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Paper Abstract: The philosophy of the martial arts as a merge of physical and spiritual mastery. History of Kung Fu films in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Films of Wong Fei Hong. Impact of Bruce Lee. Other actors such as Brandon Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal. Current martial art films and TV. Paper Introduction: Introduction Martial arts is simply defined as the arts of warfare (de Castro, Orpeza & Rhodes, 1993; Ross, 1999). For example, in Japan, while samurai were engaged in swordplay, karate-do (“way of the empty hand,”) was secretly taught to weaponless peasants for self-defense (de Castro, et. al., 1993). Tae kyon (“push shoulder”) in Korea, as well as Kali in the Philippines, were outlawed by conquering nations desiring a defenseless population (1993). In fact, General MacArthur outlawed the Greater Japanese Martial Arts Association and banned martial arts in Japanese schools at the conclusion of WWII (Neide, 1995). Such deliberate prohibition assumes that the study of the martial arts is synonymous with combat training. A closer look, however, reveals an art that has a philosophy Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. The star of the Once Upon a Time in China series,Li carries these traits, born out of the Wushu tradition of patience andperseverance, into his characterization of Wong Fei Hong or whoever else heportrays. Kei, S. Often, the respect and right conductof Confucianist thought balances out the "Doing/Not Doing" or living in themoment aspect of Daoism and Zen Buddhism (Ross, 1999). J., & Rhodes, R. Some martialarts actors have attempted this by increasing their role in deciding scriptcontent, as Steven Segal and Chuck Norris are described as doing earlier inthis paper. . Through common usage, however, the term "wu xia pian" came to beused for all martial arts films, even those that were especially violentand less honorable (Kei, et. Muromoto, W. Many people are beingexposed to the martial arts with out any ethical grounding at all(Muromoto, 1999) and the result is now a generation of individuals who arelearning the physical aspects of the martial arts without the ethical orspiritual code that has historically been taught alongside it (1999) andhave no concept of how to take right action in the face of a dilemma, orindeed, no idea of delayed gratification or of respect to others. Despite this he was able to instill his movies with his philosophy:"the sincere and honest development of potential and self-actualization...The energy within and the physical strength form your bodycan guide you toward accomplishing your purpose in life" ("Essentials...,"1999, par. Thus, he began todevelop and teach Jeet Kune Do ("way of the intercepting fist") and toinfuse his philosophy into the films he was in, "which was his ultimategoal in movie-making" ("Bruce Lee...," 2 1, par. (January 2 1). Indeed, some of elements involved in SunTzu's Art of War require the generals to make sure that in all things thereis "right conduct" (Griffith, 1971). "Even non-martial arts actors have been required to trainin martial arts in order to develop and refine their body movements" (par.3), not the least of which is qi-gong, or breath training, considered to beessential in strengthening the body, mind and spirit (Holcombe, 1993). Achievement and Crisis: Hong Kong Cinema inthe '8 s. 4, No. In fact, in all theseT.V. ., 2 1). 35-41. p. It'snot just a physical discipline" ("Brandon Lee Remembered," 2 1, par. The Bruce LeeEducational Foundation. (Fall 1993). Sun Tzu: The Art of War. Although born in SanFrancisco, Lee spent most of his childhood making films in Hong Kong anddid not return to the U.S. (n. He also wanted to be able to pass on values thatreflected the Confucianist philosophy of a high standard of conduct,respect, loyalty and full development of the individual ("Essentials...,"1999). Others, such as Jet Li and Bruce Lee, have tried to ensurethat these teachings seep into their acting and martial artsdemonstrations. L., Ph.D., (1999). The Daoist Origins of theChinese Martial Arts. shows that, besides being a series of highly choreographed fightscenes, also conveys ethical messages, codes of conduct, and spiritualdirection.History of the Kung Fu Film The study of the martial arts, as military strategy and also as aphilosophy, evolved into being so much a part of the Chinese culture thatit came to occupy an important place in Chinese theater (Kei, Chu &Foerster, 2 1). Finally, Steven Seagal, Aikido Master and actor, has not only workedon regular martial arts films where he plays the typical hero who must workoutside the law in order to maintain it, as in Above the Law (1988), buthas also tried to work on films that will "not only lead people intocontemplation, but move them so much that it will change their lives," suchas On Deadly Ground (1992) about environmental activism ("Steven Seagal,"1998).Martial Arts in Film and on Television Today The influence that these actors and their work have had on the U.S.film market has been tremendous, crossing over from the customary martialarts film to just about any film with any action in it at all. Available online at:http://www.wushu.fsnet.co.uk/JetBio.htm. al., 2 1).Bruce Lee and His Successors Bruce Lee has been credited as the one who officially brought martialarts to the film industry in the United States. Kei, S., Chu, R., & Foerster, G. stylized portrayals on the silver screen (de Castro, et. In 1949, the firstWong Fei Hung movie was produced, shunning the fantasy of the earlier filmsin favor of authentic martial arts forms, and so began the martial filmgenre so prevalent today (Kei, et. This fragmenting of society has deteriorated many of the ways inwhich ethical and moral codes were formerly taught (Muromoto, 1999), makingit increasingly important for there to be a mode of communicating ethicsand morals while keeping the spiritual and secular separate. Enter theDragon? Tao of Jeet Kune Do. Bothmovies also depict the lead characters as having to resolve difficultethical questions as to who they are and what they do, as well as trying toremain at one with their bodies and minds, the "Be/Not Be" and "Do/Not Do"of the zen warrior. al., 2 1). between the secular and thespiritual and the last 2 years has been an effort to keep the spiritualseparate from the secular in order to allow for a diversity of beliefsystems. The Blade and The Crow both havestunningly choreographed fight scenes, empty-handed and with weapons. Available online at:http://www.friesian.com/divebomb.htm [May 24, 2 1]. These images depict how many people perceive the martial arts... "Jet Li Biography." (2 1). New York:Oxford Paperbacks, Oxford University Press. The Bodhisattva Warriors. Available online at:http://www.stareastnet.com/tc/artist/jackieclub/eng/kungfu/main.html. Internet Movie Database. .," 2 1). (1996). The martialarts film has gone from the traditional lone hero and friends who useshadow boxing to protect others to: High-flying kicks combined with deadly punches and lethal throws. Bright Lights Film Journal, Issue 31,online version. Both "Walker" and "Martial Law"portray characters that may put a "zen face" on their job, but theirapproach to their duty is very Confucianist in its sway. However, his recent lead role in the T.V. insuch films as The Legend of Drunken Master (1994) and Once Upon a Time inChina (1991). New York: NTC/Contemporary Publishing. PBS and WGBHProductions. R. al., 1993). In any case, however, the martial arts culture has madeits way into the American movie and film industry, not only affecting thefight scenes, but also greatly affecting the ethical content that Americanswatch everyday. Finally, the Star Wars series can not be put aside.Thirty years of viewers have learned and internalized the teachings of theJedi Knights and the Force, which greatly resemble the teachings of bothDaoist and Zen teachings, while giving the nod to Confucian teachingregarding respect and honor. Availableonline at: http://us.imdb.com/Bio?Li,+Jet. (de Castro, et. Such deliberate prohibition assumes thatthe study of the martial arts is synonymous with combat training. Availableat: http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/31/hk_achievement1.html Lee, B. These Wong Fei Hong films came to be included in the genre of martialarts films known as "wu xia pian" or "chivalrous combat films". Stories for the early films were largely based on pulp novels or drewliberally from "traditional tales and legends of superhuman swordsman andmagical feats" (Garcia, 2 1, par. Available online at:http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pges/frontline/shows/tibet/interviews/seagal.html. This philosophy affected the way he portrayedhis characters in the few films he was in before his death in 1993. A former student of Bruce Lee, he is aKarate champion with a modest film career in martial art films (de Castro,et. . Theclassic "wu xia pian" was typified by its "righteous values and moralisticmessages" (Kei, et.al., 2 1, par. Jet Li's career was started when he was arbitrarily assigned to learnmartial arts as a child. de Castro, E., Orpeza, B. Chuck Norris is another martial artist who has used film and T.V. In spite of thefact that he is generally in action/comedy films, he neverthelessincorporates his particular type of martial arts with his value system.His "Jackie Chan Kung Fu School" website states 1 regulations that must befollowed to be a student:1) Respect and obey your master2) Learn by heart3) Return good to evil4) Practice hard5) Practice benevolence constantly6) Never bully and oppress the weak7) No adultery8) No excessive drinking and smoking9) Never be rash and crude1 ) Never shadow box recklessly ("Jackie Chan...," 2 1, par. Although Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan also havefilm industries, they have been so greatly eclipsed by Hong Kong's as to bealmost non-existent -- especially in the martial arts arena -- and so havehad little or no impact on American cinema or its values (Kei, 2 1). 6) and more recentlythese Wong Fei Hong stories have been revitalized and introduced to U.S. These characters often must struggle between doing their best tobe loyal to family and government in spirit, even when they must bedisobedient in action ("Jet Li. 2). shows aimed at a younger audience in shows such as "The Jackie ChanAdventures," "Walker: Texas Ranger," "Martial Law," "Angel," "Dark Angel"and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". This philosophy was passed onto Brandon Lee, Bruce Lee's son, whoalso became a martial artist and actor in his own right, and who alsoendeavored to include the spiritual side of martial arts into his physicalpractice: "For me, the martial arts is a search for something inside. "Bruce Lee." (May 24, 2 1). 7) as well as choreographed martial artsmatches. At the turn of the last century, emphasis went from theater to cinemaand the advent of the martial arts film industry in Shanghai (Kei, et. 24. Heis also the author of two books, The Secret of Inner Strength and TheSecret Power Within - Zen Solutions to Real Problems (2 1). (January 2 1) Alive and Kicking: The Kung Fu Film is aLegend. In fact, General MacArthur outlawed the Greater JapaneseMartial Arts Association and banned martial arts in Japanese schools at theconclusion of WWII (Neide, 1995). d.). Tae kyon ("push shoulder") in Korea, as well as Kali in thePhilippines, were outlawed by conquering nations desiring a defenselesspopulation (1993). 4). A Brief HistoricalTour of the HK Martial Arts Film. Ross, K. The Matrix, with its 21stcentury special effects, revolutionized both the action film and themartial arts film, while teaching the young Neo to trust/not trust ordo/not do, much as a Daoist would. Santa Clarita, California:Ohara Publications, Inc. (1999). Only after achieving success did Hollywood noticehim, resulting in Enter The Dragon (1973), the only Hollywood-backed filmhe would star in (par.1). Christian ResearchJournal, p. 4). Available online at:http://earthlink.net/~ronrhodes/MARTIAL1.html [May 24, 2 1]. p. series "Walker,Texas Ranger," has catapulted him into many American living rooms, where he"skillfully incorporates his martial-arts knowledge into his series. The Warrior Within: The Philosophiesof Bruce Lee to Better Understand the World Around You and Achieve aRewarding Life. . "Teaching Ethics in Martial Arts." Furyu Online. Internet Movie Database.Available online at: http://us.imdb.com/Bio?Norris,+Chuck "Biography for Jet Li" (2 1). Available at:http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/31/hk_brief1.html. Zen and the Art of Divebombing, or TheDard Side of the Tao. al., 2 1).Production of these films slowed down in the 193 's due to the increase incensorship and the focus on social issues in China, however after the 1949revolution, the Chinese commercial-film industry moved to Hong Kong toresume making martial arts films (Garcia, 2 1). 1).These "stylized portrayals" are increasingly on the big screen, not only in"wu xia pian," such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but also in suchmovies as Shanghai Noon , The Matrix, The Crow or Blade, to name a few,transmitting the Confucianist, Daoist and Zen Buddhist blend of valuesystems into a Western form aimed at adults. These films depended less onauthentic martial arts and more on the supernatural (Kei, et. 1). Ultimate Martial Arts.Net:MA Legends.Available online at:http://www.ultimatemartialarts.com/legends/brucelee.cfm. . Journal of Asian Martial Arts, 2, 1 -25. Griffith, S. (trans.) (1971). References "Biography for Chuck Norris" (2 1). asa platform for his value system. al., 1993). Unable to breakthrough the racial barrier in Hollywood, Lee went back to Hong Kong tobecome a superstar there. Little, J. Wong Fei Hong, a famous doctor and martial artist who lived duringthe late Qing Dynasty and early Republican China, is one folk hero that hasbeen immortalized by the martial arts film industry. Martial Arts & Japanese Nationalism.Journal of Asian Martial Arts, Vol. 2. Available online athttp://www.jkd.com/essentialsofphilosophy.htm. (n. In fact, "between 1949 and 1959, atleast 62 Wong Fei Hong films were produced" (par. al.,2 1; Garcia, 2 1). These portrayals are not just confined to the big screen, they arealso increasingly taking place on Saturday morning cartoons and eveningT.V. Tomio, S. Neide, J., Ed.D., (1995). Wong was portrayed as a"supreme exponent of the Hong boxing style, the personification ofConfucian virtue, and a pillar of Chinese tradition in changing times"(italics mine)(Garcia, 2 1, par. 1). Ultimate Martial Arts.Net:MA Legends.Available online at:http://www.ultimatemartialarts.com/legends/brandonlee.cfm. Frontline. "Brandon Lee." (May 24, 2 1). "Steven Seagal Interview." (1998). However, in a nation where violence in the school systemis on the rise, so are the number of dojos (martial arts schools) beingopened in the U.S., which have doubled between 1987 and 1991 and are stillincreasing every year (de Castro, et. Garcia, R. Wrestling with the Martial Arts Phenomenon. For example, at the end of every "JackieChan Adventures" episode, Chan is asked by young viewer about his life, andhe uses this time to talk about values. Available online at: http://www.furyu.com/onlinearticles/Ethics.html. As will bedemonstrated in the following paper, this has resulted in action films andT.V. Bright Lights Film Journal, Issue 31, online version. al., 1993, par. Although Jackie Chan has only recently begun to gain popularity inthe United States, he has been onscreen since 1962 and in Hong Kong since1971, after he left the Peking Opera School, at seventeen. A closer look, however, reveals an art that has a philosophy based inan elaborate blend of ancient codes of conduct, ethics and a spiritualitythat appears to be a fusion of Daoism, Zen Buddhism, and Confucianism(Ross, 1999; Holcombe, 1993). For example, althoughShanghai Noon begins as a typical martial arts film, it soon flips into aWestern and then flops again as West teaches East independence and Eastteaches West how to honorably take right action. Holcombe, C., Ph.D., (January 1993). Ultimately, thelead characters in "Angel," "Dark Angel," and "Buffy" must all walk thewarrior's fine line between disgrace and honor, considered dishonorable inpublic, but honoring their ethical code in private. .,"2 1) and describes himself as quiet, well mannered and obedient("Biography. 5).Brandon Lee also believed that in striving to master the martial arts, theindividual had to face barriers within the self that, if dealt with, wouldlead to a "spiritual sense," "self-knowledge," and "knowledge of others" aswell (Little & Lee, 1996). Jeet Kune Do embodied Lee's philosophy of coming to termswith the inner self through the balance and formless form of the physicalself (Lee, 1975). .," 2 1). until he was 18 years old. "Jackie Chan Kung Fu School." (2 1). & Lee, L. al., 1993) as well ascapturing the imagination of the film and television industry. N. A lone warrior single-handedly overpowering a band of burly attackers; an old sage imparting wisdom to a young attentive disciple. Introduction Martial arts is simply defined as the arts of warfare (de Castro,Orpeza & Rhodes, 1993; Ross, 1999). p.). shows, the main characters have been shown to perform some sort ofsitting meditation when striving to get ready for a trial that they are notsure that they are ready for or in attempting to make a difficult decision.These are very Eastern takes on very Western stories.Conclusion Until recently, an accepted code of ethics was a basic part of amartial arts student's teaching, since that teaching was being only givento a select few whose characters were known and who had already beengrounded in an ethical and moral code due upbringing or schooling(Muromoto, 1999). ..stressing action and technique over violence" ("Biography. "The Essentials of Bruce Lee's Philosophy." (1999). For example, in Japan, while samuraiwere engaged in swordplay, karate-do ("way of the empty hand,") wassecretly taught to weaponless peasants for self-defense (de Castro, et.al., 1993). p. Furthermore, having studied under Wushuphilosophy, he follows in the Wushu tradition in presenting the tenets ofloyalty and truth in his personal life as well as onscreen ("Jet Li. Making the leapfrom East to West, this merge of physical and spiritual mastery has becomea booming industry in the U.S. B. Availableat: http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/31/hk_alive.html. Bright Lights Film Journal, Issue 31, online version. There is increasing conflict in the U.S. (January 2 1). (1975). If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

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