The goal of Kung Fu is to overcome oneself Kung Fu Introduction
Although Kung Fu is seen as a sport, practicing Martial Arts for competitive purposes contradicts its philosophical traditions.
The aim of Kung Fu is not to fight someone but to overcome oneself. Competing with yourself is realized through meditation and long hours of practice. The most important skills to develop in Kung Fu are the fundamental aspects of the body and mind development.
Kung Fu Styles
How well do you know Chinese Kung Fu?
There are many styles of Kung Fu. Traditionally these styles classify into internal Kung Fu and external Kung Fu. The major internal Kung Fu styles include Taiji Quan, Ba Guazhang, and Xingyi Quan. External Kung Fu styles include Shaolin Quan, Wing Chun Quan, Sanda, and its derived styles. There are more internal aspects in Shaolin Quan than in all the three famous internal styles put together! Meditation to develop the mind, gentle movements to move the energy flow, and Zhang Zhuang (standing like a tree) to create internal force, which are crucial training methods in all these three internal schools of Kung Fu, is also found in Shaolin Quan. On the other hand, some internal Shaolin arts like “One finger Buddha” and “tiger claw” are not found in the internal Kung Fu.
Shaolin Quan is considered an external Kung Fu because most students usually exhibit only the external aspects of the Shaolin arts, such as demonstrating routines and breaking bricks with the Shaolin Iron palm. Shaolin Quan is so extensive that its internal elements are taught after the students become familiar with its external forms. Not many people have the patience or the opportunity to progress to the internal level of Shaolin Quan, where the training of mind and energy is emphasized.
Meihua Quan, as Shaolin Quan, contains elements of internal and external Kung Fu.
