A Summary of Chinese Martial Arts

What was fascinating was while learning about the Chinese Martial Arts, there were two major forms known as Wushu & Kung-fu.  These martial arts began only as self defense and training for Chinese Soldiers during the reign of the Yellow Emperor.  During the Shang dynasty, Confucius suggested to Duke Ding to practice both the literary and martial artforms, thus allowing non-military individuals the chance to learn the form for health reasons as well.  

From these martial art forms, came influences with weapons such as the swords and spears.  As time went on, many different groups of Chinese developed their own styles and forms based on their location and leadership.  Even the Shaolin Monasteries became training grounds for martial arts, not just for defense but for healthy exercise.  Of the many common Chinese martial art forms of today include:   Bagua, Drunken Boxing, Eagle Claw, Five Animals, Hsing I, Hung Gar, Lau Gar, Monkey, Tiger, Bak Mei Pai, Praying Mantis, Fujian White Crane, Wing Chun, and Tai Chi Chuan.  Many of these martial art forms have cross over seas and merged with different fighting styles all over the world.  During the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period (770 B.C. - 221 A.D.), a woman competed in a sword competition by the name of Yuh Niuy.  After the competition to understand how she used a sword, she shared philosophies which have been passed down through writings such as:

"When fencing, though highly alert,

  The appearance is as calm as a fair lady's

  But when in action, a vicious Tiger emerges."

These teachings on style and form influenced philosophy where many forms became a lifestyle of internal and external training.  It was only when both mental and physical aspects of the training showed the most effective results.  I personally would love to study a form.  The hardest part is picking just one to start off with. We'll see when I get back home to the States.

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References:

Shouyu, Liang.  "An Introduction to Chinese Martial Arts".  Located at www.nardis.com/~twchan/liang.html

Pictures provided by:

Wikipedia.  Chinese Martial Arts.  Located at http://enwikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_martial_arts

Chinese Acrobats

Acrobats are highly regarded in China, and take many years of practice to master the art. Children begin intense training as young as four, and begin training with a troupe around age eight. For roughly two years, children practice the fundamentals, like flexibility, strength, and balancing. Following these two years, children will practice particular routines for four or five years, until they are ready to perform around age sixteen.
Along with their physical strength and ability, acrobats practice Chi Kung. This Asian philosophy focuses on inner strength and aims to get the mind and body to work in harmony.
Over the past few decades, the Chinese have formed over 120 troupes with more than 12,000 acrobats. These acrobats have traveled to over one hundred countries to entertain and strengthen international bonds. Some traditional Chinese acrobatic routines include; "Lion Dance, Cycling Feats, Tight-wire feats, Traditional Style Conjuring, Hoop Diving, and Wushu."

Rural Life in Jinshan

Finding information on rural life in the Jinshan District was difficult, however, I will be able to enrich my blog after we visit the countryside in a few days.
The Jinshan District (or 金山区), is one of the largest of Shanghi's 19 districts. It is located in the southwest part of the city. There are over 550,000 people living in 586 sq. kilometers. The Jinshan District has beautiful beaches, and is deeply rooted in cultural traditions.
Some of these traditions include black ceramic arts and crafts, and peasant paintings. Although I could not find much information on the Jinshan District in general, I did find a few resources discussing the well known traditional peasant paintings. These paintings were popularized in the late 70's when peasants discovered beautiful paintings created by the farmers. Their art was put on display at the Shanghi Art Museum and the art quickly became famous, and called the "Jinshan Farmer's Paintings."
The Jinshan District has undergone some developement in recent years. Leaders followed an approach described as, “recognizing the situation, facing up to the difficulties, solving problems, seizing opportunities and making progress.” There has always been, and remains considerable agricultural activity, however, industrial progress has been made and an infrastructure is being built. One major company taking advantage of this progress is Shanghi's Petrochemical Company, which is headquartered in the district.

Cloisonné

Having been ordered to return with copious amounts of Cloisonné goodies for both Mother’s Day and all around souvenir gifts, urged me to dig into what it actually was. Since we are going to be visiting the Cloisonné factory, I thought others might want to know what goes into these delicate designs.

This idea of inlaying colorful materials onto a metal base actually began in Egypt in 1800 B.C. by soldering wire to create cavities. It continued on through the centuries; the Greeks used powdered glass to color their works.

Cloisonne as a Chinese art form originated in Beijing during the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368). The bright blue color, a favorite in the Orient, was created during the reign emperor of the ‘Jingtai’ period of the Ming dynasty. This blue came to be known as ‘Jingtai Blue’ or 'The Blue of Jingtai.' The process evolved over the centuries creating a wider range of colors, more intricate designs, and a furthering of what was made as cloisonné.

The process of making cloisonné consists of adhering a pattern of metal wire to a metal (usually bronze but can also be brass) surface, whether that be a vase, bead, snuff box, or jewelry. There are two methods of bonding the wire design to the metal base. Either gluing the design of wire to the product and then firing the piece to bond the metal together (the glue is evaporated in the firing process) or soldering the form to the base (this seems to be more common). The wire design results in cellular spaces, called cloisons (French for “partitions” or “compartments”), these cloisons are then filled with an enamel paste made from crushed glass or other pigments. The enamel is dried then fired in an oven to melt it to the metal. Since the enamel may shrink from firing, this process may be repeated as needed to achieve a desired result. The whole piece is then ground down and polished to desired smoothness. The metal of the cloisons is then covered with gold by electroplating.

The end product was so desirable that the Japanese soon adopted it and China has become the standard by which cloisonné is judged worldwide. Anyway, I found the whole thing interesting especially since all the women of my family have been making requests for it. I feel like a cloisonné mule, providing bootlegged art for the masses.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine includes treatments, theories and diagnosis such as acupuncture, herbal medicine and massage. It is largely based on the philosophical concept that the body is a small universe with a perfect set of interconnected systems that maintain healthy function. While this medical practice is often considered alternative medicine, many of the benefits are undeniable.  

The philosophy behind TCM is similar to that of the Taoist philosophy, which emphasizes the importance of a strong relationship between the environment and human beings. Yin-yang, the Five Phases, Zang Fu organ  theory, and the human body Channel system are also a few of the sources that make Traditional Chinese Medicine what it is.

I am so glad we will be learning more about Traditional Chinese Medicine in China. I have seen acupuncture clinics and the like in the United States but it will be interesting to learn about the practice straight from the horse's mouth. I wonder how Chinese Medicine in the U.S. and Chinese Medicine in China differs?  I bet I will find out when visiting the Chinese medicine museum on the 7th day of the field study! See you there!!!!

  

Vegetarianism in China?

It is almost time to go to China!  All the excitement has been building for so long and it is amazing that the trip is just about here.  A few of my friends are worried for my safety and whatnot, but I have no doubts about that. The only thing on my mind is food.

I live off of a Vegetarian diet here in the states, so I have spent some time thinking about what obstacles I will face during the upcoming trip. My friend Lily went on last year's journey and ended up living off of white rice and watermelon. While these are both completely delicious, I am not sure if eating only that for 12 days straight is beneficial. 

After some research I discovered that meat is often times a status symbol in China.  Buying and eating meat remains an indicator of material success. Vegetarianism is not highly common, but it has been around since the 7th Century and is often practiced by devout Buddhists. This fairly rare diet has begun to see a resurgence in the cities, and while there are certain places to get meat-free food, I am not sure if we will be visiting them.  

I looked up the phrase "I eat Vegetarian," which is Wo Chur Su and stocked up on granola bars. I have read other posts about Vegetarians going to China and their experiences.

The good thing is I am going to keep an open mind and whole-heartedly enjoy this experience with a new culture.  If someone makes me veggies soaked in chicken fat, then I will eat it up and see what happens to my body, instead of denying it and offending them. I realize I have no worries, just an amazing expedition ahead of me.  I am willing to face any food challenges ahead...plus white rice is one of my favorite staples and Gandhi survived his 21 day fast!

Buddhism and the Lama Temple

Ok, let's not deny it. Most likely, when we think of Buddhism, we think of a monk sitting in robes and meditating in a garden. This religion started in India, but it spread throughout Asia, including China. The main foci of Chinese Buddhism are those of Pure Land and Zen. Pure Land claims that nirvana cannot be obtained by simply meditation, but rather only pure devotion can grant one the “Pure Land”. Zen focuses on meditation and that, in order to obtain the Buddha-like nature, one must meditate and be mindful of daily experiences. What I would like to know is how the ever-westernizing China has changed its beliefs and followings of the Buddhist religion?

One of the largest and most important of the Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the world is the Yonghe Temple in Beijing. Another name for this temple is the “Palace of Peace and Harmony Lama Temple”, or the less formal “Lama Temple”. This temple was built in 1694 and was initially an official residence for court eunuchs. In 1722, half of the building was converted into the monastery while the other half remained an imperial palace. The building was opened to the public after the Cultural Revolution in 1981. Within the temple, there are five halls: The Hall of the Heavenly Kings, The Hall of Harmony and Peace, The Hall of Everlasting Protection, The Hall of the Wheel of the Law, and The Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happinesses.

There are many famous statues in the Lama Temple, including the Buddhas of the Three Ages, the Five-Hundred-Arhat-Hill, and the Maitreya Buddha. The Buddhas of the Three Ages are three bronze statues of the Buddha of the Past, Present, and Future stanging in order from right to left in the Hall of Harmony and Peace. A statue of the healing Buddha, Bhaisajya-guru, stands in the Hall of Everlasting Protection. The Five-Hundred-Hrhat-Hill is a carving made of red sandalwood with the statues of those who achieved nirvana made of five different metals (gold, silver, copper, iron, and tin) and is located in the Hall of the Wheel of the Law. The Maitreya Buddha is the Buddha of the future carved out of a single piece of white sandalwood that stands 26 meters tall. Three different artworks in the Lama Temple were in the Guinness Book of Records in 1993.