Wushu, is a generic term used to describe any form of martial arts. 'Wu' is the Chinese character for military/martial, and 'Shu' means arts. Wushu can be defined into two categories: traditional and modern. Traditional Wushu was practised as a means of self-defence and protection, but modern Wushu has shifted the emphasis away from just pure combat during its development at the turn of the 20th century. Modern Wushu now incorporates elements of recreational pursuit, mental discipline and aesthetic perfection of forms and movements, the focus now more on sport and physical fitness.

Lotus kick (left) and Butterfly kick (right) are a couple of wushu movements

Wushu has a rich history, being an important part of the Chinese cultural heritage. For many Chinese, knowing martial arts was a matter of survival during the many upheavals of China's history. Wushu developed into many forms and styles because of China's large population living in many places. Amongst these places, the two most famous are the Shaolin Temple in Henan Province and Wudang (Wu Tang) Mountain in Hubei Province.

Shaolin Monks

Wushu continues to grow in popularity across the world, already being the most popular national sport in China and becoming an official medal event in the Asian Games. Australia has its own national tournament, which has been held at the University of Melbourne for several times and hosting numbers of teams from all over the nation.

Kids playing wushu in China