brianlkennedy
12-02-2004, 04:33 AM
If you are really interested in the history of Chinese martial arts during the Republican era (1911 to about 1949) I highly recommend a book which was published by the University of California Press a couple of months ago. The book is entitled:
Marrow of the Nation: A History of Sport and Physical Culture in Republican China by Andrew D. Morris,
I realize that at $50 it is somewhat pricey but if you want the best english language discussion of that time and its impact on the development of Chinese martial arts, get this book. Dr. Morris discusses both the Jing Wu Association and the National Guo Shu program. I mention this book for two reasons; first I think it is a very well researched and well written book. Secondly I recommend it as an antidote to all the horse**** that is flying around about the Guo Shu tournaments of the 1920s and 30s and as a serious and realistic account of how the public viewed martial arts at that time and what steps were being taken to modernize Chinese martial arts.
The Amazon link for it is:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0520240847/qid=1101953548/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-8178369-3315352?v=glance&s=books
If you take a look at the blurb you will see that the book is not devoted entirely to martial arts but rather discusses all sports of the time. And yes, by the 1900s martial arts were viewed as a sport or form of recreation.
take care,
Brian
Marrow of the Nation: A History of Sport and Physical Culture in Republican China by Andrew D. Morris,
I realize that at $50 it is somewhat pricey but if you want the best english language discussion of that time and its impact on the development of Chinese martial arts, get this book. Dr. Morris discusses both the Jing Wu Association and the National Guo Shu program. I mention this book for two reasons; first I think it is a very well researched and well written book. Secondly I recommend it as an antidote to all the horse**** that is flying around about the Guo Shu tournaments of the 1920s and 30s and as a serious and realistic account of how the public viewed martial arts at that time and what steps were being taken to modernize Chinese martial arts.
The Amazon link for it is:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0520240847/qid=1101953548/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-8178369-3315352?v=glance&s=books
If you take a look at the blurb you will see that the book is not devoted entirely to martial arts but rather discusses all sports of the time. And yes, by the 1900s martial arts were viewed as a sport or form of recreation.
take care,
Brian