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Kung Fu
Kung Fu
Kung Fu to many seems like to terrible stereotypical rendition of what the West thinks of the far East. But in reality, Kung Fu and martial arts really does represent the Far East in so many ways. It is more than just fighting; it's a philosophy, spiritualism, and yes...a lot of kick butt fighting. It's in so many Chinese movies and even in their soap operas.
Some Kung Fu movies are just about the fighting and are entertaining for just that aspect. Other movies have wonderful and complex Asian plots with fighting as just the vehicle for the storyline.
Definition
Kung Fu is often used in English to describe just about any type of Chinese Martial Arts, but is generally used incorrectly. In Chinese, kung fu can also be used in contexts completely unrelated to martial arts, and refers colloquially to any individual accomplishment or skill cultivated through long and hard work.
Wushu is a more precise term for general martial activities. Wǔshù literally means "martial art". It is formed from the two words 武術: 武 (wǔ), meaning "martial" or "military" and 術 (shù), which translates into "discipline", "skill" or "method." The term wushu has also become the name for the modern sport of wushu, an exhibition and full-contact sport of bare-handed and weapons forms (套路, pinyin: tàolù), adapted and judged to a set of aesthetic criteria for points developed since 1949 in the People's Republic of China.
Chinese Martial Arts Types
There are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" (家, jiā), "sects" (派, pài) or "schools" (門, mén) of martial arts. Examples of such traits include physical exercises involving animal mimicry, or training methods inspired by Chinese philosophies, religions and legends. Styles which focus on qi manipulation are labeled as internal (内家拳, nèijiāquán), while others concentrate on improving muscle and cardiovascular fitness and are labeled external (外家拳, wàijiāquán). Geographical association, as in northern (北拳, běiquán) and southern (南拳, nánquán), is another popular method of categorization.
Wiki List_of_Chinese_martial_arts
Traditional Styles
Martial Arts systems that are not influenced by other cultures or have a lineage that predates the 1940's.
Drunken Monkey (醉猴)
Chow Gar (周家)- Chow Style Southern Praying Mantis
Modern Hybrids
Martial Arts systems that are influenced by other cultures or have a lineage that started after the 1940's.
I Liq Chuan (意力拳) - Mind-Body Art
Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do (振藩截拳道) - Bruce Lee's Way of the Intercepting Fist
Jing Quan Do (精拳道) - a modern synthetic style
Kenpo - Japanese description of various Chinese arts
Liu Seong Kuntao (also Liu Seong Gung Fu, Liu Seong Chuan Fa) - A Chinese art with Indonesian influence, practiced primarily in the United States
Kuntao (拳道 or 拳頭) - Way of the Fist, a Hokkien term referring to Chinese martial arts practiced in Southeast Asia and in Indonesia in particular
Sanshou (散手) or Sanda (散打) - Free Fighting
Movies
commonsensemedia.org martial-arts-movies-for-kids
Notable Kid Movies
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Kung Fu Panda (2008) | 6 | PG | |
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Kung Fu Panda 2 | 6 | PG | |
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Secrets of the Furious Five | 6 | NR | |
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Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior (2006) | 8 | NR | |
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Shaolin Soccer (2004) | 8 | PG | |
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The Karate Kid (2010) (2010) | 9 | PG | |
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The Last Airbender | 9 | PG | For fans of the TV series |
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Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon | 12 | PG-13 | Good Movie |
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The Forbidden Kingdom | 12 | PG-13 | Monkey King Jet Li |
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Jet Li's Fearless | 12 | PG-13 | Excellent Movie |
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The Karate Kid (2005) | 12 | PG | |
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Hero | 13 | PG-13 | |
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Seven Samurai | 13 | NR | 1956 |
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Bulletproof Monk | 13 | PG-13 | |
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House of Flying Daggers | 13 | PG-13 | |
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Rush Hour | 13 | PG-13 | Silly Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan |
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Rush Hour 2 | 13 | PG-13 | |
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Rush Hour 3 | 13 | PG-13 | |
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Enter the Dragon | 14 | R | Classic Bruce Lee Movie |
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The Legend of Drunken Master | 14 | R | Jackie Chan |
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Red Cliff | 15 | R | |
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Kung Fu Hustle | 16 | R | Spoof on Kung Fu movies |
Notable Big List
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