Martial Arts

[Pootle]

Why do martial arts originate from the far East as opposed to other parts of the world?

[Clanad]

It's not at all certain that martial arts, as represented by Ju-jitsu, Karate, etc., did originate in the Far East or Asia. The ancient history of unarmed combat includes almost all cultures. Wrestling, as example, appears early in the Greek culture. The art was perfected, developing unique and complex holds and escapes, much as Judo developed in Asia. The view by modern culture, especially the entertainment industry, of the various Asian martial arts has gained an aura of mystery and invincibility though, that has promoted the idea, at least, or origination only in that part of the world.

[jno]

Clanad's right: boxing and wrestling are martial arts; if you want to include weapons, so is duelling with rapiers etc. Oriental ones are the only ones where you get to fly through the air the way they do in the movies, though.

Still... a particular form, or forms, of hand-to-hand combat does seem to have been developed in the Far East and nowhere else; and I don't know why.

[WoWo]

I think part of this also comes to the advancement of weapons in the west, while the chinese discovered gun powder they did'nt develop weapons in the same way the west did, this meant that hand to hand combat was still a practical way to defend and fight.

Where as in the west the development of guns, particuarly hand guns meant that being able to punch or diable somebody at close quarters became less relevant, because you woul be lying in a pool of blood way before you got close enough to do any damage.

[Octavius]

Martial arts, often referred to as fighting systems, are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat, usually without the use of guns and other modern weapons. Today, people study martial arts for various reasons including sport, fitness, self-defense, self-cultivation (meditation), mental discipline & character development, and self-confidence.

"Martial arts" was translated in 1920 in Takenobu's Japanese-English Dictionary from Japanese bu-gei or bu-jutsu: "the craft/accomplishment of military affairs". This definition is translated directly from the Chinese term, wushu, literally, "martial art", meaning all manner of Chinese martial arts.

This term is slightly anomalous in its English usage. Its strict meaning should be "arts for military use" (flying fighter aircraft, sniper training, and so forth) but in normal usage it is used to refer to formalized systems of training to fight without modern technology.

As mentioned above, traditionally boxing, wrestling, archery and fencing were also 'martial arts' that have been turned into a sporting activity, rather than their former necessity.

[Haggisdj]

Another point of view is that as Martial means Miltary, the Medieval European Knights also practiced martial arts. They also had codes of honour, etc.

PS Martial Arts are great. I'm a Tae Kwon-Do Red belt. Black tag at Xmas and Black belt next Oct

[Octavius]

Yes jousting was another. I won't argue with you though Haggis.