Everybody was Kung Fu fighting: from dojo to arena
Prima facie, martial arts seem to bear more references to film than to philosophical
themes. And yet by calling into question issues such as life and death, identity, people’s relationships, the ability to control one’s emotions or instincts, martial arts infuse the thoughts and reflections of their enthusiasts with a spiritual dimension. Initially linked to warfare, martial arts eventually came to transcend its utilitarian origins in the course of its development,. The principles of warfare as the origin of martial arts
Military victories were won thanks to the use of different techniques of combat. The oldest
civilizations were pioneers in the field. The warlike nature of this vocation is reflected in the etymology of the term "martial arts", Mars being the Roman god of war. The martial arts of South India, known as Kalaripayattu (a compound of “field”, perhaps “battle field” and “study” or ‘”learn”), were taught to every soldier in preparation for the battlefield. However, Kalaripayattu was not limited to warfare techniques. It incorporated a significant body of medical and religious knowledge, which is perhaps reflected in the fact that gyms were constructed around an altar dedicated to a warrior deity1. This connection between martial arts and the techniques of warfare is also palpable in the writings of Sun Tzu, particularly in The Art of War (translated literally as "Sun Tzu’s Military Principles"), which brings together Taoist principles essential to warriors2. Even if such texts interested themselves principally in war, they have had a great influence on the operating principles of martial arts. Sun Tzu affirms that the objective of war is to take over and conserve the opponent’s possessions, in other words, to make the enemy conform to one’s own intentions rather than destroying him outright3. This tactic is to be understood in the context of 1
Master E. Edwards, ”Indian Martial Arts”, 2004. Sun Tzu, The Art of War, Pax Librorum, Publishing House, 2009. 3 Ibid, III, 1 : “In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy’s country whole and intact ; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. So, too, it is better to capture an army entire than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them.” 2