'If I had to pick a single general martial arts history book in
English, I would recommend A Brief History of the Martial Arts by Dr
Jonathan Clements'
RICHARD BEITLICH, Martial History Team blog
From Shaolin warrior monks to the movies of Bruce Lee, a new history
of the evolution of East Asian styles of unarmed combat, from Kung Fu to
Ninjutsu
Folk tales of the Shaolin Temple depict warrior monks with superhuman
abilities. Today, dozens of East Asian fighting styles trace their roots
back to the Buddhist brawlers of Shaolin, although any quest for the
true story soon wanders into a labyrinth of forgeries, secret texts and
modern retellings.
This new study approaches the martial arts from their origins in
military exercises and callisthenics. It examines a rich folklore from
old wuxia tales of crime-fighting heroes to modern kung fu movies.
Centre stage is given to the stories that martial artists tell
themselves about themselves, with accounts (both factual and fictional)
of famous practitioners including China's Yim Wing-chun, Wong Fei-hong,
and Ip Man, as well as Japanese counterparts such as Kano Jigoro, Itosu
Anko and So Doshin.
The history of martial arts encompasses secret societies and religious
rebels, with intimate glimpses of the histories of China, Korea and
Japan, their conflicts and transformations. The book also charts the
migration of martial arts to the United States and beyond. Special
attention is paid to the turmoil of the twentieth century, the
cross-cultural influence of Japanese colonies in Asia, and the post-war
rise of martial arts in sport and entertainment - including the legacy
of Bruce Lee, the dilemma of the ninja and the global audience for
martial arts in fiction.
