Glossary for Kung Fu
Kung Fu: 4 documented terms. Of those: training method (2), equipment and training aids (1), physical and biomechanical principle (1). Among them Fajin, Chi sao, Muk yan jong.
Terms: Kung Fu
Paired wing chun exercise in which both partners keep their forearms in constant contact and react to each other's pressure. It develops sensitivity and reflexes.
ChinaExplosive release of force by the whole body, typical of internal Chinese styles. A short strike comes from the legs and hips, not just the arm.
Wooden dummy, a training device used mainly in wing chun. It has three arms and one leg and is used to practise blocks, strikes and footwork.
Paired exercise in taijiquan and other internal styles. Practitioners, in hand contact, try to unbalance each other and sensitively neutralize the other's pressure.
Shared martial arts terms — China
Terms shared by most martial arts of this culture: etiquette, titles, clothing and the training hall.
“Field of elixir” in the lower abdomen, in Chinese tradition the store of qi and the body's center of gravity. Japanese tanden.
Division of Chinese martial arts into internal styles (taijiquan, baguazhang, xingyiquan) and external styles, for example Shaolin ones. The boundary is traditional rather than precise.
Chinese concept of life energy, breath and vitality. Ki in Japanese, gi in Korean. In the internal arts, cultivating qi is the main goal of practice.
Throws and takedowns as one of the four skills of Chinese martial arts: kicks, strikes, throws and locks. They developed on their own in shuai jiao wrestling.
Form of address for a teacher in Chinese martial arts. Sifu in Cantonese, shifu in Mandarin. The characters 師父 mean “teacher father”.
Form of address for one's own master's teacher, literally “master grandfather”. It belongs to the family hierarchy of Chinese martial arts schools.
Forms of address for an older (sihing) and younger (sidai) fellow student of the same master. Time of entering the school decides, not age. Similar to Japanese senpai and kohai.
Chinese martial morality, literally “martial virtue”. A set of principles that master and student should observe so as not to misuse martial arts.
Chinese martial arts school and training hall, literally “martial hall”. In Cantonese mo gun, in English often kwoon. Counterpart of the Japanese dojo.