Are there different types of Kung Fu?

Answer 1

There are many types of Kung Fu. Kung Fu is a very generic term referring to all Chinese martial arts. The Chinese Martial Arts can be divided into categories a few different ways.

One way is Internal vs. External. This is actually a sliding scale, with Tai Chi on the extreme Internal side. Internal means it's all about learning to move smoothly. External means it's all about learning to hit hard. Most forms of Kung Fu fall somewhere in the middle.

Another way is Northern vs. Southern. The Northern Chinese, being more rural and taller people, developed fighting styles that emphasized extended moves. The Southern, being more densely populated and shorter people, developed more infighting techniques.

There are also a number of "themed" styles, such as the 18 Lo Han Fists, Praying Mantis Kung Fu, Monkey Style Kung Fu, Drunken Style Kung Fu, Five Animals Kung Fu, etc. On the other hand, there "unthemed" styles, such as Long Fist, Tan Tui, Wing Chun, etc. All of these can be placed somewhere on the scale of Internal vs. External, and classified either Northern of Southern.

Then there are variants on these. Praying Mantis has 7 Star Praying Mantis and Southern Praying Mantis. Tan Tui has a 10 road version and a 12 road version.

Then there are family styles of Kung Fu. Some ancient (or sometimes even relatively modern) ancestor of someone learned two or three systems of Kung Fu and became proficient, and taught them all to his son or daughter, who (being 5 or 6 when beginning training) didn't realize they were different, and created a sort of mixed art using aspects of all of them, perhaps even mixing forms or creating new forms that developed out of this confusion about the differences. This was then passed down. Three generations later, a great grandson starts teaching Martial Arts classes and is amazed to discover that what his father taught him was actually similar to this and that and the other.

Add to this the confusion that Japanese Kempo Karate is actually developed from Chinese Shaolin Kung Fu, and some times people exclude Tai Chi from being called a Martial Art since the Martial Moves have been "distilled" to more exercise moves.

Then, of course, there are those who take advantage of the media hype surrounding Kung Fu, and learn Tae Kwon Do or Karate, but call it a "hidden art" of Kung Fu. Which, as I said before, if it's Kempo or some specialized versions of Tae Kwon Do, can sometimes have merit, since some of those were developed from Shaolin Kung Fu. But usually it's just a way to get better advertising.

Answer 2

Yes there are at least 18 different disciplines of Kung Fu, 20 if you count Bruce Lee's Hybrid Martial Art Jeet Kune Do as a type of Kung Fu, as well as Wushu.

the 18 I mentioned above are here: Bagua, Drunken Boxing, Eagle Claw, Five Animals (Dragon, Snake, Crane, Tiger, and Panther), Hsing I, Hung Gar, Lau Gar, Monkey, Praying Mantis, White Crane, Wing Chun and Tai Chi Chuan.

Bodhidharma, a visiting Indian Buddhist monk, visited a monastery, and was unhappy to find that some of the monks would fall asleep during their meditations. Deciding that they needed more physical stamina, he introduced to the monks a system of exercises that later developed into the modern Shaolin style.

the Shaolin monks during and before this time harboured retired soldiers who taught the monks self-defense techniques that they had learned during military training.

Near the 7th century CE, the Shaolin monks, in order to protect themselves from bandits and criminals, began to organize what they had learned into a "Shaolin" style. Interestingly enough, the first fictional martial arts novel for the general public was also written around the time of the T'ang Dynasty in the 6th-7th century AD.

Answer 3

There are two main types of Kung Fu:

The External form (wai-chia) is the classic system seen and popularized in the West and is rigorous and aggressively outward - hard, and places emphasis on force and strength.

The Internal system (nei-chia) is very different: its philosophies use excersise and chi kung-type stillness for both spiritual means and as a means for self defense - soft, yielding and inward.

Answer 4

China is a country separated by mountains and vast prairies of space. this lead to many smaller cultures within the country. Each culture had several fighting style which means there are a many different kinds of Kung Fu.

Answer 5

There is several different types and variations of Chinese Kung Fu....Gung Fu,Wushu,etc....too much to list and so splendid and powerful that it would amaze the average human being! Most other forms of Martial Arts derive from Chinese Kung Fu.....even Japanese Karate ! Its a incredibley beautiful and spiritual blend of Martial Arts and philosphy.

Answer 6

Karate

Kung Moo Foo

Kung Woo Hoo

Answer 7

Yes, there are hundreds of differnt types of Kung-Fu.

Answer 8

hi i am hammy again yay go me i am only 14 but yay

Answer 9

Yes, many.