Explainer | Dragon, bear, horse, tiger, eagle ... the 12 animal fighting styles in Chinese martial arts
- While many Chinese martial arts styles take inspiration from animals, one in particular chooses to copy the moves of 12 – no small number
The lead characters in Hong Kong Phooey and Kung Fu Panda may have the moves, but neither cartoon animal – a dog and a giant panda, respectively – are known for their aptitude for Chinese martial arts, or wushu. The Monkey King, though – absolutely.
The association between wushu and animals can be traced back to Chinese doctor and surgeon Hua Tuo, who lived during the rule of the Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD) in China.
It is said that he combined the medical knowledge of his time with an ancient pictorial health guide from pre-Qin period (before 221 BC) to develop a set of exercises known as wu qin xi, or “Frolics of the Five Animals”, that helped people enhance their health. The five animals were the tiger, deer, bear, monkey and crane.
Despite its title, modern scholars believe the animal-themed exercises are designed to help practitioners memorise (and teach others orally) the sequences and moves rather than to mimic movements of the five animals.
