Ichuan

The Chinese language is illusive to English speaking world, almost seems to be a complex mystery intimidating to unravel and to understand. If you wish to learn Chinese, then approach it delicately and thoroughly as a bridge to not only communication with this beautiful culture, but learn Chinese to harvest the history and ways of their world as well.

Historically, the Chinese language evolved from Proto-Sino-Tibetan and has ascended into modern day with most Chinese communities speaking either Mandarin or Cantonese forms of the Chinese language. There are different varieties on both of these depending on the geographical localities. The linguistics of the Chinese language are easier to trace back in time than are the characters used for Chinese alphabet, as there is rare documentation found to support the origins.

For those wishing to learn Chinese worldwide has tripled in the last decade, making it an increasingly popular language to learn. With that, a standard form of Chinese instruction used these days is called Hanyu Pinyin, or simply, Standard Mandarin. It is a universal form of teaching used worldwide to help people learn Chinese. Without it, learning this language might seem to difficult to commit to. The Chinese language is undoubtedly a intricate and diverse language to comprehend, with characters, phonics, tones, meanings and speaking so different from the language native to each of us. However, with the proper teaching tools and discipline, learning Chinese can be a eloquent and beneficial goal. Todays world demands multi cultural merging in communications, especially with business and now, internet as well. Your value doubles if you have successfully picked up a second language, more career doors open as a result. And with the world becoming so much smaller in business and communications, thanks to the internet, learning Chinese as your second language may be exactly to your advantage.

There are numerous methods of learning the Chinese language and endless resources available to teach you. If you keep an eye opened around your community, you may find classes scheduled for you to learn Chinese. There are classes given at universities and schools, as well as shorter courses available with adult continuing education classes which costs less than traditional avenues of learning. If you wish the more private, unscheduled form of learning, then optimally the online courses are designed for you. This articulate language is easier understood by listening to someone who is native to the Chinese language. By hearing the phonetics and tone involved, may make learning Chinese easier. Tutors and private instructors can be hired to teach you proper speaking of Chinese. Also available are online courses which include lessons that let you hear how words are put together or spoken. The most difficult part to master when you learn Chinese language is all the characters, but the grammar aspect will be a cinch for most as it is not nearly as complex as is the grammar used in English language.

The Chinese language is without a doubt a striking art form as well as it is a language and we are hungry to understand what it all means when we look at the characters written on a page or on art hanging on a wall next to us. Our curious nature draws us that much closer to discovery of the Chinese culture and deepens our appreciation for it when we finally choose to teach ourselves more and more about it. To learn Chinese is another journey began.

If you are up on the world economy, then you will know that China is the fastest growing economy in the world. In fact, the Chinese language is becoming so commonly used in business, the demand for resources teaching the Chinese language has more than tripled in the last half decade. Furthermore, if you check out the curriculum being offered in primary and secondary schools, you will see the Chinese language offered as a course. Looking up ahead in to the future, it is estimated that a command of the Chinese language will be ahead of the demand for Spanish. Half of Asia already speaks some form of Chinese, or incorporates styles of Chinese into their native language.

Why learn Chinese? Because todays world almost insists on it. With our increasing love for the Chinese culture, like the martial arts, or media (Who can forget Jacki Chan), or even Chinese foodwe are quickly merging cultures together today then we ever did in past. Great inspirations have come out of the eastern ways of life, and in a hungry way to consume them, and learn all about them, the need to learn Chinese has surfaced. The Chinese culture itself, represents a solidarity in balance, peacefulness, and serenity. In the western world, the fast paced, time pressed crunches have taken their toll, and now we actively seek solace from other cultures, who we think, hold the key. It is through understanding, learning and appreciation of other cultures in which we often find what we seek. To learn Chinesewhether it be the arts, the words, the ways, is often found tools to enrich our own daily lives and restore balance. Once again, by doing so, we are merging another cultures layers and sewn them in as our own. The influence of the Chinese culture is undeniable.

Why learn Chinese? Because you truly want to. You have the focus and goal to integrate the cultural know how for goals of your own. Perhaps for an upcoming trip to China, or a hobby, or maybe just for simple understanding of a new friend, whatever the reason behind the spark, know it will be more than beneficial for you to acquire this knowledge and skill. And exhilarating to learn. There is a sense of accomplishment behind learning Chinese, even if its not for a job in china, or you cannot take a vacation therehaving the richness of absorbing anothers culture into your world view is a step to a better and higher understanding of life itself.

Learn Chinese to have an experience culturally. Learn Chinese for application in your job. Learn Chinese for knowledge, for wisdom and balance in your life. Learn Chinese to be ahead of everyone else in business and careers. Learn Chinese to step into the future now. Learn Chinese for your upcoming vacation to china. But mostly, learn Chinese for yourself. Because it is something you always wanted to do. The impact of eastern culture is growing everyday, and will continue as our ways and cultures merge.

I wanted to learn Chinese online and this is what I found. Well, before I found the cool lessons, I discovered first off there was a plethora of information available to learn about the Chinese culture. I dove into their rich history, the origin or their language, and where the language stood today in the western world. I was taken back by the results. Did you know the Chinese language is the most used language, second to English, used in the world? It is the most highly demanded language to learn, more so than Spanish. With eyes on the future, and the merging of the world economy, it is now a recommended second language. Who knew? More children in primary schools are being taught Chinese. More employers are paying to have their employees learn Chinese. More people are actively seeking out for their own personal goals, a way to learn Chinese. One of the best ways is to learn Chinese online.

So, where to start? Probably the easiest way to begin, is to explore your search engines offerings. One of the coolest sites was the Chinese character dictionary sites. Each intricate word with the explanation of what it means next to it. I spent a few hours caught up in this because, well, I suddenly thought I would like a tattoo of one of these charactersthey were speaking to me. I could not decide on one, each one more significant to me than the other. Forget the moment when my ego kicked in boasting I could be a Chinese character artist. I quickly put that idea to rest. Of the other helpful sites, was the one offering Chinese character software in animation. It just looked easy and user friendly (maybe I could be a rising artist). Among the sites, there were games and flash cards incorporated into the learning process, designed for people just like me who need that little extra flair to keep their attention. But if you are really feeling your china, you can embark on one of the many schools in China offered online.

These schools range from one month to one year, inviting you to throw yourself into the culture while learning the language. I was amazed by all the schools offered to teach you Chinese. I found sites offering to help you learn Chinese online for as little as ten dollars a year. Not only can you learn Chinese online, you can learn other aspects of the language, like ancient poetry. The internet offers so much in information on this rich culture, plan to spend an afternoon or evening researching your options. If you are curious about the eastern culture, you will be amassed with opportunities to continue that passion further.

Whatever your focus or reason is to further your life with the addition of a second language, you can learn Chinese online. In the privacy of your own home. Or connect further with the available classrooms offered online to experience the language applied in real world applications. Remember, the demand for the Chinese language is stronger than ever, and the future looks absolutely necessary for the skill. Anything you do to improve your odds in your career objectives, such as learning Chinese, will make you a strong asset to your employer. If your reasons are more personal, like mine, well, maybe you are the next rising artist.

This intense old world language is often interpreted as complex and impossible to master. It can become a frustrating experience instead of an exhilarating adventure. It is a myth that the language is too difficult to learn. You can learn the Chinese language well enough to suit your purpose or focus.

If you are soon to visit China, then you probably would want to know at least minimal amount of the language to be able to communicate your needs while in their country. This would require a little more in depth teachings, because speaking Chinese is a lot more difficult than the English language. The phonetics, and tonal components require a little practice. However, many schools have separated from the traditional methods of learning, bypassing all the complexities involved. They teach the most frequent phrases and words commonly used. Recognition naturally occurs after continuous repetition and application. There are a variety of online programs available with unique and modern teaching tools to ease the learning process. The different tools used are anything from animation repetitions to flashcards. If you are in a hurry to learn the basics, plenty of sites exist to help you learn the Chinese language. Mastering the simple sentences to hold a basic conversation in Chinese is done easy with these new techniques.

Perhaps you seen much in the Chinese characters and have a desire to learn more about this form of Chinese language. This is a beautiful art form and in demand today in media, arts, culture, even home decorations. If this is what you wish to learn in the Chinese language, then first begin with the Chinese character dictionary. The information on those pages will keep you entertained, and most likely, provoke a desire to know more. Chinese characters are reflected in much of the art you see today. Each character has a deep meaning attached and how the character is written is equally important.

What to learn in the Chinese language is all up to you. If you are just seeking soul meaning for your next tattoo, then exploration into Chinese characters is where to begin. If amusement is your calling, there is a fun online site called mandarin tools which takes your name and applies the mandarin form of your name, meaning included. Seeing your name have such a deep essence is push enough to want to continue learning even more of the Chinese language. Other entertainment revolving around the Chinese language is also aplenty online. It becomes more like a learn-while-you-play without even realizing it. Even if you just wish to learn how to ask for your favorite foods from your local Chinese cuisine, resources exist to do just that.

No matter what you want to learn in the Chinese language, whatever your reason, you can easily and successfully master command of the Chinese language. The Chinese language is not of old days, when you had to be brilliant just to understand it. New techniques, new tools, and a multitude of lessons and instructors available, you can gently embark on a learning adventure, and save the frustration.

The rush of everyday life lends to time constraints on the things we want to do or even the things we need to do. MP3 players originally were designed to give us a mobile soundtrack of our lives, allowing us opportunity to carry our favorite tunes wherever we went. With the technology of MP3 thrust upon us, it wouldnt be long until the multiple capabilities for the player were enhanced, allowing us other possibilities of use for the mini system.

Now available for download on the MP3 player are programs to learn Chinese. This makes it possible to acquire a second language skill while caught in the rush of life. Whether walking to and from your job, sitting in your car, or even in the groceryyou can learn Chinese. Its productive. And its an accomplishment. For people whos time is limited who have always wanted to master being bilingual or for those who absolutely must learn it quick before a trip to the Asian world, this is resolution. The Chinese language can be accomplished simply by reaching out to resources you already have.

Depending on what method you use, there are valuable resources available for download. Some lessons include almost everything–audio which has pronunciations, vocabulary, reading, plus added bonuses for practice. The software available for MP3 players is unlimited these days even in just the subject of learning Chinese. Some internet sites also offer daily MP3 broadcasts in Chinese. You are able to listen to new lessons everyday and practice them and it costs absolutely nothing. Other MP3 downloads for your Chinese language instruction offers conversations done two way and then broken down, explained and repeated for practices exercises. There is a talking dictionary available, containing over 81,000 entries. These talking dictionaries have over 2000 phrases and commonly used words in China. The downloads are designed to have playbacks at two different speeds.

If reading or speaking Chinese isnt your focus and you wish just to listen to Chinese music, that of course, is always possible with the MP3 player. The internet is chocked full of willing places allowing you the access to Chinese music. Some include flash imagery of peaceful Chinese scenery for more relaxation and entertainment. There is also shareware which permits the user to download and burn information to a cd. The prices vary as much as the attractiveness of the software package or shareware package.

So, next time your stuck in traffic and your feeling tense, over or under stimulated. Consider the use of a MP3 player for your attention. Wouldnt it be better to use down time to better yourself? If just for self-enrichment, for your career positioning, or even a new friend, using a MP3 player as a tool to learn Chinese can be easy, rewarding and entertaining. Relax through it all with something else, something worthwhile, capturing your attention. Your MP3 player can just about do it all these days, and thats kind of like usalways trying to do it all.

Learning the Chinese language can be a difficult task to embark on. Unlike other foreign languages, or the English language, the Chinese language embraces different layers of tones, phonetics, and over 3000 characters. However, the grammar and syntax of sentence structure remains simple in comparison to the English language. With the increasing demand to learn the Chinese language, many teachers have developed new instruction tools to help their students learn better and learn faster. Declans Flashcards used to teach Chinese are an effective resource for learning Chinese.

What are Flash Cards?

Flash cards are quite simply a series of cards which have a word or image printed on them. Declans Flashcards are different because they use audio lessons along with the flashcards, so the pronunciation of each word is stressed and understood.

Why use Flash Cards to learn Chinese?

In the world of learning, different levels of learning are used for all abilities. Not everyone learns the same. Visual learning, such as Declans Flashcards enable to student to create a mental picture and memorization from repetition. It is a more gentle, fun way to learn Chinese. Used along with the audio lessons and exercise practices, identification and application of words come with more ease.

Declans FlashCards is a proven system of quickly commanding the Chinese language. The audio word files contain over 4,000 words used commonly and frequently in the Chinese language. The flash cards use the Mandarin form of the Chinese language, the most spoken form of Chinese used today. This flashcard system is user friendly with dialogue and pop up screen to show the written form of the word, as well as its pronunciation and the meaning of the word. The student has the option to customize the files, such as creating a new word file, or working with the learning list master. The learning exercises are multi choice which include connection, meaning, and listening.

There are many ways to learn Chinese. And there are many outcomes possible given the method used to acquire the skill. Learning resources and tools are developed constantly to make the study of the language more desirable and accessible for those interested in Chinese. Using Declans Chinese Flashcards makes learning Chinese interesting, and takes away the aggravation and frustration involved in learning a second language.

Learning the Chinese language should not feel like a chore. Nor should it deter you away from learning it when you have encountered plateaus not easy to work through. This can be avoided completely and encourage learning if the right tools are used to learn Chinese. Traditional methods of instruction have been improved and the flash cards that were originally designed for grade school students now exist as a successful tool for teaching and learning in the adult world. Take advantage of these new methods, like Declans FlashCards, to effectively and quickly take you to the next level of the Chinese language successfully. It can be done faster with access to proven methods such as these.

Its no secret that martial arts has indeed come a long way over the years. Many years ago, Bruce Lee helped the arts become even more famous, when he developed his style of Jeet Kune Do. He participated in several movies, showing the world his speed and finesse. Since then, movies have been a popular way to showcase martial arts skills.

Back in the early 1990s, something known as the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) came along to take things one step further. Even though there have been other competitions similar to the UFC, none of them had the flair and the dedication as UFC did. When it first began, the UFC paired different styles and different weight classes.

The result were exciting fights with varying results. The first ever champion was a man from Brazil named Royce Gracie. Gracie was the first to introduce Brazilian Jui-Jitsu in this way, opening up the eyes of everyone who witness him fight. After the first UFC tournament, Brazilian Jui-Jitsu was instantly viewed as the best martial art. Royce weighed under 200 pounds, and he was completely dominating people nearly 3 times his size.

Gracie would go on to win UFC 2 and 4 as well. He was the most dominating in the sport, and opened the eyes of everyone across the world. In UFC 3, he didnt lose, although he ran into a very tough fighter who nearly beat him. Gracie came back in UFC 5 for a superfight match up with Ken Shamrock, which would go the distance and end in a draw.

Other fighters have done exceptionally well in the UFC, although none of them had the impact as Royce Gracie. Fighters like Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn, Oleg Taktarov, Matt Hughes, and Matt Sylivia have also done very well. Matt Hughes is also regarded as one of the best, as he fights in the Welterweight class and is considered pound for pound to be the best fighter in the world.

In the world of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), the UFC has made a big impact. In the beginning, there were no rules and no judges, just one on one fights until someone either tapped out, got knocked out, or the ref through in the towel. Fighters also fought in a tournament style as well, which took 3 fights to win the championship.

Over the years, there were several changes. The UFC would start with judges after a few years, along with eliminating the tournaments. The fights would eventually go to one on one, which was great for the fans. Although the fights didnt have time limits in the beginning, they do now. The non title fights are three 5 minute rounds, while the title fights are five 5 minute rounds.

If a fight goes to the judges, the judges decide the winner. There are three judges, which normally change with each different UFC. Judges are there do determine the winner if there is no knockout or submission, while the ref is there to protect the fighters. The referee can stop a fight as well, if a fighter is unable to defend themselves.

With all the changes in the rules of the UFC, its only a matter of time before the UFC gains a lot more popularity. It is more popular today than it ever has been, which tells you that martial arts have come a long way. Martial arts is very popular these days, with competitions such as the UFC being one of the most popular sports in the world.

A majority of the offensive techniques that are used in Muay Thai utilize a students hands, feet, elbows, and knees to strike an opponent. In order to bind the opponent for both defensive and offensive reasons, there is a small amount of grappling on the feet that is used - the clinch.

The clinch occurs when someone gets in your circle of radius, inside of your comfort zone. To execute knees and short kicks from the inside, the clinch can be very useful. The Thai fighter makes great use of the clinch, tying up on opponent on the feet then pounding his stomach, ribs, knees, and legs with brutal knees. Knees are very popular techniques with Muay Thai, as Thai fighters spend a lot of time training their strikes - especially knees and elbows.

Although high kicks to the opponents head looks amazing during the fights, experienced Thai fighters always say that knees and elbows have a lot more impact, and they do the most damage to the body. If a Thai fighter is very experienced and has enough power in his strikes, he can quickly and easily kill someone with his techniques.

In all Muay Thai techniques, two in particular have become very popular with other styles of martial arts.

The roundhouse kick
The roundhouse Thai kick is a very useful technique for both self defense and competitions, proving to be very efficient when it is executed properly. Thai stylists execute the roundhouse kick by a straight leg and the entire body rotating out from the hip. The hip is locked shortly before the thrown leg makes impact with the opponent. If executed properly, the roundhouse kick can easily render someone unconscious.

The low kick
The low kick is a common Muay Thai attack, that involves a circular movement from the stylists body to kick the opponent in his upper shin area. If the low kick isnt blocked or defended, it can quickly lead to fight being ended. After a few well placed low kicks, the opponent will be unable to put pressure on his legs due to the bruising, and will eventually crumble.

With other martial arts styles, such as Tae Kwon Do, stylists use snapping kicks that are indeed faster to execute, although they have less power. Muay Thai on the other hand, teaches stylists to follow through with kicks, using the shin instead of the foot. Nearly all of the techniques involved with Muay Thai emphasis movement with the entire body, which means rotating the hip each time the stylist kicks, punches, or blocks. The techniques are slower, although they are far more powerful that techniques found in Tae Kwon Do and even Karate.

As a lot of people already know, the training and conditioning training found in Muay Thai is nothing short of legendary for the intensity and rigorous training. The training in Muay Thai aims to harden the weapons used in the martial art to a high degree. Students who have been training in Muay Thai for many years can absorb a beating, yet if they land a shin kick it will feel as if you have just been hit with a sledgehammer.

All in all, Muay Thai is a very dangerous martial art that teaches punishing blows with very little grappling. Thai stylists are physical strong, capable of taking an opponent out with just one well placed strike. Muay Thai is also one of the most well known and most popular styles in the world today - which is why you shouldnt hesitate to study.

Throughout the world of martial arts, the style known as Kempo is one of the best. Kempo uses extremely fast strikes, which is the area it is most known for. Kempo has been around for many years, originating from Japan. It was tested on the ancient battlegrounds, using punches, kicks, and very little grappling. Kempo employs weapons as well, including disarming techniques against opponents who are using weapons.

What many dont realize, is that Kempo is actually an older form of Karate. To be more specific, Kempo mainly uses the forbidden techniques of sport karate and kickboxing to create a devastating means of self defense. Throughout this deadly martial art, stylists will be taught that every block is a counter, and ever counter is a block. Instead of simply blocking an attack, stylists will learn how to block in a way that executes a strike.

The most well known aspect of Kempo is speed. If youve ever seen it in action by someone who has been studying for many years, the hand speed of the stylist is simply amazing. Those that have been practicing for many years, including black belts, are able to execute techniques with blinding speed. Often times, a Kempo stylist can land many strikes before you can even get the chance to counter - or block.

The hand speed in Kempo comes from something known as speed striking. Although Kempo uses weapons and weapons training, it is more an unarmed martial art that teaches students how to defend themselves in any situation. This style isnt about just going around and hurting people though, as stylists learn a lot in terms of self control, and only to react when they are given no other option.

The speed striking in Kempo takes many years to master. Students of the art will practice forms on a daily basis, which helps with the speed. By practicing a certain movement over and over again, students will get faster and faster. They will practice with other students, the instructors, and also with equipment such as punching bags. Over time, students will get amazingly quick and able to execute strikes with amazing speed and precision.

Shadow boxing is also essential to developing speed with Kempo. Students will spend quite a bit of time shadow boxing, learning their own movements. As a result of shadow boxing, students will learn physical resistance as well as improve their levels of fitness. This also helps with technique as well, as students will be engaging in practice with themselves.

The main exercise where speed striking will really come into play is with sparring. When sparring, students will test their knowledge and skills against other students. The instructors will pay close attention during this exercise, to see just how well the students are learning. Sparring can be very fun to watch, especially when there are two black belts squaring off. The more time a student spends sparring, the faster he will develop in the art of speed striking.

Throughout the years, Kempo has proved to be a martial art with very fast strikes. It is one of the fastest striking martial arts in existence, although it teaches students self control and how to avoid confrontations. Kempo is taught all around the world, making it an excellent martial art for children as well. From adults to children, the martial art known as Kempo can teach self defense, harmony, self control, self confidence - and how students can help others in the world live a better life.

The martial art known as Kung Fu is very old, yet very powerful. There are several different forms involved with Kung Fu, that only add to the power and mystique. Below, we will go over a majority of the different styles and forms that make up Kung Fu.

White Crane style
The spirit of the White Crane has led to what many martial artists consider to be the most graceful system of Kung Fu. The pattern for the White Crane style was patterned after a crane bird often found in marshes and open plains. The White Crane defense forms and attacks are nothing short of amazing, often known as deadly beauty.

Although the techniques within the White Crane style can take years to properly master, they simple and to the point. White Crane stylists are masters of self defense, although they are taught to avoid confrontations. Even though a stylist can handle himself in any situation, he will avoid a fight at all costs and only react with physical action when he is left with no choice.

Wing Chun
From a Chinese standpoint, Wing Chun is the essence that the opponent will attack, absorb, and then neutralize the attack. Then, the opponent or attacker will back off, pursue, then counter - disengage his restriction from arms, and then retaliate with a deadly and penetrating force.

This philosophy will take years to fully understand, and years of practice to master. Technically speaking, Wing Chun uses a steady and never ending forward flow of energy thats based on the principle that a straight line is the shortest distance between two points.

Offensively, Wing Chun is all about a combination of intercepting and straight lines with deflecting arcs. In general, it is an aggressive close quarter style that pushes offensive attacks and takes the fight right to the attacker. In other words - Wing Chun doesnt care nor does it put a lot of time towards the more traditional block and counter routines.

Hung Gar
Hung Gar is more or less an adaptation of the Tiger system of Shaolin that emphasizes close quarter techniques. Hung Gar isnt much on distance fighting, although it is very effective in close quarter situations, such as alleys and in small rooms. It is a very strong system, teaching stylists to handle themselves properly in areas where other martial arts seem to fail.

Praying Mantis
Nearly 400 years ago, a man named Wang had a vision. Using a praying mantis that he was able to capture, Wang studied its movements. By using what he saw, he created and founded the style of Praying Mantis. Wang perfected his own martial art style by continuing to observe both the offensive and defensive movements of the praying mantis, and using them with his style.

The Monkey style
Even though it is thought of a comical approach to martial arts, the Monkey style is actually one of the deadliest martial arts systems in the world. This style dates back to the 1840s, when missionaries were first allowed passage into China.

The Monkey style all began when a peaceful maned named See resisted arrested after accidentally killing an officer of the law. See was sentenced to prison for his crime, where he spent all of his time watching the prison apes. He found them amazing, and would watch them from his cell, which his also helped to pass the time.

Over his ten year prison sentence, he studied the way the apes moved, paying very close attention to how they defended themselves and fought each other. Then, when he was released from prison, he adapted his style, becoming known as the Monkey Master. A lot of people joined him along the way, and began to learn his Monkey system which is still very effective today.

The belts and their colors that are used with Taekwondo aren’t just a random assortment of colors that are used to separate the ranks in the martial art. In Taekwondo, each belt color has a meaning that lets fighters known about their advancement and increasing knowledge. Belts are also great for the stylist, as they let the stylist know just how far they have progressed.

The colors of the belts found in Taekwondo vary, as they represent the advancement of rank, as well as the growth of the student. It can take a long time for students to move up the ranks, all depending on their knowledge and how quite they adapt to the techniques and forms of the art.

Below, are the colors and belts of Taekwondo, along with their meaning.

White belt
A white belt is the symbol of birth, or the beginning for the stylist. Students that wear white belts are just starting out, searching for the knowledge to continue Taekwondo.

Yellow belt
A yellow belt is the first ray of light that shines on the student, giving them new strength to the Taekwondo martial art. Students that have yellow belts have taken a great step in learning, and have opened their mind to new techniques.

Green belt
A green belt is the symbol of growth, or a seed as it sprouts from the ground and begins to grow into a plant. Students with green belts are continuing along the path of Taekwondo, learning to develop further and redefine every technique they have been taught.

Blue belt
A blue belt represents a blue sky, with the plant continuing to grow upwards, heading for the sky. Students with blue belts continue to move higher in ranks, as the plant continues to grow taller. Students at this stage will also be given additional knowledge of Taekwondo so that their mind and body can continue to grow and develop.

Red belt
The red belt is the heat of the sun, with the plant continuing the path upwards toward the sun. Students that possess red belts are higher in rank, as they have acquired a lot of the knowledge in the art of Taekwondo. Red belts also tell the students to be cautious, as they gain more knowledge and their physical techniques increase.

Black belt
A black belt is the best of the best. It symbolizes the darkness that is out there beyond the light of the sun. Once the student is given a black belt and begins to train other students, he will teach all that has been taught to him. Black belts recognize the best students, as they continue to teach others the art of Taekwondo, and continue the never ending cycle of training.

Tae Kwon Do is a modern martial art, well known all around the world for its lightning fast, often high, spectacular spin kicks. Tae Kwon Do has been around for many years, originally founded in Korea. It translates to the are of punching and kicking, or the art of unarmed combat.

The martial art Tae Kwon Do has four disciplines - patters, self defense, break test, and sparring. It isnt just one of these disciplines that make up the art, but a combination of them. All 4 of them are important, especially for those looking to advance in belt ranking. To advance in a belt, there are certain tests that students need to pass.

One of the great things about Tae Kwon Do is the fact that there are no age limits, and it can easily be learned by young children. Children of all ages will quickly learn fast reactions playing games, learn respect, and they will also learn their abilities as well as their disabilities.

The competitions however, are a bit different for children than they are for the adults. Even though the participants will wear full body protection, children can only kick and punch to the body, as no shots to the head are allowed. The competitions in Tae Kwon Do is what makes the art so very dominating. A majority of students that practice this martial art do so because of the competitions.

The competitions can be very exciting to watch, as they can get very competitive. Contrary to what many may think, the competitions arent deadly, nor are they anywhere close to being as dangerous as Muay Thai fights. Competitors will wear full protection, including head gear. For adults, kicks to the head are allowed, although a majority of stylists can block them before they make impact.

In order to participate in the competitions, stylists will need to have a certain level of experience. It can take years to become good enough, especially for those who win. Competitions are a great way to learn, especially if there are participating fighters from other areas of the world. The skill of a stylist is a very important factor with the competitions and tournaments. If you have a black belt fighter going against a white belt - the results will normally be quite obvious.

All things aside, the art of Tae Kwon Do is a great martial art. Stylists can learn kicking, punching, blocking, and the spectacular movements the art is known for. Tae Kwon Do is practiced all around the world, meaning that there are just as many places to learn this art as there are Karate. For an art that wont disappoint - Tae Kwon Do teaches self defense and a whole lot more.

The martial art style Judo can mean a lot of things to different people. In reality, it is a fun and exciting sport, an art, a discipline, an activity, a way to protect yourself, and quite simply a way of life. Although you may hear many different meanings, the word Judo actually means all of the above and several more.

Original founded back in 1882, Judo comes from the feudal Japan fighting system. Upon founding, Judo was a refinement of the martial art jujutsu. Jujutsu is one of the oldest martial arts styles, dating back hundreds of years.

Judo made the biggest impact in 1964 when it was first introduced into the Olympic Games. Now, it is practiced by millions of people all across the world. Judo can help students stay in shape, excel in all areas of competition, stay protected with self defense, and several other things. For a majority of students, Judo is practiced just for fun. Although it starts out as fun for many, it quickly turns into a way of life, a burning passion if you will.

Similar to other martial arts styles, Judo has rules that ensure the safety of those competing in the competitions. Students of Judo who are looking to test their skills will enjoy the competition levels, which range from club meets to national tournaments, and on up to the well known and best level of competition - the Olympic Games.

Judo is known best for its amazing throw techniques. What many arent aware of, is the fact that Judo is more than just throws. It also involves grappling on the ground, controlling holds, arm locks, leg locks, and even choking techniques. Judo teaches all aspects of self defense, from a grapplers standpoint.

Another great thing about Judo is the fact that anyone can study, male or female, and even those that are disabled. Judo is also inexpensive to participate in, taught throughout the year, and it appeals to everyone. This martial art is also unique in the sense that even the elderly enjoy practicing it on a daily basis.

Judo also helps students learn and develop respect and self discipline. It offers the chance to learn self confidence, leadership skills, power, flexibility, and physical prowess. Judo has evolved quite a bit over the years, going from a fighting art to competition status. These days, there are separate Judo ranks for kids, adults, and seniors.

The martial art Judo, which means gentle way teaches you the applications that you need for self defense as well as competition. Judo is unlike other martial arts, in the sense that it combines the best of grappling with awesome throws that require little to no strength - but more of the way you position your body. This is an excellent martial art - that anyone can enjoy.

Tai Chi is an ancient martial art, one that was practiced for centuries in China as an exercise, a martial art, and a way to improve the internal flow of energy in the body. It emphasis correct form and feeling with each and every movement, which is why it is always taught to be practiced in a slow and gentle fashion.

By involving the entire body with little to no impact, Tai Chi promotes strength, flexibility, and stamina. With the entire body being taught to move as a whole, Tai Chi cultivates the link among the mind and the body, helping to enhance ones coordination and balance. It can also help with the joints as well, especially if an individual is very stiff in the joints.

Although it was developed to be a martial art, it involves very little striking, offensive, or even defense techniques. Tai Chi is a movement and breathing art that works all of the major muscles and joints in the body, helping to circulate internal energy, or chi. The Chinese believe that internal energy, or chi is what prevents or stops diseases.

When practicing the art, the body will remain very soft and relaxed, just like it was suspended from the top of the head with the joints being similar to that of a puppet. The mind of the student is focused on each movement, focusing on the flow of energy. By being relaxed and focused, you allow the energy to flow through your entire body.

Even though you are soft and relaxed, you are still constantly moving. The energy that flows through your body never stops, it keeps you moving. When you move in reality, it takes little to no energy to make a movement. By using your chi, everything you do seems as if it is weightless.

In combat, the Tai Chi student uses his opponents energy against him. The stylist is very relaxed, believing that the energy of the opponent can be used against him. There is little to no strength involved. When the opponent becomes weak and tires himself out - the stylist attacks. This way, there is very little energy left for defense or even attacking.

Tai Chi is one of the oldest styles of martial arts, and one of the hardest to find these days. Just like other martial arts, such as Tiger Claw and Ninjutsu, it can be very hard to find a dojo that teaches the art. If you can find a dojo that teaches the art of Tai Chi, you really shouldnt pass it up. It can teach you a lot about internal energy and your spiritual well being - learning more about yourself than you ever thought possible in the process.

The martial art known as Hapkido is an art of complete self defense. Those who study it are more than capable of defending themselves in any type of situation, being more than able to apply their confidence and discipline from the art to enhance their lives, protecting themselves and those that they love as well.

Hapkido teaches students to use minimal force with any stronger opponent. Contrary to other martial arts, it doesnt involve strength to execute the techniques. To control the opponent and take him down, Hapkido focuses on pressure points and the impact they have on opponents. It also involves a very powerful arsenal of thrusts, spin kicks, and sweeps. If they are executed properly, the moves from this martial art can be very effective against opponents and attackers.

Along with kicks, punches, and pressure point attacks; Hapkido also uses wrist and joint manipulation locks, along with several throwing techniques. All together, there are nearly 300 categories of special movements in Hapkido that involve nearly 3,500 techniques.

Hapkido is a very popular martial art, which is mainly due to the fact that just about anyone, regardless of age or weight can practice the techniques. The martial art also involves systematic training and stamina exercise, which can improve your health. You dont need to be in the best shape either, as Hapkido can actually help your body as well as your health.

Studying Hapkido will also help with developing your muscles, along with your posture, controlling your weight, developing confidence, self control, even fulfilling your spirit. Although it is mainly based in self defense techniques, it also teaches you how to become a better person and get yourself back in health and in touch with your spirit.

Throughout the style, the linear techniques work together to form a solid base in which all of the circular techniques can be perfected. Everything in Hapkido is tried and tested, in order to come up with a balanced blend of techniques and skills that are apt for any situation. With Hapkido being a martial art of self defense, there is a lot of practice involved blocking attacks in many different situations. This way, the stylist can be more prepared for any situation he finds himself in.

Today, Hapkido is practiced by men and women of all ages, even little children. It is a very beneficial martial art, one that can be utilized from nearly any position or direction, such as lying, sitting, and standing. It is an art of self defense, and can even be deadly if the stylist is proficient with the techniques. What makes it even more deadly though - is the fact that a lot of people arent familiar with it.

Also known as the Kung Fu fist forms, the 5 animals of Kung Fu are known all across the world, and are some of the deadliest martial arts you can study. There are other specific fist styles in Kung Fu, although none of them are as powerful or as well known as the 5 animal styles. As the name implies, these forms were derived from the animals in which they got their names from.

The Dragon Claw
The Dragon Claw is very well known, with the Chinese believing that this style comes directly from the ancient dragon. This style uses an open hand technique that is used for controlling the opponent through grabbing and throwing. Using an open hand technique, stylists may also use the fingers to poke as well. Dragon Claw is very fast, very hard to defend against - and nearly impossible to predict.

The Leopard Claw
The Leopard Claw style utilizes a half opened fist. The ideal striking method with Leopard is the ridge of the hand, which is formed by folding the fingers towards the palm of the hand, with the palm being the backup or secondary striking method. Leopard Claw is very fast as well, and very lethal if the stylist has enough technique and power behind his strikes.

The Tiger Claw
Tiger Claw uses an open hand movement that is used for tearing and grabbing. Tiger Claw is the most well known of the 5 animal system, and also one of the most well known forms of Kung Fu as well. It isnt affected by simply grabbing and gripping with the hand, but from the digging of the fingernails deep into the skin. Once the fingernails have been embedded in the opponents skin, the Tiger Claw stylist can shred the skin right off the bone, tearing the opponent apart. Tiger Claw is very powerful - and one of the deadliest forms in the world of martial arts.

The Snake Head
Snake Head resembles the attack of a snake in combat, using an open hand technique which requires the fingers to be held together tight, fully extended. The tips of the finger form a very hard surface, used to attack the softest and most vital areas of the opponent. In order to be effective, both hands need to be used together at the same time.

The Crane Beak
Crane involves the fingers being pressed together tightly, forming a striking surface at the base of the stylists fingertips. Although the fingers can be conditioned to a high level of strength, most attacks using the Crane technique are focused towards the most vital areas of an opponent.

The 5 animal styles of Kung Fu are very popular, and very deadly. Martial artists that know any of these forms are very deadly - and more than capable of defending themselves against anything that comes their way.

Sparring is something that all martial arts use. There are numerous sports, such as boxing and wrestling that use sparring as well. It is a very useful technique, helping students become better with their techniques and what they have learned. By practicing with other people, students learn their arts better and become more apt at performing the techniques quickly and efficiently.

If you are studying martial arts in a dojo, youll find sparring to be very exciting as well as beneficial to your training. The instructors and teachers will be right there watching and guiding students, making sure that no one gets hurt. Students use full body gear, including headgear, to ensure safety during practice.

Depending on your skill level and martial art you are studying, you may end up using no protective gear. Students that are very skilled wont normally need protective equipment, as they are good enough with sparring and their techniques that they can go a few rounds with other skilled students and not make any type of contact at all.

Martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, that focus on grappling, make the most use of sparring, as it is needed to properly execute the techniques. Martial arts that focus mainly on grappling use joint locks and submission techniques, which will need to be practiced quite a bit before they can be used effectively during a competition or even as self defense.

During sparring, students go back and forth, competing with each other and testing each other. The rounds will vary, although most last several minutes. Students will also receive help and insight from their instructors to let them know how they are doing and if they need to change anything they are doing. This also gives instructors the chance to see just how well you are progressing in training and what areas you need to work more on.

Sometimes, sparring is done by yourself, without anyone else working with you. If you are sparring by yourself, youll use equipment such as punching bags, tackling dummies, or other forms of equipment that will help you with your martial art. The foam or rubber dummies are most often used with grappling techniques or punching on the ground, as they represent the opponent that you are trying to pummel into submission.

All in all, sparring is an excellent way to practice the skills you have learned against equipment or other students. Students are fun to spar against, especially if they are at a higher level of skill than you are. You can use sparring to your advantage, learning what others do and how they react to your movements and techniques. The longer you spar and practice your moves - the better you will get in your training, speed, and the execution of your skills.

Anytime an individual decides to learn how to protect themselves, learn self defense, or become a better person, one thing comes to mind - martial arts. Martial arts are very common these days, being practiced all over the world.

The martial arts have been used for many centuries, although they really became famous around the time of Bruce Lee. Bruce invented the style of Jeet Kune Do, which involves very fast strikes with amazing counter defenses. Once people began to see just how fast Bruce Lee could move, they began to look into martial arts and see just how it could benefit them.

Martial arts are broken down into specific styles. The style all depends on where and what you study. A lot of cultures and countries offer martial arts that they originated, developed, and perfected. Brazil offers Brazilian Jui-Jitsu, Japan has Karate, Thailand has Muay Thai, France has Savate, and China has Shaolin. Keep in mind that each style will vary in techniques and what it has to offer you.

Although many people think of martial arts as being just for self defense purposes, this isnt always the case. Martial arts are used in tournaments and competitions as well, which can include sparring, floor routines, and even block and brick breaking demonstrations. All across the world, there are competitions and chances for fighters to prove themselves and their knowledge.

In general, all martial arts will teach you how to defend yourself and above all else - help you develop self control. Once you begin to study a martial art, youll quickly start to develop a much better state of mind. No matter what style of martial art you study, the instructors will drill self control into your head.

Those of you who have a bad temper or just need to learn self control, martial arts can be very beneficial to study. Not only will you learn self control, youll also learn how to defend yourself in the most drastic of situations. Self control is very important, as martial arts can be very deadly if they are taught to the wrong person - with the wrong intentions.

Over the last decade, there have been a lot of mainstream competitions that showcase martial arts, such as Extreme Fighting, King of the cage, and the most popular of all, the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). The UFC has come a long way over the years, sparking interest from all over the world. It pairs stylists from all over the world together, to test their skills and see who is the better fighter.

With the UFC, a lot of people have gotten the wrong idea about martial arts. A martial art is great to learn, although if it works in the UFC, it doesnt always mean that it will protect you out on the streets. Karate for example, teaching blocking and striking, with little to no emphasis on grappling
techniques. If you get in close, Karate really doesnt help. With some distance however, Karate can be very devastating.

No matter how you look at it, martial arts can be great to learn if you learn it for the right reasons. Each style will vary in technique and what it has to offer you, which is why you should pick the best style for your needs and what you hope to accomplish. Martial arts can teach you a lot about self defense and yourself - all you have to do is give it a try.

These days, martial arts are something that everyone should know. With crime at an all time high, knowing how to defend yourself is essential. For the children, martial arts can mean a lot of things. Even though martial arts is great for adults to know and practice as well, it is also a great way for children to stay in shape and learn how to defend themselves from attackers.

Although martial arts can teach children how to defend themselves, it will also teach them self control and self confidence as well. If your child has a bad temper or low self esteem, learning a martial art can actually help them to get back on the right path. Martial arts will help children with life in general - which will take them a lot farther in life.

The first thing you will need to do when getting your child involved in martial arts is pick a style that they will enjoy. With several different styles to choose from, it can be a very difficult choice to make. Among the most popular for children are Karate, Taekwondo, Judo, Muay Thai, and Jiu-Jitsu. When making the decision, you should go by what your child has interests in, such as punching and kicking, or ground grappling and submission.

Once you have a style in mind, youll need to start checking out the local martial arts centers and dojos. If you live in a big city, youll have a lot more to choose from than those who live in smaller areas or rural towns. Those who live in smaller towns or rural areas may be very limited on the choices available for themselves and their children.

Rural and smaller towns are limited in choice, although what they offer is normally among the best styles of martial arts. The instructors are black belts and above, with the highest ranked students helping them instruct classes. If the classes are small in attendance, the instructors and student teachers can spend a lot of hands on time with the kids to help them improve in their weakest areas.

When you decide to enroll your child in martial arts, you should always check out the dojo or classes first. You dont want your child to be in a class that isnt goal focused, nor do you want them to have a teacher who doesnt know what he is teaching. The environment is also important, as you want to be sure that the dojo and equipment are clean, and that everything is up to the latest and greatest standards.

Even though a martial art may be beneficial to your child, it wont do them any good unless the facilities and the instructors are good. You want to make sure you get the best available to you, which is why it always pays to look around. If you look at all of your available choices, youll normally be able to find the best for both you and your child.

When it comes to children and their future, martial arts is a great way for them to start. Martial arts can help them improve in many different areas, not just self defense. A martial art can help a child develop a lot of essential areas, including self control and responsibility. The longer a child studies a martial art, the more goal oriented and responsible they will become. Martial arts are a great investment for parents and children - which is why they are so very popular.

After the Ching dynasty fell in the early 17th century, it was necessary to come to agreement of a national language for China for proper dialects and pronunciations. It was until around 1913 however, until the Ministry of Education actually established the national language. The requirements were for the language to go beyond local dialects and include prominent properties used universally in the Asian world. Mandarin Chinese dominated and successfully became the superior and dominant Chinese usage. Starting in 1956, it is now the mandated language taught in Asia countries. Throughout the country it is still referred to as guanya or national speech, but in the west we call it Mandarin.

What makes mandarin Chinese different to learn than English, is its tones assigned to words which vary in high to low levels, and pitches. It is also a monosyllabic language with little or no modulation. Unlike the English alphabet, The Chinese language contains over 3000 frequently used characters and over 6500 listed in the Chinese dictionary. The characters denote deep meaning then just surface print. An addition or subtraction of a brushstroke changes the meaning of the character. As do tones used in pronunciation of Chinese words.

The writing of the Chinese language is done vertically and is read the same way. There is controversy over the traditional way of writing Chinese, as opposed to newer forms which make words hard to recognize. The generalized new way of writing Chinese also gives different meanings to words. As time progresses, you will see more of the traditional script being used and taught. Written Chinese is in Mandarin is also known as Hanyu.

Methods of learning mandarin Chinese would incorporate using what is referred to as Hanyu Pinyin, a Romanization system used for teaching Chinese. Pinyin means phonetic notation and uses roman numbers to correspond to sounds in mandarin Chinese.

When you want to begin the study of the Chinese language, decide what method of learning this complex language will suit your needs best. There are quick learn programs available, as well as free lessons online. You can study within the walls of a traditional classroom, or sign up for a class online. If you wish to study the Chinese language independently, consider using a download onto your mp3 player for enhanced learning and practice. To make practice entertaining, learn the mandarin form of Chinese thru interactive animations and games.

Flash cards are a great method of memorization, especially for commonly used phrases and characters. If you run across difficulties, consider a tutor either personally or connect with one online to prevent any frustration or to keep from giving up entirely. The point is to keep trying. Keep looking for unique ways to incorporate the language into your daily activities. Possibilities exist even in the smallest of means, for example stickers with words or phrases on it in the Chinese language placed around your house. Be creative.

Learning about the culture and the Chinese language offers a whole new way of looking at life and with enough effort and practice, this complex language can be mastered.

So, you want to learn to speak Chinese? And its no wonder whywith todays world aggressively tapping into each other, we are culturally merging rapidly. The Chinese language has become increasingly popular, almost tripling the demand to learn the Chinese language in the past decade. High thanks to modern technology such as computers, cell phones, even MP3 players, language accommodation in these instruments is becoming the norm. Gone are the days of primary English communications on these devices, now you can speak and write the Chinese characters, as well as many other languages. In order to keep up with the technology advances, it is become crucial to pick up a second language in business as well. If you learn to speak Chinese, and you can demonstrate ability for the language, you are more than one step above others in career paths such a business, marketing, engineering and technology.

Our world is hungry for multi diverse individuals who can communicate effectively with other cultures. And why wouldnt you want to learn to speak Chinese? Its eloquent nature lends to the desire of understanding. The characters have become an art form themselves, basked across walls declaring deep meaning. It would be nice to be able to know what these refined instruments of communication were inspiring us to. There is a peace and balance somewhere within the Chinese culture and in their language. From their ways of life to ours is a bridge and by learning to speak Chinese we have began to cross it. With the call to learn to speak Chinese, countless sources have emerged for doing just that. Traditional methods of learning include classes, and private instructors. But today, it is easy to study the Chinese language online. Available resources include everything from history of the language to audio lessons.

It is beneficial to parallel your lessons with some form of audio for correct phonetic, tone, and enunciation properties of the Chinese language. The Chinese characters will be the hardest to master, but more than likely, fun to become skilled at. Learning to speak Chinese will also be entertaining as you familiarize your tongue with all the different tones of usage involved. Once the pronunciation is accomplished, you will be well on your way into commanding a second language. Being bilingual in todays world is fast becoming a constant as we live in chorus with each other. Schools are reinforcing their teaching platforms of foreign languages more than ever, they see the future up ahead for these children. In their adult world, and in generations to follow, being bilingual may become mandatory, as well as multi lingual.

Learn to speak Chinese as an advantage to a career is optimal, or if traveling abroad, it will be useful. Consider all the uses of speaking Chinese, and know, that modern technology has already planned for this. Next time you pick up your cell phone, out of sheer curiosity, check your phones capabilitiesodds are it has the ability to operate in another language, perhaps Chinese?

If you ever sat down to eat in a Chinese restaurant, theres a good chance you have had the opportunity to hear Chinese spoken fluently. The menu most likely contained beautiful Chinese characters depicting food offerings. This beautiful language lends its self to roots that began over 4000 years ago from the Sino- Tibetan vernacular form. Today, the most common style of Chinese used is the Mandarin Chinese language.

There are many methods available to learn to read Chinese. The written characters have been narrowed down to about 30 strokes for over 40,000 characters used. Chinese grammar is different and easier than English, as there is no noun inflections and verbs are basic in structure. If you are going to tackle the art of reading Chinese, begin with memorization and consistency in character identification of each character, and there are a lot. It can become overwhelming to the untrained eyes, but understanding of these characters is foremost before learning to read Chinese. The use of a Chinese dictionary can be your best friend, as you start to identify the relationship and categories of each character. It cannot be stressed enough to consistently use word association, memorization and dictionary definitions to develop skill in reading Chinese. The idea being able to put together characters you see on paper and pull up the information stored from the learning process so you can recognize what you are reading.

This is how you develop an initial beginning vocabulary in Chinese. The English language uses spaces to separate words that form sentences. However, the grammar used in the Chinese language does not. It is equally important to incorporate Chinese grammar into your dissection of the language if you embark on the skill of learning to read Chinese. Do not become discouraged, breakthroughs in reading the language come after awhile from continual application. You can develop a fair enough reading level by studying and practicing the characters. It is also recommended to practice the writing of Chinese characters so the reading is more understandable. The Chinese language is written in parallel and vertically so formable sentence breaks occur naturally. Your brain will start to recognize patterns formed by the characters. Also an interesting task to master while studying the language, is the radical components and phonetics of each character. This is skill mastered in speaking, but as necessary in reading and writing as well if you really wish to thoroughly comprehend content in reading of the language.

Learning to read Chinese may be your goal this year. And with the Chinese language gaining momentum to be mastered other than English, and second to Spanish, there is more demand for those who have some command of this old world language. If not for personal, then for business, the Chinese language is finding its way rapidly into the daily lives of many. As for the demand, there is also mass supply of resources available to the wishful learner to accommodate their studying needs. Be brave on your quest, know success with reading the Chinese language inevitable.

It is said Mandarin Chinese is one of the top languages difficult to learn. The Chinese language embraces so many levels of complex spoken and written components within their language that it can almost seem to frustrating. In order to understand Chinese, you have to dissect the pronunciations, the written characters (and there are thousands upon thousands of them), and the tonal dialects used in each word. If the task of mastering the language becomes to cumbersome, it is often the choice to just give up.

There are means accessible to make writing Chinese somewhat easier. Some instructors suggest learning a few characters first which are most frequently used. Practice them over and over. Learning the direction of strokes, the difference in brushstrokes and pen (like thickness and style), and thorough repetition will be the best beginning point. Once familiarity of common used characters sets in, then a Chinese dictionary will come in handy to put meaning to the characters. A good guide to Chinese characters will encompass pages of most frequently used characters in the Chinese language. Practice writing Chinese and the characters. It is said that if you learn at least 800 of them, you will be able to retain at least, if not more, 86% of the characters commonly used. Double that and the comprehension rises to around 95% recognition. With that much understanding of the characters you are ready to begin grammatical lessons as well as beginning reading.

Lucky for those learning to read or write Chinese, grammar in the Chinese language is not as complex as the grammar and sentence syntax in the English language. Chinese grammar consists of only one form of verb and uses no tenses. To use adjectives, plurals, or past and future tenses, you would simply add one character. Learning to write characters in Chinese is a lot easier than actually speaking it. There is only one format used to write Chinese and is simple to comprehend.

The effect of repetition, practice and continual usage will improve your success tremendously. As will the all the free offerings online to help instruct you. Whatever your capacity or level for learning, most likely, there exists avenues online which will cater to your focus on learning to write Chinese. The most important thing to remember is not to give up. There will be plateaus and frustrating crossroads, but breakthrough always comes. If need be, seek guidance and help from those already proficient in the language for encouragement. Sometimes it is more beneficial to have a one on one instruction, or tutor, especially if you have questions or concerns about the direction you are heading into with the mastering of the Chinese language.

The Chinese language is a beautiful artful language becoming increasingly popular in the world. With the demand to learn Chinese, especially in writing the eloquent Chinese characters, more learning tools are becoming readily available. Explore all possibilities for gaining valuable knowledge on this subject, and persevere boldly into learning to write Chinese.

The Chinese language is illusive to English speaking world, almost seems to be a complex mystery intimidating to unravel and to understand. If you wish to learn Chinese, then approach it delicately and thoroughly as a bridge to not only communication with this beautiful culture, but learn Chinese to harvest the history and ways of their world as well.

Historically, the Chinese language evolved from Proto-Sino-Tibetan and has ascended into modern day with most Chinese communities speaking either Mandarin or Cantonese forms of the Chinese language. There are different varieties on both of these depending on the geographical localities. The linguistics of the Chinese language are easier to trace back in time than are the characters used for Chinese alphabet, as there is rare documentation found to support the origins.

For those wishing to learn Chinese worldwide has tripled in the last decade, making it an increasingly popular language to learn. With that, a standard form of Chinese instruction used these days is called Hanyu Pinyin, or simply, Standard Mandarin. It is a universal form of teaching used worldwide to help people learn Chinese. Without it, learning this language might seem to difficult to commit to. The Chinese language is undoubtedly a intricate and diverse language to comprehend, with characters, phonics, tones, meanings and speaking so different from the language native to each of us. However, with the proper teaching tools and discipline, learning Chinese can be a eloquent and beneficial goal. Todays world demands multi cultural merging in communications, especially with business and now, internet as well. Your value doubles if you have successfully picked up a second language, more career doors open as a result. And with the world becoming so much smaller in business and communications, thanks to the internet, learning Chinese as your second language may be exactly to your advantage.

There are numerous methods of learning the Chinese language and endless resources available to teach you. If you keep an eye opened around your community, you may find classes scheduled for you to learn Chinese. There are classes given at universities and schools, as well as shorter courses available with adult continuing education classes which costs less than traditional avenues of learning. If you wish the more private, unscheduled form of learning, then optimally the online courses are designed for you. This articulate language is easier understood by listening to someone who is native to the Chinese language. By hearing the phonetics and tone involved, may make learning Chinese easier. Tutors and private instructors can be hired to teach you proper speaking of Chinese. Also available are online courses which include lessons that let you hear how words are put together or spoken. The most difficult part to master when you learn Chinese language is all the characters, but the grammar aspect will be a cinch for most as it is not nearly as complex as is the grammar used in English language.

The Chinese language is without a doubt a striking art form as well as it is a language and we are hungry to understand what it all means when we look at the characters written on a page or on art hanging on a wall next to us. Our curious nature draws us that much closer to discovery of the Chinese culture and deepens our appreciation for it when we finally choose to teach ourselves more and more about it. To learn Chinese is another journey began.

You have seen it everywhere. The beautiful strokes in black brushed on a canvas. Meaning something, but were not sure what. You see it in tattoos left on the skin to declare deep significance to the wearer, and often out of curiosity we ask what it means. It is a peaceful mystery, we are drawn to it naturally. The infamy of Chinese calligraphy has become an art to be understood and learned. Not only do we want it on our walls and skin, we want to become even more personal with it. You can learn Chinese calligraphy, and create the same beautiful words as do the masters.

Chinese calligraphy began in 213 B.C. by Prime Minister Li Szu who created over 3000 characters to be used by the Chinese scholars. The five different styles, zhuan-shu, li-shu, kai-shu,xing-shu, and cao-shu, are all forms used in Chinese calligraphy. One word can be written in different ways depending on the style and the execution of that style. The word can be fluid, formal, exact, whimsicalit all is in the hand of the application and unique individual deliverance of the strokes. Many masters from the beginning of origin to now have left their work for us to enjoy as art today. When you begin to study calligraphy, you will adopt a style which is distinctive to you and perfect the strokes as your own form of self expression. The artistic value of Chinese calligraphy is in the skill and method is exclusive to the particular creative ability delivering it. When well done, the words interpretations are more leaning to abstract art, then anything else.

As you learn Chinese calligraphy, you will notice that traditionally certain materials are used in a particular way to produce the eloquent results. The Chinese use special brushes made of rabbit hair or sheep. One brush is for sharpness in line drawing, and the other for rhythm and depth all equaling to the subjects inner self. Also used in Chinese calligraphy, is a thick ground ink combined with water and applied to Chinese paper (also called rice paper) or silk. This form shows depth, contrast, density and texture and creates a rhythmic balance. When the Chinese apply color to this art form, it is to show the subjects characteristics or moods. Another unique quality to Chinese calligraphy is the poetry inscribed within it. It becomes the artists signature or inscription exclusive to them. Chinese Calligraphy minimizes the use of space, sometimes leaving a canvas almost blank, with just a few brushstrokes leaving a word to contemplate on. The styles of this writing do not embrace crowding compositions with too much and badly placed brushstrokes. The rules behind learning Chinese calligraphy are to invite simplicity, balance, beauty, and originality of style. You should possess graceful execution and represent the depth of meaning of each stroke, whether using a brush or ink. The idea behind Chinese calligraphy is to find understanding and beauty is simple delivery of who you are as the artist and what you are projecting as meaning with the chosen style adopted.

When you learn Chinese calligraphy, it is easy to become infatuated with the art form and easy to be immersed completely into cultural richness that has been alive for over a 1000 years.

The Chinese language is most notably known for the written and beautiful characters stroked on the flat page. As old as 4000 years ago, this exquisite language exists as even more popular today. There are several masters of its legend left behind in history their work more as art then language. There are many resources available to learn Chinese characters. The Chinese language has become a popular study area for more and more people and continues to expand the supply and demand of good available teaching tools.

At any given point, you can access many different ways to learn Chinese or learn Chinese characters. The traditional way to learn a foreign language was to incorporate the study within some form of primary or secondary education. Then continuing adult classes started springing up all over and with a host of other available subjects, the Chinese language was thrown in as an afterthought. The demand for learning Chinese characters came heavy onto the home study market after eastern art and culture, including the art of Chinese characters, graced the masses of the western world. People were wanting these beautiful Chinese characters as tattoos, because they represented so much meaning in just a simple brush stroke. Cultural influences touched from films/tv entertainment (like movie star Jacki Chan, or the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), to home decorating (Fung Shui), Chinese food, and of course art, with the tranquility of expression from Chinese characters. Now you can learn Chinese characters with just a little effort from your computer.

You will discover todays availability for learning to read Chinese, learning Chinese characters or simply about the culture is just on tap away. There are online courses, lessons with games, cd rom courses, audio books, and workbook lessons, just to name only a few. Beyond that, for the hearty learner, there are programs designed to teach you in the homeland. For a month, or for a year, you can immerse yourself into the cultural richness and environment of the Chinese, laying down a permanent solid application of the language by learning and living amongst it. There now exists jobs in which the employer will sponsor their employees to pick up the language as a necessary tool for their career.

If you desire to just excel in learning Chinese characters, the lessons available to you are right here, just a click away. Some of the best lessons include animations to teach you exactly how the brushstrokes and pen lines should be created and expressed. Most lessons available will teach you the origin and interpretations of each character. You will also learn how they sound phonetically and how they are interconnected to each other. There are Chinese character dictionaries available which are recommended.

Whether you choose to learn Chinese characters as an integral part of the overall language, or whether you are just searching for meaning in a new tattoo, there are so many opportunities for learning this beautiful, eloquent and old world tradition. With an artists heart, you can find one character which is silently personal to you.

The Chinese language is most notably known for the written and beautiful characters stroked on the flat page. As old as 4000 years ago, this exquisite language exists as even more popular today. There are several masters of its legend left behind in history their work more as art then language. There are many resources available to learn Chinese characters. The Chinese language has become a popular study area for more and more people and continues to expand the supply and demand of good available teaching tools.

At any given point, you can access many different ways to learn Chinese or learn Chinese characters. The traditional way to learn a foreign language was to incorporate the study within some form of primary or secondary education. Then continuing adult classes started springing up all over and with a host of other available subjects, the Chinese language was thrown in as an afterthought. The demand for learning Chinese characters came heavy onto the home study market after eastern art and culture, including the art of Chinese characters, graced the masses of the western world. People were wanting these beautiful Chinese characters as tattoos, because they represented so much meaning in just a simple brush stroke. Cultural influences touched from films/tv entertainment (like movie star Jacki Chan, or the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), to home decorating (Fung Shui), Chinese food, and of course art, with the tranquility of expression from Chinese characters. Now you can learn Chinese characters with just a little effort from your computer.

You will discover todays availability for learning to read Chinese, learning Chinese characters or simply about the culture is just on tap away. There are online courses, lessons with games, cd rom courses, audio books, and workbook lessons, just to name only a few. Beyond that, for the hearty learner, there are programs designed to teach you in the homeland. For a month, or for a year, you can immerse yourself into the cultural richness and environment of the Chinese, laying down a permanent solid application of the language by learning and living amongst it. There now exists jobs in which the employer will sponsor their employees to pick up the language as a necessary tool for their career.

If you desire to just excel in learning Chinese characters, the lessons available to you are right here, just a click away. Some of the best lessons include animations to teach you exactly how the brushstrokes and pen lines should be created and expressed. Most lessons available will teach you the origin and interpretations of each character. You will also learn how they sound phonetically and how they are interconnected to each other. There are Chinese character dictionaries available which are recommended.

Whether you choose to learn Chinese characters as an integral part of the overall language, or whether you are just searching for meaning in a new tattoo, there are so many opportunities for learning this beautiful, eloquent and old world tradition. With an artists heart, you can find one character which is silently personal to you.

Thats right! I want to learn Chinese. Chinese is the new language of todays world. I look around and I can see where all this is going. Our world is growing at such a alarming rate and the world economy is merging at an unforgiving speed, I think we will all be speaking Chinese and Spanish right along with English. We are fast approaching a multi-lingual world. We wont need subtitles on films, or an interpreter to hustle us through a Chinese menu, or an old world master to explain the Chinese characters meaning graced on a wall, if we just learn Chinese.

If I learn Chinese, I could talk with them hours on end about the ways of their culture and how to fung shui my house so I can find more tranquility. I could listen to great stories of ancient cultural heros and ponder their brilliant minds, wishing one for my next muse. If I learn Chinese, I could scold the angry driver next to me or my children for not picking up their clothes. If I learn Chinese, I could impress my friends and colleagues with my superior command of a higher learning that they dont have. I could travel to the Asian world and madly shop amongst them, purchasing things I really dont need, but happier for the engaging conversation between us.

If I learn Chinese, I will get a better job, a worldly careermy employer will find me indispensable and reward me with travel and great expense account. I will return to take his job, giving me a bigger expense account. If I learn Chinese, I could be an emerging artist in ancient Chinese calligraphy, brush stroking my way to a higher spiritual calling, even if only a tattoo artist, my work would live on forever.

If I learn Chinese, I could reign in reading the Chinese news to all sitting around me mesmerized by my fluency. I could also impress them with a follow up performance with a 9…10…even 15 course Chinese meal. If I learn Chinese, I would name all my pets (maybe even my children) with names 3 words long carrying such deep, soulful and eternal meanings.

If I learn Chinese, I could actively volunteer in Asian countries and become an important liaison between the eastern and western worlds. I would do great works in missionary arenas where so little help exists now. I know I could make the world a better place. If I learn Chinese, I would make it benefit all, so not only would the world economy be merging as expected, but so would the hearts. Because, If I learned Chinese, I would want for it to mean more than just a command of a second language, I would want to use it as a tool for connecting us all together other than just economy, or a passing by of another. In todays world, if I learn ChineseI could stop the hurry, if only to say, hello.

Chinese is swiftly becoming a language to master. Whether for business or pleasure, all the demands of the future lie in being able to fuse cultural boundaries and one of those areas, is Chinese. For business men today, speaking Chinese can be an successful career tool to have. The Chinese language is becoming just as important to speak as is English, even Spanish. Children today are being offered Chinese language with the ideology that it will be necessary into tomorrows world. There are many avenues of learning available for those wishing to pick up the Chinese language.

A thorough and sure way to adopt the eloquent language is to learn Chinese in China. There are many programs in China available for study of Chinese. The one month program, immerses the student directly into Chinese lessons, and ideally provides much one on one. This is the best reason to learn Chinese in China, to have individual attention and hear the language being spoken on a repetitive, daily basis. The Chinese phonetics and meaning of tones within their language are so unique to them, that it is encouraged in learning, to hear the application of Chinese to ensure better results. The other advantage to these courses taught in native homeland is the surety of a personal assistant/chaperone/tutor to help reinforce the studies with daily activities, exploration of culture, and consistent practice of the language. In one month, the ability to comprehend and apply the Chinese language is so immense, it remains incomparable to traditional methods of language arts taught in English communities or universities.

Another aspect to consider about learning Chinese in China homeland is dual purpose. Not only can it be considered a productive, goal oriented objective, but it is also an opportunity of travel abroad to indulge in a vacation type atmosphere. Some of these schools provide tours and social functions designed to immerse the student into the richness of Chinese culture as a part of the studies. Students get to check out historical sites, clubs and restaurants, and even shopping. Many of the schools also set up their curriculums to offer classes in other Chinese rich studies, such as martial arts. Some incorporate the business aspect into their programs. Which school to pick is dependant on exactly what you have in mind to get out the programs. They each specialize in unique class electives and have well rounded schedules.

China is the fourth largest economy in the world and is growing at least by 10 percent a year. The Chinese language is fast on its way to becoming a desired language to have along side of English. There are many schools popping up worldwide to accommodate the demand. If you choose to learn Chinese in China, the advantages are layered and beneficial. The cultural richness is a definite plus as is the opportunity to apply and understand the language while you are engaged in learning it. Consider all the programs readily available to guide you through this experience.

For anyone who wants to learn a martial art, there is a lot to know in regards to the many different styles. Of course there is the question of finding the best martial art, which is a question a lot of people ask With so many martial arts styles to choose from, it can be very complicated to pick one to learn.

No matter you may hear or what others have to say, it is quite impossible to name one style of martial arts as the ultimate best. Actually, there are several factors that come into play, which makes a statement about a style being the best impossible. Even though one style may beat another in a competition or a fight, doesnt always mean that the winning style is the best.

Before deciding to rush out there and learn a martial art, there are several things that you should decide first. Martial arts are great to learn, no matter which style you decide on. A martial art can teach you self discipline, self defense, and several other traits that will help you no matter where you decide to go in life.

Self defense
All over the world, there are several martial arts schools and dojos that emphasize self defense a lot more than others. Schools that focus on kata, forms, or light sparring are less than likely to teach you what you need to protect yourself on the street. If you are looking for street self defense, then youll want a style that trains hard and doesnt let up.

Fitness
Even though martial arts can improve your fitness level, it isnt the goal behind a lot of the martial arts styles. Several styles, such as Tae Bo, are based purely on martial arts and doesnt include a lot of physical fitness training. If you are looking for fitness as your main goal, then you should be looking into something other than martial arts.

Fighting ability
This will vary among the many different martial arts styles. Self defense schools will most often take advantage of fighting skills, teaching you everything you need to survive. Most martial arts styles are slow in theory, teaching you kata, movements, and forms. Self defense schools on the other hand, teach you how to inflict the most amounts of damage in the least amount of time.

Competition
Competition based martial arts are all about winning trophies and showing the world your style of martial arts. The competition that you have chosen, will greatly impact your style of martial arts. Youll need to decide if you will be fighting or showcasing display kata, light or heavy contact, or focusing on grappling or striking.

Before you decide on a martial arts style, you should always research the schools and dojos in your area and see what all they offer you. The best schools will allow you to participate in a few free classes, or offer you discounts on your first few months. They will answer any questions that you have, and work with you to help you learn as much as you can.

Martial arts can be a very fun and exciting learning experience. There are hundreds of different martial arts styles out there, although you may be limited in choice, depending on what all is offered in your area. Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kickboxing, and Jiu-Jitsu and some of the most common types of martial arts, and normally offered just about everywhere. The more distinct styles, such as Kung Fu, Shootfighting, Kenpo, and Shaolin styles are a bit hard to harder to find.

If you do your homework on some of the styles that are offered in your area, youll find one that best fits your reasons to study. Martial arts can change your outlook on life - all you have to do it devote yourself to learning all you can about the philosophy of your martial art.

Today, I went on a search for the perfect tattoo. I wanted something beautiful, simple and with deep spiritual meaning. I hadnt a clue what I was looking for. Then I tripped over Chinese calligraphy. I was taken back by the words brush stroked eloquently and masterfully on the paper. They spoke to me. Without even knowing what they meant, I could tell each word held a world of thought within its own. As I went thru the page, the calligraphy got only better, making it difficult which one I should choose to eternalize on my skin. I was so entranced with the Chinese calligraphy letters, I impatiently pushed right on thru to see how they were put together as words. Even more beautiful. All had a deep meaning applicable to the personality of one.

Chinese calligraphy is an ancient art form stemming back to almost 3000 years ago. This style of writing is said to be abstract art. Many masters throughout Chinese history have left behind their own unique interpretation of the Chinese characters. It was Tu Mang, however, who correlated it all together with form identification and style. He established names for the techniques used to describe the words. For instance, a carefree style has an unfixed or unknown direction. On the opposite end, a carefully executed form insists on careful execution and thought behind the work. Mysterious is to use your imagination. There are 120 existing expressions used for Chinese calligraphy, many born by great masters.

This graceful serene art form called Chinese calligraphy is a greek word meaning beautiful writing and is seen everywhere from art galleries to restaurants, and tattoo shops. Which takes me back to the search for the perfect Chinese word. Once I had the words I wanted to immortalize on my back, after learning so much more about Chinese calligraphy, it occurred to me I would have to choose a form as well. What kind of brush strokes would best represent the meaning of the words I had chose? I could go with a more classic, traditional style used in ancient times or even something called the grass style, looking more whimsical to me. I had not realized the depth of expression involved not only in searching a tattoo, but the actual essence, personality, and layers upon layers of meaning associated with this beautiful art.

Beyond the style, there are phrases, and the writing itselftraditional vertical or modern horizontal. I could opt for quotes, 4 character idioms, or even 7 character extractions from famous poems. I could get my name or my childrens names translated to Chinese or frame the words with other Asian art. The more I searched on Chinese calligraphy, the more infatuated I became of the work, yet I was not getting closer to choosing a tattoo because, quite honestly, each word or quotation inspired a feeling in me. There were simply too many I identified with on a deeper, more spiritual level. For now, I would have to ponder

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.