The origin of traditional Chinese martial arts is closely connected with fishing and hunting of ancient people and their intertribal fights. Through hunting big game, ancient Chinese people gradually developed stone-throwing, stone-arrowhead shooting and bare-headed fighting skills.

Later on, these skills developed into weapon fighting and bare-headed fighting. Legends say that before the Zhou Dynasty (c.1100-256 BC), there had been a game called “chiyou” in which people butted each other with ox horns on their heads. Besides, some people stretched their limbs to activate the blood circulation in their bodies by imitating the gestures of animals. The noted doctor Hua Tuo of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) invented a game called “five-bird-and-beast-game” by imitating the gestures of the tiger, deer, bear, ape and crane with a view to increase strength, limbering up the joints and activating the blood flow. This is regarded as the beginning of bare-headed martial arts and health-care martial arts.

Weapons such as bows, arrows, spears and knives had existed long before the Zhou Dynasty.

During the Tang Dynasty, the imperial examination system was introduced to select military personnel. Then more and more people engaged themselves to practice martial arts. During Song Dynasty (960-1279AD), different schools of martial arts appeared. Each had a complete set of skills in Chinese boxing and weapon fighting. They include: “Taijiquan”, “Taiji” Sword, “Shaolinquan”, “Shaolin” Cudgel, etc.

If you want to study Chinese in China and learn the Chinese martial arts, Keats School is for you. We have various Chinese learning programs that help students learn how to speak Chinese as well as to know  Chinese culture.