Editing History of martial arts (section)

=={{visible anchor|Asia|East Asia}}==
{{further|Origins of Asian martial arts|Modern history of East Asian martial arts}}

===China===
{{Main|History of Chinese martial arts}}

====Antiquity (Zhou to Jin)====
A hand-to-hand combat theory, including the integration of notions of [[Hard and soft (martial arts)|"hard" and "soft"]] techniques, is expounded in the story of the ''Maiden of Yue'' in the [[Spring and Autumn Annals]] of Wu and Yue (5th century BCE).<ref>trans. and ed. Zhang Jue (1994), pp. 367-370, cited after Hennin (1999) p. 321 and note 8.</ref>

The ''[[Book of Han|Han History]] Bibliographies'' record that, by the [[Former Han]] (206 BC – 9 AD), there was a distinction between no-holds-barred weaponless fighting, which it calls ''shǒubó'' (手搏), for which "how-to" manuals had already been written, and sportive wrestling, then known as juélì or [[jiǎolì]] (角力).

Wrestling is also documented in the Shǐ Jì, ''[[Records of the Grand Historian]]'', written by [[Sima Qian]] (c. 100 BCE).<ref name=Henning>Henning, Stanley E. (Fall 1999). [http://muse.jhu.edu/demo/china_review_international/v006/6.2henning.pdf Academia Encounters the Chinese Martial arts]. ''China Review International'' '''6''' (2): 319–332. ISSN 1069-5834</ref>

Jiǎolì is also mentioned in the [[Classic of Rites]] (1st century BCE).<ref name=classicofrites>[[Classic of Rites]]. Chapter 6, Yuèlìng. Line 108.</ref>

In the 1st century, "Six Chapters of Hand Fighting", were included in the ''Han Shu'' (history of the Former Han Dynasty) written by [[Ban Gu]].
The [[Five Animals]] concept in Chinese martial arts is attributed to [[Hua Tuo]], a 3rd-century physician.<ref>Dingbo. Wu, Patrick D. Murphy (1994), "Handbook of Chinese Popular Culture", Greenwood Press, {{ISBN|0-313-27808-3}}</ref>

====Middle Ages====
In the [[Tang dynasty]], descriptions of [[sword dance]]s were immortalized in poems by [[Li Bai]] and [[Du Fu]]. In the Song and Yuan dynasties, xiangpu (the earliest form of [[sumo]]) contests were sponsored by the imperial courts.<ref>The ''customary [[Bowing]] of martial arts'' is thus due to the "transmission of the task or work to be carried out", in ancient times precisely for the reigning [[Empire]]</ref>

In regard to the [[Shaolin Kung Fu|Shaolin]] fighting system, the oldest evidence of Shaolin participation in combat is a stele from 728 CE that attests to two occasions: a defense of the [[Shaolin Monastery]] from bandits around 610 CE, and their subsequent role in the defeat of [[Wang Shichong]] at the [[Battle of Hulao]] in 621 CE. From the 8th to the 15th centuries, there are no extant documents that provide evidence of Shaolin participation in combat.

====Late Ming====
The modern concepts of wushu emerge by the late Ming to early Qing dynasties (16th to 17th centuries).<ref>China Sportlight Series (1986) "Sports and Games in Ancient China". New World Press, {{ISBN|0-8351-1534-8}}.</ref>

Between the 16th and 17th centuries there are at least forty extant sources which provided evidence that, not only did monks of Shaolin practice martial arts, but martial practice had become such an integral element of Shaolin monastic life that the monks felt the need to justify it by creating new [[Buddhist]] lore.<ref>Shahar, Meir (2000). "Epigraphy, Buddhist Historiography, and Fighting Monks: The Case of The Shaolin Monastery". Asia Major Third Series 13 (2): 15–36.</ref>

References of martial practice in Shaolin appear in various literary genres of the late Ming: the epitaphs of Shaolin warrior monks, martial-arts manuals, military encyclopedias, historical writings, travelogues, fiction, and even poetry. However these sources do not point out to any specific style originated in Shaolin.<ref>Shahar, Meir (December 2001). "Ming-Period Evidence of Shaolin Martial Practice". Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies 61 (2): 359–413. {{ISSN|0073-0548}}.</ref>

These sources, in contrast to those from the Tang period, refer to Shaolin methods of armed combat. This include the forte of Shaolin monks and for which they had become famous — the [[Gun (staff)|staff (gun)]]; General [[Qi Jiguang]] included these techniques in his book, Treatise of Effective Discipline.<ref>Henning, Stanley (1999). "Martial arts Myths of Shaolin Monastery, Part I: The Giant with the Flaming Staff". Journal of the Chenstyle Taijiquan Research Association of Hawaii 5 (1), Shahar, Meir (2007), The Shaolin Monastery: History, Religion and the Chinese Martial arts", Honolulu: The University of Hawai'i Press</ref>

====20th Century====
At the beginning of the century, first attempts were made to standardize the practice of Traditional Chinese Martial Arts in cities. A notable example was that of the Jing Wu Academy.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kennedy|first=Brian|author-link= |year=2010|title=Jingwu: The School that Transformed Kung Fu|publisher=Blue Snake Books|isbn=978-1583942420}}</ref> 

The rise of the [[Proclamation of the People's Republic of China|People's Republic of China]] has gradually led to many changes in the practice, culture and dissemination of Chinese Martial Arts.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lorge|first=Peter|author-link=Peter Lorge|year=2017|title=Chinese Martial Arts: From Antiquity to the Twenty-First Century|publisher=Cambridge University|isbn=978-1316633687}}</ref> While on one hand, many martial arts teachers were persecuted because of their political view or activities,<ref>{{cite book|last=Henning|first=Stanley|author-link=Stanley Henning|year=1999|title=Academia Encounters the Chinese Martial Arts|publisher=University of Hawai’i Press|isbn=978-0824819483}}</ref> the [[Communism|communist]] government also invested in the creation of new styles: [[Sanda (sport)|Sanda]], [[Wushu (sport)|Modern Wushu]], and Standardized [[Tai Chi|Taiji Quan]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Wile|first=Douglas|author-link=Douglas Wile|year=1996|title=Lost T'ai-chi Classics from the Late Ch'ing Dynasty|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-0791426535}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Morris|first=Andrew|year=2004|title=Marrow of the Nation: A History of Sport and Physical Culture in Republican China|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0520240841}}</ref> Later, beginning in the 1980s, the [[Chinese Communist Party]] also began to promote Traditional Chinese Martial Arts.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bluestein|first=Jonathan|author-link=Jonathan Bluestein|year=2024|title=Martial Arts Politics Explained|publisher=Amazon Digital Services LLC - KDP|isbn=979-8335564984}}</ref>

From the 1970s, Traditional Chinese Martial Arts slowly became very popular in Western Countries as well. The development and spread of Chinese [[Kung fu film|Kung Fu movies]] from [[Hong Kong]] greatly contributed to this, especially via the influence of [[Bruce Lee]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Krug|first=Gary|author-link=Gary Krug|year=2001|title=Communication, Technology, and Cultural Change|publisher=SAGE Publications|isbn=978-0761956529}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Brown|first=Bill|author-link= |year=2006|title=The Martial Arts Cinema of the Chinese Diaspora|publisher=Hong Kong University Press|isbn=978-9622097837}}</ref>

===India===
{{Main|Indian martial arts}}
{{see also|Dhanurveda|Kalaripayattu}}

====Antiquity====

Classical [[Sanskrit epics]] contain the earliest written accounts of combat in India.<ref>Shamya Dasgupta (June–September 2004). "An Inheritance from the British: The Indian Boxing Story", ''Routledge'' '''21''' (3), p. 433-451.</ref> Stories describing [[Krishna]] report that he sometimes engaged in wrestling matches where he used knee strikes to the chest, punches to the head, hair pulling, and strangleholds.<ref name=Svinth/> Another unarmed battle in the ''Mahabharata'' describes two fighters [[boxing]] with [[Punch (strike)|clenched fists]] and fighting with [[kick]]s, finger strikes, [[knee strike]]s and [[headbutt]]s.<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m04/m04013.htm Section XIII: ''Samayapalana Parva''], Book 4: ''Virata Parva'', ''[[Mahabharata]]''.</ref> Krishna Maharaja, who single-handedly overcame an [[elephant]] according to the Mahabharata, is credited with developing the sixteen principles of armed combat.

[[Kalaripayattu]], the most ancient and important form of India, was practiced in Kerala.  Its origins date back to the 12th century.  [[Unniyarcha]], [[Aromal Chekavar]] and others were Thiyya warriors of [[Chekavar]] lineage.  It was during their period that kalaripayattu spread widely in southern [[Kerala]].<ref name="23ff">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=My8DEAAAQBAJ&q=Chekavan&pg=PT42|title = Jumbos and Jumping Devils: A Social History of Indian Circus|isbn = 9780190992071|last1 = Nisha|first1 = P. R.|date = 12 June 2020| publisher=Oxford University Press }}</ref><ref name="mm2nn">{{Cite book|last=Menon|first=A. Sreedhara|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wnAjqjhc1VcC&q=Aromal+chekavar|title=Kerala History and its Makers|publisher=D C Books|date=4 March 2011|isbn=978-81-264-3782-5|pages=81|language=en|access-date=10 October 2021}}</ref>

Many of the popular sports mentioned in the [[Vedas]] and the epics have their origins in military training, such as boxing ([[musti-yuddha]]), wrestling (''malladwandwa''), chariot-racing (''rathachalan''), horse-riding (''aswarohana'') and archery (''dhanurvidya'').<ref>{{cite book |title=The Timechart History of India |year=2005 |publisher=Robert Frederick Ltd. |isbn=0-7554-5162-7}}</ref> Competitions were held not just as a contest of the players' prowess but also as a means of finding a bridegroom.

Ten fighting styles of northern India were said to have been created in different areas based on animals and gods, and designed for the particular geography of their origin. Tradition ascribes their convergence to the 6th-century in the Buddhist university of [[Takshashila]], located in today's Punjab region.

====Middle Ages====

Like other branches of [[Sanskrit literature]], treatises on martial arts become more systematic in the course of the 1st millennium CE.  The grappling art of [[vajra-mushti]] is mentioned in sources of the early centuries CE. Military accounts of the [[Gupta Empire]] (c. 240–480) and the later ''Agni Purana'' identify over 130 different weapons, divided into thrown and unthrown classes and further into sub-classes.<ref>Parmeshwaranand Swami, ''Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Purāṇas'', Sarup & Sons, 2001, {{ISBN|978-81-7625-226-3}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=nmmkM0fVS-cC&pg=PA467  s.v. "dhanurveda"]; 
Gaṅgā Rām Garg, ''Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World'', Concept Publishing Company, 1992
{{ISBN|978-81-7022-376-4}}, s.v. "archery".
</ref> The ''[[Kama Sutra]]'' written by [[Vātsyāyana]] suggested that women should regularly "practice with [[sword]], single-stick, [[quarterstaff]], and [[Bow (weapon)|bow]] and [[arrow]]."

The ''[[Sushruta Samhita]]'' (c. 4th century) identifies 107 vital points on the human body<ref>G. D. Singhal, L. V. Guru (1973). ''Anatomical and Obstetrical Considerations in Ancient Indian Surgery Based on Sarira-Sthana of Susruta Samhita''.</ref> of which 64 were classified as being lethal if properly struck with a fist or stick.<ref name=Svinth/> [[Sushurata|Sushruta]]'s work formed the basis of the medical discipline [[ayurveda]] which was taught alongside various martial arts.<ref name=Svinth/> With numerous other scattered references to vital points in Vedic and epic sources, it is certain that [[Indian subcontinent]]'s early fighters knew and practised attacking or defending vital points.<ref name=Zarrilli1992/>

Fighting arts were not exclusive to the [[kshatriya]] caste, though the warrior class used the systems more extensively. The 8th-century text ''Kuvalaymala'' by Udyotanasuri recorded such systems being taught at [[gurukula]] educational institutions, where [[Brahmin]] students from throughout the subcontinent "were learning and practicing archery, fighting with sword and shield, with daggers, sticks, lances, and with fists, and in duels (niuddham)."

The earliest extant manual of Indian martial arts is contained as chapters 248 to 251 in the ''[[Agni Purana]]'' (c. 8th – 11th centuries), giving an account of ''[[dhanurveda]]'' in a total of 104 [[shloka]].<ref name=Zarrilli1992>{{cite journal | author = Zarrilli, Phillip B. | year = 1992 | title = To Heal and/or To Harm: The Vital Spots (Marmmam/Varmam) in Two South Indian Martial Traditions Part I: Focus on Kerala's Kalarippayattu |url=https://spa.exeter.ac.uk/drama/staff/kalari/healharm.html | journal = Journal of Asian Martial Arts | volume = 1 | issue = 1 }}</ref><ref>P. C. Chakravarti (1972). ''The art of warfare in ancient India''. Delhi.</ref><ref>[http://www.sub.uni-goettingen.de/ebene_1/fiindolo/gret_utf.htm#AgniP_BI GRETIL etext] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090724075838/http://www.sub.uni-goettingen.de/ebene_1/fiindolo/gret_utf.htm |date=2009-07-24 }}, based on Rajendralal Mitra, Calcutta: Asiatic Society of Bengal 1870–1879, 3 vols. (Bibliotheca Indica, 65,1-3); AP 248.1-38, 249.1-19, 250.1-13, 251.1-34.</ref>
These verses describe how to improve a warrior's individual prowess and kill enemies using various different methods in warfare, whether a warrior went to war in chariots, elephants, horses, or on foot. Foot methods were subdivided into armed combat and unarmed combat.<ref name=Svinth>J. R. Svinth (2002). [http://ejmas.com/kronos A Chronological History of the Martial Arts and Combative Sports.] ''Electronic Journals of Martial Arts and Sciences''.</ref> The former included the [[Bow (weapon)|bow]] and [[arrow]], the [[sword]], [[spear]], [[noose]], [[armour]], [[Dart (missile)|iron dart]], [[Club (weapon)|club]], [[battle axe]], [[discus]], and the [[trident]].  The latter included [[wrestling]], [[Knee (strike)|knee strikes]], and [[Punch (strike)|punching]] and [[kicking]] methods.

===Japan===
{{Main|Japanese martial arts|Okinawan martial arts}}
The historical origin of Japanese martial arts can be found in the warrior traditions of the [[samurai]] and the caste system that restricted the use of weapons by members of the non-warrior classes. Originally, samurai were expected to be proficient in many weapons, as well as unarmed combat, and attain the highest possible mastery of combat skills, for the purpose of glorifying either themselves or their liege.  A large number of schools evolved to teach these skills with those existing before the [[Meiji Restoration]] classed as {{Nihongo|[[Koryū]]|古流}} or old stream.  Over time there was a trend away from the traditional purpose to a philosophy of coupling spiritual goals with the striving to perfect their martial skills.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}

The Japanese [[The Book of Five Rings|Book of Five Rings]] dates to 1664.

===Korea===
{{Main|Korean martial arts}}
[[Taekkyeon|Taekkyon]] is the traditional martial art of [[Korea]]. Taekkyon came into existence sometime before the [[Silla]] dynasty united the peninsula. It is believed Taekkyon was known as Subak at that time. Taekkyon focuses on up-right fighting: footwork, kicks, strikes, blocks, throws and rhythm.

[[Ssireum]] is the traditional wrestling art of Korea. Gakjeochong (각저총:角抵塚) murals show that wrestling in Korea dates back as early as the pre-Three Kingdom era.  The Book of Later Han, a Chinese document that was written either before or early in the history of the Three Kingdoms also has records of Korean wrestling.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}  Ssireum first gained widespread popularity during the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910). 
  
Two Korean martial arts manuals [[Muyejebo]] and [[Muyedobotongji]] date from 1598 and 1790, respectively.

===Sri Lanka===
{{Main|Angampora}}
Angampora is an ancient Sri Lankan martial art that combines combat techniques, self-defense, sport, exercise, and meditation. According to apocryphal Sinhalese folklore, Angampora's history stretches to as far back as 3,000 years, with the Yaksha tribe (one of the four "hela" - the ancient tribes that inhabited the island) being identified as originators. With the advent of colonialism over the entirety of the island in 1815, Angampora fell into disuse and was very nearly lost as a part of the country's heritage. The British administration prohibited its practice due to the dangers posed by a civilian populace versed in a martial art, burning down any ''angan madu'' (practice huts devoted to the martial art) found: flouting of the law was punished by a gunshot to the knee, effectively crippling practitioners; Angampora nevertheless survived within a few families, allowing it to emerge into mainstream Sri Lankan culture post-independence.

===Persia (Iran)===
The traditional [[Culture of Iran|Persian]] style of [[grappling]] was known as [[Wrestling in Iran|koshti]], with the physical exercise and schooled sport known as [[varzesh-e bastani]]. It is said<ref name="pahlavani_mohammad">Nekoogar, Farzad (<!--September-->1996). [http://www.pahlavani.com/ ''Traditional Iranian Martial Arts (Varzesh-e Pahlavani)'']. pahlvani.com: Menlo Park. Accessed: 2007-02-08</ref> to be traceable back to [[Arsacid Empire|Arsacid Parthian]] times (132 BCE - 226 CE), and is still widely practiced today in the region. Following the development of [[Sufism|Sufi Islam]] in the 8th century CE, varzesh-e pahlavani absorbed philosophical and spiritual components from that religion.

'''Pahlevani and zourkhaneh rituals''' is also an ancient martial art and the name inscribed by [[UNESCO]] for '''varzesh-e pahlavāni''' ({{langx|fa|آیین پهلوانی و زورخانه‌ای}}, "heroic sport")<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.izsf.net/en|title=International Zurkhaneh Sports Federation|website=www.izsf.net}}</ref> or '''varzesh-e bāstāni''' ({{lang|fa|ورزش باستانی}}; ''varzeš-e bāstānī'', "ancient sport"), a traditional system of athletics originally used to train warriors in [[Iran]] ([[Name of Iran|Persia]]), and first appearing under this name and form in the Safavid era, with similarities to systems in adjacent lands under other names.<ref>{{iranica|zur-kana}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/pahlevani-and-zoorkhanei-rituals-00378|title=UNESCO - Pahlevani and Zoorkhanei rituals|website=ich.unesco.org}}</ref>

===Turkic===
Other historical grappling styles from the region include [[Turkic peoples|Turkic]] forms such as [[kurash]], [[köräş]] and [[yağlı güreş]].

===Arab===
{{further|Furusiyya}}
The north Arabian tradition of horsemanship quickly became an integral part of warfare throughout the [[Arab world]] and much of the [[West Asia]]. The Middle Ages saw the flourishing of the [[furusiyya]] culture, combining the ancient Bedouin concept of honour (''muru'ah'') with the Islamic ideals of chivalry. A ''{{transl|ar|fārys}}'' (meaning knight or horseman) would first hone his skills in wrestling and armed combat on the ground before learning to fight while mounted. Furusiyya literature from the 9th to 15th century deal with equestrianism, archery, military strategy, duelling and [[joust|charging with the lance]]. Armed fighting included the use of the sword (''sayf''), spear, lance, javelin, dagger (''jambiya''), staff, axe (''tabar''), warhammer, and curved bow.  There is also ''Tahtib'' (التحطيب) which was practiced in ancient Egypt and is still performed in celebrations{{fact|date=March 2017}}.