Abstract: In Ovid’s Metamorphosis, change takes place at the whim of the gods, albeit often for clear reasons and with clear allegorical or didactic meanings. In Kafka’s Metamorphosis, however, change is inscrutable, unfathomable, irresolvable, and simply something to be borne. The speculation animating the following reflection is that the global pandemic of 2020 induced a metamorphosis in the lifeworlds of martial artists, the psychological and emotional effects of which have been severe from the start, while the pragmatic consequences and implications for the near to mid-term future remain unclear. The future form, content, and cultural status of the entity ‘martial arts’ all remain uncertain. Future studies will undoubtedly map the changed terrain. But for now, in the midst of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, what follows is a personal and theoretical reflection, written at a time and from a position in which there are more questions than answers. This reflection seeks to capture something of the structure of feeling of this situation and to reflect on its potential consequences for ‘martial arts’ and ‘martial artists’, as viewed from one (g)local position and perspective. Published on 2020-11-17 00:00:00
Abstract: This paper explores the experience of space afforded by the practice or liàn of tàolù 练套路, the prearranged movement patterns of the Chinese martial arts. It examines the roots of tàolù in Chinese martial preparation, religious self-consecration and theatrical performance. It develops the structure and phenomenology of this practice with special attention to its exponents’ perceptions of negative space. Following an interdisciplinary approach, the author contextualizes embodied, martial knowledge in terms of Chinese social history, theatre and religious praxis. Published on 2020-11-17 00:00:00
Abstract: In the 16th century, China and its civilization was no longer merely an image – a fantastical country encountered only by travelling merchants such as Marco Polo. It was becoming a reality for increasing numbers of travellers. Some of these were scholars interested in researching Chinese medical and physical culture. Thanks to this scholarly interest, numerous Chinese practices came to be studied by European scholars, including those that would eventually come to be known by such names as kung-fu, or cong-fu. Consequently, it was during this period that both knowledge and misconceptions about ‘Chinese boxing’ as a physical practice spread, initially to Britain and subsequently to other European countries. This essay focuses on these early stages in the establishment of both knowledge and misconceptions about Chinese martial arts in English language writings. It uses both primary texts and critical literature. Specifically, works of the surgeon John Dudgeon will be discussed in the first section; works by the scholar Professor Herbert A. Giles will be considered in the second section; and subsequent work by Joseph Needham will be examined in the third section (although, for reasons of space, to a lesser extent). In focusing on these authors, I explore the ways in which their different backgrounds and differing purposes produced different images of their object of attention. At the same time, however, I argue that the three primary images drawn by Dudgeon, Giles, and Needham share overarching cultural conceptions that are rooted in Greek assumptions about the ‘complete human being’. In the context of this discussion, it will also be useful to discuss some relevant secondary historical and anthropological approaches in order to see the ways that the first wave of critiques approached the same subject. Published on 2020-11-17 00:00:00
Abstract: This is an obituary for the renowned professor, martial arts writer, theatre choreographer and director, Phillip Zarrilli. Published on 2020-11-17 00:00:00
Abstract: The flourishing of rural martial arts groups in modern China was largely facilitated by popular beliefs in invulnerability rituals. Invulnerability rituals, defined as the ability to defend oneself from physical harms through religious rituals, played a significant role in uniting various martial arts groups during the Boxer Uprising, which was well-known for targeting Christian missionaries. Through the teachings of cross-regional networks of wandering martial arts masters, invulnerability rituals were initially used for the purpose of defending rural communities against bandits by local self-defense martial arts groups. After learning invulnerability rituals, people could tame demonic power by summoning the presence of martial gods. Those wandering martial arts masters, who preached the effectiveness of practicing invulnerability rituals, were careerist teachers who first promoted the use of protective martial arts (invulnerability rituals) against bandits and then expanded the use of invulnerability rituals in resolving all local disputes, including but not limited to lineage conflicts and competition for natural resources. These martial arts groups then became one of the most destabilizing social actors, threatening the security of people’s livelihood. Eventually, during the early People’s Republic, martial arts groups and invulnerability rituals disappeared as a result of the Communist Party’s nationwide campaigns against alleged counterrevolutionaries. Published on 2020-11-17 00:00:00
Abstract: The objective of this paper is to present and discuss the practice of ssireum, or Korean wrestling. The practice is a short-range combat sport where fighters are linked through a belt (satba) that each holds in order to throw the opponent down. Our study employs a method based on phenomenology to comprehend the experience of practicing ssireum through intertwinement. It also considers its history and definition, as well as the descriptions of a technical research visit carried out in South Korea in 2019. Descriptions were made considering perceptual processes and also gender issues that arise from practical experiences with ssireum. We claim that ssireum should be replicable in non-Korean environments, and could be developed as an important tool to promote engagement in fighting activities and broaden cultural diversity through embodied knowledges. Published on 2020-11-17 00:00:00
Abstract: Traditional Vietnamese Martial Arts (TVMA) are practices that have not been widely studied in relation to their functions. As a result, the effectiveness and relevance of these systems in a rapidly developing nation are widely debated. This study identified local attitudes towards TVMA forms, in a bid to better understand the practices, their backgrounds, their relevance in a contemporary climate and implications for their future. Attitudes were assessed through the use of a seven-point semantic differential scale questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed to one hundred participants in the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi, all of whom had some understanding or experience of martial arts. Results were compared in relation to demographic data such as gender, age differences and martial arts backgrounds. Statistical significance was then analyzed through two-tailed T-tests. Results demonstrated conclusively that TVMA are seen as important historical, cultural, and social practices; however, the effectiveness of such systems as practical fighting arts as well as their relevance economically, is a highly divisive topic among the local population. Outcomes of the research suggest that further refinement and development of these systems are required to ensure they are not superseded by combat sports. Published on 2020-11-17 00:00:00
Abstract: In 1903, Sadakazu Uyenishi established a jujutsu dojo on Golden Square, Piccadilly Circus. For four years, following its establishment, Uyenishi was busy performing jujutsu demonstrations, taking on challengers, and teaching jujutsu. This article focusses on Uyenishi’s teaching of the Army, and of women’s classes. These particular aspects of Uyenishi’s teaching would influence physical culture in the U.K. and the British military, and would lay the foundation for a future politicisation of jujutsu as a mechanism of women’s self-defence and physical equality. Uyenishi left the U.K. in 1907 but his dojo lived on through his students William and Edith Garrud. Edith in particular became a very prominent practitioner of jujutsu and taught highly publicised classes for suffragettes. The dojo on Golden Square had been demolished by 1930, and the once burgeoning jujutsu movement had been almost completely replaced by judo. The legacy of Uyenishi and the Golden Square Dojo is significant as it influenced the ongoing jujutsu and judo movements, and has an important place in British military and political history. Published on 2020-11-17 00:00:00
Abstract: With the aim of better understanding the motivations for studying martial arts, and finding examples of valued leadership skills and methods in instruction, a comparison of martial artists (instructors, students and parents of younger students) was conducted via a survey across several countries: the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Finland. The framework taken to evaluate ‘leadership’ within martial arts is the theory of transformational leadership, developed by Bass [1985]. In this framework, transformational leaders display certain characteristics, such as espousing ideals, acting as role models, and showing care and concern for followers. They are also noted to inspire their followers by formulating a vision and setting challenging goals, as well as stimulating them intellectually to think about old problems in innovative ways. We propose, based on the findings from the international survey, that transformational leadership theory may provide a framework for instructors. The overall results and comparisons of the study may be pertinent to instructors and students of martial arts. For instructors, understanding what students look for in a club in terms of values and characteristics sought through training and leadership styles is valuable. This work could be used to help instructors understand and develop the traits and characteristics that could be used to construct motivational or instructional methods to best achieve goals in their respective curriculum. Published on 2020-11-17 00:00:00
Abstract: The following article explains how the metaphors ‘wrestling body’ and ‘warship’ are combined, mutually reinforced and nationalistically instrumentalised in the context of sporting events. The first case study examines contentious Japanese public discussions of the possible promotion of American wrestlers to the highest rank in professional sumō. The following case explores the staging of an American actor dressed as a Japanese sumō wrestler for the purposes of patriotic dramatization in North American pro wrestling. Both incidents have metaphorical and temporal parallels which reached their respective symbolic climax in 1993. Published on 2020-11-17 00:00:00
Open Access journal
