Kungfu Dream
Does every Chinese know how to do Kung Fu?
Every time I turn on the television and start surfing channels, I can find some action movies. Those Kung Fu kicks and punches on the screen really catch my attention. Naturally I think about the stereotype: Does every Chinese know how to do Kung Fu?
A stereotype is a simplified and standardized conception of a group of people. Yet, sometimes the stereotype is not accurate. There are not many Chinese people actually know how to do Kung Fu even though there are so many Kung Fu movies filmed in China.
Plenty of people ask me if I can do any Kung Fu moves after they know that I am Chinese. Unfortunately, I did not have such a chance to be a Kung Fu master.
Thousands of years ago, a lot of people in China learned Kung Fu because it was a war time and it was often necessary for people to learn some sort of martial arts. Historically, Kung Fu in China was an integral part in the education of scholars and the leaders of government. Kung Fu was popular not only among the military, but also among the commons. The skills passed in families from generation to generation. However, during the Qing Dynasty (1633-1911), foreigners introduced firearms to China. Guns and bombs existed as nightmares to Chinese military and Chinese martial artists. Foreigners laughed at China, saying that Chinese are the sick men in East Asia. Very few could actually stand out against the enemies.
Nowadays, more and more Chinese youths no longer believe the power of Kung Fu. Very few people use Kung Fu in the boxing ring because people do not think Kung Fu is practical in real fights. Kung Fu has become a mystery or a legend that does not exist anymore in real life.
Even worse, many kids who become interested in Kung Fu after reading Kung Fu novels or watching Kung Fu movies can hardly reach their Kung Fu dreams because that all parents in China always push their children to study. Parents believe that an uneducated person is never able to get a
Every time I turn on the television and start surfing channels, I can find some action movies. Those Kung Fu kicks and punches on the screen really catch my attention. Naturally I think about the stereotype: Does every Chinese know how to do Kung Fu?
A stereotype is a simplified and standardized conception of a group of people. Yet, sometimes the stereotype is not accurate. There are not many Chinese people actually know how to do Kung Fu even though there are so many Kung Fu movies filmed in China.
Plenty of people ask me if I can do any Kung Fu moves after they know that I am Chinese. Unfortunately, I did not have such a chance to be a Kung Fu master.
Thousands of years ago, a lot of people in China learned Kung Fu because it was a war time and it was often necessary for people to learn some sort of martial arts. Historically, Kung Fu in China was an integral part in the education of scholars and the leaders of government. Kung Fu was popular not only among the military, but also among the commons. The skills passed in families from generation to generation. However, during the Qing Dynasty (1633-1911), foreigners introduced firearms to China. Guns and bombs existed as nightmares to Chinese military and Chinese martial artists. Foreigners laughed at China, saying that Chinese are the sick men in East Asia. Very few could actually stand out against the enemies.
Nowadays, more and more Chinese youths no longer believe the power of Kung Fu. Very few people use Kung Fu in the boxing ring because people do not think Kung Fu is practical in real fights. Kung Fu has become a mystery or a legend that does not exist anymore in real life.
Even worse, many kids who become interested in Kung Fu after reading Kung Fu novels or watching Kung Fu movies can hardly reach their Kung Fu dreams because that all parents in China always push their children to study. Parents believe that an uneducated person is never able to get a
Cited: “Chinese Kung-fu.” China Tour Select. n.d. web. 26 Sep. 2011. Jenkins, Grant. “Martial Arts in The Movies.” Bmia.org. n.d. web. 26 Sep. 2011.