WUSHU

A traditional chinese martial arts, wushu is both an exhibition and a full-contact sport. It was created in 1949 in the People's Republic of China. It became an international sport through the International Wushu Federation (IWUF). This organization holds the World Wushu Championships every two years. The very first Wushu World Champion was Yua Wen Qing in Beijing in 1991.

Events in Wushu competition:

• Barehanded
  • 長拳 Changquan (Long Fist)
  • 南拳 Nanquan (Southern Fist)
  • 太極拳 Taijiquan (or Tai chi chuan) (Taiji Fist)

• Short Weapons
  • 刀 Dao (knife)
  • 劍 Jian (double-edged sword)
  • 南刀 Nandao (Southern single-edged sword)
  • 太極劍 Taijijian (Taiji double-edged sword)

• Long Weapons
  • 棍 Gun (Staff)
  • 槍 Qiang (Spear)
  • 南棍 Nangun (Southern cudgel) 
  
  

  Main events

  Changquan refers to long-range extended wushu styles like Chaquan (查拳), Huaquan (華拳), Hongquan (洪拳; "flood fist"), and Shaolinquan (少林拳), but this wushu form is a modernized style derived from movements of these and other traditional styles. Changquan is the most widely-seen of the wushu forms, and includes speed, power,accuracy, and flexibility. Changquan is difficult to perform, requiring great flexibility and athleticism, and is often practised from a young age.
  Nanquan refers to wushu styles originating in south China (i.e., south of the Yangtze River, including Hongjiaquan (Hung Gar) (洪家拳), Cailifoquan (Choy Li Fut) (蔡李佛拳), and Yongchunquan (Wing Chun) (詠春拳). Many are known for vigorous, athletic movements with very stable, low stances and intricate hand movements. This wushu form is a modern style derived from movements of these and other traditional southern styles. Nanquan typically requires less flexibility and has fewer acrobatics than Changquan, but it also requires greater leg stability and power generation through leg and hip coordination. This event was created in 1960.
  Taijiquan (Tai chi chuan) is a wushu style famous for slow, relaxed movements, often seen as an exercise method for the elderly, and sometimes known as "Tai Chi" in Western countries to those otherwise unfamiliar with wushu. This wushu form is a modern recompilation based on the Yang (楊) style of Taijiquan, but also including movements of the Chen (陳), Wu (吳), Wu (武), and Sun (孫) styles.
  Dao refers to any curved, one-sided sword/blade, but this wushu form is a Changquan method of using a medium-sized willow-leaf-shaped dao (柳葉刀).
  Jian refers to any double-edged straight sword/blade, but this wushu form is a Changquan method of using the jian.
  Gun refers to a long staff (shaped from white wax wood) as tall as the wrist of a person standing with his/her arms stretched upwards, but this wushu form is a Changquan method of using the white wax wood staff.
  Qiang refers to a flexible spear with red horse hair attached to the spearhead, but this wushu form is a Changquan method of using the qiang.
  Taijijian is an event using the jian based on traditional Taijiquan jian methods.
  Nandao is a weapon that appears to be based on the butterfly swords of Yongchunquan, but has been lengthened and changed so that only one is used (as opposed to a pair). This event is a Nanquan method, and was created in 1992.
  Nangun is a Nanquan method of using the staff. This event was created in 1992.
  
  ROUTINES
  
  • Baguazhang (八卦掌) - Eight-Trigrams Palm
  • Bajiquan (八極拳) - Eight Extremes Fist/Boxing
  • Chaquan (查拳) - Cha Fish/Boxing
  • Changquan (长拳)- Long fist
  • Chuojiao (戳腳) - Poking Feet
  • Ditangquan (地躺拳) - Ground-Prone Fist/Boxing
  • Fanziquan (翻子拳) - Tumbling Fist/Boxing
  • Houquan (猴拳) - Monkey Fist/Boxing
  • Huaquan (華拳) - Hua Fist/Boxing
  • Nanquan (南拳）-Southern Fist
  • Paochui (炮捶) - Cannon Punch
  • Piguaquan (劈掛拳) - Chop-Hitch Fist/Boxing
  • Shequan (蛇拳) - Snake Fist/Boxing
  • Tantui (弹腿）- Spring Leg
  • Tanglanghushi (螳螂虎势) - Praying Mantis and Tiger Style
  • Tanglanquan (螳螂拳) - Praying Mantis Fist/Boxing
  • Tongbeiquan (通背拳) - Through-the-Back Fist/Boxing
  • Wing Chun (Yongchunquan) - Eternal Spring
  • Xingyiquan (形意拳) - Shape-Intent Fist/Boxing
  • Yingzhuaquan (鷹爪拳) - Eagle Claw Fist/Boxing
  • Zuiquan (醉酒拳) - Drunken Fist/Boxing
  • Tornado Poing - Tornado Fist (French Form of Wushu)
  Similarly, there is also a traditional weapons category, which often includes the following:
  
• Changsuijian (長穗劍) - Long-Tasseled Sword
• Shuangshoujian (雙手劍) - Two-Handed Sword
• Jiujiebian (九節鞭) - Nine Section Whip
• Sanjiegun (三節棍) - Three Section Staff
• Shengbiao (繩鏢) - Rope Dart
• Dadao (大刀) - Great Sword
• Pudao (撲刀) - Pu Sword
• Emeici (峨嵋刺) - Emei Daggers
• Shuangdao (雙刀) - Double Broadsword
• Shuangjian (雙劍) - Double Sword
• Shuangbian (雙鞭) - Double Nine Section Whips
• Shuanggou (雙鈎) - Double Hooksword