Introduction At the end of the last class at the “Central Martial Arts Academy” (the location where I am conducing my current research on lightsaber combat and the “hyper-real martial arts”) we all gathered for an impromptu class photo. Digital technology makes this a quick and easy process, especially compared to […]
via Through a Lens Darkly (42): Chinese Martial Arts in the University, 1928 — Kung Fu Tea
It’s the time of year when people think about how to be better, fitter, and smarter; so I thought I’d drop a list of books that I found helpful and thought-provoking. If you’re interested in learning more about any of these books, the hyperlinks take you to my review in GoodReads, and from GoodReads you can get […]
via 5 Books to Improve Mind-Body Performance — Stories & Movement
Introduction Certain events stand out in any historical treatment of the Chinese martial arts. The Boxer Uprising, the rapid popularization of Taijiquan and creation of the Jingwu Association in Shanghai all come to mind. Yet any discussion of events in the 1930s is dominated by the Nationalist (KMT) backed Guoshu (or “National […]
via Research Notes: Visiting the National Martial Arts Examination in Nanking, 1933 — Kung Fu Tea
Introduction Paul Bowman, Kyle Barrowman and I have all been hard at work over the last couple of weeks putting the finishing touches on Issue 3 of the interdisciplinary journal, Martial Arts Studies. With seven research articles and a number of book reviews there is sure to be something of interest for all of […]
I finally took the time to watch the whole documentary. There is SO much that connects to our martial arts training! This is one that I think should be watched and studied. Part of our responsibility as a martial arts school is to help prepare you (The Hero) to go out into your Journey!
The group at VingTsun Combat Science Auckland working the drills.
via VingTsun Combat Science Auckland – Training Clips — Wing Chun United
Bernard the Kung Fu Elf, training for a spot on the elite North Pole Alpine Search and Rescue team. (Source: late 1940s Swedish Postcard, Authors personal collection.)
Its That Time of Year Again!
Welcome to Kung Fu Tea’s fifth annual holiday shopping list! These are always some of my favorite posts to pull together. They also serve as a great reminder to continue to make time for martial arts practice and study during the festive seasons. In fact, training can be a great way to deal with the various sorts of stress that the holidays unintentionally bring. And Christmas is a great excuse to stock up on that gear that you have been needing all year.
This year’s shopping list is split into four categories: books, weapons (some sharp), training equipment, and items of cultural interest. I have tried to select items at a variety of price points for each…
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***Happy Thanksgiving! This is a day when we commemorate the initial act of European immigration to North America. From that point onward the flow of people and ideas across our borders has never really stopped. As such, it is impossible to appreciate the global spread of the traditional Asian martial arts without studying […]
Jingwu (Chinwoo) Association Hall in Foshan.
First, the Important Stuff
Is it possible to approach history without theory? I think not. It is the existence of some sort of preexisting story or framework of understanding that we carry around in our heads which tells us that some given source is relevant data in the first place. Nor are these sorts of “common sense” frameworks usually unbiased. I have always had a preference for making any project’s basic assumptions known. Then again, my basic training is in the social sciences rather than history, so there may also be disciplinary issues at play.
Theory has two related functions in the production of history. It is most obvious to the reader when it is used to interpret past events, or to make causal inferences. On a more fundamental level, theories also direct our empirical research. As they spin out new concepts…
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