First they destroy it, now they're trying so hard to revive it

I’ve read numerous detailed histories of this problem by experts on the history of various lineages. I believe the combination of government interference and heads of systems changing their own styles for new purposes, along with the mass deaths of many great sifus in the Maoist revolution has been absolutely devastating to traditional CMA in China.

The stories my master told me of his experience was really bad. The red guards nearly broke his neck, and damaged one of his arteries so very little blood went through it. Caused him bad headaches for decades and probably caused to him to eventually die a few years back.

It's goes further back then just Cultural Revolution. Over 22 million Chinese died during the Japanese invasion which started in 1937-1945, many martial practitioners died during that 8 year period. Also during Qing Dynasty there were martial art clans that may have aligned with Ming dynasty remnants that may have been wiped out, as well as the Taiping Rebellion, a civil war that costed millions of lives as well.

Fantastic job covering a complex and highly charged topic.

In Tai Chi Chuan also. That kind of modern Tai Chi (24 form) and the other lineages didn't exist until the Cultural Revolution of Mao, once again the politics seems to make more confusion and mess what was already traditional

Reminds me of my very first master, Master Baek from Korea. He told me that during the Japanese occupation of Korea the Japanese tried to eradicate Korean martial arts so he had to train in secret. Ironically, he was a big fan of Japanese forms, said they were very practical. We even had Japanese students with us when we trained under him also in the early 90s. As for as your question goes, I say that the Chinese government TRIED to eradicate traditional Kung Fu but failed because either the practitioners went into hiding or left the country to teach in the West. My Chinese master in California told me that his master left China for that reason.

I am fortunate and grateful having found a grandmaster in Taiwan, heir of the Monkey Fist door. He states that real Kung Fu includes internal martial arts, being lost in most schools. His master had escaped the revolution in China. Whats really interesting: masters from all over the world are taking lessons from my SiFu, including the abbott of the Shaolin Temple Europe. Thank you for your lovingly put together content!

If we're going to go by semantics, then yes. Kung Fu means a very specialized individual skill honed from years of practice. Which is why there were many different individual styles of Kung Fu back then. But Mao's Chinese communist government was not exactly the wellspring of individual achievements and went more in the direction of mass indoctrination. So the term Kung Fu was replaced by Wushu, a more apt reference for the mass standardized training for their army of working class citizens. And so most of the individual Kung Fu masters of old have all migrated to the west or if they stayed were detained and sent to reeducation camps. Which lends credence to the idea that you were more likely to meet and train under an authentic old school Kung Fu master in the West during the 80s and 90s than in China.

I actually learned more about five ancestors from Google and your channel then I learned at Kam lee Kung Fu academy here in Florida so definitely support you anyway I can cheers keep up good works spreading knowledge

Awesome! keep spreading the truth about Chinese martial arts as well as history traditions and influence from both China and outside countries.. I have utmost respect for your dedication to your videos!..

The truth is that Kung Fu / Wushu / CMA has, is, and will continue to change and evolve, along with the times. Traditional styles such as Shaolin, Taiji, Xing Yi, Bagua, Mantis, Hung Gar, Choy-li-fut, Wing Chun etc. have all undergone significant changes over the last couple hundred years, quite apart from the social and political upheavals that China has undergone in that time. In the end, much of the arguments really stem from the claim to legitimacy of one's lineage, as well as political leaning, and should be taken with a healthy dose of salt. Many great masters are still carrying on their traditional arts both inside and outside China. Their real enemy, however, is the changing public view on their outdated rites and rituals, lengthy periods of apprenticeship, blind loyalty, jealousy, infighting, lack of unity, lack of objective standards of progression, and most importantly, lack of relevance as an economic means of livelihood. Those that can survive are those who can adapt to new realities and continue to be relevant to society. Those who cannot are doomed to be discarded in the dustbin of history.

It seems with almost all KungFu, regardless of whether all the traditional elements are there….. most of the teachers you come across, no matter their place of origin or residence, much of the arts have completely lost proper context. Like, you’ve got a guy showing you a bending scorpion tale kick, or a big windmill “punch” and telling you it’s to defend yourself from a rear attacker. They’re both quite obviously a throw lol. Wing Chun is another great example, much of the lowered hand position and the limited foot shifting is related to weaponry, but you’re told by the teacher it’s guarding the center and shifting your feet to generate more power. Many styles have Luk Dim Boon Gwun.. and have the same foot shifting. But that foot shifting is for the long pole. They have actual live, mobile footwork for the empty hand stuff. Something Wing Chun doesn’t really emphasize much, in comparison. Context. Then there are controversial sayings such as, “Power comes from the soles of the feet.” One guy says it’s referring to Kicking and the other says it means pulling the power up from your root. Most teachers really have no clue how to actually apply what they’re teaching. Even though they may be REALLY GOOD at demonstrating every one of the concepts in a flat footed, controlled demo. In my experience, across various countries, THAT is KungFu’s main problem, and I think the biggest loss for the arts caused by the times of turmoil and the shifting of ideas and purposes. ALL of the best teachers I have met, were all security guards or bouncers or officers at some point. In a club, on a gambling boat, with police / military, whatever form it came in. I think there is a reason for this. If you learned KungFu as a form of exercise for health and strength, it’s totally different purpose for training than whoever the founder is that they’re claiming fought in wars in Fujian in the 1600s. Pretty sure he wasn’t punching Wokou Pirate soldiers with his cannon fist or his one inch punch lol….. Context.

The communists did devastating damage to Chinese culture and history.

Thank goodness. Someone not selling their system or their politics but a true love for something worthwhile which can soon be lost much as western martial atrs and knowledge has.

Martial arts were also banned during the Qing dynasty. That has got to have something to do with it.

Damn, there I was groaning at the thought of yet another martial artist banging on about this - but for once a well-balanced, objective video on the subject. Good one Will, nicely done.

I'm glad you are making this info easily accessible. I practice a... different version of baguazhang (jiulong baguazhang under shigong John Painter and his contemporaries of the "Li Family" arts). It's nice to be able to learn a little more about the struggle to keep these arts alive cuz my teachers, while they teach our style's history, aren't particularly concerned with delving into this kind of history unless it pertains to the lesson or if they feel like it lol.

Thank you Will! I really enjoy these videos and appreciate you keeping politics off your channel.

Very good video lad, keep it up

This a great Channel. Our Sifu got out of China because of the CCP.

Fantastic job here. This is something I had no idea of prior to starting to train Chinese martial arts. And it’s an interesting fact of history. The dispersement of the arts through this immense change. A lot like how WW2 had a tremendous affect on what we know of as Taekwondo as a result of Japanese occupation of Korea. Understanding the reason Choy li fut being found in California more readily than China itself is pretty interesting.

I belong to a TMA school whose Grandmaster was a wudang monk before the cultural revolution from an unbroken lineage. His generation were the last unbroken lines in monk boxing and most of them are now lost, a huge loss of esoteric culture.

Very good info and message, Will!! Thank you!

CCP and Chinese use "Shaolin", "tai chi" to make a lot money. The Main lost is "internal power" from real traditional Chinese ku Fu nowadays. Without it, just like dancing.

Good video, on a topic that has been seldom addressed.

is your channel named from the ball grab move from the leung ting book of the shaolin hall movements!?!

Nice work! I think the years of wars from Qing Dynasty rebellions, Colonial era wars, infighting after the fall of the Qing, the two Sino-Japanese wars / WW2, and the Chinese Civil War, didn't help things either. Lots of very good martial artist died in those wars, using old combat methods, to fight modern weapons and methods. Another item to note is, traditional CMAs were most likely associated with barbarism (especially with historic Leitai fights, etc., being a thing in the past) as the times changed and people moved towards notions of civility and modernity. Guessing this caused a huge change in the attitudes of surviving masters as well, focusing a little bit less on fighting applications, and more on the physical health benefits, personal cultivation, etc., sides of CMA to fit in with the changing times within their various contexts. I love Jin Yong's novels, which were made into movies depicting the silly / tragic (IMHO) reasonings behind why people fought each other in Jianghu society. Though fictional, because he came from a notable family who served in the Ming and Qing governments, I don't think was too far from the truth from silly / tragic things that probably happened in actual history. To that regard, old masters probably sometimes didn't pass on certain skills too readily in feudal times because there's always the potential of your students becoming criminals, depending on their background. They, along with a group of people they train (with weapons, because who ever said Kungfu was an empty hand art?), could potentially overwhelm a small remote village's police force before the advent of guns, cars and fast responding police. If the entire local population found out, you were the teacher of an oppressive criminal organization, you'd probably feel like a jackass in society if you couldn't take care of matters that came from your own house, especially within a Chinese Confucian context.

I am surprised that you even bought this topic up and spoke about such things. But I love your courage Will, you got big balls my friend and I hope that it doesn't cause you any problems. Thanks for all your hard work helping me (us) to understand the history and origns of kung-fu and it's myriad systems. Bye the way my system of Jooklum Southern praying Mantis arrived during world War 2 to America via Sifu Lum Sang, anyways keep up the great work 👏.

A very good and comprehensive explanation. I too have always been under the impression that Chinese martial arts was decimated and diluted due to the cultural revolution and the creation of modern Wushu. I've mostly been told this from my Chinese teachers who left China n the 50's and 60's. Many of the Kung Fu teachers here in the US, in places like New York City and San Francisco came during the late 60 and early 70's escaping Red guard persecution, so their view was colored by their trauma. I'm still not clear on how much has Kung Fu been affected by the communists, how much has survived and how much has been destroyed? In contrast, how much has Kung Fu been preserved in places Hong Kong Taiwan NY and San Francisco? As far as my Sifu and Si Gung feel they have changed little to nothing of what they have passed down from their teachers.

This is gold.

the only thing that I like of modern wushu are the uniforms

Are there any books documenting the Massacre of Masters?

in a sad way I am thankful to the Chinese government. Thanks to them a great Chinese Tai Chi Grandmaster came to the US and actually was teaching a Tai Chi class at Boston University in the early 1980s. I lived just a few blocks from the gym and there was a flying on a telephone poll. That's how things were advertised back then. I had done some Kung Fu but heard about Tai Chi and since it was so close I signed up. I was not even a student at BU, they let anyone join! To my great fortune I found Master John Chung Li who was teaching the class. I was able to study with him outside of the class too as he had a studio in an old warehouse in China Town in Boston. I studied with him for 2 years, it was a great honor and privilege. I could tell a few stories about it but will defer for now. Actually there was one time TT Liang a top student of Chen Man Ching came to the studio and was trying to do 2 person dance with Master Li. It was one of the most funniest things I've ever seen. Master Li was hard style Tai Chi and TT Liang who thought the Yang Style but it was a softer style. I studied with both of them. TT Liang was trying to show Master Li the movements but he kept going into these hard poses. TT was getting a bit frustrated with him. For me it was hysterical to watch, but I kept those thoughts to myself of course. I knew they were 2 great masters, just they had different styles. And they were both old and so a bit set in their ways! But I think I might not have been able to study with either of them had not the Chinese government been purging these great teachers from their society. What a terrible tragedy but actually it forced some to flee and teach in America and other parts of the world.

2:47 I think you might have meant Yi He Tuan and not Yi He Quan

As a student of tai ji chuan, the bullshit has lead in to darkness 😢

Very good presentation on the situation. It is true the Cultural Revolution greatly damaged traditional martial arts in China, but it definitely did not completely eliminate them, and small pockets of practice remained. While China does not currently discourage TMA practice, the government has given much more official support to the "new", contemporary WuShu practice. You can still find good TMA shifu in China if you know how to look for them though.

Do you think cantonese as a language is dying? A language used by many of the older generation kung fu practioners

Fantastic video Will! I hope to see more tea time videos in the future. Do you think you could do a video focusing on your BJJ training? I think there's a huge stigma against the combat sport-martial arts in the traditional martial arts community (and vice-versa). I think it would be beneficial to help us broaden our horizons even more. How you see grappling arts and striking arts intermingling from your perspective of BJJ and Mantis? And if Mantis or any of your traditional practice has aided you with your BJJ? Again, your content is always a treat when I see it pop up in my subscriptions. Keep up the great work!

That last statement is 💯 Totally agree!

Its so true, ask a 18 yr old to hold a horse stance for half a hour the traditional way, not going to happen.

Thank you for this video!

Вопрос поставлен уже с ответом. Можно было за 10 секунд. Смотрю на видео и фото Китая до 1949 года- здоровая нация, уже 100 лет нет ни войн, ни эпидемией, вся страна на подъеме. Сарказм. Демография Китая в английской Вики вообще "замечательная", напоминает тоже самое про Россию: было все хорошо, но пришли коммунисты и все: голод, холод, войны, диктаторы, свободы слова нет, ушу и каратэ запретили, всех мастеров или убили или посадили ни за что. Не удержался дописать про английскую Вики: пишет про Цин, что с 1700 года по 1850 г. увеличилось с 150 млн до 450 млн человек. Но в следующем абзаце: 1810, 1811,1846, 1849 умерло ( предполагается, т е. их никто не считал) до 45 млн человек. Но мы читали выше, что выросло вдвое(!) Далее, опять потери 30 млн до1873, голод 1877-78 гг. НО!!!😁 Самым большим голодом называют " крупнейший 20 века и за всю историю Китая" 1958-61 гг. 😮 Сейчас цифра 42 млн., Почему сразу 100 млн не написали ? В таблице там же при коммунистах население выросло с 1950 по 2020 с 546 млн до 1 411 млн (!). За 70 лет в 3 раза при коммунистах увеличилось население, это столько же сколько за 300 лет при Цинах. Комми пытаются заморить людей, а не получается. При Цин не пытались, а получалось. Как так?

The biggest influencer in traditional Chinese martial art in the last 10 years is MMA/UFC. Every martial art style tries prove itself in the ring, even though UFC is nothing like fighting in the iron age. Another one is Olympics. Attempts to pigeon hole Chinese Martial Art in an Olympic format, after success enjoyed by Judo, Taekwondo, and Karate. In other words, Wushu is a sport, not a martial art. Broadly speaking, western influence on China is huge. Not only in terms of the way people dress, but also changes to the Chinese language, food, architecture, and so much more. Nonetheless China is still less western overall compared to Japan and Korea.

Good informative video, Will.

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing. 🙂🙏🏼☯️

They tried so many time, since the destroy of Shaolin Temple.

In China for sure, Wu-shu is just a kind of dance not a martial art... But outside of the PROC the traditional arts still flourish, in HK, Taiwan and then out to the world

Good video. Tastefully, done. I'm Nathan Chukueke a classmates of Carl Albright. Our teacher was Chiu Leun of 7 Star Mantis in NYC. I also know Jeff Hughes. I was in HK numerous times during the 1980s. You can just Google my name and the word interview. Anyway, I saw firsthand some of the fallout, so the so-called cultural revolution and what some did to survive. It was not a pretty site if one understood what was happening. Keep up the good work. I'm into video production, too, actually, but most non profit production quality archive and research movement stuff. Peace

Yes in a way ....after 1949 , PRC replaced Jingwu Guoshu into Wushu. Wushu today does represent the kungfu should be ...the usage of flexible cold weapons alone already making kungfu too demure. Not to mention over " artistic" liberties in perforning forms becoming too stage like. Worse of ALL, the misrepresentation of weapons based CMA vs Quanfa ( empty hand forms) .... When it comes to Martial arts tradition are always involved weapons... Quanfa meant to strengthen body to aid in self defense and to help training to coordinate body movement in using weapons. But Wushu blurred those lines....

Cultural Massacre, really.

come to vancouver

Did the boxer rebellion kill more kung fu?

No

I agree with your final statements ❤

Wushu = 45% gymnastics / 45% acrobatics & 10% Martial Basics without self defense! Old Kungfu represents {Ti / Kicking -- Da / Punching & striking -- Qin Na / Joint Locking (Kam Na in Cantonese) & Shuai Jiao / Chinese wrestling similar to Kodokan Judo & Goshin Jujutsu. Old style Kungfu also has Iron Sand Palm (Tie Sha Zhang) / Iron body (Jing Zhong Zhao - Golden Bell Cover) as well as Dian Mai / Dim Mak in Cantonese & Dian Xue / Dim Yuet in Cantonese. Of course these were kept secret & passed on only from father to son & sometimes indoor disciples.Even George Xu has talked about the difference in Taijiquan taught to outdoor students vs indoor disciples.

History won't let us go, so it is important to understand its complexities, so we can all get by safely!

The Japanese government regards Japanese Martial Arts a national treasure and supports the arts. This is one reason why I don't Japanese and also Korean Martial Arts seem more organized. I don't think the Chinese government does that. In fact, I heard that Tae Kwon Do was promoted because it had made into a Olympics sport and the CCP wants gold metals. Is it true that TKD is actually more popular in China than Kung Fu?

I was taught that Mao made ALL martial arts illegal in 1949. (Similar to gun control.) Then in 1955 he instituted a national physical fitness plan featuring the Yang 24 form specifically created for this program. your thoughts please. B ill P.

Mao! Study martial arts, he knew how powerful it was 😳over throwned each Dynasty 😬

Waiting for Bak Sil Lum, or , Northern Shaolin history ;)

This some order 66 type shit

Two Documentaries you should see and see if you recognize anyone. 1: Kung Fu quest 2 White Crane Boxing 2: Kung Fu quest Xing Yi Ben Yuan I couldn't believe it when I saw them.

I think in modern culture, saving face is a big culprit too

well said.

Great vid

The Boxer Rebellion is concentrated in North China and supported by the Empress Dowager the failure of that rebellion was due to the fact that in South China they did not support the Boxer rebellion many TCMA masters view those spiritual claim that those boxers are immune to bullets or swords are BS they do not want to have anything to do with it plus, in the South resistance against the Qing was strong and many southern Qing commanders refused to obey the Empress edict or orders to rise up and attack all foreign legation and military forces. In 1910 with the fall of the Qing the Republic of China was form in South China. TCMA back then are the backbone of governing dynasties looking after their respective district, villages or regions they act as militia and as local authority settling disputes, protecting their areas from bandits that was why government always turn to gain the loyalty of TCMA associations. The communist concern was mainly that they can not allow those TCMA clubs to exist it has to be put under their control. The communist introduce the simplified Chinese writing as part of their cultural reformation. Today, TCMA has become irrelevant many of the old weapons have now been replaced with wu shu type weapons the forms have just become a form no longer emphasize for fighting plus the role of TCMA clubs has become more of a social club. TCMA is however expanding well in action movies.

It’s disturbing for me to even think about the amount of manuals, records, and knowledge that was irretrievably lost/destroyed during the Communist purge of mainland China. Without such records, it’s very difficult to distinguish the real from the false; completely fabricated styles, histories, stories, techniques and training methods, forms, etc. can be created by someone without any real fear of being found out, mainly because all of the records and evidence that could otherwise expose the truth have been lost or destroyed. It’s a real tragedy. I don’t doubt that some traditional martial arts and their training methods have survived, but I would imagine that most of the famous, high level masters were the first to be killed,, so the ones who survived and were tasked with preserving the art were probably of comparatively lesser skill. That said, I think that too much importance is placed on finding and preserving the pre-communist forms and techniques of the styles. In my opinion, the true treasures of Chinese martial arts are the principles (often via Kuen Kit/Quan Pu) and the Attainment Training (Nei Dan & Wai Dan Martial Qi Gong, power generation methods, etc). Humans only have two arms and two legs, so there aren’t any “secret techniques “ to be lost. There are only so many ways that a person can use his body in combat effectively, and because that is universal, none of it was lost. However, the principles are the essence of a style, and they allows one to make effective use of it; the chosen combination of such principles are what make the style unique. Without those principles , the movements are meaningless, even if one knows all the physical movements. On the other hand, knowing the principles, one can create techniques that are in accord with the style, even if they don’t know a single movement. And the attainment methods and force generation training are what allows one to forge their body into a weapon so that the techniques can be used effectively in actual combat, and the necessary force appropriate to the techniques can be generated (eg its pointless to practice spear hand strikes if you can’t strike an enemy with it full force without breaking your fingers).

Did the Chinese government eradicate Kung Fu? No, but they contributed to its decimation.

The Cultural Revolution eliminated many of the practitioners and traditional lineages of various forms of native medicine. In much the same way as martial arts, Deng Xiaoping's efforts resulted in an organized governmental program of finding, organizing, and standardizing specializations such as acupuncture, herbalism, massage, energy work, etc., into what is today known as TCM.

I would not doubt it. Like guns in USA, Kung Fu is probably considered a threat to their power.

Very few people practice kung fu in Taiwan. TKD is more popular. Kung Fu is alive and well in China.

Very interesting :)

there are many styles of traditional gong fu dosent exist in China nowdays

They did!

I believe it's 100 % True. Based on multiple conversations with my Sifu and other teachers. Also my own research. All you have to do is study the Boxer Rebellion and the Communist Revolution. In the twenties Shanghai China was considered the most dangerous city on earth and Kung Fu fighters were looked on like we look at ISIS in the Middle East. The Govt, Military, lntelligence Services, and the Triads have the real knowledge in today's era.

烏龍茶 has always been my favorite ❤️🤲👌 And anyway and always: 反清復明!!! 💪

Kissing Boots are a modern way of living....

Will we ever see u spar

👏👏👏

Smart man. Tow the party line so you can keep doing your thing in China. I wouldn't want to get kicked out either.

I havent watched the video yet. Just replying to the title. Real Kung Fu has not been eradicated. However, its really hard to find inside of China. It's easier to find it outside of China. We had a lot of great Kung Fu in Chicago, when I was young, for example.

why were u always looking down. it's like u are reading a script from the ccp but anyways good analysis tho

Gender free?

Please don't be apolytical. Otherwise your historical content will always be introductory.

I'm so glad I've found your channel. I'm gonna dig into your videos. I'm in China now and I'm interested in Chinese culture and history. And not a fan of the CCP

*PromoSM*

Yip Man fled to Hong Kong 🇭🇰 from Maoist China 🇨🇳

The Chinese gov wants everyone speaking Mandarin and discourage local dialects. Younger generation have trouble with their local dialect. I saw a Wing Chun video (i can't find it again sorry) by a foreign visitor going to the instructor who was speaking Mandarin. I didn't recognize any hand positions (eg bong sao, fuk sao, ...etc) mentioned. Something just felt wrong imho hearing Southern Chinese martial arts described not using Cantonese or Fukienese

Thank you!

Kung Fu is a fairly formalized fighting style with certain set rules of engagement. It isn't real fighting, where you wade in and gouge your opponents eyes out. It can be effective though...

I'm unsubscribed as of now to this channel...

RUBBISH !!

You guys are all hesitant to accept that Kung Fu, is like old fairy stories for adults....get out of your fantasies...

No