Difference Between Wushu & Kung Fu

Wushu and kung fu are generic terms for the Chinese martial arts. Though some people use them interchangeably, wushu and kung fu have different histories and meanings. In modern times, both can refer to all Chinese arts or two very different styles of movement with varying applications.

The Meaning of Kung Fu

The term kung fu doesn't refer specifically to martial arts. Kung means "skillful work," while fu means "time spent." So kung fu means skills developed through long, hard practice. It is sometimes referred to as mastery, that level of attainment when basic form has become so ingrained that the master doesn't have to think to perform the perfect technique for the situation. Chefs can have kung fu. So can woodworkers. Using the term to refer to a branch of martial arts acknowledges that mastery is the end point, the finest expression of the art.

Kung Fu as a Martial Art

According to An Tianrong, a Chinese wushu master, the Chinese have used more than 50 names throughout the centuries to refer to their martial arts. It wasn't until the 20th century that kung fu became synonymous with the Chinese martial arts. In the 1960s and '70s, Hong Kong cinema began using the word frequently in its titles. Kung fu movies came to mean martial arts movies, and kung fu was synonymous with Chinese martial arts. In 2011, the term is most commonly used in Guangdong, or Canton, and Guangxi provinces as well as in Western countries.

Meaning of Wushu

Wushu literally means "martial art" in Chinese. Wu, the character for "martial," is a compound character meaning "do not fight." Shu means art.

Wushu as a Martial Art

According to Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming, author and martial artist, modern wushu dates back to 1945. In Communist China, all religions and many traditional practices were banned. Traditional martial arts, especially those descending from the Shaolin temple, were included in that ban. Instead, the Chinese National Athletics Institute pulled together a martial art based on the historic Chinese arts but oriented toward performance, physical health and national identity. They called it wushu.

Modern References

Colloquially, traditional wushu refers to the martial arts that have their roots in China, and wushu alludes to the modern competition art that stems from that lineage. Similarly, kung fu refers to Chinese fighting arts. If there is a distinction, it is that modern kung fu tends to be more energy- and fight-oriented, and wushu more athletics- and competition-oriented. The other important distinction is that few kung fu practitioners would claim to practice wushu, and vice versa. Each branch of the Chinese martial arts has its preferred label, claiming it to be distinct from all others.