zhoukan, are found in some bookstores. In case of film or television subtitles on DVD, the Chinese dub that is used in Philippines is the same as the one used in Taiwan and this is because the DVDs belongs to DVD Region Code 3. Hence, most of the subtitles are in Traditional Characters, overseas Chinese in the United States have long used traditional characters. A major influx of Chinese immigrants to the United States occurred during the half of the 19th century. Therefore, the majority of Chinese language signage in the United States, including street signs, Traditional Chinese characters are called several different names within the Chinese-speaking world
Traditional Chinese characters
–
Chinese characters
Traditional Chinese characters
–
Job announcement in a Filipino Chinese daily newspaper written in Traditional Chinese characters.
Traditional Chinese characters
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A Series of Reading workbook in Traditional Chinese used in some Elementary schools in the Philippines.
5.
Simplified Chinese characters
–
Simplified Chinese characters are standardized Chinese characters prescribed in the Table of General Standard Chinese Characters for use in mainland China. Along with traditional Chinese characters, it is one of the two character sets of the contemporary Chinese written language. The government of the Peoples Republic of China in mainland China has promoted them for use in printing since the 1950s and 1960s in an attempt to increase literacy and they are officially used in the Peoples Republic of China and Singapore. Traditional Chinese characters are used in Hong Kong, Macau. Overseas Chinese communities generally tend to use traditional characters, Simplified Chinese characters may be referred to by their official name above or colloquially. Strictly, the latter refers to simplifications of character structure or body, character forms that have existed for thousands of years alongside regular, Simplified character forms were created by decreasing the number of strokes and simplifying the forms of a sizable proportion of traditional Chinese characters. Some simplifications were based on popular cursive forms embodying graphic or phonetic simplifications of the traditional forms, some characters were simplified by applying regular rules, for example, by replacing all occurrences of a certain component with a simplified version of the component. Variant characters with the pronunciation and identical meaning were reduced to a single standardized character. Finally, many characters were left untouched by simplification, and are identical between the traditional and simplified Chinese orthographies. Some simplified characters are very dissimilar to and unpredictably different from traditional characters and this often leads opponents not well-versed in the method of simplification to conclude that the overall process of character simplification is also arbitrary. In reality, the methods and rules of simplification are few, on the other hand, proponents of simplification often flaunt a few choice simplified characters as ingenious inventions, when in fact these have existed for hundreds of years as ancient variants. However, the Chinese government never officially dropped its goal of further simplification in the future, in August 2009, the PRC began collecting public comments for a modified list of simplified characters. The new Table of General Standard Chinese Characters consisting of 8,105 characters was promulgated by the State Council of the Peoples Republic of China on June 5,2013, cursive written text almost always includes character simplification. Simplified forms used in print have always existed, they date back to as early as the Qin dynasty, One of the earliest proponents of character simplification was Lubi Kui, who proposed in 1909 that simplified characters should be used in education. In the years following the May Fourth Movement in 1919, many anti-imperialist Chinese intellectuals sought ways to modernise China, Traditional culture and values such as Confucianism were challenged. Soon, people in the Movement started to cite the traditional Chinese writing system as an obstacle in modernising China and it was suggested that the Chinese writing system should be either simplified or completely abolished. Fu Sinian, a leader of the May Fourth Movement, called Chinese characters the writing of ox-demons, lu Xun, a renowned Chinese author in the 20th century, stated that, If Chinese characters are not destroyed, then China will die. Recent commentators have claimed that Chinese characters were blamed for the problems in China during that time
Simplified Chinese characters
–
Chinese characters
Simplified Chinese characters
–
The slogan 战无不胜的毛泽东思想万岁 (Zhàn wúbù shèng de Máo Zédōng sīxiǎng wànsuì; Long live the invincible
Mao Zedong Thought) on
Xinhua Gate in Beijing.
Simplified Chinese characters
–
The first batch of Simplified Characters introduced in 1935 consisted of 324 characters.
6.
Standard Chinese
–
Its pronunciation is based on the Beijing dialect, its vocabulary on the Mandarin dialects, and its grammar is based on written vernacular Chinese. Like other varieties of Chinese, Standard Chinese is a language with topic-prominent organization. It has more initial consonants but fewer vowels, final consonants, Standard Chinese is an analytic language, though with many compound words. There exist two standardised forms of the language, namely Putonghua in Mainland China and Guoyu in Taiwan, aside from a number of differences in pronunciation and vocabulary, Putonghua is written using simplified Chinese characters, while Guoyu is written using traditional Chinese characters. There are many characters that are identical between the two systems, in English, the governments of China and Hong Kong use Putonghua, Putonghua Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, and Mandarin, while those of Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia, use Mandarin. The name Putonghua also has a long, albeit unofficial, history and it was used as early as 1906 in writings by Zhu Wenxiong to differentiate a modern, standard Chinese from classical Chinese and other varieties of Chinese. For some linguists of the early 20th century, the Putonghua, or common tongue/speech, was different from the Guoyu. The former was a prestige variety, while the latter was the legal standard. Based on common understandings of the time, the two were, in fact, different, Guoyu was understood as formal vernacular Chinese, which is close to classical Chinese. By contrast, Putonghua was called the speech of the modern man. The use of the term Putonghua by left-leaning intellectuals such as Qu Qiubai, prior to this, the government used both terms interchangeably. In Taiwan, Guoyu continues to be the term for Standard Chinese. The term Putonghua, on the contrary, implies nothing more than the notion of a lingua franca, Huayu, or language of the Chinese nation, originally simply meant Chinese language, and was used in overseas communities to contrast Chinese with foreign languages. Over time, the desire to standardise the variety of Chinese spoken in these communities led to the adoption of the name Huayu to refer to Mandarin and it also incorporates the notion that Mandarin is usually not the national or common language of the areas in which overseas Chinese live. The term Mandarin is a translation of Guānhuà, which referred to the lingua franca of the late Chinese empire, in English, Mandarin may refer to the standard language, the dialect group as a whole, or to historic forms such as the late Imperial lingua franca. The name Modern Standard Mandarin is sometimes used by linguists who wish to distinguish the current state of the language from other northern. Chinese has long had considerable variation, hence prestige dialects have always existed. Confucius, for example, used yǎyán rather than colloquial regional dialects, rime books, which were written since the Northern and Southern dynasties, may also have reflected one or more systems of standard pronunciation during those times
Standard Chinese
–
A poster outside of high school in
Yangzhou urges people to speak Putonghua
Standard Chinese
–
Zhongguo Guanhua (中国官话/中國官話), or Medii Regni Communis Loquela ("Middle Kingdom's Common Speech"), used on the frontispiece of an early Chinese grammar published by
Étienne Fourmont (with
Arcadio Huang) in 1742
7.
Hanyu Pinyin
–
Pinyin, or Hànyǔ Pīnyīn, is the official romanization system for Standard Chinese in mainland China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan. It is often used to teach Standard Chinese, which is written using Chinese characters. The system includes four diacritics denoting tones, Pinyin without tone marks is used to spell Chinese names and words in languages written with the Latin alphabet, and also in certain computer input methods to enter Chinese characters. The pinyin system was developed in the 1950s by many linguists, including Zhou Youguang and it was published by the Chinese government in 1958 and revised several times. The International Organization for Standardization adopted pinyin as a standard in 1982. The system was adopted as the standard in Taiwan in 2009. The word Hànyǔ means the language of the Han people. In 1605, the Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci published Xizi Qiji in Beijing and this was the first book to use the Roman alphabet to write the Chinese language. Twenty years later, another Jesuit in China, Nicolas Trigault, neither book had much immediate impact on the way in which Chinese thought about their writing system, and the romanizations they described were intended more for Westerners than for the Chinese. One of the earliest Chinese thinkers to relate Western alphabets to Chinese was late Ming to early Qing Dynasty scholar-official, the first late Qing reformer to propose that China adopt a system of spelling was Song Shu. A student of the great scholars Yu Yue and Zhang Taiyan, Song had been to Japan and observed the effect of the kana syllabaries. This galvanized him into activity on a number of fronts, one of the most important being reform of the script, while Song did not himself actually create a system for spelling Sinitic languages, his discussion proved fertile and led to a proliferation of schemes for phonetic scripts. The Wade–Giles system was produced by Thomas Wade in 1859, and it was popular and used in English-language publications outside China until 1979. This Sin Wenz or New Writing was much more sophisticated than earlier alphabets. In 1940, several members attended a Border Region Sin Wenz Society convention. Mao Zedong and Zhu De, head of the army, both contributed their calligraphy for the masthead of the Sin Wenz Societys new journal. Outside the CCP, other prominent supporters included Sun Yat-sens son, Sun Fo, Cai Yuanpei, the countrys most prestigious educator, Tao Xingzhi, an educational reformer. Over thirty journals soon appeared written in Sin Wenz, plus large numbers of translations, biographies, some contemporary Chinese literature, and a spectrum of textbooks
Hanyu Pinyin
–
A school slogan asking elementary students to speak
Putonghua is annotated with pinyin, but without tonal marks.
Hanyu Pinyin
–
In
Yiling,
Yichang,
Hubei, text on road signs appears both in Chinese characters and in Hanyu Pinyin
8.
Wu Chinese
–
Wu is a group of linguistically similar and historically related varieties of Chinese primarily spoken in the whole city of Shanghai, Zhejiang province, southern Jiangsu province and bordering areas. Major Wu varieties include those of Shanghai, Suzhou, Ningbo, Wuxi, Wenzhou/Oujiang, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Jinhua, Wu speakers, such as Chiang Kai-shek, Lu Xun and Cai Yuanpei, occupied positions of great importance in modern Chinese culture and politics. Wu can also be found being used in Shaoxing opera, which is only in national popularity to Peking opera, as well as in the performances of the popular entertainer. Wu is also spoken in a number of diaspora communities, with significant centers of immigration originating from Shanghai, Qingtian. Suzhou has traditionally been the center of Wu and was likely the first place the distinct variety of Sinitic known as Wu developed. Suzhou dialect is considered to be the most linguistically representative of the family. Due to the influence of Shanghainese, Wu as a whole is incorrectly labelled in English as simply, Shanghainese, among speakers of other Sinitic languages, Wu is often subjectively judged to be soft, light, and flowing. There is an idiom in Mandarin that specifically describes these qualities of Wu speech, Ngu nung nioe ngiu, Wu varieties have the largest vowel quality inventories in the world. The Jinhui dialect spoken in Shanghais Fengxian District has 20 vowel qualities, Wu Chinese, along with Min, is also of great significance to historical linguists due to their retention of many ancient features. These two languages have proven pivotal in determining the history of the Chinese languages. More pressing concerns of the present are those of language preservation, however, many analysts believe that a stable state of diglossia will endure for at least several generations if not indefinitely. Saying one speaks Wu is akin to saying one speaks a Romance language and it is not a particularly defined entity like Standard Mandarin or Hochdeutsch. They do this by affixing 話 Wo to their locations endonym, for example, 溫州話 Wēnzhōuhuà is used for Wenzhounese. Affixing 閒話 xiánhuà is also common and more typical of the Taihu division, Wu, the formal name and standard reference in dialectology literature. Northern Wu, Wu typically spoken in the north of Zhejiang and it by default includes the Xuanzhou division in Anhui as well, however this division is often neglected in Northern Wu discussions. Southern Wu, Wu spoken in southern Zhejiang and periphery, comprising the Oujiang, Wuzhou, Western Wu, A term gaining in usage as a synonym for the Xuanzhou division and modeled after the previous two terms since the Xuanzhou division is less representative of Northern Wu. Shanghainese, is also a common name, used because Shanghai is the most well-known city in the Wu-speaking region. The term Shanghainese is never used by linguists to refer to anything
Wu Chinese
–
Wu (Wú Yǔ) written in
Chinese characters
9.
Cantonese
–
Cantonese, or Standard Cantonese, is a variety of Chinese spoken in the city of Guangzhou in southeastern China. It is the prestige variety of Yue, one of the major subdivisions of Chinese. In mainland China, it is the lingua franca of the province of Guangdong and some neighbouring areas such as Guangxi. In Hong Kong and Macau, Cantonese serves as one of their official languages and it is also spoken amongst overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia and throughout the Western World. When Cantonese and the closely related Yuehai dialects are classified together, Cantonese is viewed as vital part of the cultural identity for its native speakers across large swathes of southeastern China, Hong Kong and Macau. Although Cantonese shares some vocabulary with Mandarin, the two varieties are mutually unintelligible because of differences in pronunciation, grammar and lexicon, sentence structure, in particular the placement of verbs, sometimes differs between the two varieties. This results in the situation in which a Cantonese and a Mandarin text may look similar, in English, the term Cantonese is ambiguous. Cantonese proper is the variety native to the city of Canton and this narrow sense may be specified as Canton language or Guangzhou language in English. However, Cantonese may also refer to the branch of Cantonese that contains Cantonese proper as well as Taishanese and Gaoyang. In this article, Cantonese is used for Cantonese proper, historically, speakers called this variety Canton speech or Guangzhou speech, although this term is now seldom used outside mainland China. In Guangdong province, people call it provincial capital speech or plain speech. In Hong Kong and Macau, as well as among overseas Chinese communities, in mainland China, the term Guangdong speech is also increasingly being used among both native and non-native speakers. Due to its status as a prestige dialect among all the dialects of the Cantonese or Yue branch of Chinese varieties, the official languages of Hong Kong are Chinese and English, as defined in the Hong Kong Basic Law. The Chinese language has different varieties, of which Cantonese is one. Given the traditional predominance of Cantonese within Hong Kong, it is the de facto official spoken form of the Chinese language used in the Hong Kong Government and all courts and it is also used as the medium of instruction in schools, alongside English. A similar situation exists in neighboring Macau, where Chinese is an official language along with Portuguese. As in Hong Kong, Cantonese is the predominant spoken variety of Chinese used in life and is thus the official form of Chinese used in the government. The variant spoken in Hong Kong and Macau is known as Hong Kong Cantonese, Cantonese first developed around the port city of Guangzhou in the Pearl River Delta region of southeastern China
Cantonese
–
Street in
Chinatown, San Francisco. Cantonese has traditionally been the dominant Chinese variant among Chinese populations in the Western world.
Cantonese
–
Gwóngdūng Wah / gwong 2 dung 1 waa 6 (Cantonese) written in
traditional Chinese (left) and
simplified Chinese (right) characters
Cantonese
–
Chinese dictionary from Tang dynasty. Modern Cantonese pronunciation is more similar to Middle Chinese from this era than other Chinese varieties.
10.
Jyutping
–
Jyutping is a romanisation system for Cantonese developed by the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong, an academic group, in 1993. Its formal name is The Linguistic Society of Hong Kong Cantonese Romanisation Scheme, the LSHK promotes the use of this romanisation system. The name Jyutping is a contraction consisting of the first Chinese characters of the terms Jyut6jyu5, only the finals m and ng can be used as standalone nasal syllables. ^ ^ ^ Referring to the pronunciation of these words. There are nine tones in six distinct tone contours in Cantonese, however, as three of the nine are entering tones, which only appear in syllables ending with p, t, and k, they do not have separate tone numbers in Jyutping. Jyutping and the Yale Romanisation of Cantonese represent Cantonese pronunciations with the letters in, The initials, b, p, m, f, d, t, n, l, g, k, ng, h, s, gw, kw. The vowel, aa, a, e, i, o, u, the coda, i, u, m, n, ng, p, t, k. But they differ in the following, The vowels eo and oe represent /ɵ/ and /œː/ respectively in Jyutping, the initial j represents /j/ in Jyutping whereas y is used instead in Yale. The initial z represents /ts/ in Jyutping whereas j is used instead in Yale, the initial c represents /tsʰ/ in Jyutping whereas ch is used instead in Yale. In Jyutping, if no consonant precedes the vowel yu, then the initial j is appended before the vowel, in Yale, the corresponding initial y is never appended before yu under any circumstances. Jyutping defines three finals not in Yale, eu /ɛːu/, em /ɛːm/, and ep /ɛːp/ and these three finals are used in colloquial Cantonese words, such as deu6, lem2, and gep6. To represent tones, only tone numbers are used in Jyutping whereas Yale traditionally uses tone marks together with the letter h. Jyutping and Cantonese Pinyin represent Cantonese pronunciations with the letters in, The initials, b, p, m, f, d, t, n, l, g, k, ng, h, s, gw, kw. The vowel, aa, a, e, i, o, u, the coda, i, u, m, n, ng, p, t, k. But they have differences, The vowel oe represents both /ɵ/ and /œː/ in Cantonese Pinyin whereas eo and oe represent /ɵ/ and /œː/ respectively in Jyutping. The vowel y represents /y/ in Cantonese Pinyin whereas both yu and i are used in Jyutping, the initial dz represents /ts/ in Cantonese Pinyin whereas z is used instead in Jyutping. The initial ts represents /tsʰ/ in Cantonese Pinyin whereas c is used instead in Jyutping. To represent tones, the numbers 1 to 9 are usually used in Cantonese Pinyin, however, only the numbers 1 to 6 are used in Jyutping
Jyutping
–
Jyutping Romanization.
11.
Southern Min
–
Southern Min, or Minnan, is a branch of Min Chinese spoken in certain parts of China including southern Fujian, eastern Guangdong, Hainan, and southern Zhejiang, and in Taiwan. The Min Nan dialects are spoken by descendants of emigrants from these areas in diaspora, most notably the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia. In common parlance, Southern Min usually refers to Hokkien, including Amoy and Taiwanese Hokkien, the Southern Min dialect group also includes Teochew, though Teochew has limited mutual intelligibility with Hokkien. Hainanese is not mutually intellgible with other Southern Min and is considered a separate branch of Min. Southern Min is not mutually intelligible with Eastern Min, Pu-Xian Min, any other Min branch, Hakka, Cantonese, Shanghainese or Mandarin. Southern Min dialects are spoken in the part of Fujian. The variant spoken in Leizhou, Guangdong as well as Hainan is Hainanese and is not mutually intelligible with other Southern Min or Teochew, Hainanese is classified in some schemes as part of Southern Min and in other schemes as separate. Puxian Min was originally based on the Quanzhou dialect, but over time became heavily influenced by Eastern Min, eventually losing intellegility with Minnan. A forms of Southern Min spoken in Taiwan, collectively known as Taiwanese, Southern Min is a first language for most of the Hoklo people, the main ethnicity of Taiwan. The correspondence between language and ethnicity is not absolute, as some Hoklo have very limited proficiency in Southern Min while some non-Hoklo speak Southern Min fluently, there are many Southern Min speakers also among Overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia. Many ethnic Chinese immigrants to the region were Hoklo from southern Fujian and brought the language to what is now Burma, Indonesia and present-day Malaysia and Singapore. In general, Southern Min from southern Fujian is known as Hokkien, Hokkienese, many Southeast Asian ethnic Chinese also originated in the Chaoshan region of Guangdong and speak Teochew language, the variant of Southern Min from that region. Southern Min-speakers form the majority of Chinese in Singapore, with the largest group being Hokkien, despite the similarities the two groups are rarely seen as part of the same Minnan Chinese subgroups. The variants of Southern Min spoken in Zhejiang province are most akin to that spoken in Quanzhou, the variants spoken in Taiwan are similar to the three Fujian variants and are collectively known as Taiwanese. Those Southern Min variants that are known as Hokkien in Southeast Asia also originate from these variants. The variants of Southern Min in the Chaoshan region of eastern Guangdong province are known as Teochew or Chaozhou. Teochew is of importance in the Southeast Asian Chinese diaspora, particularly in Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Sumatra. The Philippines variant is mostly from the Quanzhou area as most of their forefathers are from the aforementioned area, the Southern Min language variant spoken around Shanwei and Haifeng differs markedly from Teochew and may represent a later migration from Zhangzhou
Southern Min
–
Koa-a books, Min Nan written in Chinese characters
Southern Min
–
Distribution of Southern Min.
12.
Hokkien
–
Hokkien /hɒˈkiɛn/ is a group of Southern Min dialects spoken throughout Southeastern China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and by other overseas Chinese. Hokkien originated in southern Fujian, the Min-speaking province and it is closely related to Teochew, though there is limited mutual intelligibility, and is somewhat more distantly related to Hainanese and Leizhou dialect. Besides Hokkien, there are also other Min and Hakka dialects in Fujian province, the term Hokkien is etymologically derived from the Southern Min pronunciation for Fujian, the province from which the language hails. The variety is known by other terms such as the more general Min Nan or Southern Min. Fujianese and Fukienese are also used, although they are somewhat imprecise, the term Hokkien is not usually used in Mainland China or Taiwan. Conversely Hokkien is the name in Southeast Asia in both English, Chinese or other languages. Speakers of Hokkien, particularly those in Southeast Asia, typically refer to Hokkien as a dialect, people in Taiwan most often refer to Hokkien as the Taiwanese language, with Minnan and Holo also being used and 福建話 is not as common. Hokkien originated in the area of Fujian province, an important center for trade and migration. The major pole of Hokkien varieties outside of Fujian is Taiwan, the Taiwanese version mostly have origins with the Quanzhou and Zhangzhou variants, but since then, the Amoy dialect is becoming the modern prestige standard for the language. There are many Hokkien speakers among overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia as well as in the United States, many ethnic Han Chinese emigrants to the region were Hoklo from southern Fujian, and brought the language to what is now Burma, Indonesia and present day Malaysia and Singapore. Many of the Hokkien dialects of this region are similar to Taiwanese and Amoynese. Hokkien is reportedly the native language of up to 80% of the Chinese people in the Philippines, Hokkien speakers form the largest group of overseas Chinese in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines. Southern and part of western Fujian is home to four principal Hokkien dialects, Chinchew, Amoy, Chiangchew and Longyan, originating from the cities of Quanzhou, Xiamen, Zhangzhou and Longyan. As Xiamen is the city of southern Fujian, Amoy is considered the most important, or even the prestige dialect. It is a hybrid of the Quanzhou and Zhangzhou dialects, same as Amoy dialect, the varieties of Hokkien spoken in Taiwan are hybrids of the Quanzhou and Zhangzhou dialects, and are collectively known as Taiwanese Hokkien or just Taiwanese. Used by a majority of the population, it bears much importance from a socio-political perspective, the varieties of Hokkien in Southeast Asia originate from these dialects. The Singaporeans, Southern Malaysians and people in Indonesias Riau and surrounding islands variant is from the Quanzhou area and they speak a distinct form of Quanzhou Hokkien called Southern Peninsular Malaysian Hokkien. Among ethnic Chinese inhabitants of Penang, and other states in Northern Malaysia and Medan, with areas in North Sumatra, Indonesia
Hokkien
–
Distribution of Min Nan dialects. Hokkien is dark green.
13.
Hangul
–
The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul in South Korea and as Chosŏngŭl/Chosŏn Muntcha in North Korea is the alphabet that has been used to write the Korean language since the 15th century. It was created during the Joseon Dynasty in 1443 by King Sejong the Great, in South Korea, Hangul is used primarily to write the Korean language as using Hanja in typical Korean writing had fallen out of common usage during the late 1990s. In its classical and modern forms, the alphabet has 19 consonant and 21 vowel letters, however, instead of being written sequentially like the letters of the Latin alphabet, Hangul letters are grouped into blocks, such as 한 han, each of which transcribes a syllable. That is, although the syllable 한 han may look like a single character, each syllabic block consists of two to six letters, including at least one consonant and one vowel. These blocks are arranged horizontally from left to right or vertically from top to bottom. Each Korean word consists of one or more syllables, hence one or more blocks, of the 11,172 possible Hangul syllables, the most frequent 256 have a cumulative frequency of 88. 2%, with the top 512, it reaches 99. 9%. The modern name Hangul was coined by Ju Sigyeong in 1912, han meant great in archaic Korean, and geul is the native Korean word for script. Taken together, then, the meaning is great script, as the word han had also become one way of indicating Korea as a whole the name could also potentially be interpreted as Korean script. Korean 한글 is pronounced, and in English as /ˈhɑːn. ɡʊl/ or /ˈhɑːŋɡʊl/, when used as an English word, it is often rendered without the diacritics, hangul, and it is often capitalized as Hangul, as it appears in many English dictionaries. Hankul in the Yale romanization, a system recommended for technical linguistic studies, North Koreans call it Chosŏngŭl, after Chosŏn, the North Korean name for Korea. Because of objections to the names Hangeul, Chosŏngŭl, and urigeul by Koreans in China, until the early 20th century, Hangul was denigrated as vulgar by the literate elite, who preferred the traditional hanja writing system. They gave it such names as these, Achimgeul, in the original Hanja, it is rendered as 故智者不終朝而會，愚者可浹旬而學。 Gugmun Eonmun Amgeul. Am is a prefix that signifies a noun is feminine Ahaetgeul or Ahaegeul Hangul was promulgated by Sejong the Great, the Hall of Worthies, a group of scholars who worked with Sejong to develop and refine the new alphabet, is often credited for the work. The project was completed in late December 1443 or January 1444, the publication date of the Hunmin Jeong-eum, October 9, became Hangul Day in South Korea. Its North Korean equivalent, Chosongul Day, is on January 15, various speculations about the creation process were put to rest by the discovery in 1940 of the 1446 Hunmin Jeong-eum Haerye. This document explains the design of the consonant letters according to articulatory phonetics, to assuage this problem, King Sejong created the unique alphabet known as Hangul to promote literacy among the common people. However, it entered popular culture as Sejong had intended, being used especially by women, the late 16th century, however, saw a revival of Hangul, with gasa literature and later sijo flourishing. In the 17th century, Hangul novels became a major genre, by this point spelling had become quite irregular
Hangul
–
Korean writing systems
Hangul
–
Chosŏn'gŭl (top), and Hangul (bottom)
Hangul
–
A page from the Hunmin Jeong-eum Eonhae. The Hangul-only column, third from the left (나랏말 ᄊᆞ 미), has pitch-accent diacritics to the left of the syllable blocks.
Hangul
–
Calligraphy
14.
Hanja
–
Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. Borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation, hanja-mal or hanja-eo refers to words that can be written with hanja, and hanmun refers to Classical Chinese writing, although hanja is sometimes used loosely to encompass these other concepts. Because hanja never underwent major reform, they are almost entirely identical to traditional Chinese, only a small number of hanja characters are modified or unique to Korean. By contrast, many of the Chinese characters currently in use in Japan and Mainland China have been simplified, and contain fewer strokes than the corresponding hanja characters. Today, a working knowledge of Chinese characters is still important for anyone who wishes to study older texts. Learning a certain number of hanja is very helpful for understanding the etymology of Sino-Korean words, hanja are not used to write native Korean words, which are always rendered in hangul, and even words of Chinese origin—hanja-eo —are written with the hangul alphabet most of the time. A major motivation for the introduction of Chinese characters into Korea was the spread of Buddhism, the major Chinese text that introduced hanja to Koreans, however, was not a religious text but the Chinese text, Cheonjamun. One way of adapting hanja to write Korean in such systems was to represent native Korean grammatical particles, for example, Gugyeol uses the characters 爲尼 to transcribe the Korean word hăni, in modern Korean, that means does, and so. However, in Chinese, the characters are read as the expression wéi ní. This is an example of Gugyeol words where the radical is read in Korean for its meaning. Hanja was the means of writing Korean until King Sejong the Great promoted the invention of hangul in the 15th century. However, even after the invention of hangul, most Korean scholars continued to write in hanmun and it was not until the 20th century that hangul truly replaced hanja. Officially, hanja has not been used in North Korea since June 1949, additionally, many words borrowed from Chinese have been replaced in the North with native Korean words. However, there are a number of Chinese-borrowed words in widespread usage in the North. The replacement has been less total in South Korea where, although usage has declined over time, some remains in common usage in some contexts. Each hanja is composed of one of 214 radicals plus in most cases one or more additional elements, the vast majority of hanja use the additional elements to indicate the sound of the character, but a few hanja are purely pictographic, and some were formed in other ways. This dual meaning-sound reading of a character is called eumhun, the word or words used to denote the meaning are often—though hardly always—words of native Korean origin, and are sometimes archaic words no longer commonly used. South Korean primary schools abandoned the teaching of hanja in 1971 and it is taught in separate courses in South Korean high schools, separately from the normal Korean-language curriculum
Hanja
–
Chinese characters
Hanja
–
Hanja
Hanja
–
Korean writing systems
Hanja
–
Calligraphy
15.
Revised Romanization of Korean
–
The Revised Romanization of Korean is the official Korean language romanization system in South Korea proclaimed by Ministry of Culture and Tourism to replace the older McCune–Reischauer system. The new system eliminates diacritics in favor of digraphs and adheres closely to Korean phonology than to a suggestive rendition of Korean phonetics for non-native speakers. The Revised Romanization limits itself to the ISO basic Latin alphabet, apart from limited and it was developed by the National Academy of the Korean Language from 1995 and was released to the public on 7 July 2000 by South Koreas Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Proclamation No. 2000-8, which cites these reasons for the new system, It promotes consistent romanization by native Korean speakers by the transcription of important language characteristics. It reduces the confusion caused by the frequent omission of apostrophes and it rationalizes the Korean language with the plain ASCII text of internet domain names. Basic principles of romanization are, Romanization is based on standard Korean pronunciation, symbols other than Roman letters are avoided to the greatest extent possible. These are notable features of the Revised Romanization system, Vowels ㅓ/ʌ/ and ㅡ/ɯ/ are written as digraphs, however, ㅝ/wʌ/ is written as wo, and ㅢ/ɰi/ is written as ui. Unlike McCune–Reischauer, aspirated consonants have no apostrophe, k, t, p and their unaspirated counterparts are written with letters that are voiced in English, g, d, b, j. ㅅ/s/ is written as s regardless of the vowels and semivowels, there is no sh, 사 → sa. When followed by another consonant or when in position, it is written as t, 옷 → ot. ㄹ/l/ is r before a vowel or a semivowel and l everywhere else, 리을 → rieul, 철원 → Cheorwon, 울릉도 → Ulleungdo, other rules and recommendations include the following, A hyphen optionally disambiguates syllables, 가을 → ga-eul versus 개울 → gae-ul. However, few official publications make use of this provision since actual instances of ambiguity among names are rare, however, names for geographic features and artificial structures are not hyphenated, 설악산 → Seoraksan, 해인사 → Haeinsa Proper nouns are capitalized. Given names and commercial names are encouraged to change, but it is not required, all Korean textbooks were required to comply with the new system by February 28,2002. English-language newspapers in South Korea initially resisted the new system by citing its flaws, the Korea Times was the last major English-language newspaper to do so and switched only in May 2006. North Korea continues to use a version of the McCune–Reischauer system of Romanization, textbooks and dictionaries intended for students of the Korean language tend to include this Romanization. However, some publishers have acknowledged the difficulties or confusion it can cause for non-native Korean speakers who are unused to the conventions of style of Romanization. ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, and ㄹ are usually transcribed as g, d, b, and r when appearing before a vowel, and as k, t, p, and l when followed by another consonant or when appearing at the end of a word. The revised romanization transcribes certain phonetic changes that occur with combinations of the consonant of a character
Revised Romanization of Korean
–
Korean writing systems
16.
Hiragana
–
Hiragana is a Japanese syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system, along with katakana, kanji, and in some cases rōmaji. It is a lettering system. The word hiragana literally means ordinary or simple kana, Hiragana and katakana are both kana systems. With one or two exceptions, each sound in the Japanese language is represented by one character in each system. Because the characters of the kana do not represent single consonants, words that do have common kanji renditions may also sometimes be written instead in hiragana, according to an individual authors preference, for example to impart an informal feel. Hiragana is also used to write furigana, a reading aid that shows the pronunciation of kanji characters, There are two main systems of ordering hiragana, the old-fashioned iroha ordering and the more prevalent gojūon ordering. Of the 50 theoretically possible combinations, yi and wu do not exist in the language, wo is usually pronounced as a vowel in modern Japanese, and is preserved in only one use, as a particle. Romanization of the kana does not always follow the consonant-vowel scheme laid out in the table. For example, ち, nominally ti, is very often romanised as chi in an attempt to represent the actual sound in Japanese. These basic characters can be modified in various ways, by adding a dakuten marker, a voiceless consonant is turned into a voiced consonant, k→g, ts/s→z, t→d, h→b and ch/sh→j. Hiragana beginning with an h can also add a handakuten marker changing the h to a p, a small version of the hiragana for ya, yu or yo may be added to hiragana ending in i. This changes the i vowel sound to a glide to a, u or o, for example, き plus ゃ becomes きゃ. Addition of the small y kana is called yōon, a small tsu っ, called a sokuon, indicates that the following consonant is geminated. In Japanese this is an important distinction in pronunciation, for example, the sokuon also sometimes appears at the end of utterances, where it denotes a glottal stop, as in いてっ. However, it cannot be used to double the na, ni, nu, ne, no syllables consonants – to double these, Hiragana usually spells long vowels with the addition of a second vowel kana, for example, おかあさん. In informal writing, small versions of the five vowel kana are used to represent trailing off sounds. Standard and voiced iteration marks are written in hiragana as ゝ and ゞ respectively, the following table shows the complete hiragana together with the Hepburn romanization and IPA transcription in the gojūon order. Hiragana with dakuten or handakuten follow the gojūon kana without them, obsolete and normally unused kana are shown in gray
Hiragana
–
Hiragana characters' shapes were derived from the Chinese
cursive script (sōsho). Shown here is a sample of the cursive script by Chinese
Tang Dynasty calligrapher
Sun Guoting, from the late 7th century.
17.
Shinjitai
–
Shinjitai are the forms of kanji used in Japan since the promulgation of the Tōyō Kanji List in 1946. Some of the new forms found in shinjitai are also found in simplified Chinese, shinjitai were created by reducing the number of strokes in kyūjitai, unsimplified kanji equivalent to Traditional Chinese characters, also called seiji. There have been a few stages of simplifications made since the 1950s, the following forms were established as a result of the postwar character reforms. However, they were not completely created anew, as many were based on widely used handwritten abbreviations from the prewar era, due to the complexity of kanji, many abbreviations were used in handwriting, whose status rose to become official characters in the postwar reforms. Attention was paid to the balance of the characters in their new form. In almost all cases, characters in the new standard have fewer strokes than old forms, though in a few cases they have the same number, the most radical simplification was 廳→庁, removing 20 strokes. For example, the character 擧 was simplified as 挙, but the character 欅 which also contained 擧, simplified forms of hyōgaiji do exist, and are referred to as extended shinjitai. However, they are unofficial, a position reiterated in the National Language Council’s 2000 report on Characters Not Listed in the Jōyō Kanji Table, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper is thorough in its simplification of hyōgaiji, and its in-house simplifications are called Asahi characters. For example, 痙攣 is simplified following the model of 經→経 and this is also said to have been done because in the age of typewriter-based printing, more complicated kanji could not be clearly printed. Cursive script and semi-cursive script forms of kanji were adopted as shinjitai, examples include, 圖→図 觀→観 示 →礻 晝→昼 The aforementioned 门 handwritten simplification also originated from semi-cursive, but is not generally accepted in official Japanese writing. Characters in which there were two or more variants were standardized under one form, the character 島 also had the variant forms 嶋 and 嶌, but the 島 form became standard. The 辶 radical was once printed with two dots but was written one, so the written form with one dot became standard. The upper 丷 portion of the characters 半, 尊, and 平 was once printed as 八 and written 丷, Characters of the keisei monji group each contain a semantic part and a phonetic part. The choice was made to swap the phonetic parts with homophones which had fewer strokes, for example, 圍 was changed to 囲, because 韋 and 井 were homophones. Other simplifications of this method include 竊→窃, 廳→庁, 擔→担, there are also colloquial handwritten simplifications based on this model, in which various non-kanji symbols are used as onpu, for example 魔, 慶, 藤, and 機. In some cases, a character was replaced with a simpler character which neither had graphical resemblance, nor was homophonic. Examples include 登 → 正 and 登 → 丁, some kanji were simplified by removing entire components. Firstly, only a group of characters was simplified, with many characters outside this group retaining their earlier form
Shinjitai
–
Chinese characters
18.
Romanization of Japanese
–
The romanization of Japanese is the application of the Latin script to write the Japanese language. This method of writing is referred to in English as rōmaji. There are several different romanization systems, the three main ones are Hepburn romanization, Kunrei-shiki romanization, and Nihon-shiki romanization. Variants of the Hepburn system are the most widely used, Japanese is normally written in a combination of logographic characters borrowed from Chinese and syllabic scripts which also ultimately derive from Chinese characters. It is also used to transliterate Japanese terms in text written in English on topics related to Japan, such as linguistics, literature, history, and culture. Rōmaji is the most common way to input Japanese into word processors and computers, all Japanese who have attended elementary school since World War II have been taught to read and write romanized Japanese. The word rōmaji literally means Roman letters, and in Japan it is often used to refer to the Latin alphabet itself than to any specific form of romanized Japanese. The earliest Japanese romanization system was based on the Portuguese orthography and it was developed around 1548 by a Japanese Catholic named Yajiro. Jesuit priests used the system in a series of printed Catholic books so that missionaries could preach and teach their converts without learning to read Japanese orthography. The most useful of these books for the study of early modern Japanese pronunciation and early attempts at romanization was the Nippo jisho, in general, the early Portuguese system was similar to Nihon-shiki in its treatment of vowels. The latter continued to be printed and read after the suppression of Christianity in Japan, the Hepburn system included representation of some sounds that have since changed. The Nihon-shiki romanization was an outgrowth of that movement, several Japanese texts were published entirely in rōmaji during this period, but it failed to catch on. Today, the use of Nihon-shiki for writing Japanese is advocated by the Oomoto sect, during the Allied occupation of Japan, the government of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers made it official policy to romanize Japanese. However, that failed and a more moderate attempt at Japanese script reform followed. Hepburn romanization generally follows English phonology with Romance vowels and it is an intuitive method of showing Anglophones the pronunciation of a word in Japanese. It was standardized in the USA as American National Standard System for the Romanization of Japanese, Hepburn is the most common romanization system in use today, especially in the English-speaking world. The Revised Hepburn system of romanization uses a macron to indicate long vowels. For example, the name じゅんいちろう, is written with the kana characters ju-n-i-chi-ro-u, without the apostrophe, it would not be possible to distinguish this correct reading from the incorrect ju-ni-chi-ro-u
Romanization of Japanese
–
An old
JNR -style sign at
Toyooka Station, using Hepburn romanization for "
Gembudō " (Ge n budō in Kunrei-shiki), but Kunrei-shiki for "
Kokuhu " (Koku f u in Hepburn romanization)
19.
Chinese martial arts
–
Chinese martial arts, often named under the umbrella terms kung fu and wushu, are the several hundred fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are classified according to common traits, identified as families. Examples of such traits include Shaolinquan physical exercises involving Five Animals mimicry, or training methods inspired by Chinese philosophies, religions, styles that focus on qi manipulation are called internal, while others that concentrate on improving muscle and cardiovascular fitness are called external. Geographical association, as in northern and southern, is another popular classification method, Kung fu and wushu are loanwords from Cantonese and Mandarin respectively that, in English, are used to refer to Chinese martial arts. However, the Chinese terms kung fu and wushu have distinct meanings, the Chinese equivalent of the term Chinese martial arts would be Zhongguo wushu. In Chinese, the kung fu refers to any skill that is acquired through learning or practice. It is a word composed of the words 功 meaning work, achievement, or merit. It is formed from the two words 武術, 武, meaning martial or military and 術 or 术, which translates into art, discipline, Quan fa is another Chinese term for Chinese martial arts. It means fist method or the law of the fist, although as a term it usually translates as boxing or fighting technique. The name of the Japanese martial art Kempō is represented by the same hanzi characters, the genesis of Chinese martial arts has been attributed to the need for self-defense, hunting techniques and military training in ancient China. Hand-to-hand combat and weapons practice were important in training ancient Chinese soldiers, since the 1950s, the Peoples Republic of China has organized Chinese martial arts as an exhibition and full-contact sport under the heading of Wushu. In 495 AD, Shaolin temple was built in the Song mountain, the first monk who preached Buddhism there was the Indian monk named Buddhabhadra, simply called Batuo by the Chinese. There are historical records that Batuos first Chinese disciples, Huiguang and Sengchou, for example, Sengchous skill with the tin staff is even documented in the Chinese Buddhist canon. After Buddhabadra, another Indian Central Asian monk, Bodhidharma, simply called Damo by the Chinese and his Chinese disciple, Huike, was also a highly trained martial arts expert. There are implications that these first three Chinese Shaolin monks, Huiguang, Sengchou, and Huike, may have military men before entering the monastic life. According to legend, Chinese martial arts originated during the semi-mythical Xia Dynasty more than 4,000 years ago and it is said the Yellow Emperor introduced the earliest fighting systems to China. The Yellow Emperor is described as a general who, before becoming China’s leader, wrote lengthy treatises on medicine, astrology. One of his opponents was Chi You who was credited as the creator of jiao di
Chinese martial arts
–
Depiction of fighting monks demonstrating their skills to visiting dignitaries (early 19th-century mural in the
Shaolin Monastery).
Chinese martial arts
–
The
Yang style of
taijiquan being practiced on
the Bund in
Shanghai
Chinese martial arts
–
Modern forms are used in the sport of
wushu, as seen in this staff routine
20.
Styles of Chinese martial arts
–
There are hundreds of different styles of Chinese martial arts, each with their own sets of techniques and ideas. The concept of martial arts styles appeared from around the Ming dynasty, before the Ming period, martial skills were differentiated only by their lineage. There are common themes among these styles which allow them to be grouped according to generalized families, sects, class, there are styles that mimic movements from animals and others that gather inspiration from various Chinese philosophies or mythologies. Some styles put most of their focus into the belief of the harnessing of qi energy, the rich variety of styles has led to the creation of numerous classification schemes. Geographical location such as regional affiliation is one well-known example, a particular Chinese martial arts style can be referred to as either a northern fist or a southern fist depending on its point of origin. Additional details such as province or city can further identify the particular style, other classification schemes include the concept of external and internal. This criterion concerns the training focus of a particular style, religious affiliation of the group that found the style can also be used as a classification. The three great religions of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism have associated martial arts styles, there are also many other criteria used to group Chinese martial arts, for example, imitative-styles and legendary styles, historical styles and family styles. Another more recent approach is to describe a style according to their combat focus, the traditional dividing line between the northern and southern Chinese martial arts is the Yangtze River. A well-known adage concerning Chinese martial arts is the term Southern fists and this saying emphasizes the difference between the two groups of Chinese martial arts. However, such differences are not absolute and there are many Northern styles that excel in hand techniques and conversely, a style can also be more clearly classified according to regional landmarks, province, city and even to a specific village. The group of Northern martial arts includes many styles such as Baguazhang, Bajiquan, Chāquán, Chuojiao, Eagle Claw, Northern Praying Mantis. Chángquán is often identified as the representative Northern style and forms a division in modern Wushu curriculum. Northern styles exhibit a different flavor from the martial arts practiced in the South. In general, the characteristics of northern styles put more focus on legwork, kicking. The influence of Northern styles can be found in traditional Korean martial arts, Southern Chinese martial arts feature low stable stances and short powerful movements that combine both attack and defense. In practice, Nanquan focus more on the use of the arm, there are various explanations for those characteristics. The influence of Southern styles can be found in Goju Ryu, the term Southern styles typically applies to the five family styles of Southern China, Choy Gar, Hung Ga, Lau Gar, Li Family and Mok Gar
Styles of Chinese martial arts
–
The Chinese martial arts
Taijiquan being practiced on
the Bund in
Shanghai.
Styles of Chinese martial arts
–
Manchu banner soldier, a caste of professional martial artists active in Chinese society as recently as a hundred years ago
Styles of Chinese martial arts
–
Taijiquan, the best-known internal style of Chinese martial arts, being practiced at the
Fragrant Hills Park,
Beijing
21.
Waijia
–
There are hundreds of different styles of Chinese martial arts, each with their own sets of techniques and ideas. The concept of martial arts styles appeared from around the Ming dynasty, before the Ming period, martial skills were differentiated only by their lineage. There are common themes among these styles which allow them to be grouped according to generalized families, sects, class, there are styles that mimic movements from animals and others that gather inspiration from various Chinese philosophies or mythologies. Some styles put most of their focus into the belief of the harnessing of qi energy, the rich variety of styles has led to the creation of numerous classification schemes. Geographical location such as regional affiliation is one well-known example, a particular Chinese martial arts style can be referred to as either a northern fist or a southern fist depending on its point of origin. Additional details such as province or city can further identify the particular style, other classification schemes include the concept of external and internal. This criterion concerns the training focus of a particular style, religious affiliation of the group that found the style can also be used as a classification. The three great religions of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism have associated martial arts styles, there are also many other criteria used to group Chinese martial arts, for example, imitative-styles and legendary styles, historical styles and family styles. Another more recent approach is to describe a style according to their combat focus, the traditional dividing line between the northern and southern Chinese martial arts is the Yangtze River. A well-known adage concerning Chinese martial arts is the term Southern fists and this saying emphasizes the difference between the two groups of Chinese martial arts. However, such differences are not absolute and there are many Northern styles that excel in hand techniques and conversely, a style can also be more clearly classified according to regional landmarks, province, city and even to a specific village. The group of Northern martial arts includes many styles such as Baguazhang, Bajiquan, Chāquán, Chuojiao, Eagle Claw, Northern Praying Mantis. Chángquán is often identified as the representative Northern style and forms a division in modern Wushu curriculum. Northern styles exhibit a different flavor from the martial arts practiced in the South. In general, the characteristics of northern styles put more focus on legwork, kicking. The influence of Northern styles can be found in traditional Korean martial arts, Southern Chinese martial arts feature low stable stances and short powerful movements that combine both attack and defense. In practice, Nanquan focus more on the use of the arm, there are various explanations for those characteristics. The influence of Southern styles can be found in Goju Ryu, the term Southern styles typically applies to the five family styles of Southern China, Choy Gar, Hung Ga, Lau Gar, Li Family and Mok Gar
Waijia
–
The Chinese martial arts
Taijiquan being practiced on
the Bund in
Shanghai.
Waijia
–
Manchu banner soldier, a caste of professional martial artists active in Chinese society as recently as a hundred years ago
Waijia
–
Taijiquan, the best-known internal style of Chinese martial arts, being practiced at the
Fragrant Hills Park,
Beijing
22.
Qi
–
In traditional Chinese culture, qì or chi is an active principle forming part of any living thing. Qi literally translates as breath, air, or gas, and figuratively as material energy, life force, Qi is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts. Some elements of the concept of qi can be found in the energy when used in the context of various esoteric forms of spirituality. Notions in the West of energeia, élan vital, or vitalism are purported to be similar, despite widespread belief in the reality of qi, it is a non-scientific, unverifiable concept. The logograph 氣 is read with two Chinese pronunciations, the usual qì 氣 air, vital energy and the rare archaic xì 氣 to present food, pronunciations of 氣 in Sino-Xenic borrowings include, Japanese language ki, Korean language gi, and Vietnamese language khi. Reconstructions of the Middle Chinese pronunciation of 氣, standardized to IPA transcription, include, /kʰe̯iH/, /kʰĭəiH/, /kʰiəiH/, /kʰɨjH/, reconstructions of the Old Chinese pronunciation of 氣, standardized to IPA transcription, include, /*kʰɯds/, and /*C. qʰəp-s/. In addition, qì 炁 is an uncommon character especially used in writing Daoist talismans, historically, the word qì was generally written as 气 until the Han dynasty, when it was replaced by the 氣 graph clarified with mǐ 米 rice indicating steam. These oracle, bronze, and seal scripts graphs for qì 气 air, breath, etc. were anciently used as a loan character to write qǐ 乞 plead for, beg, ask. The regular script character qì 氣 is unusual because qì 气 is both the air radical and the phonetic, with mǐ 米 rice semantically indicating steam, vapor. This qì 气 air/gas radical, which was used in a few native Chinese characters like yīnyūn 氤氲 thick mist/smoke, was used to create new scientific characters for gaseous chemical elements. Some examples are based on pronunciations in European languages, fú 氟 fluorine and nǎi 氖 neon, others are based on semantics, qīng 氫 hydrogen and lǜ 氯 chlorine. Qi was an early Chinese loanword in English, romanized as, ki in Church Romanization in the century, chi in Wade–Giles in the mid-19th century. An early form of the idea comes from the writings of the Chinese philosopher Mencius, historically, the Huangdi Neijing/The Yellow Emperors Classic of Medicine is credited with first establishing the pathways through which qi circulates in the human body. The ancient Chinese described it as life force and they believed qi permeated everything and linked their surroundings together. They likened it to the flow of energy around and through the body, forming a cohesive, by understanding its rhythm and flow they believed they could guide exercises and treatments to provide stability and longevity. Although the concept of qi has been important within many Chinese philosophies, until China came into contact with Western scientific and philosophical ideas, they had not categorized all things in terms of matter and energy. Qi and li were fundamental categories similar to matter and energy, yuán qì is a notion of innate or pre-natal qi to distinguish it from acquired qi that a person may develop over the course of their lifetime. The earliest texts that speak of qi give some indications of how the concept developed, the philosopher Mo Di used the word qi to refer to noxious vapors that would in due time arise from a corpse were it not buried at a sufficient depth
Qi
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Qi (Ch'i)
Qi
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Main topics
23.
Yin and yang
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Many tangible dualities are thought of as physical manifestations of the duality symbolized by yin and yang. Duality is found in many systems, but Yin and Yang are parts of a Oneness that is also equated with the Tao. A term has been coined dualistic-monism or dialectical monism, Yin and yang can be thought of as complementary forces that interact to form a dynamic system in which the whole is greater than the assembled parts. Everything has both yin and yang aspects, either of the two major aspects may manifest more strongly in a particular object, depending on the criterion of the observation. The yin yang shows a balance between two opposites with a portion of the element in each section. In Taoist metaphysics, distinctions between good and bad, along with other dichotomous moral judgments, are perceptual, not real, so, the duality of yin and yang is an indivisible whole. In the ethics of Confucianism on the hand, most notably in the philosophy of Dong Zhongshu. The Chinese terms yīn 陰 or 阴 shady side and yáng 陽 or 阳 sunny side are linguistically analyzable in terms of Chinese characters, pronunciations and etymology, meanings, topography, and loanwords. The first phonetic yīn 侌 cloudy ideographically combines jīn 今 now, present and yún 云 cloud, the second phonetic yáng 昜 bright originally pictured 日 the sun with 勿 rays coming down. This phonetic is expanded with the sun radical into yáng 暘 rising sun, the mound, hill radical 阝full forms semantically specify yīn 陰 shady/dark side of a hill and yáng 陽 sunny/light side of a hill. Compare the Classical Chinese names for these two bodies, Tàiyīn 太陰 moon and Tàiyáng 太陽 sun. Reconstructions of Old Chinese have illuminated the etymology of modern Chinese words, Yin and yang are semantically complex words. A reliable Chinese-English dictionary gives the translation equivalents. Many Chinese place names or toponyms contain the word yang sunny side, similarly, yin refers to north side of a hill in Huayin 華陰, which is north of Mount Hua 華山 in Shaanxi province. English yin, yang, and yin-yang are familiar loanwords of Chinese origin, the Oxford English Dictionary defines, yin Also Yin, Yn. a. Also attrib. or as adj. and transf, comb. as yin-yang, the combination or fusion of the two cosmic forces, freq. attrib. Esp. as yin-yang symbol, a divided by an S-shaped line into a dark. Comb. yang-yin = yin-yang s. v. yin b, for the earliest recorded yin and yang usages, the OED cites 1671 for yin and yang,1850 for yin-yang, and 1959 for yang-yin
Yin and yang
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Yin and yang
24.
Kunlun Mountains
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The Kunlun Mountains are one of the longest mountain chains in Asia, extending more than 3,000 kilometres. In the broadest sense, it forms the edge of the Tibetan Plateau south of the Tarim Basin. The exact definition of this range varies, an old source uses Kunlun to mean the mountain belt that runs across the center of China, that is, Kunlun in the narrow sense, Altyn Tagh along with the Qilian and Qin Mountains. A recent source has the Kunlun range forming most of the side of the Tarim Basin. Sima Qian says that Emperor Wu of Han sent men to find the source of the Yellow River, the name seems to have originated as a semi-mythical location in the classical Chinese text Shanhai Jing. From the Pamirs of Tajikistan, it runs east along the border between Xinjiang and Tibet autonomous regions to the Sino-Tibetan ranges in Qinghai province. It stretches along the edge of what is now called the Tarim Basin, the infamous Takla Makan or sand-buried houses desert. A number of important rivers flow from it including the Karakash River and the Yurungkash River, altyn-Tagh or Altun Range is one of the chief northern ranges of the Kunlun. Its eastern extension Qilian Shan is another main northern range of the Kunlun, in the south main extension is the Min Shan. Bayan Har Mountains, a branch of the Kunlun Mountains. The highest mountain of the Kunlun Shan is the Kunlun Goddess in the Keriya area, the Arka Tagh is in the center of the Kunlun Shan, its highest point is Ulugh Muztagh. Some authorities claim that the Kunlun extends northwest-wards as far as Kongur Tagh, but these mountains are physically much more closely linked to the Pamir group. The mountain range formed at the edges of the Cimmerian Plate during its collision, in the Late Triassic, with Siberia. The range has very few roads and in its 3,000 km length is crossed by only two, in the west, Highway 219 traverses the range en route from Yecheng, Xinjiang to Lhatse, Tibet. Further east, Highway 109 crosses between Lhasa and Golmud, over 70 volcanic cones form the Kunlun Volcanic Group. They are not volcanic mountains, but cones, as such, they are not counted among the world volcanic mountain peaks. The group, however, musters the heights of 5,808 metres above sea level, if they were considered volcanic mountains, they would constitute the highest volcano in Asia and China and second highest in the Eastern Hemisphere and one of Volcanic Seven Summits by elevation. The last known eruption in the group was on May 27,1951
Kunlun Mountains
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View of Western Kunlun Shan from the Tibet-Xinjiang highway
Kunlun Mountains
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Karakash River in the Western Kunlun Shan, seen from the
Tibet-Xinjiang highway
Kunlun Mountains
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The Kunlun Pass
25.
Mount Emei
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Mount Emei is a mountain in Sichuan Province, China, and is one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China. Mt. Emei sits at the rim of the Sichuan Basin. The mountains west of it are known as Daxiangling, at 3,099 metres, Mt. Emei is the highest of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China. Administratively, Mt. Emei is located near the city of the same name. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, Mount Emei is one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China, and is traditionally regarded as the bodhimaṇḍa, or place of enlightenment, of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra. Samantabhadra is known in Mandarin as Pǔxián Púsà and this is the location of the first Buddhist temple built in China in the 1st century CE. The site has seventy-six Buddhist monasteries of the Ming and Qing period, the monasteries demonstrate a flexible architectural style that adapts to the landscape. Some, such as the halls of Baoguosi, are built on terraces of varying levels, while others, here the fixed plans of Buddhist monasteries of earlier periods were modified or ignored in order to make full use of the natural scenery. The buildings of Qingyinge are laid out in a plot on the narrow piece of land between the Black Dragon River and the White Dragon River. The site is large and the foot path is 50 km. Cable cars ease the ascent to the two temples at Jinding, a hike from the mountains peak. Great spectacles of Mount Emei include the sunrise and Clouds Sea seen from the Golden Summit of the mountain, the Clouds Sea includes several cloud phenomena, e. g. clouds appearing in the sky above, in addition to the regular clouds beneath. The summit of Mount Emei has a subarctic climate, with long, cold winters. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from −5.7 °C in January to 11.6 °C, and the annual mean is 3.07 °C. Precipitation is common year-round, but due to the influence of the monsoon, rainfall is heavy in summer. Visitors to Mount Emei will likely see dozens of Tibetan macaques who can often be viewed taking food from tourists, local merchants sell nuts for tourists to feed the monkeys. Mount Emei is known for its level of endemism and approximately 200 plant species in various plant families have been described from this mountain
Mount Emei
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Mount Emei
Mount Emei
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Two temples at the Golden Summit
Mount Emei
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Massive statue of
Samantabhadra at the summit of Mount Emei
26.
Mount Hua
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Mount Hua is a mountain located near the city of Huayin in Shaanxi province, about 120 kilometres east of Xian. It is the mountain of the Five Great Mountains of China. Originally classified as having three peaks, in times the mountain is classified as five main peaks, of which the highest is the South Peak at 2,154.9 metres. Mount Hua is situated in Huayin City, which is 120 kilometres from Xian. It is located near the southeast corner of the Ordos Loop section of the Yellow River basin, south of the Wei River valley, at the end of the Qin Mountains. It is part of the Qinling or Qin Mountains, which not only northern and southern Shaanxi. Traditionally, only the giant plateau with its summits to the south of the peak Wuyun Feng was called Taihua Shan and it could only be accessed through the ridge known as Canglong Ling until a second trail was built in the 1980s to go around Canglong Ling. Three peaks were identified with respective summits, the East, South, the East peak consists of four summits. The highest summit is Zhaoyang Feng and its elevation is reported to be 2,096 m and its name is often used as the name for the whole East Peak. To the east of Zhaoyang Feng is Shilou Feng, to the south is Botai Feng, today, Yunű Feng considered its own peak, most central on the mountain. The South peak consists of three summits, the highest summit is Luoyan Feng, with an elevation of 2,154 m. To the east is Songgui Feng, and to the west is Xiaozi Feng, the West peak has only one summit and it is known as Lianhua Feng or Furong Feng, both meaning Lotus Flower Summit. It is the lowest of the five peaks with an elevation of 1,614.9 m, as early as the 2nd century BCE, there was a Daoist temple known as the Shrine of the Western Peak located at its base. Daoists believed that in the lives the god of the underworld. The temple at the foot of the mountain was used for spirit mediums to contact the god. Huashan was also an important place for immortality seekers, as many herbal Chinese medicines are grown, kou Qianzhi, the founder of the Northern Celestial Masters received revelations there, as did Chen Tuan, who spent the last part of his life in hermitage on the west peak. In the 1230s, all the temples on the mountain came under control of the Daoist Quanzhen School, in 1998, the management committee of Huashan agreed to turn over most of the mountains temples to the China Daoist Association. This was done to protect the environment, as the presence of taoists
Mount Hua
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Hua Shan's West peak.
Mount Hua
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View from the North Peak
Mount Hua
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An example of how steep the paths are up Mount Hua
Mount Hua
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The chess pavilion, from the top of the East peak
27.
Shaolin Monastery
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The Shaolin Monastery, also known as the Shaolin Temple, is a Chan Buddhist temple in Dengfeng County, Henan Province, China. Dating back 1,500 years when founded by Fang Lu-Hao, Shaolin Monastery and its Pagoda Forest were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010 as part of the Historic Monuments of Dengfeng. The name refers to the forests of Shaoshi mountain, one of the seven peaks of Song mountains, the first Shaolin Monastery abbot was Batuo, a dhyāna master who came to China from India or from Greco-Buddhist Central Asia in 464 AD to spread Buddhist teachings. Yang Xuanzhi, in the Record of the Buddhist Monasteries of Luoyang, the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing dynasty was a supporter of Shaolin Temple, and he wrote the calligraphic inscriptions that still hang over the Heavenly King Hall and the Buddha Hall today. Traditionally Bodhidharma is credited as founder of the arts at the Shaolin Temple. However, martial arts historians have shown this legend stems from a 17th-century qigong manual known as the Yijin Jing, the authenticity of the Yi Jin Jing has been discredited by some historians including Tang Hao, Xu Zhen and Ryuchi Matsuda. Tiantai, and falsely attributed to Bodhidharma, forged prefaces, attributed to the Tang general Li Jing and the Southern Song general Niu Gao were written. The Shaolin monks have made some fame for themselves through their fighting skill, based on this, Bodhidharma was claimed to be the ancestor of Shaolin martial arts. This manuscript is full of errors, absurdities and fantastic claims, the oldest available copy was published in 1827. The composition of the text itself has been dated to 1624. d and this story first appeared in a popular novel, The Travels of Lao T’san, published as a series in a literary magazine in 1907. As a result, it has enjoyed vast oral circulation and is one of the most “sacred” of the narratives shared within Chinese, other scholars see an earlier connection between Da Mo and the Shaolin Monastery. Scholars generally accept the historicity of Da Mo who arrived in China from his country India around 480, Da Mo and his disciples are said to have lived a spot about a mile from the Shaolin Temple that is now a small nunnery. In the 6th century, around 547, The Record of the Buddhist Monasteries says Da Mo visited the area near Mount Song, in 645 The Continuation of the Biographies of Eminent Monks describes him as being active in the Mount Song region. Around 710 Da Mo is identified specifically with the Shaolin Temple and it also speaks of Huikes many trials in his efforts to receive instruction from Da Mo. In the 11th century a work embellishes Da Mo legends with great detail, a stele inscription at the Shaolin Monastery dated 728 reveals Da Mo residing on Mount Song. Another stele in 798 speaks of Huike seeking instruction from Da Mo, another engraving dated 1209 depicts the barefoot saint holding a shoe according to the ancient legend of Da Mo. A plethora of 13th- and 14th-century steles feature Da Mo in Various roles, one 13th-century image shows him riding a fragile stalk across the Yangtze River. In 1125 a special temple was constructed in his honor at the Shaolin Monastery, the monastery has been destroyed and rebuilt many times
Shaolin Monastery
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Shaolin Monastery
Shaolin Monastery
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A mural painting in the temple (early 19th century)
Shaolin Monastery
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Shaolin Monastery Stele on Mount Song (皇唐嵩岳少林寺碑), erected in 728 AD
28.
Wudang Mountains
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The Wudang Mountains consist of a small mountain range in the northwestern part of Hubei, China, just south of Shiyan. They are home to a complex of Taoist temples and monasteries associated with the god Xuan Wu. The Wudang Mountains are renowned for the practice of Taichi and Taoism as the Taoist counterpart to the Shaolin Monastery, which is affiliated with Chinese Chán Buddhism. On Chinese maps, the name Wudangshan is applied both to the mountain range, and to the small group of peaks located within Wudangshan subdistrict of Danjiangkou. It is the specific area which is known as a Taoist center. Modern maps show the elevation of the highest of the peaks in the Wudang Shan proper as 1612 meters, however, the entire Wudangshan range has somewhat higher elevations elsewhere. Some consider the Wudang Mountains to be a branch of the Daba Mountains range, for centuries, the mountains of Wudang have been known as an important center of Taoism, especially famous for its Taoist versions of martial arts or Taichi. The first site of worship—the Five Dragons Temple—was constructed at the behest of Emperor Taizong of Tang, temples regularly had to be rebuilt, and not all survived, the oldest extant structures are the Golden Hall and the Ancient Bronze Shrine, made in 1307. Other noted structures include Nanyang Palace, the stonewalled Forbidden City at the peak, the monasteries such as the Wudang Garden were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. On January 19,2003, the 600-year-old Yuzhengong Palace at the Wudang Mountains was accidentally burned down by an employee of an arts school. A fire broke out in the hall, reducing the three rooms that covered 200 square meters to ashes, a gold-plated statue of Zhang Sanfeng, which was usually housed in Yuzhengong, was moved to another building just before the fire, and so escaped destruction in the inferno. At the first national martial arts tournament organized by the Central Guoshu Institute in 1928, participants were separated into practitioners of Shaolin, styles considered to belong to the latter group—called Wudangquan—are those with a strong element of Taoist neidan exercises. Typical examples of Wudangquan are Taijiquan, Xingyiquan and Baguazhang, according to legend, Taijiquan was created by the Taoist hermit Zhang Sanfeng, who lived in the Wudang mountains. Wudangquan has been reformed to fit the PRC sport and health promotion program. The third biannual Traditional Wushu Festival was held in Wudang Mountains from October 28 to November 2,2008
Wudang Mountains
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UNESCO World Heritage Site
Wudang Mountains
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The Gate of Yuan Wu at Wudang Mountains
29.
Bodhidharma
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Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th or 6th century. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Chan Buddhism to China, according to Chinese legend, he also began the physical training of the monks of Shaolin Monastery that led to the creation of Shaolin Kung Fu. In Japan, he is known as Daruma, little contemporary biographical information on Bodhidharma is extant, and subsequent accounts became layered with legend. Throughout Buddhist art, Bodhidharma is depicted as an ill-tempered, profusely-bearded, wide-eyed non-Chinese person and he is referred as The Blue-Eyed Barbarian in Chan texts. Aside from the Chinese accounts, several popular traditions also exist regarding Bodhidharmas origins, the accounts also differ on the date of his arrival, with one early account claiming that he arrived during the Liu Song dynasty and later accounts dating his arrival to the Liang dynasty. Bodhidharma was primarily active in the territory of the Northern Wei, modern scholarship dates him to about the early 5th century. Bodhidharmas teachings and practice centered on meditation and the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, the Anthology of the Patriarchal Hall identifies Bodhidharma as the 28th Patriarch of Buddhism in an uninterrupted line that extends all the way back to the Gautama Buddha himself. There are two known extant accounts written by contemporaries of Bodhidharma, according to these sources, Bodhidharma came from the Western regions, and was either a Persian Central Asian or a South Indian the third son of a great Indian king. Later sources draw on these two sources, adding additional details, including a change to being descendent from a Brahmin king, which accords with the reign of the Pallavas, who were Brahmins. Sometimes it was used generally to refer to other regions to the west of China as well. The earliest text mentioning Bodhidharma is The Record of the Buddhist Monasteries of Luoyang which was compiled in 547 by Yáng Xuànzhī, yang gave the following account, At that time there was a monk of the Western Region named Bodhidharma, a Persian Central Asian. He traveled from the borderlands to China. He exclaimed, Truly this is the work of spirits and he said, I am 150 years old, and I have passed through numerous countries. There is virtually no country I have not visited, even the distant Buddha-realms lack this. He chanted homage and placed his palms together in salutation for days on end, the second account was written by Tánlín. He was the son of a great Indian king. Although Tánlín has traditionally been considered a disciple of Bodhidharma, it is likely that he was a student of Huìkě. Tanlins preface has also preserved in Jingjues Lengjie Shizi ji Chronicle of the Laṅkāvatāra Masters
Bodhidharma
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Bodhidharma,
Ukiyo-E print by
Yoshitoshi, 1887.
Bodhidharma
Bodhidharma
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Blue-eyed
Central Asian monk teaching an East Asian monk. A fresco from the
Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, dated to the 9th or 10th century.
Bodhidharma
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A
Dehua ware porcelain statuette of Bodhidharma from the late
Ming dynasty, 17th century
30.
Eight Immortals
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The Eight Immortals are a group of legendary xian in Chinese mythology. Each immortals power can be transferred to a tool that can bestow life or destroy evil. Together, these eight tools are called the Covert Eight Immortals, most of them are said to have been born in the Tang or Song dynasty. They are revered by the Taoists and are also an element in the secular Chinese culture. They are said to live on a group of five islands in the Bohai Sea, the Immortals are, He Xiangu Cao Guojiu Li Tieguai Lan Caihe Lü Dongbin Han Xiangzi Zhang Guolao Zhongli Quan In literature before the 1970s, they were sometimes translated as the Eight Genies. First described in the Yuan Dynasty, they were named after the Eight Immortal Scholars of the Han. While cults dedicated to various Taoist immortals date back to the Han dynasty, the art of the Jin tombs of the 12th and 13th centuries depicts a group of eight Taoist immortals in wall murals and sculptures. They officially became known as the Eight Immortals in the writings, the most famous art depiction of the Eight Immortals from this period is a mural of them in the Eternal Joy Temple at Ruicheng. The 8 Immortals are considered to be signs of prosperity and longevity, so they are popular themes in ancient and they were frequent adornments on celadon vases. They were also common in sculptures owned by the nobility and their most common appearance, however, was in paintings. Many silk paintings, wall murals, and wood block prints remain of the Eight Immortals and they were often depicted either together in one group, or alone to give more homage to that specific immortal. This shows that early on, the Eight Immortals quickly became eminent figures of the Taoist religion and had great importance and we can see this importance is only heightened in the Ming and Qing dynasties. During these dynasties, the Eight Immortals were very frequently associated with other prominent spiritual deities in artwork, there are numerous paintings with them and the Three Stars together. Also, other deities of importance, such as the Queen Mother of the West, are seen in the company of the Eight Immortals. The artwork of the Eight Immortals is not limited to paintings or other visual arts and they are quite prominent in written works too. Authors and playwrights wrote numerous stories and plays on the Eight Immortals, one famous story that has been rewritten many times and turned into several plays is The Yellow-Millet Dream, which is the story of how Lǚ Dòngbīn met Zhongli Quan and began his path to immortality. The Immortals are the subject of artistic creations, such as paintings. There is another work, also made during the Ming, by an anonymous writer and it is about the Immortals on their way to attend the Conference of the Magical Peach when they encounter an ocean
Eight Immortals
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The Eight Immortals
Eight Immortals
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The Eight Immortals crossing the sea, from Myths and Legends of China. Clockwise in the boat starting from the stern: He Xiangu, Han Xiang Zi, Lan Caihe, Li Tieguai, Lü Dongbin, Zhongli Quan, Cao Guojiu and outside the boat is Zhang Guo Lao.
Eight Immortals
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Statue of the Eight Immortals in
Penglai City,
Shandong
Eight Immortals
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Diorama at
Haw Par Villa, Singapore, depicting the battle between the Eight Immortals and the forces of the
Dragon King of the East Sea.
31.
Five Elders
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At various times throughout history, the monastery has been destroyed for political reasons, and rebuilt many times. A number of traditions make reference to a Southern Shaolin Monastery located in Fujian province. Fong Sai-Yuk Shaolin kung fu Tiandihui/Hongmen Chu, Robert, Ritchie, Rene, Wu, complete Wing Chun, The Definitive Guide to Wing Chuns History and Traditions
Five Elders
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History of China
32.
Zhang Sanfeng
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Zhang Sanfeng was a legendary Chinese Taoist purported to have achieved immortality. According to various accounts, he was born in Shaowu, Nanping, Fujian during the Southern Song dynasty and his given name was Tong and his courtesy name was Junbao. He specialised in Confucian and Taoist studies, scholarly and literary arts, during the reign of Emperor Shizu in the Yuan dynasty, he was nominated as a candidate to join the civil service and held office as the Magistrate of Boling County. Zhang Sanfengs life is that of indifference to fame and wealth, after declining to serve the government and giving away his property to his clan, he travelled around China and lived as an ascetic. He spent several years on Mount Hua before settling in the Wudang Mountains, on one occasion, he observed a bird attacking a snake and was greatly inspired by the snakes defensive tactics. It remained still and alert in the face of the birds onslaught until it made a lunge and this incident inspired him to create a set of 72 taijiquan movements. He is also associated with the Taoist monasteries in the Wudang Mountains, huang Zongxis Epitaph for Wang Zhengnan gave Zhang Sanfeng credit for the development of a Taoist internal martial arts style, as opposed to the external style of the Shaolin martial arts tradition. Stanley Hennings article, Ignorance, Legend and Taijiquan, criticised the myth that Zhang Sanfeng created taijiquan, Zhang Sanfeng was also an expert in the White Crane and Snake styles of Chinese martial arts, and in the use of the jian. According to 19th century documents preserved in the archives of the Yang and Wu-styles taijiquan families, Zhang Sanfengs master was Xu Xuanping, a Tang dynasty Taoist poet and daoyin expert. The taijiquan families who honour Zhang Sanfeng as the creator of taijiquan traditionally celebrate his birthday on the day of the third month in the Chinese calendar. Writings attributed to Zhang Sanfeng include the Da Dao Lun, Xuanji Zhi Jiang, Xuan Tan Quanji, Xuan Yao Pian, Wu Gen Shu Ci and it also contained introductory notes on Taoist martial arts and music. Owing to his status, Zhang Sanfengs name appears in Chinese wuxia novels, films and television series as a spiritual teacher and martial arts master. Zhang Sanfengs popularity among the Chinese is also attributed to his personality, the best known depiction of Zhang Sanfeng in fiction is probably in Jin Yongs wuxia novel The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, which is primarily set in the final years of the Yuan dynasty. In the novel, Zhang Sanfeng is a former Shaolin monk who founded the Wudang Sect based in the Wudang Mountains and he has seven apprentices, the Seven Heroes of Wudang, one of whom is the father of the novels protagonist, Zhang Wuji. According to many regional gazettes, Zhang Sanfeng was still alive in the reign of the Tianshun Emperor in the Ming dynasty, notable actors have portrayed Zhang Sanfeng in film and television. Jet Li starred as a young Zhang Sanfeng in the 1993 film Tai Chi Master, sammo Hung appeared as Zhang Sanfeng in Kung Fu Cult Master, a 1993 film loosely adapted from The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber and which starred Jet Li as Zhang Wuji. Yu Chenghui also portrayed Zhang Sanfeng in the 2009 television series adaptation of The Heaven Sword and he is also in many other movies. Wile, Douglas Lost Tai-chi Classics from the late Ching Dynasty State University of New York Press, ISBN 0-7914-2653-X Albert Liu, Nei Jia Quan, Internal Martial Arts, North Atlantic Books,2004 Journal of Asian Martial Arts Volume 16, No
Zhang Sanfeng
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Statue of Zhang Sanfeng at the Wudang Mountains
Zhang Sanfeng
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Main topics
33.
Li Ching-Yuen
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Li Ching-Yuen or Li Ching-Yun was a Chinese herbalist, martial artist and tactical advisor, known for his supposed extreme longevity. He claimed to be born in 1736, while disputed records suggest 1677, both claimed lifespans of 197 and 256 years, far exceeding the longest confirmed lifespan of 122 years and 164 days of the French woman Jeanne Calment. His true date of birth was never determined and his claims have been dismissed by gerontologists as a myth, Li Ching-Yuen was born at an uncertain date in Qijiang Xian, Sichuan, Qing Empire. He spent most of his life in the mountains and was skilled in Qigong. He worked as an herbalist, selling lingzhi, goji berry, wild ginseng, he shou wu and gotu kola along with other Chinese herbs, and lived off a diet of these herbs and rice wine. In 1927, the National Revolutionary Army General Yang Sen invited him to his residence in Wan Xian, Sichuan, the Chinese Warlord Wu Peifu took him into his home in an attempt to discover the secret of living 250 years. He died from Natural causes on 6 May 1933 in Kai Xian, Sichuan, Republic of China and was survived by his 24th wife, Li supposedly produced over 200 descendants during his life span, surviving 23 wives. Though other sources credit him with 180 descendants, over 11 generations, timeline of Li Ching-Yuen’s Life According to General Yang Sen In Qijiang County, Sichuan province, in the year 1677 Li Qingyun was born. By age thirteen he had embarked upon a life of gathering herbs in the mountains with three elders, at age fifty-one, he served as a tactical and topography advisor in the army of General Yu Zhongqi. When seventy-eight he retired from his career after fighting in a battle at Golden River. In 1928, Dean Wu Chung-chien of the Department of Education at Minkuo University discovered the documents showing these birthday wishes to Li Qingyun. Both of these Western publications also reported the death of Li Qingyun in May 1933, in 1908 Li Qingyun and his disciple Yang Hexuan published a book, The Secrets of Li Qingyun’s Immortality. In 1920, General Xiong Yanghe interviewed Li, publishing an article about it in the Nanjing University paper that same year, in 1926, Wu Peifu, invited Li to Beijing. This visit coincides with Li teaching at the Beijing University Meditation Society at the invitation of the meditation master. Then in 1927, General Yang Sen invited Li to Wanxian, word spread throughout China of Li Qingyun, and Yang Sens commander, General Chiang Kaishek, requested Li to visit Nanjing. However, when Yang Sens envoys arrived at Li’s hometown of Chenjiachang, they were told by Li’s wife and disciples that he had died in nature, so, his actual date of death and location has never been verified. In 1928, a New York Times correspondent wrote that many of the old men in Lis neighborhood asserted that their grandfathers knew him when they were boys, and that he at that time was a grown man. However, a correspondent of The New York Times reported that many who have seen him recently declare that his appearance is no different from that of persons two centuries his junior
Li Ching-Yuen
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Li Ching-Yuen at the residence of
National Revolutionary Army General
Yang Sen in
Wan Xian,
Sichuan in 1927
34.
Yue Fei
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Yue Fei, courtesy name Pengju, was a Han Chinese military general who lived during the Southern Song dynasty. His ancestral home was in Xiaoti, Yonghe Village, Tangyin, Xiangzhou and he was granted the posthumous name Wumu by Emperor Xiaozong in 1169, and later granted the posthumous title King of È by Emperor Ningzong in 1211. Widely seen as a patriot and national hero in China. A biography of Yue Fei, the Eguo Jintuo Zubian, was written 60 years after his death by his grandson, Yue Feis biography is found in the 365th chapter of the book and is numbered biography 124. Some later historians including Deng Guangming now doubt the veracity of many of Yue Kes claims about his grandfather. According to the History of Song, Yue Fei was named Fei, meaning to fly, because at the time he was born, a large bird like a swan landed on the roof of his house. Yue Feis second biography, is a novel titled Shuo Yue Quan Zhuan, was written by Qian Cai. A dating symbol in its preface points either to the year 1684 or to 1744 and it was banned during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor. There are two versions of this novel in existence. The original one had 80 chapters, there was an illustrated edition of this version published in 1912. The other version also had 80 chapters and was published during the reign of the Tongzhi Emperor and it is currently sold under the title General Yue Fei. Some people mistakenly take this novel to be historical fact when it is purely fiction, indeed some of the events described there are nothing more than Qian Cais own imagination. The Song Yue E Wang Nianpu was written by Qian Ruwen in 1924, several sources state that Yue was born into a poor tenant farmers family in Tangyin County, Anyang prefecture, Henan province. A few days later, a young child squeezed Yue Feis hand too hard, soon, it began to rain and the Yellow River flooded, wiping out the village. Yue Feis father held onto the clay jar as it was swept down the river, although the much older Biography of Yue Fei also mentions the flood, it states Yue Huo survived. It reads, After, would offer sacrifices at his tomb, Yue Feis father used his familys plot of land for humanitarian efforts, but after it was destroyed in the flood, the young Yue Fei was forced to help his father toil in the fields to survive. Yue received most of his education from his father. In 1122 Yue joined the army, but had to return later that year after the death of his father
Yue Fei
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Yue Fei
Yue Fei
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Front cover of General Yue Fei."
Yue Fei
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Zhou Tong teaching Yue Fei archery.
Yue Fei
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Illustration of Zhou Tong, Yue Fei's teacher
35.
Dong Haichuan
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Dong Haichuan is regarded as a skillful martial artist and is widely credited to be the founder of Baguazhang. Most, if not all, existing schools of Baguazhang place Dong Haichuan at the beginning of their lineage, traditional teachers in China do not regard Dong as the founder, though, but merely as the first identified transmitter of Baguazhang knowledge to the wider public. Prior to Dong, Baguazhang teaching was conducted behind closed doors from one Taoist to another within the Taoist sect and he was born on 13 October 1797 or 1813 in Zhu village, Ju Jia Wu Township, Wenan County, Hebei Province, China. As a child and young man he trained in the martial arts of his village. The arts were probably Shaolin-based and may have included Bafanshan, Hongquan, Xingmenquan and these were the arts being taught in and around Dong’s village at this time. Alternatively, Dong is sometimes said to have learned and practiced Erlangquan, Luohanquan and his family is thought to have been so poor, at some point around 1853, Dong left Hebei Province to seek work elsewhere. By many accounts he is described as spending his youth travelling, penniless, but he, even by his own claims, continued to study martial arts intensely during his travels. Where, by whom, and what he was taught, varies depending on the source, but it is generally accepted that, during this time, Dong studied Taoist training methods that included some kind of circle walking practice. He synthesized his previous experience with his village arts, what he had learned in his travels, Zhuanzhang in later years became called Baguazhang. Around 1864 Dong arrived in Beijing and was hired as a servant at the residence of the Prince Su, later Prince Su gave him the job of tax collector. Dong and his top student Yin Fu went to Mongolia to collect taxes, upon his return he left the princes employ and began to teach publicly, giving up all other occupations to fully devote himself to developing and teaching Baguazhang. The nature of what he taught is generally disputed, some believe that he consistently taught only the first three of eight palms and that he would vary the last five depending on the individuals’ previous martial arts experience. Others believe that he taught considerably more material and it was also in his public teaching period that the art was given the name Baguazhang. Baguazhang became popular in Beijing and surrounding areas, in his later years he was poor and lived with Yin Fus student Ma Gui. Ma owned a lumber yard and Dong lived on the premises and he died on 25 October 1882 in Beijing. By the late 19th century, Baguazhang had become a fighting style in Beijing and northern China. This gave rise to many stories and written pulp novels which were adopted as fact. Dong taught Baguazhang to several highly regarded artists, notably Yin Fu, Ma Gui, Cheng Tinghua
Dong Haichuan
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董海川 Dong Haichuan
36.
Yang Luchan
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He is known as the founder of Yang-style tai chi chuan. Yang Lu-chan’s family was a poor farming/worker class from Hebei Province, Guangping Prefecture, Yang would follow his father in planting the fields and, as a teenager, held temporary jobs. As a child, Yang liked martial arts and studied Changquan, one day Yang reportedly witnessed one of the partners of the pharmacy utilizing a style of martial art that he had never before seen to easily subdue a group of would-be thieves. Because of this, Yang requested to study with the pharmacys owner, Chen referred Yang to the Chen Village to seek out his own teacher—the 14th generation of the Chen Family, Chen Chang-hsing. One night, he was awakened by the sounds of Hen and he got up and traced the sound to an old building. Peeking through the wall, he saw his master Chen, Chang-xing teaching the techniques of grasp, control. He was amazed by the techniques and from time on, unknown to master Chen. He would then return to his room to ponder and study, because of this, his martial ability advanced rapidly. One day, Chen ordered him to spar with the other disciples, to his surprise, none of the other students could defeat him. Chen realized that Yang had great potential and after that taught him the secrets sincerely, in 1850, Yang was hired by the Imperial family to teach Taijiquan to them and several of their élite Manchu Imperial Guards Brigade units in Beijings Forbidden City. Among this group was Yangs best known student, Wu Quanyou. This was the beginning of the spread of Taijiquan from the art of a small village in central China to an international phenomenon. Due to his influence and the number of teachers he trained, including his own descendants, after emerging from Chenjiagou, Yang became famous for never losing a match and never seriously injuring his opponents. Having refined his skill to an extremely high level, Yang Lu-chan came to be known as Yang Wudi. In time, many legends sprang up around Yangs martial prowess and these legends would serve to inform various biographical books and movies. One day, a famous boxing master of high prestige insisted on competing with Yang to see who was the stronger, the boxer suggested that they sit on two chairs and pit their right fists against each other. Yang Luchan had no choice but to agree, shortly after the contest began, Duans boxing master started to sweat all over and his chair creaked as if it were going to fall apart, Yang however looked as composed and serene as ever. Finally rising, Yang gently commented to the onlookers, The Masters skill is indeed superb, the other master was so moved by Yangs modesty that he never failed to praise his exemplary conduct and unmatched martial skill
Yang Luchan
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Yang Luchan 杨露禅
37.
Chan Heung
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Chan Heung was the founder of the Choy Li Fut 蔡李佛 martial arts system. He was born on August 23,1806, in King Mui 京梅, at age seven, his uncle Chan Yuen-Wu 陳遠護 a boxer from the Shaolin temple in Fujian 褔建, China started teaching him Fut Gar 佛家, literally Buddha Family, which specializes in palm techniques. Chan Yuen Woo had received his training from Du Zhang Monk 至善禅师, when Chan Heung 陳享 was fifteen, Chan Yuen-Wu 陳遠護 took him to Li Yau-San 李友山, Chan Yuen-Wus 陳遠護 senior classmate from the Southern Shaolin temple. Li Yau San had trained under Zhi Shan Monk 独杖禅师, Chan Heung 陳享 spent the next four years learning the Li Gar style under Li Yau-Sans 李友山 instruction. Choy Fook 蔡褔 had learned his martial arts from Jue Yuan Monk 觉远上人, Yi Guan Monk 一贯禅师, Li Sou 李 叟, Bai Yu Feng 白玉峰, there is some speculation that Choy Fook also studied under Choy Gau Yee 蔡九儀, the founder of Choy Gar. Choy Fook 蔡褔 lived as a recluse on Lau Fu 羅浮山 mountain, Chan Heung 陳享 set out to Lau Fu mountain to find him. Choy Fook 蔡褔, had been burned and his head had healed with scars. This gave him the nickname Monk with the Wounded Head 爛頭和尙, using that description, Chan Heung 陳享 eventually located the monk and handed him a letter of recommendation from Li Yau-San 李友山. However, Chan Heung 陳享 was disappointed when Choy Fook 蔡褔 turned him down, after much begging Choy Fook 蔡褔 agreed to take the young man as a student, but only to study Buddhism. One morning, when Chan Heung 陳享 was practicing his kung fu, Choy Fook 蔡褔 pointed to a heavy rock, Chan Heung 陳享 exerted all of his strength as his foot crashed against the rock, sending it twelve feet away. Instead of being complimented, Choy Fook 蔡褔 placed his own foot under the heavy rock, Chan Heung 陳享 was awestruck by this demonstration. Again he begged Choy Fook 蔡褔 to teach him his martial arts and this time the monk agreed, and for nine years Choy Fook 蔡褔 taught Chan Heung 陳享 both the way of Buddhism and the way of martial arts. When he was twenty-eight, Chan Heung 陳享 left Choy Fook 蔡褔 and returned to King Mui village in 1834, in 1835 Choy Fook 蔡褔 gave Chan Heung 陳享 advice in the form of a special poem known as a double couplet. 龍虎風雲會, The dragon and tiger met as the wind and the cloud, 徒兒好自爲, My disciple, you must take good care of your future. 重光少林術, To revive the arts of Shaolin, 世代毋相遺, dont let the future generations forget about this teaching. Chan Heung died on August 20,1875, created in 2000 AD Lohan Yoga is a popular yoga style based on the Luohans 18 hands and the teachings of the Bodhidharama and Chan Heung
Chan Heung
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陳享 Chan Heung
38.
Wu Quanyou
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Wu Quanyou, or Wu Chuan-yu, was an influential teacher of tai chi chuan in late Imperial China. His son is credited as the founder of the Wu-style tai chi chuan, Wu was a military officer in the Yellow Banner camp in the Forbidden City, Beijing and also an officer of the Imperial Guards Brigade during the Qing Dynasty. At that time, Yang Luchan was the martial arts instructor in that banner camp, teaching tai chi chuan. In the camp, there were many officers studying with Yang Luchan, however, they were unable to become Yang Luchans disciples, because Yang Luchan taught tai chi chuan to two men of very high status in the military, they were Shi Shaonan and General Yue Guichen. At that time Wan Chun, Ling Shan and Chuan-yu were middle grade officers in the camp and because of their rank, they could not be seen as classmates with nobility. As a result, they were asked to become disciples of Yang Pan-hou or Yang Banhou, Yang Luchan’s oldest adult son, when Wu retired from the military, he set up a school in Beijing. Wus Beijing school was successful and there were many who studied with him and his disciples were his son Wu Chien-chuan, Guo Songting, Wang Mao Zhai, Xia Gongfu, Chang Yuanting, Qi Gechen etc. Wus skills were said to be exceptional in the area of softly neutralising hard energy when attacked, Chang Yuantings son, Chang Yunji teaches a style known as quanyou laojia tai chi chuan or Chang style tai chi chuan. Note, This lineage tree is not comprehensive, but depicts those considered the gate-keepers & most recognised individuals in each generation of Wu-style. Although many styles were passed down to descendants of the same family. Wu Ying-hua Ma Yueh-liang Wu Ta-chi Wu Ta-hsin International Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan Federation at www. wustyle. com Wu family website with a link to a biography of Wu Quanyou
Wu Quanyou
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Depiction of a Manchu Imperial Guards Bannerman wearing similar uniform and gear to that worn by Wu Quanyou as a military officer
39.
Wong Fei-hung
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Wong Fei-hung or Huang Feihong was a Chinese martial artist, physician, and folk hero, who has become the subject of numerous martial arts films and television series. He was considered an expert in the Hung Ga style of Chinese martial arts, as a physician, Wong practised and taught acupuncture and other forms of traditional Chinese medicine in Po Chi Lam, a medical clinic in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province. A museum dedicated to him was built in his birthplace in Foshan City, among Wongs students, the more notable ones include Lam Sai-wing, Leung Foon, Dang Fong, and Ling Wan-kai. Wong is sometimes identified as one of the Ten Tigers of Canton. His father, Wong Kei-ying, was one of the ten, Wong is also sometimes referred to as the Tiger after the Ten Tigers. Wongs original given name was Sek-cheung or Xixiang before it was changed to Fei-hung and his courtesy name was Dat-wan or Dayun. Wong was born in Foshan Town, which is now part of Zumiao Subdistrict in Chancheng District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, during the reign of the Daoguang Emperor in the Qing dynasty. His ancestral home was in Xiluzhou Village, Xiqiao Ridge, Nanhai County, Guangzhou Prefecture, Guangdong Province, at the age of five, Wong started learning Hung Ga from his father, Wong Kei-ying. He often accompanied his father on trips from Foshan to Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province. When he was 13, he encountered Lam Fuk-sing, an apprentice of Iron Bridge Three Leung Kwan, Lam taught him how to use the sling and the essential moves of the martial art Iron Wire Fist. He learnt the Shadowless Kick from Sung Fai-tong later, in 1863, Wong started a martial arts school in Shuijiao in Xiguan, which is now part of Liwan District, Guangzhou City. His students were mainly metal labourers and street vendors, in 1886, Wong opened his familys medical clinic, Po Chi Lam, in Renan, which is now part of Xiaobei Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City. He also followed the Black Flag Army to fight the Imperial Japanese Army during the Japanese invasion of Taiwan in 1895, in 1912, the Republic of China was established following the collapse of the Qing dynasty. As Wong was trained in arts, he was hired by various businesses to be one of such guards. In 1919, when the Chin Woo Athletic Association opened a branch in Guangzhou, Wong was so affected by this incident that he stopped teaching his other sons martial arts. Wong felt so dejected and saddened by the loss of Po Chi Lam that he fell into depression and became ill. He died from illness in Fangbian Hospital, which is now the Guangzhou First Peoples Hospital at Panfu Road in Guangzhous Yuexiu District, and was buried at the foot of Baiyun Mountain. Wongs wife, Mok Kwai-lan, and his sons, along with his students Lam Sai-wing and Dang Sai-king, moved to Hong Kong, after his first wife died of illness in 1871, Wong was widowed for 25 years
Wong Fei-hung
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The man in this photograph was alleged to be Wong Fei-hung, but was later confirmed to be actually Wong's son, Wong Hon-hei.
40.
Li Shuwen
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Li Shuwen was a master practitioner of the Chinese martial art of Bajiquan. He was known as God Spear Li and his prowess was said to be enough that he boasted that he did not have to strike the same opponent twice. He was a martial arts adviser of Fu Chen Sung, notably once fighting him to a draw, lis students eventually became personal bodyguards for Mao Zedong, Chiang Kai-shek, and Henry Pu-Yi. Li Shuwen is depicted as the character Assassin in the video game Fate/Extra, the Japanese manga Kenji depicted Li Shuwen according to numerous accounts from various sources, notably from Li Shuwens last student Liu Yun Chao
Li Shuwen
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Li Shuwen
41.
Huo Yuanjia
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Huo Yuanjia, courtesy name Junqing, was a Chinese martial artist and a co-founder of the Chin Woo Athletic Association, a martial arts school in Shanghai. Due to his status, the legends and myths surrounding events in his life are difficult to discern from facts. Huo was born in Xiaonanhe Village in Jinghai County, Tianjin, the familys main source of income was from agriculture, but Huo Endi also made a living by escorting merchant caravans to Manchuria and back. Although he was from a family of traditional practitioners, Huo was born weak. He had asthma and, at an age, he contracted jaundice. It is theorised that he may have had a form of congenital jaundice known as Gilberts syndrome. Due to his frame, his father discouraged him from learning wushu. Huo Endi hired Chen Seng-ho, a tutor from Japan, to teach his son academics, in return, Chen was taught the Huo familys style of martial arts, mizongyi. Huo still desired to learn wushu, against his fathers wishes, so he observed his father teaching his students martial arts in the day, in 1890, a martial artist from Henan visited the Huo family and fought with Huos elder brother, who lost. To the surprise of his family, Huo fought with his brothers opponent, as Huo proved that he was physically able to practise wushu, his father accepted him as a student. As he became older, Huo went on to challenge martial artists from neighbouring areas, Huo joined his father at work as a caravan guard. One day, while escorting a group of monks, Huo was confronted by a group of bandits, Huo fought the bandit chief and defeated him. News of his feat spread and added on to his growing fame, in 1896, Huo went to Tianjin and made a living there by working as a porter in the Huaiqing pharmacy and by selling firewood. In 1902, Huo responded to a challenge advertised by a Russian wrestler in Xiyuan Park, the wrestler openly called the Chinese sick men of Asia because no one accepted his challenge to a fight. The Russian forfeited when Huo accepted his challenge and told Huo that he was putting on a performance to make a living. Between 1909 and 1910, Huo travelled to Shanghai twice to accept a challenge posed by an Irish boxer. The two of them had arguments over the rules governing such boxing matches and eventually agreed that whoever knocked down his opponent would be the victor, Huos victory was a great inspiration to the Chinese people and had them questioning the basis of imperialistic dominance. However, there is a lot of controversy whether the fight ever took place
Huo Yuanjia
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Huo Yuanjia
42.
Wang Zi-Ping
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Wang Zi-Ping was a Chinese-Muslim practitioner of Chinese Martial Arts and traditional medicine from Changzhou, Cangxian county, Mengcun, Hebei Province. He served as the leader of the Shaolin Kung Fu division of the Martial Arts Institute in 1928 and was also the chairman of the Chinese Wushu Association. Wang was known for his mastery of Chaquan, Huaquan, Pao Chuan, Bajiquan and he was a master of Wushu. Soldiers and officers in the Qing army were taught by the Muslim martial arts instructor Wang Zi-Ping before he fought in the Boxer rebellion and this was believed to be resulting from the fact that Ziping had lived most of his life with China under imperialist pressure from major European powers. Wang won fights against Russian, American, German, and Japanese martial artists, Wang defeated a German officers challenge in a weight lifting contest at Jiaoji. When the Germans wanted to take the antique doors of the Qinzhou mosque for themselves, when Wang triumphed over their challenge, the Germans left. Wang defeated a Russian who was rampaging around a park located in Beijing after he boasted that he was the strongest fighter in the world in 1919. During a fight, Wang threw Japanese colonial military policemen down the stairs, liu Jin Sheng, who authored Chin Na Methods along with Zhao Jiang, was a student of Wang. He developed a regime for long life. He published works on martial arts exercises, at the sixth National Games Wang served as a judge for martial arts and wrestling. When Zhou Enlai visited Burma, Wang, then 80 years old and he died when he was 93 years old. Wang developed Quan Shr Er Shr Fa as well as Ching Long Jian and he was succeeded by his daughter Wang Ju-Rong and his granddaughters Grace Wu, Wu Xiaoping and Helen Wu
Wang Zi-Ping
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王子平 Wang Zi-Ping
43.
Chen Fake
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Chen Fake or Chen Fa-ke was a Chinese martial artist who taught Chen-style tai chi chuan. He was born and raised in Chen Family Village in Henan province, in 1928, Chen Fake moved to Beijing to teach his family’s inheritance, Chen-style tai chi chuan. After defeating all challengers, Chen attracted a group of students included many already well known martial artists. Chen Fake was a martial artist and not a scholar and so he did not leave a record of his achievements. His life story was recorded and told by his sons or students, by the time of his death in 1957, Chen had established a martial arts tradition of Chen-style tai chi chuan that is practiced worldwide. Chen Fake, courtesy name Fusheng, was born in 1887, in the known as Chen Jia Gou, Wen County. This area was known for their martial arts expertise since the establishment of the village in 1374, Chen’s great grandfather was Chen Changxing, who taught Yang Luchan, the founder of Yang-style tai chi chuan. Chen Fake’s father, Chen Yanxi, was an escort by profession. This occupation required him to maintain a reputation in martial arts as he traveled around the country protecting his convoys, Chen Fake was born when his father was in his sixties and both of his older brothers had died. As a result, he lived a relatively pampered life, when Chen was young, he was often sick and sometimes bedridden. Due to his illness, he did not practice his family’s martial art and this all changed when his father went to Shandong province to teach martial arts to the family of Yuan Shikai around 1900 when Chen Fake was fourteen. Since this position required Chen Yanxi to be away for an extended period, one evening, Chen Fake heard his relatives criticizing his weakness suggesting that he failed to live up to the expectations of his ancestors. He wanted to prove his relatives wrong but feared it was too late and he was very poor in terms of martial arts ability, when he compared himself to others within Chen village. This question hounded him until he realized that if he dedicated himself to the practice of his family’s art he could improve his skills. For the next three years, while others rested or relaxed after their chores, Chen would practice the various forms in Chen’s family tai chi chuan. If he had any questions, he would ask every one around him for help and his single minded focus made him one of the best practitioner’s in Chen village. His father was pleased with Fake’s achievements when he returned for a visit, for two generations, the Yang family of Yang Lu-chan and the Wu family of Wu Quanyou spread the fame of the martial art of tai chi chuan throughout the Qing Empire. The Qing government ended by a revolution and similar disruption were happening throughout Chinese society and it was during these turbulent times that Chen Zhaopei went to Beijing to teach Chens style Tai Chi Chuan in 1928
Chen Fake
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An older Chen Fake plays the "xin jia" form he introduced to the world
44.
Yip Man
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Ip Man, also known as Yip Man, was a Chinese martial artist, and a master teacher of Wing Chun. He had several students who later became martial arts masters in their own right and his most famous student was Bruce Lee. Ip was born to Yip Oi-dor and Wu Shui and he grew up in a wealthy family in Foshan, Guangdong, and received a traditional Chinese education. His elder brother was Yip Kai-gak, his sister was Yip Wan-mei. Ip started learning Wing Chun from Chan Wah-shun when he was 7, Chan was 64 at the time, and Ip became Chans last student. Due to his teachers age, Ip learned most of his skills and techniques from Chans second eldest disciple, Chan lived three years after Ips training started and one of his dying wishes was to have Wu continue teaching Ip. At the age of 16, Ip moved to Hong Kong with help from his relative Leung Fut-ting, one year later, he attended school at St. Stephens College—a secondary school for wealthy families and foreigners living in Hong Kong. During Ips time at St. Stephens he saw a police officer beating a woman. The officer attempted to attack Ip, but Ip struck him down, Ips classmate later told an older man who lived in his apartment block. The man met with Ip and asked what martial art Ip practised, the man told Ip that his forms were not too great. The man challenged Ips Wing Chun in chi sao, Ip saw this as an opportunity to prove that his abilities were good, but was defeated by the man after a few strikes. Ips opponent revealed himself to be Leung Bik, Chan Wah-shuns senior, after that encounter, Ip continued learning from Leung Bik. Ip returned to Foshan when he was 24 and became a policeman and he taught Wing Chun to several of his subordinates, friends and relatives, but did not officially run a martial arts school. Some of his better known students were Chow Kwong-yue, Kwok Fu, Lun Kah, Chan Chi-sun, Xu He-Wei. Among them, Chow Kwong-yue was said to be the best, Kwok Fu and Lun Kah went on to teach students of their own and they passed down the art of Wing Chun in the Foshan and Guangdong region. Chan Chi-sun and Lui Ying went to Hong Kong later but neither of them accepted any students, Ip went to live with Kwok Fu during the Second Sino-Japanese War and only returned to Foshan after the war, where he continued his career as a police officer. Ip left Foshan for Hong Kong at the end of 1949 after the Chinese Communist Party won the Chinese Civil War because he was an officer of the Kuomintang, initially, Ip Mans teaching business was poor because Ips students typically stayed for only a couple of months. He moved his school twice, first to Castle Peak Road in Sham Shui Po, by then, some of his students had attained proficiency in Wing Chun and were able to start their own schools
Yip Man
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Ip Man
Yip Man
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Yip Man's gravestone
45.
Bruce Lee
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Lee Jun-fan, known professionally as Bruce Lee, was a Hong Kong and American martial artist, actor, philosopher, filmmaker, and founder of the martial art Jeet Kune Do. Lee was the son of Cantonese opera star Lee Hoi-chuen and he is widely considered by commentators, critics, media, and other martial artists to be one of the most influential martial artists of all time, and a pop culture icon of the 20th century. He is often credited with helping to change the way Asians were presented in American films, Lee was born in Chinatown, San Francisco on November 27,1940 to parents from Hong Kong and was raised in Kowloon, Hong Kong with his family until his late teens. He was introduced to the industry by his father and appeared in several films as a child actor. Lee moved to the United States at the age of 18 to receive his education, at the University of Washington, at Seattle. The direction and tone of his films changed and influenced martial arts and martial arts films in the US, Hong Kong, Lee became an iconic figure known throughout the world, particularly among the Chinese, as he portrayed Chinese nationalism in his films. He trained in the art of Wing Chun and later combined his other influences from various sources, in the spirit of his martial arts philosophy. Lee held dual nationality of Hong Kong and the US and he died in Kowloon Tong on July 20,1973 at the age of 32. Bruce Lee was born on November 27,1940, at the Chinese Hospital, according to the Chinese zodiac, Lee was born in both the hour and the year of the Dragon, which according to tradition is a strong and fortuitous omen. Bruces father, Lee Hoi-chuen, was Han Chinese, and his mother, Grace Ho, was of half-Chinese and half-Caucasian descent. Grace Ho was the daughter of Ho Kom-tong and the half-niece of Sir Robert Ho-tung. Bruce was the child of five children, Phoebe Lee, Agnes Lee, Peter Lee. Lee and his parents returned to Hong Kong when he was three months old, Lees Cantonese birth name was Lee Jun-fan. The name homophonically means return again, and was given to Lee by his mother, because of his mothers superstitious nature, she had originally named him Sai-fon, which is a feminine name meaning small phoenix. The English name Bruce is thought to have given by the hospital attending physician. Lee had three other Chinese names, Li Yuanxin, a name, Li Yuanjian, which he used as a student name while he was attending La Salle College. Lees given name Jun-fan was originally written in Chinese as 震藩, however, hence, the Chinese character for Jun in Lees name was changed to the homonym 振 instead, to avoid naming taboo in Chinese tradition. Lee Hoi-chuen had been touring the United States for many years, although many of his peers decided to stay in the US, Lee Hoi-chuen returned to Hong Kong after Bruces birth
Bruce Lee
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Lee in 1967
Bruce Lee
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Bruce Lee as a baby.
Bruce Lee
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Bruce Lee and his family, when he was a child.
46.
Bolo Yeung
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Yang Sze, better known as Bolo Yeung, is a former competitive bodybuilder, Martial Artist and a martial arts film actor. Bolo began his martial arts training at the age of 10 in Guangzhou, growing up, he took an interest in bodybuilding, and later became Mr. Hong Kong bodybuilding champion. He held the title for ten years, because of his impressively muscular physique, he was chosen for several bad guy roles in films produced by Shaw Brothers Studios, such as The Heroic Ones, The Deadly Duo, Angry Guest and others. He left Shaw Brothers in 1971, Bolo met Bruce Lee while the two were filming a Winston cigarettes commercial. A friendship emerged and Bruce invited him to star in Enter the Dragon, where he became known as Bolo, the two became close friends during the filming of Enter the Dragon, where Bruce and Bolo worked very closely on technique training. Bolo once stated in an interview, many years after Lees death, There will never be another Bruce Lee, during the 1970s and 80s, Bolo starred in numerous kung fu films, but his breakout film was Bloodsport, based on the allegedly true story of Frank Dux. Shot on a $US1.5 million budget, it became a US box-office hit in the spring of 1988, jean-Claude Van Damme had the leading role as Frank Dux, while Bolo Yeung played the role of Chong Li. A strong friendship formed between the two actors on the set of Bloodsport, and Van Damme wanted no one but Bolo to play him in his film set in the Orient. Canadian action film actor, director and producer Jalal Merhi met Bolo in Hong Kong while shooting his first film Fearless Tiger, Jalal was impressed with his personality and ability, and decided to create a part specifically for Bolo. Later Merhi worked with Yeung on more films such as Tiger Claws, TC2000, in 2007, Bolo made a rare appearance as a protagonist in Blizhniy Boy, The Ultimate Fighter. Jalal Merhi directed the first 60 minutes of the film that was shot in Toronto, producer Erken Ialgashev directed the remainder of the film. Due to legal issues, the film remains unreleased
Bolo Yeung
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Bolo Yeung - Budo Gala 2010
47.
Sammo Hung
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Sammo Hung, also known as Hung Kam-bo, is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema. He has been a choreographer for, amongst others, Jackie Chan, King Hu. Hung is one of the figures who spearheaded the Hong Kong New Wave movement of the 1980s, helped reinvent the martial arts genre. It is common for Asians to address their elders or influential people with familial nouns as a sign of familiarity, Jackie Chan, for example, is often addressed as Da Goh, meaning Big Brother. Hung was also known as Dai Goh, until the filming of Project A, which featured both actors. As Hung was the eldest of the kung fu brothers, Hungs ancestral hometown is Ningbo, Zhejiang. Born in Hong Kong, both of his parents worked as artists in the local film industry and guardianship was thrust upon his grandparents. His grandmother was archetypal martial art actress Chin Tsi-ang and his grandfather was film director Hung Chung-Ho, Hung joined the China Drama Academy, a Peking Opera School in Hong Kong, in 1961. He was enrolled for a period of seven years, beginning at the age of 9, the opera school was run by Master Yu Jim Yuen and as was customary for all students, Hung adopted the given name of his sifu as his family name whilst attending. Going by the name Yuen Lung, Hung became the foremost member of the Seven Little Fortunes performing group, Yuen Lo would go on to become international superstar Jackie Chan. At the age of 14, Hung was selected by a teacher who had connections to the Hong Kong film industry to perform stunts on a movie and this brief foray into the industry piqued his interest in film and he took particular interest in the operation of film cameras. As the eldest of the troupe, Hung would give his opera school brothers pocket money from his earnings, shortly before leaving the Academy at the age of 16, Hung suffered an injury that left him bedridden for an extended period, during which time his weight ballooned. After finding work in the industry as a stuntman, he was given a nickname after a well-known Chinese cartoon character. Many years later, in 1988, Hung starred in Alex Laws Painted Faces, among the exercises featured in the film are numerous acrobatic backflips, and hours of handstands performed against a wall. Hung appeared as an actor in several films for Cathay Asia. His film debut was in the 1961 film Education of Love, the majority of Hungs performance was alongside another actor portraying Zhou Tong, Yues elderly military arts tutor. In 1966, at the age of just 14, Hung began working for Shaw Brothers Studio, assisting the action director Han Yingjie, on King Hus film Come Drink with Me. Between 1966 and 1974, Hung worked on over 30 wuxia films for Shaw Brothers, progressing through the roles of extra, stuntman, stunt co-ordinator and ultimately, in 1970, Hung began working for Raymond Chow and the Golden Harvest film company
Sammo Hung
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Sammo Hung at the
2005 Toronto International Film Festival.
Sammo Hung
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Hung's star, hand prints and autograph on the Avenue of Stars
48.
Jackie Chan
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Chan Kong-sang, SBS, MBE, PMW, known professionally as Jackie Chan, is a Hong Kong martial artist, actor, film director, producer, stuntman, and singer. In his movies, he is known for his fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts. He has trained in Kung Fu and Hapkido and he has been acting since the 1960s and has appeared in over 150 films. Chan has received stars on the Hong Kong Avenue of Stars, and he has been referenced in various pop songs, cartoons, and video games. He is a trained vocalist and is also a Cantopop and Mandopop star, having released a number of albums. He is also a notable philanthropist, in 2015, Forbes magazine estimated his net worth to be $350 million. Chan was born on 7 April 1954, in British Hong Kong, as Chan Kong-sang, to Charles and Lee-Lee Chan and his mother or parents nicknamed him Pao-pao Chinese, 炮炮 because the energetic child was always rolling around. His parents worked for the French ambassador in Hong Kong, Chan attended the Nah-Hwa Primary School on Hong Kong Island, where he failed his first year, after which his parents withdrew him from the school. In 1960, his father emigrated to Canberra, Australia, to work as the cook for the American embassy, and Chan was sent to the China Drama Academy. Chan trained rigorously for the decade, excelling in martial arts. He eventually became part of the Seven Little Fortunes, a group made up of the schools best students. Chan became close friends with group members Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. After entering the industry, Chan along with Sammo Hung got the opportunity to train in hapkido under the grand master Jin Pal Kim. Jackie Chan also trained in other styles of arts such as Karate, Judo, Taekwondo. He began his career by appearing in roles at the age of five as a child actor. At age eight, he appeared with some of his fellow Little Fortunes in the film Big, Chan appeared with Li again the following year, in The Love Eterne and had a small role in King Hus 1966 film Come Drink with Me. In 1971, after an appearance as an extra in another kung fu film, A Touch of Zen, at seventeen, he worked as a stuntman in the Bruce Lee films Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon under the stage name Chan Yuen Lung. He received his first starring role later that year in Little Tiger of Canton that had a release in Hong Kong in 1973
Jackie Chan
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Chan at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008
Jackie Chan
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Jackie Chan began his film career as a
stuntman in the
Bruce Lee films
Fist of Fury (1972) and
Enter the Dragon (1973, pictured).
Jackie Chan
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Jet Li and Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
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Jackie Chan on the set of Chinese Zodiac (May 2, 2012)
49.
Jet Li
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Li Lianjie, better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a Chinese film actor, film producer, martial artist, and retired Wushu champion who was born in Beijing. He is a naturalized Singaporean citizen, after three years of training with Wu Bin, Li won his first national championship for the Beijing Wushu Team. After retiring from Wushu at age 19, he went on to win great acclaim in China as an actor making his debut with the film Shaolin Temple. Lis first role in a film was as a villain in Lethal Weapon 4. He has gone on to star in action films, including in French cinema with Luc Besson Kiss of the Dragon. Li was born in Beijing, China, as the youngest of two boys and two girls and his father died when he was two years old, leaving the family struggling. Li was eight when his talent for Wushu was noticed at a course at school. Li participated in the sport of wushu in the non-sparring event and he began his wushu on the Beijing Wushu Team, an athletic group organised to perform martial arts forms during the All China Games. He was coached by renowned wushu coaches Li Junfeng and Wu Bin, Wu Bin even bought food for Lis family because they could not afford to buy meat, which was essential for the good physical condition of an athlete. My winning first place caused quite a sensation, because I was so young, I was 12 years old, and the other two medallists were in their mid- to late twenties. During the awards ceremony, as I stood on the top step of the podium, I was still shorter than the 2nd and it must have been quite a sight. According to Li, once, as a child, when the Chinese National Wushu Team went to perform for President Richard Nixon in the United States, Li replied, I dont want to protect any individual. When I grow up, I want to defend my one billion Chinese countrymen, Li is a master of several styles of wushu, especially Chángquán and Fānziquán. He has also studied other arts including Baguazhang, Taijiquan, Xingyiquan and he did not learn Nanquan, because his training focused only in the Northern Shaolin Styles. He has also studied some of main weapons, such as Sanjiegun, Gùn, Dao, Jian. It is Jet Lis authentic martial arts prowess that enabled his rise to domestic, the fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce. They likened his career to an aircraft, which likewise takes-off as quickly, so they placed the name Jet Li on the movie posters
Jet Li
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Li at the World Economic Forum in 2009
Jet Li
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Jet Li's hand print and autograph at the
Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong.
Jet Li
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Jet Li (right) with
Jackie Chan in Hong Kong.
Jet Li
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Jet Li (right) with Mark Zuckerberg
50.
Donnie Yen
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Donnie Yen, also known as Yen Ji-dan, is a Chinese actor, martial artist, film director, producer, action choreographer, and multiple-time world wushu tournament champion. Yen is credited by many for contributing to the popularisation of the martial arts style known as Wing Chun. He played Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man in the 2008 film Ip Man and this has led to an increase in the number of people taking up Wing Chun, leading to hundreds of new Wing Chun schools being opened up in mainland China and other parts of Asia. Ip Chun, the eldest son of Ip Man, even mentioned that he is grateful to Yen for making his family art popular, Yen is widely credited for bringing mixed martial arts into the mainstream of Chinese culture by choreographing MMA in many of his recent films. Seen as one of the most popular stars in Asia of the early 2000s. Yen earned HK$220 million from four films and six advertisements in 2013, Yen was born in Guangzhou, China. Yens mother, Bow-sim Mark, is a Fu Style Wudangquan and Tai Chi grandmaster, when he was two years old, his family moved to Hong Kong and then to Boston when he was 11. His younger sister, Chris Yen, is also a martial artist and actress, at a young age, under the influence of his mother, Yen developed an interest in martial arts and began experimenting with various styles, including tai chi and other traditional Chinese martial arts. Yen then started karate when he was nine, Yen focused on practising wushu seriously at the age of fourteen after dropping out of school. His parents were concerned that he was spending too much time in Bostons Combat Zone, when Yen decided to return to the United States, he made a side-trip to Hong Kong, where he met action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping. Yen finally started taekwondo at around the age of sixteen, Yen also came from a family of musicians. His mother is a soprano, in addition to being a martial arts teacher in Boston, from a young age, he was taught by his parents to play musical instruments, including the piano. He also knows hip-hop dancing and breakdancing, Yens first step into the film industry was in 1984 when he landed his first starring role in the 1984 film Drunken Tai Chi. After filming Drunken Tai Chi and Tiger Cage, Yen made his role as General Nap-lan in Once Upon a Time in China II. Yen had a role in the film Iron Monkey in 1993. Yen and Li appeared together again in the 2002 film, Hero, where Yen played a fighter who fought with Lis character. The film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2003 Academy Awards. In 1995, Yen starred as Chen Zhen in the television series Fist of Fury produced by ATV, Yen reprised his role as Chen Zhen in the 2010 film Legend of the Fist, The Return of Chen Zhen
Donnie Yen
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Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen
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Donnie Yen in
Seoul in 2005
.jpg)
. PMID 21369525. doi:10.1258/shorts.2010.010091.
