Gong and fa in Chinese martial arts

Nulty, Timothy J. 2017. Gong and fa in Chinese martial arts. Martial Arts Studies 3 , pp. 50-63. 10.18573/j.2017.10098

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Abstract

The distinction between gong (skill) and fa (technique) is ubiquitous in Chinese martial arts. Utilizing Maurice Merleau- Ponty’s notion of ‘embodied intentionality’, I examine this distinction. I draw specific examples of the kinds of skills under discussion from a particular style of taijiquan – Hong Chuan Chen Shi taijiquan (Master Hong Junsheng’s transmission of Chen taiji boxing) – and I argue that understanding taijiquan in terms of embodied intentionality allows us to understand important taijiquan concepts such as chansijin, yin, and yang. Although in this article I focus on one specific style of martial art, I argue that the general analysis of the gong-fa distinction based on embodied intentionality is widely applicable.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Phenomenology; embodiment; Merleau-Ponty; taijiquan; skill; technique; martial arts
Publisher:	Cardiff University Press
ISSN:	2057-5696
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	26 January 2017
Date of Acceptance:	1 December 2016
Last Modified:	03 May 2023 05:42
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/97784

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