The Importance of Chinese Language in the Practice of Kung Fu

The Importance of Kung Fu in Chinese Culture

The photo contains the image of a man performing Kung-fu moves. Kung Fu is a popular martial art in the Chinese culture that involves the practice of learning through hard work, time, and patience. Kung Fu is an art that seeks to train the mind and the body in perfecting particular skills an individual possesses. Mandarin Chinese language is essential in the training and learning Kung Fu as a communication contrivance. The word Kung Fu in Mandarin means the accomplishment of man, and the instructors find it appropriate to understand Mandarin before training for the Kung Fu martial art. The Kung Fu skill equally represents the Chinese cultural virtues of honor, respect, wisdom, and humility. When training for the Kung Fu, an individual is required to master and portray the intrinsic worth of humility for different styles practiced respect the elders, beliefs and the founders of the art, exhibit wisdom by mastering all their skills and earn honor through completion of the study. The image is indispensable as it does not only illustrate a part of the Chinese heritage but also portray the virtues that embody the cultural features and the language of the people.

The Role of Mandarin Language in Kung Fu

The Mandarin language is a means of communicating the cultural beliefs that exist in the Kung Fu art. Without the language, it is hard to communicate the important facets of the culture. It is evident that language influences the thought process of an individual and moulds how they view reality. It is hard to learn Kung fu if one does not understand the Mandarin language. There are some aspects that only hold water when spoken in Mandarin. Sapir-Whorf explicates the hypothesis that people see the world through the lens of their language. In relation to the hypothesis, a language is a vital mechanism that facilitates the communication of cultural values and beliefs.