Many people, especially in America, know of Karate. So much so that that's all they know. Muay Thai is Elbow Karate, BJJ is ground Karate, and Judo is throwing Karate! All jokes aside due to Karate's excellent marketing and structure they have captured the attention of the American public and the world. This has caused me to have to make a distinction here between the two. Kung Fu is not Chinese Animal Karate, it is Chinese Martial Arts, skill attained through hard work, based on animal-like fighting movements. Kung Fu was first, and should be given the honor it deserves. Aside from it being first there are a few conceptual points in fighting and philosophy that makes it different than Karate. I look forward in diving deep into the differences today!
Differences in Philosophy
Okinawan Karate did come from Chinese Martial Arts. The old masters studied from Chinese Martial artists and brought it back to Nihon/Japan. They infused their culture and ideas into the art. While China is more go with the flow of the natural order of things, Japan is more taking control of their own destiny. While both karate and kung fu emphasize self-discipline and respect, Karate has more outward discipline. Karate has a hierarchy akin to military order while Kung Fu hierarchy is more akin to a family structure. The key philosophical difference lies in the focus on mind-body harmony, with kung fu placing a greater emphasis on inner energy cultivation and a holistic approach to personal development, while karate tends to prioritize physical strength and direct, linear techniques with a focus on self-improvement through disciplined practice.
Differences in Fighting Style
The primary difference between karate and kung fu fighting styles is that karate generally uses more linear, direct movements with a focus on powerful strikes, while kung fu tends to incorporate fluid, circular motions with a greater emphasis on adaptability and reacting to an opponent's attacks, often including techniques like throws, joint locks, and pressure point strikes. Essentially, karate is more focused on offensive power while kung fu is more adaptable and defensive in its approach. Karate's approach is deliver 1-3 strikes to end a fight which is great to have that type of power. Kung Fu's approach is to think about what if you miss? What if they counter or have high endurance? Kung Fu wants to flow from 1 strike to the next into multiple strikes until the opponent is incapacitated. Kung Fu wants to go with the natural order or harmony of movement, or rhythm.
Some Karate styles took some of the animal movements of Kung Fu. Karate took a lot more of the direct approach from the animals. Kung Fu recognizes the circular movements more. As the universe is a circle, the earth rotates and is a circle, the circular motion of centripetal and centrifugal force, forces that attract and repel. Not that Kung Fu isn't direct at times, it's direct when needed and flexible when needed. The Yin and Yang aspect where there's a little of the opposite in the extreme that allows everything to be balanced and in harmony.
Ultimately Kung Fu is an art meant for more than just fighting. It is a big part of the art, because in it's inception it's needed but Chinese Martial Arts also has a hidden healing contained within the movements that leads to improved fitness, flexibility, healing, self-development, and self discovery. In a modern world where fighting is not the order of the day, it's nice to have an art that teaches you to be a warrior and a gardener, not of a physical plot of land, but a gardener or cultivator of the garden of your mental, spiritual, and physical talents. Cultivation of the inner qualities that ultimately leads us to being successful in anything we do.
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