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“The Professor in the Cage”: Can Gottschall Bring Science to the Study of...
Jonathan Gottschall’s Professor in the Cage. 2015. A Surprise at the Bookstore A remarkable thing happened on the way to the airport. Knowing that I would be spending a disturbingly large amount...
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Chi Sao, Ip Man and the Problem of “Dispersed Training” in Wing Chun
Ip Man practices Chi Sao With Moy Yat. Introduction Rather than delving into a deeply historical discussion, today’s post is intended to be a personal reflection on the role of Chi Sao, or sticky...
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From the Archives: Conceptualizing the Asian Martial Arts: Ancient Origins,...
Youth engaged in militia training outside of Guangzhou in the 1850s. Note the long thin blade being held behind the rattan shield by the kneeling individual. source http://www.swordsantiqueweapons.com....
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Chinese Martial Arts in the News: August 31, 2015: Masculinity, a Tiger...
Residents of Ganxi Dong village demonstrating their martial arts skills. Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk Introduction Welcome to “Chinese Martial Arts in the News.” This is a semi-regular...
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Costly Signals, Credible Threats and the Problem of Reality in the Chinese...
Chinese martial arts display. Northern China, sometime in the 1930s. I particularly like the wide assortment of traditional weapons which can be seen in this photo. Source: Author’s Personal...
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Through a Lens Darkly (32): The Chinese Police and the Romance of the Sword
“Peking Police Force” (of the older Qing variety). Keystone Viewing Company, 1919. Source: Digital Collection of the Library of Congress (Public Domain). Given the popularity of these slides, this was...
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What Does Martial Arts Studies Owe the Kung Fu Community?
“Local Militia Shandong. 1906-1912 by Fr. Michel de Maynard. “No man can do justice to another’s human total.” -Victor Turner, The Forest of Symbols (1967, p. 150). Introduction If culture is...
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On Knowing Your Lineage by Paul Bowman
Statue with Sword and Wine Gourd. Another figure in China’s long tradition of eccentric warrior-sages. Source: Vintage German Postcard. Introduction Our essay for today is a guest-post of sorts,...
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Chinese Martial Arts in the News: September 21, 2015: Culture Festivals, Kung...
Bruce Lee sketching on the set for Game of Death. Photograph: Bruce Lee Estate. Source: The Guardian. Introduction Welcome to “Chinese Martial Arts in the News.” This is a semi-regular feature...
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What is a lineage? Rethinking our (Dangerous) Relationship with History
Introduction Every practicing martial artist knows that the most deadly attack is the one that you did not see coming. A successful ambush is extremely difficult to counter. And this is precisely...
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Through a Lens Darkly (33): Two Views of Chinese Fencing (and a Lesson in...
Chinese Fencing. Shanghai, pre-1911 image. Source: Author’s Personal Collection. Introduction While many of the vintage images introduced in this series have focused on martial themes, characters...
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Revealing the Secrets of Wing Chun Kung Fu: Chao, Weakland and the Cultural...
Plum Flower Maiden Dancing from Pole to Pole. Circa 1880. Source: Wikimedia (though I believe that Stanley Henning was the first person to publish this image in his essay for Green and Svinth.)...
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Prof. Maofu Gong Discusses the State of Folk Wushu and Martial Arts Studies...
Prof. Maofu Gong of Chengdu Sport University. This photo is used by permission of the owner. Introduction Prof. Maofu Gong is an Associate Professor of Sports Culture at Chengdu Sport...
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Chinese Martial Arts in the News: October 12, 2015: Columbus Day Edition!
Shaolin Masterclass. Photo by Jack Latham. Source: FT.com Introduction For readers in the United States, happy Columbus Day! And what better way to enjoy your three day weekend than getting caught...
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Research Notes: Glimpsing the Future of Martial Arts Studies
A press photo issued by the Japan Press Illustrated Service. The caption on the back reads “Instruction of Halbert and Sword.—The halbert has been instructed from old as a peculiar Japanese military...
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Five Chinese Martial Studies Books that We Need to Read
Austrian National Library in Vienna. Source: Wikimedia. photo by Matl, 2006. Introduction As some of you may have noticed, posts here at Kung Fu Tea and on the Facebook group have been coming a...
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Ben Judkins and Jon Nielson talk with Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine about THE...
The Creation of Wing Chun by Judkins and Nielson. Introduction I try to stick to a Monday/Friday posting schedule, but every once in a while something comes up and I have to break from routine. This...
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Through a Lens Darkly (34): The Chinese and Japanese Martial Arts in WWII-era...
Kendo and Judo as part of life in the Japanese Navy. Source: Vintage Postcard. Author’s personal collection. Introduction The martial arts can speak to a number of important questions, but perhaps to...
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Internal Elixir Cultivation: Robert Coons on the Nature of Daoist Meditation
Knowing others is wisdom;Knowing the self is enlightenment.Mastering others requires force;Mastering the self needs strength.He who knows he has enough is rich.Perseverance is a sign of willpower.He...
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Halloween Edition: Leung Kai’s Ghost Story – Remembering a Modern Choy Li Fut...
An abandoned building (formerly a 19th century shoe factory) in Wyoming County, NY. Source: Photo by Benjamin Judkins. Author’s personal collection. ***In honor of Halloween I thought that I would dip...
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