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Martial Arts and its Eastern Journey

By Jessie Bowen, President of Elite Publications ElitePublications.org

Jessie Bowen

The Western fascination with East Asian Martial Arts can be traced back to the late 19th century when trade between the West and China and Japan increased. During this time, reports on various Chinese and Japanese martial arts were published in academic journals and the popular press.

Martial arts have been studied for over 4,000 years and have served as the foundation for combat, philosophy, and life. Even today, martial arts with their Oriental roots continue to impact millions of people through the teaching of martial arts and the principles that come with it. China has been at the forefront of martial arts for centuries, with Emperor Huang Di being a master of wrestling and polefighting over 4,000 years ago. He made it mandatory for his troops to learn martial arts, and eventually, Mongolian tribesmen introduced skull-bashing wrestling to China. This form of wrestling eventually evolved into sumo. Over time, wrestling was combined with kemari during the Qin and Han dynasties to form shakaku. The importance of martial arts was emphasized in The Art of War by Sun Tsu, and Chinese martial arts spread to Asia Minor, Europe, and India in 500 B.C. through the Silk Road. Despite the rich history of martial arts in China, modern-day martial arts originated in 527 A.D. in India. Indian monk Ta Mo taught the monks of the Shaolin Temple the 18 Buddhist Fists, which later evolved into the Five Animal Styles of Shaolin. The influence of Tao Mo has had a significant impact on both Chinese and non-Chinese martial arts. Martial arts are taught in various places, including schools, universities, churches, and even to executives. These teachings focus not only on self-defense but also on breaking through life’s barriers using the principles taught in martial arts.

Publisher, author, and martial arts expert Jessie Bowen

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