Ichuan

There is a quiet appreciation for Chinese calligraphy (called Shu Fa in Chinese). We see it everywhere. It has been around for thousands of years, and has danced its way into the western world. Character techniques were refined throughout the history of China as their cultures social circumstances changed. Self expression thru disciplined understanding of form and technique has been handed down by the great masters of Chinese calligraphy, with each master leaving a unique, individual style. Within this heritage many artists have taken some influence from it for their own works. Picasso and Matisse are two artists who used some Chinese calligraphy in their art. It is considered an art form and with its amass of many followers, it is now a sought after as a class in which one can learn the art of Chinese calligraphy.

There are many avenues to explore in Chinese Calligraphy. Before you embark on a furious intended study of learning Chinese calligraphy, introduce yourself to the all the aspects involved. Start by searching out the fun stuff, to keep yourself entertained momentarily and intrigued further into learning more. One particular fun concept to do with Chinese calligraphy is to see what your name means in Chinese and how beautifully it is written. You most likely will spend a little time giving Chinese names and meanings to everyone dear to you. The western world likes intense, spiritual and deep meanings for names, well, the Chinese do too. And when written in Chinese, your name takes on even more in depth personal magic. Also recommended is to spend time with other words commonly used in Chinese art. Words like love, hope, tranquility, all become so immersing and identified with personally when witnessed in Chinese calligraphy form. So much do they affect the eye of the beholder, that often they end up permanently expressed in a tattoo. Chinese calligraphy is a very popular request for tattoos.

After skipping across the top of the Chinese calligraphy history and art information, you can decide to take the process further by actively seeking out places or internet sites offering a more thorough course in the art of Chinese calligraphy. Many instructions remain basic in its course, while others incorporate reading or speaking Chinese as well. If your focus is art, then by all means, stick with the art only instructions, as there is so much to master within that form anyways. You will learn the different tools, mediums, and colors used for expressing your personality in depth on a simple surface. There are many different varieties of applications in Chinese calligraphy just to express one word. The results will refer to as a living moment, or living thought. And it is the results that loved and appreciated.

Chinese calligraphy is a worthy and beautiful experience to launch into. Expect Countless hours of enjoyable practice into an ancient, respected, old world art. If you wish to learn Chinese calligraphy, then by all meanscontinue on.

America is the cultural melting pot of the world. More so today than even as defined in history. The future looks as though children will have to speak at least one other language than English in their adult lifetime. The second most widely used language in the world, contrary to beliefs, is Chinese.

In classrooms around America, multi-cultural classes are popping up to incorporate traditional lessons with cultural diverse studies. By doing so, children are learning to appreciate the diversity and traditions of other cultures along with their own. On the pacific coast, in Bellevue, Washington, children have the opportunity to learn Chinese along side of cultural traditions and history. The philosophy being the socio-economical need for those who speak Chinese to be available to meet the demands in tomorrows world.

Linguistic diversity is impacting schools everywhere. The need to preserve the Chinese language and traditions while co-existing in American is equally as important to the Chinese as the need to learn Chinese is for Americans. Chinese-Americans wish to hold tight to their heritage and merge with English traditions and ways. By learning Chinese, we allow them to do just that. Communication and unity of needs are met by interchange of language dynamics. When learning a second language, like Chinese, human relationships and connections to their cultures become enhanced and reflective of a common goal.

The bilingual classes in Bellevue encourage learning Chinese at a young age when the child has stronger cognition and learning processes. Many programs like these, develop a multitude of different learning schedules to be able to reach out to as many as they can. By being flexible they are able to offer unique programs, like after school, pre-school, or summer school activities. Also, popular in this area, are meet ups, or groups where people meet up to engage in cultural exchange. It could be an American wishing to improve his Chinese or a Chinese-American wishing to keep up on their native language or to teach others about their cultural richness. These meet ups provide endless opportunities for gaining vast knowledge and application of the Chinese language and culture.

Learning the Chinese language today or teaching our children to be bilingual for tomorrow may fast become one of the best decisions we could make. In looking ahead at world economy, China and America are creating paths to one unified place in financial and social affairs. It is in our best interests to have complete understanding and a working knowledge of the Chinese language in order to keep focus, improve communications, and wean ourselves off the idea of minority status. The future will address more blending of cultures and the need for sensitivity in a diverse one world economy. Ethnic identity remains important for each groups heritage whether Chinese, Spanish, or even Irish. Holding onto those roots encouraged immensely, but also adding knowledge of other cultures mandatory for success in relationships of the future. By learning Chinese now creates those healthy relationships of tomorrow.

The Han Dynasty in 100 A.D. is the first origin of Chinese characters. The Chinese dictionary completed at that time included around 9,353 characters. The next version of the Chinese dictionary came out of Qing Dynasty and was called the Kangxi dictionary. The 42 booklets contained over 46,964 characters, which most are not even used today. There are variants on the characters, revised and refined in the current simplified edition of the Chinese language. This edition was put out by the Peoples Republic of China in 1956. This book narrowed the characters down to about 6,500. This is considered a simplified form and is the most common form used today, although some remain committed to using the old traditional ways.

Chinese characters have been defined as complicated yet beautiful in their meaning. They are complex in relation to other writing languages. Romanization is used in terms of relation or simple visual information, however the meaning of the character remains mysterious as the art styles behind it. Some Chinese characters mimic similar tones of other characters, yet have different meanings. Some characters written with just an added dot or stroke, turn into something completely different.

Of Chinese history, the crowning achievement to their culture, is the Chinese characters. They are an abstract art form displaying incredible depth of meaning in just a few brushstrokes. This thick symbolism has made its way into mainstream art from centuries gone and desirable still today. Words like love, faith, endure, tranquility, written in a one character form creates a personalization amongst the observer admiring it. Many of these characters live on walls in homes to communicate a feeling. Many masters have created their own unique style and now exists over 120 different styles of written Chinese calligraphy.

Learning to draw these characters requires patience, proper tools, clear concise instructions and of course, lots of practice. Acquiring this skilled art form can be hours of entertainment and enjoyment because it is so unfolding in a multi conceptual way. You will learn the proper directions and different styles (one or two you may adopt as your own), and you will also learn each characters simple, yet intense meaning. More than likely, you will choose a few complimentary to your own personality and self-expression. Rich information and cultural history is born from learning to write Chinese characters. The ability to dive into a whole new world is invigorating and creating the beautiful work is self actualization process all on its own.

Whether you embark on learning to write one character well to display as art on your wall, or you continue with the craft to put words together, even learning to read Chinese, it is rewarding. The more you unravel the mystery living inside each of these characters, it seems to create added curiosity and a desire to keep going.

The ancient art of Chinese characters are popularized in cultures other than Chinese. The styles and forms of characters seen everywhere, are now a highly demanded art to learn.

Because its to hard Well, yeait can be if you approach it with a bad attitude, or you have the wrong learning tools, or little discipline. Anything worth learning takes time, practice and perseverance. But remember, knowledge is power and in tomorrows world, you may just need to know Chinese somewhere in your career or personal life.

Its useless, we live in an English world, they should learn English Guess what? They have learned English and well. The business world has called for them to know English and us to know Chinese for the best interest of our economy and world relationships with each other. More employers today are looking for bilingual or multilingual job candidates. We are assimilating at a faster rate more than ever before. With America as a melting pot, learning Chinese enables us to communicate in interpersonal relationships, show cultural sensitivity and appreciation.

I think its a dying language, and I wont ever need to use it? Really? Well, think againChinese is the second most spoken language in the world. It is used in most Asian countries and growing in use in American. If you ever plan to travel, study abroad or get called there for reasons other than a job, you will need to know at least enough Chinese to get by on a daily basis. If you dont, how will you know what you are eating, where you are going, and what to pay for your purchases or services? How will you get by on ignorance?

I dont even know where to learn Chinese anyways With little effort involved on your part, you can access good information on learning Chinese either online or within your community. There are many excellent teaching sources online. With a little help from your favorite search engine, you can find at least one, two, or a multitude more of teaching tools or courses designed just for you. And they are at your own pace of learning. Practice is a must. If youre a social type, then check with area schools and universities for the programs they offer. Also, once you have began your lessons, seek out others interested in Chinese and practice your skills with them.

In all actuality, there is no good reason not to learn Chinese or any other language for that matter. You will always use it. Even if it just feeds your brain, its good for you. The world we live in today demands continual learning for success, for self-improvement, for cultural assimilation. Even simple doings like a vacation or a meal in a Chinese restaurant. There may come a day when learning the Chinese language is not an option. If the adults of tomorrow are learning Chinese now, then why shouldnt the adults of today do it improving themselves and their human connections as well? It is desirable and commendable to be bilingual. You just never know where your own future road make take you.

The martial art of Capoeira was originally created over 400 years ago in Brazil by the African slaves. This martial art is unlike any of the other martial arts there anywhere in the world, and possesses a blend of power, beauty, mental balance, physical power, music, and an overwhelming sense of art and finesse.

Upon its creation, Capoeira proved to the world that it can be practiced by anyone, regardless of size, weight, or age. The style is more than a martial art, but also a social event that is rich in tradition and history. Capoeira is a truly powerful martial art, resembling a collaboration of music, dance, and exotic movements - and even a game.

Those who witness Capoeira games will note the music. Both the music and the lyrics play a big part in the way that the game (known as jogo) is conducted. For the players, there are several different rhythms that call for different speeds. When watching the game played, spectators are normally in awe from the movements. The jogo consists of a circle, with the players in the middle and the musicians at the foot of the circle.

Players that enter the game will enter into the circle, with a spring, cartwheel, or other type of visually stunning movement. Upon entering the circle, players will complete back and forth with various combinations of poetic movements and breathtaking aerial displays. It takes years of practice and hard work to become great at the jogo, as it requires precision, fast movement, and flawless application of the Capoeira techniques.

From a defensive standpoint, Capoeira is flashy, very creative, and also very useful, as the techniques seem to come out of nowhere and can be very hard to defend against. The opponent or attacker has no clue what to expect from the student. The Capoeira student defends himself through the use of dancing movements and acrobatic techniques, executing perfect movements that up until Capoeira were only dreamt of.

Capoeira and the jogo game are really big in Brazil, with hundreds of students learning the martial art. It isnt one of the most popular in the United States, although it is offered. In South America it is more of a lifestyle, with jogo games being played on a daily basis. A lot of martial arts students dont want to learn Capoeira for the simple fact that the movements can be a bit of a risk. Once you see how the style is performed, it can make you cringe at any second.

Over the last couple of decades, the art has grown a lot. In 1974, the art of Capoeira became the national sport of Brazil, proving that just about everyone in Brazil had accepted it. As time continues to pass, you can count on more and more competitions and dojos to surface - introducing this truly excellent martial art to newer generations.

Even though it has been around for many years, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was made famous in the United States by Royce Gracie in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Many people werent all that familiar with the style until Gracie entered the UFC and continued to dominate fighters of all styles and weight classes one after the other. Once people began to see how quickly Gracie could defeat an opponent, they quickly became interested in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

As many now know, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is an art that is utilized with ground grappling, with very little stand up skills involved. A majority of the techniques used with the martial art are executed on the ground. The techniques involve very little strength from the stylist, as most of them are all about the technique behind the move. With Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu stylists that weight 100 lbs or less can quickly put a submission lock on someone who is 2 - 3 times their weight and size.

Even though Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is great for tournament fighting, isnt so great against multiple attackers. With one on one fights it is very dominant, although if you are against multiple attackers it will be very hard to pull off one of the choke holds or arm locks. You simply wont have the time to do it, as the other attackers will be trying to take your head off.

From the ground, utilizing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the stylist will have many options that he can utilize. He can pull off choke holds, arm locks, leg locks, and dozens of other techniques that can take someone out of the picture in a matter of seconds. When the stylist is on his back with the opponent on top of him he has the guard, which is where he wraps his legs around the attacker. From the guard position, the stylist can execute dozens of techniques - even though it may appear that he doesnt stand a chance.

The mount, side control, and back mount are primary positions, along with the guard. The mount position is where the stylist is mounted on top of the attacker on the ground - a position where he can punch or execute a submission hold. With side control, the stylist is laying on the opponents chest, a position where he can easily execute an arm lock. Back mount is among the most dangerous positions - where the stylist is on the opponents back and really do some damage if the opponent has no Jiu-Jitsu experience.

With Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the ranks start out at white belt, then move on to blue, purple, brown, and the highest color - black belt. To move through the ranks it takes a lot of practice and dedication, usually around 2 - 3 years per belt. Once a student reaches the black belt, he is capable of teaching other students what he knows. It takes a long time to reach this point, more than 10 years - although it is well worth it.

In the world of martial arts, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is very effective. It is one of the best martial arts for ground fighting, especially in tournaments. Ground grappling is very common with tournaments these days, which is why it pays to be a well rounded stylist. Very few martial arts styles can compete with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu on the ground, which is why so many people are deciding to study it. If youve decided to start studying this exceptional ground based martial art - you can pat yourself on the back for making a decision you wont regret.

Theres no mistaken the fact that Aikido is one of the best and most popular martial art in the United States today. The art of Aikido is best associated with actor Steven Seagal, who made it even more popular with his movies. Aikido is rich and history in tradition, an art that originally started in Japan back in the 1940s.

Aikidos founder, Morihei Ueshiba, was born on December 14, 1883. As he was growing up in modern Japan, Ueshiba witnessed the local thugs vandalize his father. The young boy decided that he would make himself strong in order to seek revenge against the thugs. Ueshiba was strong willed, and devoted every waking moment to physical training and martial arts.

He received a lot of certificates in jujitsu, spear fighting, and fencing. Even though he was very impressive with his abilities, he found himself not happy with his skills. He knew that there was more to it, and began to look into religion, hoping that he would find a greater significance with life - pursuing martial arts all the while.

Ueshiba founded the martial art of Aikido by combining both his religious beliefs and his training in martial arts. At that time, the style was known as aikibudo, it wasnt until 1942 that he decided to go with the name Aikido. The style was quite different indeed, incorporating several different styles of jujitsu, aiki-jujitsu, and spear and sword fighting techniques as well.

Even though a lot of us think of Aikido as the ultimate martial art, it is an art that is based on religion and harmony. Aikido uses joint locks, weight manipulation, and throws to achieve its purpose. The martial art is very effective, which were the intentions of Ueshiba from the start. Aikido consists of many techniques, and it is the result of Ueshibas creative innovation.

Aside from what many think, there really is no unified belief or philosophy in the martial art of Aikido. While Aikido is indeed rich in heritage and religion, it believes in harmony and peace of the spirit. By achieving a higher spiritual power, Ueshiba has always believed that the human body is capable of anything. Even though he wanted revenge, he still stated that Aikido wasnt about fighting, but rather a way to reconcile with the world and make every human being on giant family.

Over the years, Aikido was introduced in America with amazing results. Steven Seagal is by far the most popular, showing the world the power and harmony of Aikido through his many movies. There are a lot of martial arts dojos around North America that offer Aikido to study, possibly even some in your area. Not only will Aikido teach you self defense, but it will also teach you harmony of the spirit and how to find inner peace as well.

Also known around the world as Thai boxing, Muay Thai is an ancient art of self defense that was created and tested in battle by the fearless warriors of ancient Thailand. Today, Muay Thai is used all around the world. The United States Navy SEALs, Thai military, and even the CIA takes full advantage of the devastating and bone crushing techniques this martial art offers.

Unlike other martial arts, students of Thai dont earn belts for their skills and their progression. Instead, their skills are tested in the ring. Since Thai fighting first began, the only things that the fighters themselves are interested in are the championship belts which showcase their dominance in Muay Thai fighting.

The skills that are taught with Muay Thai are far more dominant to other striking based martial arts. Muay Thai uses very little grappling, but focuses more on crushing kicks, punches, and bone shattering elbows. Students of Thai fighting can often take an opponent down with just one shot, often times breaking bones and sometimes even killing them with just one lethal kick or elbow.

The reason why Muay Thai didnt utilize ground grappling or submission holds is because it was developed in ancient battlegrounds where there were always multiple attackers. These attackers were knowledgeable in sword fighting skills, which made the need for a dependable martial art more or less a necessity.

Muay Thai used swords, spears, sticks, and hard strikes. In this type of environment, you didnt want the fight to go to the ground. The strikes and weapon movements needed be fast, hard, and very precise. With these types of conditions and the type of environment, Muay Thai needed be a very fast responsive martial art with an excellent weapons system.

Even though grappling and submissions were planned for Muay Thai, the martial art became more of a ring sport before grappling could be implemented. With Thai originally being a martial art for striking purposes, a lot of martial artists have started using the techniques that have been proven time and time again with time boxing.

Although there are other martial arts that put a lot of emphasis on striking, Muay Thai is quite different. The first area in which Muay Thai differs is the effective use of both elbows and knees. The elbows and knees that are used with most Thai techniques are feared all around the world by boxers and other stylists.

Kicking and kneeing is the main objects in Muay Thai. In order to become efficient with kicking, the shins need to be conditioned - which can be quite painful. Once the Thai stylist has conditioned the nerves in his shins for impact, the shins can be used just like a club or a baseball bat. This is something you should really see for yourself in action - as the sound of the impact alone can send chills down your back.

Through years of training and conditioning, Muay Thai fighters can become lethal and deadly weapons. A properly trained fighter can make deadly impact, meaning that his knees, shins, and elbows are quite possibly deadlier than a gun or other type of weapon. For this very reason - Muay Thai is one of the deadliest and most feared martial arts in the world.

All in all, Muay Thai is a great martial art for defense and competition. Thai is one of the best martial arts in the world, proving it time and time again - in both ancient times and anytime it is used today.