武術(shù)

何曉鴿

武術(shù)，凝聚了中國文化藝術(shù)的精髓，深藏著中國傳統(tǒng)哲學(xué)和道德觀念。武術(shù)成為奧運(yùn)會(huì)的正式比賽項(xiàng)目是每一個(gè)中國人期待多年的夢(mèng)想。雖然申請(qǐng)道路困難重重，在北京承辦08年奧運(yùn)會(huì)之際，武術(shù)被列入北京奧組委的一項(xiàng)組織比賽，期待武術(shù)轉(zhuǎn)正的夢(mèng)想，也許指日可待。

Most visitors to China are deeply impressed by the tremendous popularity of wushu in this country. Going out early in the morning, they can see people doing this traditional form of exercise barehanded or with weapons in parks and on roadside open grounds. Marked by callisthenic beauty and rhythm and suggestive of real fighting, their movements follow set patterns that are designed more for health-building than for self defence.

Wushu, which literally means “martial arts” and is sometimes called “kungfu” abroad, may be traced back to pre-historical times when our ancestors had to fight against wild animals and among themselves for existence and subsistence. Wushu is a very important aspect that represents the spirit of Chinese culture and art. According to the philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine, wushu exercises consist of both “external” and “internal” work, the former meaning movements of the body, the hands and the feet and expressions of the eyes, and the latter being related to “the spirit, willpower, vital energy and strength.” The two aspects are combined as movements are guided by consciousness so as to achieve “a unity of body and mind.”

Wushu is very rich in form and content, encompassing hundreds of styles and thousands of routines, each with its own distinctive features. Changquan (Long-Range Shadow Boxing) is characterized by speed and vigour, while taijiquan is noted for its slow and gentle movements. One category of wushu forms is called xiangxingquan, which portrays the movements and postures of various animals, as exemplified by houquan (Monkeys Shadow boxing) and tanglangquan (Mantis Shadow Boxing). Then there is the humorous zuiquan that describes a drunkard who is “drunk in appearance but not in mind” and is sober enough to outwit his opponent.

However, as wushu is becoming worldwide popular, its a common wish of all Chinese people to watch kungfu competitions at the Beijing Olympic Games. In 2008 Olympic games, wushu is not an official event nor performing event, but wushu is allowed to hold a international competition under Olympic Organizing Committees permission.

大多數(shù)來中國的游客都對(duì)這里極為普及的武術(shù)運(yùn)動(dòng)印象深刻。一大早出門，就能看到人們?cè)诠珗@里或路邊開闊的場(chǎng)地上練習(xí)這種傳統(tǒng)的運(yùn)動(dòng)項(xiàng)目，他們或赤手空拳，或手持某種武器。這種運(yùn)動(dòng)富于柔性美和節(jié)奏感，也會(huì)讓人聯(lián)想到真正的打斗，其中的動(dòng)作遵循設(shè)定的模式，其設(shè)計(jì)更多是出于健身考慮，而非防身之用。

武術(shù)，顧名思義它是“打斗的藝術(shù)”，有時(shí)在國外也叫它“功夫”，它可以追溯到史前時(shí)期，那時(shí)我們的祖先為了生存，不得不抗擊野生動(dòng)物或是自己的同類。武術(shù)是體現(xiàn)中華文化和藝術(shù)的一個(gè)極為重要的方面。按照中醫(yī)原理，武術(shù)運(yùn)動(dòng)包含“外部”和“內(nèi)部”運(yùn)動(dòng)，前者意指身體的運(yùn)動(dòng)，手腳、眼神，而后者則關(guān)系到“精神，意志，元?dú)夂腕w力。”通過意識(shí)引導(dǎo)身體動(dòng)作，這兩個(gè)方面便可結(jié)合起來，以達(dá)到“身心合一。”

武術(shù)形式多樣，內(nèi)容豐富，包括數(shù)百種樣式，上千種套路，各具特色。長拳（長距離與假想對(duì)手撲擊的拳術(shù)）富于速度和力量；而太極拳則以緩慢柔和的動(dòng)作著稱。有種武術(shù)樣式叫象形拳，它表現(xiàn)的是各種動(dòng)物的動(dòng)作和姿勢(shì)，例如猴拳（模擬猴子撲擊的拳術(shù)）和螳螂拳（模擬螳螂撲擊的拳術(shù)）。還有種頗具幽默感的醉拳，描述一個(gè)醉漢“形醉神醒”，且能智勝對(duì)手。

然而，武術(shù)正風(fēng)靡全球，因此所有中國人都希望能在北京奧林匹克運(yùn)動(dòng)會(huì)上看到武術(shù)比賽。2008年的奧運(yùn)會(huì)上，武術(shù)盡管還不是正式比賽項(xiàng)目或表演項(xiàng)目，但奧林匹克運(yùn)動(dòng)會(huì)組織委員會(huì)已經(jīng)批準(zhǔn)允許舉行國際武術(shù)比賽。