Chinese Martial Arts: From Antiquity to the Twenty-First Century by Peter Lorge

[William123]

A new book on CMA history:

"In the global world of the twenty-first century, martial arts are practiced for self-defense and sporting purposes only. However, for thousands of years, they were a central feature of military practice in China and essential for the smooth functioning of society. Individuals who were adept in using weapons were highly regarded, not simply as warriors but also as tacticians and performers. This book, which opens with an intriguing account of the very first female martial artist, charts the history of combat and fighting techniques in China from the Bronze Age to the present. This broad panorama affords fascinating glimpses into the transformation of martial skills, techniques, and weaponry against the background of Chinese history, the rise and fall of empires, their governments, and their armies. Quotations from literature and poetry, and the stories of individual warriors, infuse the narrative, offering personal reflections on prowess in the battlefield and techniques of engagement. This is an engaging and readable introduction to the authentic history of Chinese martial arts."

http://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Martia...der_B006H3TR62

Cheers,

William

[GeneChing]

It's by Peter Lorge, a history scholar from Vanderbilt. Published by Cambridge.

[sanjuro_ronin]

authentic history of Chinese martial arts.

Always worry when I read those words...

[David Jamieson]

well, every book is simply perspective as written by the author(s).

Good thing there is more than one book or else we would have a very narrow perspective of what martial arts are...or anything else for that matter.

[ginosifu]

Martial Arts history is always subject to suspicion. Mostly because there is no real proof. I believe that many histories were written by survivors of certain eras. Who is to say if those survivors are telling the truth or not? Also governments step in and alter the truth / history to make them look good.

Also we need to look at exaggeration, many story tellers of history exaggerate or stretch the truth a bit, which alters the real facts of the history. Compound that over 100's of years and now you have guys flying thru the air and fireballs coming out of their fingertips.

My Sifu told me: Since we can not prove anything, you must have faith in your teacher's explanation of your systems history. That's the best we can do.

ginosifu

[sanjuro_ronin]

Martial Arts history is always subject to suspicion. Mostly because there is no real proof. I believe that many histories were written by survivors of certain eras. Who is to say if those survivors are telling the truth or not? Also governments step in and alter the truth / history to make them look good.

Also we need to look at exaggeration, many story tellers of history exaggerate or stretch the truth a bit, which alters the real facts of the history. Compound that over 100's of years and now you have guys flying thru the air and fireballs coming out of their fingertips.

My Sifu told me: Since we can not prove anything, you must have faith in your teacher's explanation of your systems history. That's the best we can do.

ginosifu

Its funny because a few of my teachers were more of the:
Anecdotes are just that, no way of knowing what was true, false or exagerrated, so it is best for YOU to focus on what YOU can do.

[Drake]

Always worry when I read those words...

I winced, lol.

[GeneChing]

Peter Lorge on CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS: FROM ANTIQUITY TO THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY Part 1