Wushu - Modern Chinese Martial Arts

Wushu - Modern Chinese Martial Arts


History

The real martial art as we know today can be traced back to Bodhidarma's (also known as Darmo in Mandarin) preaching of Buddhism (after 523 ad) at the Northern Shaolin Temple during the Tang Dynasty (approximately 1500 years ago). When he saw the monks were not healthy and often attacked by bandits, he taught the monks some moves which I think could be from some Indian martial art such as kalari payat or it could possibly originated from Bodhidarma (Darmo) himself since it was reported that he had spend 9 years meditating in a cave on top of Mount Soong. By watching the movements of animals, he further added more moves. Very soon the Shaolin Temple became well know for their martial arts skills. 

There might be other martial arts schools which might had existed earlier but become extinct due to various reasons such as unable to compete with other schools and got beaten up by other schools. Naturally those beaten would hide themselves up waiting for the right moment to seek revenge unless all of them had either surrendered or being killed. 

In the ancient time, China had a system of hsiah (like samurais and knights) whose existence were to study martial arts under well known masters and become a "hsiah". They had the noble aim of helping the oppressed and supporting the righteous path. It is like the knights and the master gun men in the west who would never attack someone from the back. Such cowardly acts normally belong to assassins like ninjas (who kill for a reward). The perception of who was righteous or evil was highly debatable and depend on which clan/school you belong to. It was just like to the American and their allies, the communists were bad. The communists and many Muslims and developing / 3rd world nations would think the American and their allies as evil and decadent. The American hunted down Saddam for hoarding "weapons of mass destruction" ignoring the UN inspector's reports (of no such weapons). They were not looking for any weapon but Saddam for attacking Kuwait, an American ally. 

Chinese martial arts was like a religion which entails more than the art of fighting. In the olden days, the masters test your patience and character before accepting the prospective student to be a disciple. If the master choose the wrong disciple, the disciple might be a danger to soceity.  With power comes responsibilities. The master need to choose his disciple carefully. You have to have the right aptitude and attitude to be considered as a potential student. Therefore there were equal emphasis on martial arts and hsia code of ethics and conducts. Through this rigorous training of both mind and body, it would hopefully equip the prospective disciple to be a future master. There is a Chinese saying of "Yat yat wai see chong san wai fu (It ret wei ser chong sern wei fu in Mandarin)". It simply means a master of one day is a father for life. So becoming a disciple is a very serious matter. It is not like the westerner's concept of teacher student relationship where the teacher is paid to teach the student. In many organization such as Wudang or Shaolin, the disciples are given names by their masters (as one would give to one's children). For instance, You Li Tai and You Li Han are all foreigners and disciples of Grandmaster You Xuande, the head Priest of Wudang Pai. You will notice all the students follow the master's surname You and a middle name Li probably to distinguish the generation/lineage. For instance if GM You belongs to the 13th generation, then his disciple would be the 14th generation. You Li Tai and You Li Han's disciples would be the 15th generation. Each disciple is given a special name by the master. This is usually done in a tea ceremony attended by all the heads of the various Wudang Palaces. It is available in Youtube. Of course due to western influence, many masters now are actually more realistic and following the western teacher student relationship (like Bruce Lee and the Japanese) rather than the ancient disciples master relationship. The masters now charged  thousands of dollars for a few days qigong classes. Many masters do not have any disciple but hundreds of students. Previously the master had to absorb the disciple's food and logging and get nothing in return (treat the disciple like his own child). When the student had reached a certain standard, the disciple may be able to help earn some money by demonstrating his martial arts skills and perform certain escorting tasks on behalf of the master. Some masters teach very little and try to test your patience. In many circumstances you learn practically nothing other than to be a more patient person. You get beaten up for trivial matters, humiliated in front of outsiders, doing temple works and end up learning nothing useful purely because the master think the time is not right for you. I wasted 6-7 years learning how to be more patient. In the end I was not interested in making statues and talismans of Buddha and monks which the master wanted me to do.    

The modern days organized triad and secret societies were off shoot from the clans/schools (and many still have similar rules and codes of conducts /ethics). They fight against each other for honor to elevate their own or their martial art school's standing. The top schools /clans would try to destroy the others that they feel are perpetrating evil deeds (sometimes more as a pretext than a social obligation to eliminate a competitor). From these established schools they select their supreme leader of the Wu Lin (Martial Art World). The supreme leader would most of the time be a respectable senior 'hsiah' held in high esteem by most of the established wushu organizations. He would usually be from the school /clan with the best fighter. All the established organizations at that period of time such as Wudang Pai /Chuan Chern Pai, Shaolin Pai, Emei Pai and etc would be invited to select a nominee to represent them. These nominees (usually a Zhang Men (leader of the clan/sect) would be eligible to vote for the supreme leader. In the event of a stalemate, the nominees would fight it out with the eventual winner proclaimed the supreme leader (Men Ju) of the Wulin (Chinese martial arts world). The Hua San Pai, Iron Palm Clan (Tieh Chang Pai), Chuan Chern Pai (the dominant Taoist Clan) and etc were the elite then. Normally monks and priests would not be involved in the Wu Lin as they were deemed to be detached from worldly interest. However, the Shaolin and Wudang (Chuan Chern Pai was later integrated into Wudang) have always been in the forefront of Chinese martial arts. In fact there is a saying in China that Shaolin is the leader of external martial art while Wu Tang is the leader of internal martial arts. Because of their fame, almost any tom, dick and harry would want to challenge them but most of them never came out alive as these places were normally heavily guarded by highly skilled disciples. In ancient time, learning a martial art without the permission of the master is tantamount to stealing and would be severely punished (such as breaking your collar bones purportedly to disable your ability to use martial art).

                                                                   Ji Sin Sim See

During the Ching Dynasty, the Southern Shaolin temple (at Fukien Province) was burned down by the Manchu Emperor for harboring famous rebels such as Hung Shi Kuan (or Hung Hei Kun in Cantonese) who managed to escape. Hung Shi Kuan later became the founder of the Hung Chuan (Hung Fist or Martial Art) or Hung Ga (Hung Family). He taught Lok Ah Choy (Lu Ah Chai in Mandarin) his junior (a fellow student of Ji Sin Sim See) of Manchurian descend his Hung Ga.   

                                                                Master Wong Kei Ying 

Lok Ah Choy  then pass his Hung Ga knowledge to several people. Among them were Wong Tai. Wong Tai then passed it to his son Wong Kei Ying. Wong Kei Ying then passed it to Wong Fei Hung. Wong Fei Hung passed it to his fourth wife Mok Kwai Lan and his disciples such as Lam Sai Weng. For more on Legends and Heroes of the Past, please click here

                                                                    Wong Fei Hung


Nothern Shaolin Kung Fu on Mount Soong is mainly external kung fu. Hard Chi is Kang (hard like metal) as oppose to Rou (soft like water) which uses deliberate soft and slow movements. You will also notice that breathing follows the movements. External martial arts will let out a sharp noise in order to enhance the force of the strike . You barely hear anything from from an internal martial artist as he regulate and manipulate his chi with his yi. Deep breathing is an integral of Wu Tang Pai. Most people can play with chi but do not know anything about yi (will/mental power). When you are capable of using yi you are already a step ahead of those who cannot. In fact there are many masters who are unable to use yi or chi. See my other articles on meditation and spiritual path for more information.

Wu Tang (Wudang) was founded by a Taoist Priest Chang San Feng (Cheong Sam Foong in Cantonese) during the Soong Dynasty around 1200 (800 years ago). Taoism is based on Lao Tze's Tao Te Ching (The Way/ method to be in harmony with nature which is about 2 to 3 thousand years old). Its followers will always try to be like the water which is soft yet able to penetrate through rocks that happen to be in its way. It is through maneuvering, balance and momentum that can make the soft overcoming the hard. That is why you do not counter aggression with more aggression. There is a Chinese saying "Hero cannot overcome a beautiful maiden's trap".  

Wudang Pai Wushu have the Ji Xing Jen (seven stars swords formation), Ba Gua Chuan, Tai Yi Chuan, Tai He Chuan, Tai Chi Chuan, Tek Fa (kicking skills) and etc. Wu Tang 's kung fu is internal martial art at its best (based on the soft overcoming the hard while Shaolin Kung Fu concentrate more on hard overcoming the soft). The Taoist gather Yin Chi at night and it is not uncommon for Wu Tang students to gather at burial grounds (is considered the highest concentration of Yin Chi as dead people are Yin) to gather Yin Chi. Such mysterious practices is often view by the Shao Lin and others with skepticism since these people learn to absorb the Sun's ray which is full of Yang Chi. Many people think Tai Chi Chuan is only some exercises for the elderly. Tai Chi Chuan was founded by the legendary Great Grand Master Chang San Feng in his golden years and probably one of his greatest contribution to mankind. Tai Chi Chuan means the ultimate martial art. Its deliberate slow movements belies a superior martial art which can absorb and redirect the opponent's energy to hit back at the attacker. If properly trained, the master can beat almost everyone. Many Tai Chi Chuan masters were undefeated in combat. In the original form Wu Tang Tai Chi Chuan founder Chang San Feng was undefeated and call it the ultimate martial art. Many Shaolin people would like to think that Chang San Feng was a Shaolin monk. There are several stories by famous Wu Hsiah (Martial Arts knights) author Jin Yung on how he escaped from Shao Lin to Mont Wu Tang and eventually establishing the Wu Tang Kung Fu. Personally I think it is very mischievous since in the ancient days you can only learn from a single master and kungfu school. The Shaolin monks would not be that forgiving to allow him the luxury to open his own school at Mont Wu Tang without their blessing and to add salt to injury the opening of a Taoist Temple. At that time the Chuan Chern Pai was the main Taoist martial art clan. He would have been hunted down and killed or at least disabled his martial art ability (by breaking his collar bones making him harmless). Beside Taoism and Buddhism cannot mix. Chang San Feng would not change from Buddhism to Taoism overnight. Chang San Feng should be the best fighter of his time since no Shaolin attack on Wu Tang has ever been recorded. During the Ching Dynasty (late 17th century to early twentieth century), Wudang Pai sided with the Ching government and hunted down Southern Shaolin masters such as Hung Hei Kun. Many of the Southern Shaolin traitors such as Pai Mei Tao Ren (White Browed Taoist Priest) and Fong Tow Tak became Taoists. It was actually the opposite - Southern Shaolin being attacked by Wudang Pai,

Many of the lesser known school would have been over run and looted for their Kung Fu manuals. Any school that was deemed a threat to the security of the martial art world would be hunted down and their martial art manuals confiscated by the supreme leader of the martial art world (Wu Lin). It is not much different from the way former US President George Bush hunted down former Iraqi President Sadam Hussain purportedly for hoarding weapons of mass destruction (which did not exist but still used as a pretext to attack Iraq and kill Sadam Hussain).

Currently there are many Wu Tang clans at Mount Wu Tang. You have the Xuan Wu Pai under Grandmaster You Xuande (the Chief Priest of Wudang) who is the most well known among them, San Fong Pai have Master Chen Shixing and Grandmaster Zhong Yunlong (chief trainer), Chung Yang Pai, Chuan Chern Pai and etc. Many new Wudang schools crop out with new masters due to overwhelming demand for Wu Tang kung fu.

The Tai Chi Chuan we know today can be traced to Chen Chia Kow (Chan Kar Kui in Cantonese) or Chen Ravine (Village) which is said to have 3000 peoples with 2500 learning Tai Chi Chuan. It suddenly appeared during the 17th century Ching Dynasty. Chen Chia Kow was famous for Chen Tai Chi Chuan. It was described as punching into a bag of cotton. The Chen Tai Chi Chuan were only taught to male family members only until Yang Lu Sian (Yeong Low Sim in Cantonese) managed to become a disciple (the first non Chen). Yang Lu Sian then modified the Tai Chi Chuan to make it the more graceful Yang Tai Chi Chuan. Today you have all types of Tai Chi Chuan. Of course the original Tai Chi Chuan is from Wu Tang and is Taoist in nature. The people from Wu Tang / Wudang is still doing it the original way oblivious of what other Tai Chi clans are doing. In recent years many people have the impression that Tai Chi Chuan is only some exercises for the sick and elderly. Anyone seeing Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang's Chen Tai Chi would agreed he is hell of a fighter. If it can help even the sick and elderly surely it can be useful for everyone. The only reason why it does not appeal to the younger generation is its deliberate slow movements. The reason for the slow movements is to learn to move your chi. You also learn to use Yi (mental power). Therefore you cannot have fast moves. When you fight you automatically moves quickly in tandem with your opponent. When you train you moves slowly in order to train yourself into using yi to move and feel your chi.

In China almost every mountain is occupied by a clan or temple famous for martial arts. Shaolin is on Mount Soong, Wudang is on Mount Wudang, Emei is on Mount Emei, Kunlun on Mount Kunlun, Hua San is on Mount Hua and etc. There are thousands of martial arts schools in China. Of these the most famous are Shaolin and Wudang. They have schools and performances all over the world. There is also the long established Chin Woo Associations (the first registered wushu organization in Shanghai and China in 1909). There are numerous Chin Woo association around most part of the world with sizable Chinese immigrants population.  

Prior to the 19th century, the British were buying tea from China for several centuries and were experiencing huge trade deficit with China. So the sneaky British introduced Opium into China, claiming it to be a wonder drug. It was supposed to revitalize a person and keep the pain away. However those taking the Opium would soon become addicted and hopelessly dependent on the Opium. Now China was at the mercy of the British. The British even sneaked high quality Chinese Tea seedlings into India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and started planting it there. Soon the trade was in the British's favor since they no longer rely on the Chinese for their tea. They can get Indian and Ceylonese tea for free as both countries were their colonies. The Chinese with Opium addictions need the Opium which the British got for free from India and Burma. With so much excess tea and low demand, China's economy was getting from bad to worst. The sneaky British were the mastermind behind the fall of China. It is funny how the westerners depicted the Chinese as crooked and cunning people (like those Fu Manchu characters) when in actual fact they were the real victims at the mercy of the British, Japanese and other foreigners. It is akin to a woman being raped but instead get arrested for prostituting. At times there is no justice in this world.

To make matter worse they were oppressed by foreigners in their own country. The Chinese people were regarded as invalids (hopelessly useless people similar to animals such as pigs and dogs) because of the miserable economic conditions, opium additions and natural disasters. Many Chinese were fed up with the oppression from foreigners especially the British and Japanese. Some martial artists instigated by the weak and corrupt Ching government, started the "boxer rebellion" targeting foreigners. When the Chinese martial artists attacked and burned down the British opium stores and attacked some foreigners, a joint declaration of war was issued by the British, French, Japanese, German, Portuguese, American, Spaniard and Russian. It was known as the Eights Countries Combined Forces attacking Beijing. The Empress Dowager ruling China at that time surrendered (after Beijing was captured by the combined forces) and were forced to make unreasonable concessions such as ceding  Hong Kong to the British for 100 years, ceding Macau to the Portuguese for 100 years, Shanghai to the Japanese /French and other unreasonable compensations. The westerners forced the Chinese to pay exorbitantly for the damages to their opium and can now trade freely with the locals. There were lots of opium dens operated by the westerners catering solely for the local "soulless"  Chinese people. 

Many foreigners arrived and referred to the Chinese as the "Sick Men of Asia". Phrases such as 'No Dogs and Chinese Allowed' were widely used by the foreigners that were occupying territories in China by force. Even the Japanese who previously were known to be afraid of China (they copied most of their knowledge from the Chinese) now wrote in their school text books that the Chinese and Koreans were worse than Pigs and deserve to be killed. 

Numerous foreign martial arts and western boxing schools/ individuals had arrived in China (such as western boxing and Japanese martial arts) making the situation worse. They openly challenged the Wushu schools and try to defeat them in fights. This was not helped by the traditions among Wushu masters to teach their skills to a selected few. These students (after they become masters) may then pass their skills to one or two students. Wushu was therefore limited to a selected few. The skills would be lost if the selected ones did not pass their skills down to anyone. On top of that, many do not teach the weak and female. Some masters would keep some secret techniques for themselves as protection just in case the next in line were to rebel. Some only revealed their techniques when  they were about to die. Therefore if they die without revealing those moves, the moves would be lost forever. Hence, the standard of Wushu skills in China were steadily deteriorating over the years. The Chinese might be serious about fighting for personal glory but most were on a friendly nature. In many fights to avoids serious injuries, top martial artists might just call it a draw. Some of the fights were like chess games where the masters verbally fight until one admit defeat. Some contests were won by "touch only non contact sparring" rules to avoid serious injuries. Any honorable Chinese martial artist would not fight against someone deemed disadvantaged by illness, injury and etc. A martial artist is more like a tiger who fight one against one. You cannot have 5 lions versus a single tiger. It is not in the spirit of Wushu as perpetrated by Master Huo Yuan Jia. Masters were quoted as saying we must use our conducts to make other yield (Yi tak fook yan). It is similar to respect must be earned.    

In contrast, Japanese martial arts while being copied from Chinese martial arts were more direct and aim to maim or kill at all cost. A win is a win regardless of how you win. Even if it is 10 person fighting against one wounded person. A win is a win. The Japanese were always challenging for honors. As the spirit of the samurai raises, they were constantly issuing challenges to the Chinese martial art schools. Losing to the Japanese would further dampened the already depleted Chinese's spirit. The Japanese martial artists could not afford to lose either as losing to the Chinese would bring dishonor to their family, martial arts schools and race as they viewed the Chinese as pigs and dogs. Japanese warriors would have to commit suicide if they were to lose to such unworthy opponents.

Huo Yuan Jia was working as a porter in a pharmaceutical company owned by nationalist Nong Jin Sun. One day a group of bandits raided the pharmaceutical company. Huo Yuan Jia was able to defeat the bandits single-handedly. Nong Jin Sun noticed Huo Yuan Jia martial arts abilities and pointed out to Huo Yuan Jia that the Chinese were weak and often bullied by others even in their own country. In order for the Chinese to rise again, the people need to be healthy and strong (both physically and mentally). Nong Jin Sun encouraged Huo Yuan Jia to set up a martial art center to help China restore the pride and morale of the nation. 

Master Huo then defeated all the various foreign martial arts organizations and martial artists. In 1909, Chin Woo became the 1st registered Martial Arts School in China and eventually become one of the biggest Wushu organisation in the world.. Master Huo started Chin Woo Physical Training School in Shanghai (with the financial backing of Nong Jin Sun) to allow all Chinese the opportunity to learn Chinese martial arts and strengthen themselves in order to defend the country. He named his school "Chin Woo" - "Chin" meaning "high spirit" and "Woo" meaning "martial art". His objective was to provide the people of China with the essence of Chinese martial arts with the aim of cultivating knowledge, benevolence and courage and improving the health of the people in addition to continuing the spread and preservation of Wushu skills. Nong Jin Sun became the first president and Huo Yuan Jia the chief instructor for martial arts and military training. Many people speculate the man behind all these was actually Dr. Sun Yat Sen the founder of modern China who was forced to flee to Japan and temporarily resided there. For the first time, masters from other schools were encourage to impart their knowledge and teach at Chin Woo. This would in turn raise the standard of Chinese martial arts. 

They invited many famous martial-arts masters from Long Fist, Eagle Claw, Praying Mantis and other specialized schools to teach in Chin Woo. These include Liu Zheng Sheng, Zhao Han Jie, Zhao LianHe, Zhang FuQuan, Lee ZhengJiang, Ye Feng Khi, Chen Wei Xian, Sun Zhan Xuan, Huo Yuan Qing, Lee ZhanFeng, Sun Yu Feng, Huo Dong Ge, Zhao LianCheng, Zhao Guan Yong, Ye Shu Tian, Chen Zi Zheng, Luo Guang Yu, Lee Yu Ting, Liu Zhi Xiang, Lee Jian Ming, Lee Lian Chun and Wu Jian Quan. In 1919, the Guangzhou branch of The Chin Woo Athletic Association was officially opened. Among those invited to perform was Master Wong Fei Hong in his seventies. 

For more on Grand Master Huo Yuan Jia, please click here.


For the first time everyone would be allowed to openly learn from another master. Previously this would be considered treason and punished accordingly (such as disabling the ability to use wushu by breaking the collar bones). From then on wushu is open to all willing to learn it thanks to Grand Master Huo Yaun Jia, the man who loosened all traditional rules to modernized Wushu. Without him opening the gate of Wushu wide open, few Chinese and even fewer westerners would have the opportunity to learn Wushu. Huo Yuan Jia regularly practiced and experimented with other Chinese Martial Artists from other clans / schools to look at the essence of Wushu enabling him to use various Chinese martial arts where appropriate against different martial arts /opponents. After he became an adult, he had never lost to anyone. His opponents were mainly bandits and foreigners using Japanese Martial Arts (such as Karate, Judo and Jujitsu) and Western Boxing. Without Master Huo, wushu would be a lost art with not much to learn. Therefore he was indeed the father of modern Chinese Martial Arts.

                                                                        Bruce Lee

Ironically, the person most would associate with Wushu (Kung Fu) Bruce Lee, was actually a mixed martial artist. His fighting style (which consist of mainly Karate, Jujitsu, Western Boxing and some Taekwondo kicks) is widely used in mixed martial arts (MMA). He did learned some Tae Kwondo kicks from Jhoon Rhee and some Wing Choon from GM Yip Mun (from 13 to 18 years old). Once he landed in America, his fighting style started to evolved (as he make friends with other Asians and get associated) from purely Wing Chun to mixed martial arts. None of his students has ever enter a wushu competition. They entered only karate competitions and were US and world champions. His favorite weapon was a Nun Chuck which was a previously rarely used Japanese weapon (occasionally used in Okinawan karate). In modern times, nun chuck were popularized by Bruce Lee and his associate, Dan Inosanto, in their respective movies. Dan Inosanto was credited as the person who introduced nun chuck to Bruce. Bruce Lee trained with gymnasium equipment not those traditional "wooden men" that many Wushu masters like Yip Mun (when he was alive) would still train on. For more on Bruce Lee, please click here. Bruce Lee did show off his "one inch punch" once in a while to legitimate his martial arts as "Kung Fu". Bruce was one of the best mixed martial artists of his era. 

In the earlier days of Kung Fu movies, many of the stars were not even martial artists. For instance Michelle Yeoh of James Bond fame, was more into dancing and was a Miss Malaysia. Many pick up bits and pieces on the way. Some later learn some martial arts from some masters such as Kwan Tak Hing and Lau family. Kwan Tak Hing was a wushu master and acted as Wong Fei Hung in over 100 Wong Fei Hung movies so much so some old timer would think he was Wong Fei Hung. With the decline of the Cantonese film industries, the Mandarin movies took center stage with Wang Yu's One Armed Sword-man and Chinese Boxer breaking Hongkong box-office records. Wang Yu was a judo black belt and has nothing to do with wushu/kung fu. In action movies, you have a martial arts /Kung fu choreographer who teaches the stars simple basic moves such as how to kick or block. By using technology, you can make a non martial artist become a movie grand-master. Several years later mixed martial artist Bruce Lee took the Hong Kong box office by storm with his kicks. Prior to him, there were very few kicks. Later everyone uses legs.

Gordon Lau Kar Fai (Liu Chia Hui in Mandarin) is one of the most versatile wushu master in his roles as Wong Fei Hung and Shaolin movies such as 36th Chambers of Shaolin. He also show his mastery of Chinese Weapons in Heroes Of The East, Legendary Weapons Of China and etc. He was for a brief period one of the most famous stars after the death of Bruce Lee. Only Jacky Chan's later movies gross more than his. With the closure of Shaw Brothers (the largest Film producer in Asia), his fortune also went down. He even took bad guy roles in television series (by TVB which is owned by Shaw Brothers) and other films. His lineage can be traced to legendary Master Wong Fei Hung. His master/ godfather was Master Lau Cham a disciple of Master Lam Sai Weng who was one of Master Wong Fei Hung's surviving disciple. From his martial arts movies real Hung Ga and Southern Shaolin martial arts were on displayed. In some of the movies, his god brothers (Lau Cham's sons action director Lau Kar Leong and Lau kar Weng) would also participate. You get 3 real Hung Ga masters showing off their skills. In term of wushu skill, he was one of the best Chinese action hero ever. Other notable Shaw Brothers superstars were Wang Yu, David Chiang, Ti Lung, Chen Kuan Tai (South East Asian Chinese Boxing Champion), Fu Sheng, Lin Yun, Yeh Hua and Lo Lieh.

Jacky Chan was not an immediate success story. Most of his earlier movies were flops and out of the mill B class movies trying to copy Bruce Lee. He only hit the jackpot several years later in an action comedy "Snake in the Eagle's shadow" making him an instant star. Jacky Chan is more on stunts and he have many close escapes from the jaw of death. He was trained in the Chinese opera troupe (as a young child) to perform specialized acrobatic moves and somersaults in Chinese Opera shows in front of live audiences. His fellow students in the Opera Troupe were actors Sammo Hung Kam Po and Yuan Biao. Probably due to such abilities, Jacky Chan's movies were mostly Kung Fu/martial arts comedies. He have good reflexes and agility fighting with ladders to durian (a thorny and smelly Malaysian fruits which taste like sweet cheese). He would fight with anything he could get hold of. He deliberately make his kicks low as oppose to Bruce Lee. He was comical  and relatively easy going in his movies. He was kind of opposite to the normal action hero in martial arts movies. Probably due to his versatility, he was able to adapt to the audience's taste and break through to the US market.

Jet Li was a real Northern Shaolin 18 weapons champion at the age of 18. He was learning Shaolin as a kid. In China it was quite common for poor parents to dump their little kids at the temples so that they can survive. He acted in a mainland China's movie "The martial arts of Shaolin". He was brought to Hong Kong and acted in many kung fu movies. Among his most notable movies were "Once Upon A Time In China Part 1-3" making him an instant superstar almost matching Jacky Chan in fame in Chinese areas. The movies were on Master Wong Fei Hung of Hung Chuan (Hung Ga). His lion dance in the movies were very well executed and you get a glimse of Shaolin's wushu. "Once Upon A Time In China Part 1-3" were doing better than most Jacky Chan's movies at that time due to the demand for real wushu. If you want to know more about Wong Fei Hung, please click here . Jet Li's Wushu was real Northern Shaolin. So you see his flying kicks with both legs (while you see Bruce Lee's flying kicks in the Big Boss is the one leg Tae Kwondo type). But then Jet Li does not have a good command of English as compare to Bruce Lee. He was probably not a very good actor as compare with Jacky Chan. Jet Li's English movies after moving to Hollywood were not well received. The Hollywood people does not know much about martial arts and therefore does not know how to promote Jet Li's Shaolin wushu. 

Most normal people does not know much about martial arts. So karate, taekwondo, muay thai or wushu all look the same. In the sixties to seventies, you see the cowboys punched each other as hard as they can until one cannot get up. Martial arts is just about kicking, punching and blocking. So unless you are a real martial artist, you will not be able to identify the martial arts moves (Muay Thai, Silat, Wing Chun,Hung Ga, Shaolin, Wudang, Yang Tai Chi, Chen Tai Chi and etc) being used. Is it Tiger Claws, Praying Mantis, Monkey, Drunken Fist and etc? If a person uses kicks, is it Tae Kwondo Round Horse Kick, Hoe kick, hook kick, back horse kick or could it be Muay Thai's jumping knee kick? By just examining the moves, we can tell the opponent is from which clan/ martial arts school and how to counter it. Of-course now lots of martial artists like my Facebook friend Sifu Reuben Torres learn Shaolin , Tai Chi, Karate and etc. Almost everyone is a mixed martial artist.