China Popular Itineraries |
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Wushu in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period |
The development of Wushu proceeded to a new stage in this period of time, when dukes and princes were immersed in the fights for kingship. Great attention was paid to the attacking skills and competence of the forces in the battles.
Weapons made of iron appeared and replaced the bronze ones, owing to the progress of smelting technology. The heavy chariots were replaced by the horses. In accordance with these changes, the shapes of weapons were distinc-tively adapted. Some long weapons were shortened to cut weight so that to be flexible in the movements of chopping and parrying, while some short weapons were made longer to exert the usage of the blades. Crossbow turned out also at this time. The improvement and invention of the weapons enriched the contents and approaches of Wushu.
With its nature being learned by more people, Wushu began to spread widely in folks in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Peri-od. The embryonic form of free sparring and fencing, for example, became popular at this time. In free sparring, the winner subdued the opponent by strength as well as by wrestling skills, which were integrated into certain se-ries with features of wrestling, attacking and catching. These series were used both in actual fight and physical exercises, marking a new stage of develop-ment of Wushu. Fencing, also an embryo of the sport, was often held by the slave owners for their pleasure. They supplied a living to their fencers and made them combat, each time until one of them was killed.
This period saw the development of a variety of weapons, among which were wubing, wuren and wujian, referring to the weapons such as sword, spear, halberd, arrow, and the similar. Sword was in vogue for a time, many people wearing it. Fencing appealed to the public, while arrow shooting was categorized as one of the "six compulsory arts" according to Confucianism.
Wushu, further developed in this period of time, had become a necessity for pleasure instead of a means for survival. It came to be a component of the traditional Chinese culture. |
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