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A 1918 Account of Traditional Martial Arts in the Chinese Labor Corps
THE CHINESE LABOUR CORPS ON THE WESTERN FRONT, 1914-1916 (Q 8514) A sword display in a Chinese labour camp in Crecy Forest, 27 January 1918. Copyright: © IWM. Original Source:...
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Hand Combat Training as the School of the Nations
The recent attempt to set a record for the largest martial arts demonstration, Photo: China News Service / CFP My schedule over the next four to six weeks is going to be pretty crazy. I have a...
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Lives of Chinese Martial Artists (8): Gu Ruzhang-Northern Shaolin Master and...
An image of a now famous postcard that Gu Ruzhang sent to his students. Most images of Gu appear to be taken from this mailing. Introduction Gu Ruzhang is one of the best known martial artists of the...
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Fighting Words: Four New Document Finds Reignite Old Debates in Taijiquan...
A recent scene in Beijing as smog clouded the skyline. Source: http://www.aol.com/article/2014/02/25/pollution-hides-beijing-skyline-statues-get-masks/20837579/ Introduction As I mentioned last week,...
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Lau Bun-A Kung Fu Pioneer in America
Lau Bun demonstrating a form in the late 1960s. Source: http://plumblossom.net/ChoyLiFut/laubun.html Introduction Given that this post will be released on Columbus Day, I thought that it might be fun...
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Red Boats of the Cantonese Opera: Economics, Social Structure and Violence...
A watercolor on pith image of a river vessel of the same or a similar type which was eventually adopted for the “Red Boats.” Likely painted in Guangzhou during the mid 19th century. Source: Author’s...
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Through a Lens Darkly (48): Opening the Stone Lock
Vintage Newspaper Photograph. Source: Authors’ Personal Collection. A Quick Update My other writing projects are continuing well, though weekends are never quite as productive as one might hope. But...
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A Killing Art
Introduction Greetings from my short writing sabbatical! There are two subjects that have been on my mind. The first is Korea as I spent much of the day editing a 15 page conference presentation...
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Star Wars: An American Martial Arts Film Franchise?
The Seven Form of Lightsaber Combat ***On November 19th at 4 pm I will be taking part in a live-chat (broadcast on YouTube) on ethnographic research in the martial arts and lightsaber combat. This is...
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Disenchanting Jianghu (Rivers and Lakes): Historical Experience and the Kung...
Introduction I am happy to report that all of the conference papers and book chapters I have been working on for the last month are now finished. Unfortunately, my blogging sabbatical must continue...
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Communicating Embodied Knowledge in Martial Arts Studies, Part 1
Introduction One of my few disappointments about the 2017 Martial Arts Studies conference was that a change in travel plans forced me to miss the final afternoon of the event. As such, I was not...
View ArticleTop Ten Figures Who Shaped the Asian Martial Arts – Part II
Welcome! This is the second (and concluding) section of my list of the top ten figures who helped to shape the development and spread of the modern Asian martial arts. Putting such a list together...
View ArticleMixed Martial Arts in Shanghai, 1925
I recently had a chance to explore and organize a large database of vintage newspaper articles. This material was gathered as part of my on-going “Kung Fu Diplomacy” project. Yet every so often I...
View ArticleDeconstructing Martial Arts, Constructing Martial Arts Studies
***The following guest post has been generously provided by Paul Bowman. It is significant in a number of respects, providing us with both a summery and commentary on the ongoing debate over the...
View ArticleThrough a Lens Darkly (49): Kung Fu at Springfield College, 1917
Introduction When we think about the early history of the Chinese martial arts in the United States we tend to focus our discussion on either San Francisco or New York. Los Angles, Chicago and Honolulu...
View ArticleIssue 5 of Martial Arts Studies Now Advailable: Choy Li Fut, Savate and the...
We are happy to announce that the fifth issue of Martial Arts Studies is now freely available. For new readers, Martial Arts Studies is the premier scholarly source for interdisciplinary work on a...
View ArticleRebellion and the Chinese Martial Arts
Rebel Yell Its hard to deny that there is something a bit subversive about the martial arts. Or maybe that’s not quite right. Dutiful law enforcement officers and loyal soldiers spend as much time...
View ArticleChinese Martial Arts in the News: Feb. 5th, 2018 – Kung Fu in Global Markets,...
Introduction Welcome to “Chinese Martial Arts in the News!” Things have been busy with the release of the new issue of the journal, so we haven’t had a proper news roundup in a while. Lots has...
View Article1928: Boxing, Dance and Self-Determination at the Edge of China
Tibet has been on my mind. Far removed from the near tropical waters of the Pearl River Delta, it certainly falls outside of my normal research area. The region has its own martial and weapons...
View ArticleThrough a Lens Darkly (50): Catching Up With A Group of Chinese Archers, and...
Old Friends One of the more rewarding things that I have been able to do with this blog has been to showcase previously unseen, or rare, images of Chinese martial arts. I have tried to keep these...
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