Wushu

Wushu literally means "martial art". It is the correct term for the more commonly known but misused term kung fu, which roughly translates to "skill" and refers specifically to the energy, feeling and effort expended in doing or making something. A craftsman or artisan could be said to have good "kung fu" in the way in which they carry out their craft. In the same way, a wushu practitioner can also be said to have good "kung fu" with their wushu practice.

All categories of Chinese martial arts, traditional, contemporary, hard and soft, can be called wushu. Today, the terms "modern wushu" or "contemporary wushu" refer to forms that are practiced for health, exhibition and competition. Common "hard" or external styles of contemporary wushu are southern fist, Nanquan and long fist, Changquan. Common "soft" or internal styles are Taijiquan, Baguazhang and Xingyiquan.

Wushu is practiced in forms (taolu in Chinese), which are comprised of basic movements, (stances, kicks, punches, balances, jumps and sweeps), particular to each style, and can be changed for competitions to highlight ones strengths. Competitive forms can vary in length from 90 seconds for the hard styles, to over five minutes for internal styles.