More Resources About Philosophy & Culture
From Shuai Jiao to Judo, China to Japan by Mintai Tang
The early morning drowsiness was still floating around my head as I walked up the gray, concrete ramp towards the open area underneath the Diablo Valley College library, also known as the “training ground.” The sun is still sitting behind the gloomy clouds and the air smells of rosemary from the nearby bushes. I breathed in the fresh air like a child at the park, knowing that within twenty-five minutes my quadriceps would be quivering from exhaustion and that within an hour I would be gasping for oxygen to enter my overworked lungs. It’s surprising that the police and bystanders never bother my Kung Fu family and me as we begin our warm ups, fighting routines, and weapons training in the cool early morning breeze, all part of what is known as “Zhong Guo Wu Shu ,” or Chinese martial arts. Almost anyone who has seen an action movie would be able to recognize the stereotypical punching, kicking, and loud sword clashing of Chinese martial arts, but what a lot of people don’t know is that the first styles of martial arts in China were actually wrestling, also known as Shuai Jiao.The wrestling art of Shuai Jiao is not very widely practiced, and Shifu (a martial title meaning “teacher father”) James Man Chin, my mentor, is one of the few instructors of it in California. Once the younger students and I have finished our hand and weapons training, Shifu then brings us to the mats laid out over the concrete ground beneath the library by the fragrant rosemary bushes and begins to drill us on grappling techniques. He begins by demonstrating techniques he feels are important for us to learn and then allows us to take turns practicing on each other. After we all practice the movements a few times, he stops us, demonstrates a different but related technique, and we begin practicing again.
It’s amazing just how many techniques and variations there are in Shuai Jiao. The many falls, take downs, and throws seen in Shuai Jiao look almost like Judo, Japanese sport wrestling, to many bystanders. However, Shuai Jiao predates Judo by several thousand years. Despite this fact, Judo has grown to become a nationally practiced Olympic sport while Shuai Jiao has barely spread outside of China. This led me to ask the question: How has Shuai Jiao wrestling influenced the techniques used in contemporary Judo?
To understand the relationship between Shuai Jiao and Judo, it is important to have a thorough knowledge of the history of both martial arts. Shuai Jiao is much older than Judo and therefore has a longer history, as China has had a much longer history than Japan.
| In China wrestling (Shuai-Chiao [Note: There are two different methods to Romanize Chinese words, Wades-Gales and Hanyu Pinyin. In order to preserve the original content of in-text citations, both methods of Romanization will be used]) can be traced back to at least 700 B.C., when it ranked with archery and horsemanship as a martial art. Initially it was termed “Ch’ih Yu-Hsi” and “Chiao-Ti” and was performed by contestants wearing horned headgear with which they attempted to gore each other. With time both its name and its nature changed from such a crude form (Draeger and Smith 47). |
Chiao Ti in Chinese literally means “to fight with horns” and most likely was developed from the sight of two horned animals contesting for primal superiority. As the centuries passed, the martial art gradually changed, especially with the influence of Mongolian wrestling, Boke, during the Yuan Dynasty (1277 A.D.-1367 A.D.), when China was ruled by the Mongolian ethnic minority. Later, the influence of Manchurian wrestling, Buku, further affected Shuai Jiao during the Qing Dynasty (1644 A.D.-1911 A.D.), when China was ruled by the Manchurian ethnic minority (Zhongyi 1, 3, 20-21.). However, no one can be sure of the exact origins of wrestling in China as the art is estimated to be almost 4,500 years old.
What is known is that through this long time span, it has evolved to incorporate more sophisticated kicking, striking, and grappling techniques. These techniques were critical in hand-to-hand combat and became part of Imperial Chinese military training. “As far back as the Northern and Southern Dynasty (420 A.D.-589 A.D.), a specialized group of palace bodyguards known as the ‘Jiao Di (Chiao Ti) Squad’ only trained in the art of Shuai-Chiao” (Lin 2). However, this was not the only era in which the Imperial army used Shuai Jiao as a martial art. The various Chinese Emperors kept special Shuai Jiao squads within the Imperial palace until the late Qing Dynasty (Weng, 3). When the Shuai Jiao squads were dismissed from the Imperial palace, a period of great Shuai Jiao prosperity began as civilians learned from the former Imperial martial artists. Before the Qing Dynasty, the populace could only indulge in mock Shuai Jiao performances with music and acrobatics, or “Jiao Di Operas,” because the government feared civilian revolt (Lin 1-3). The dismissal of the Imperial San Pu (Qing name for Shuai Jiao) Squad was a beacon of light for the expansion of Shuai Jiao because more people were allowed to practice the martial art than ever before. Unfortunately, the decrease in Imperial authority over the populace signaled an inevitable end to the Qing dynasty.
After the demise of the Qing Dynasty, young politicians and military officers established the Republic of China. In 1928, the new government founded the Central Martial Arts Academy in Nanjing, China, and taught the three arts of striking, weapons, and grappling (Lin 4). The art of grappling however had gone by several various titles during past eras. “Among the prevailing wrestling forms in various periods were:
| Dynasty | Name of Wrestling |
| T’ang | Shang-Pu «相撲» |
| Sung | P’ai-Chang «拍韔» |
| Ming and Ch’ing | Shuai-Go «摔角» |
| Republic | Shuai-Chiao «摔跤» |
(Draeger and Smith 47).” The term “Shuai Jiao,” meaning “take down to the ground,” was coined by the martial arts professionals at the Central Martial Arts Academy because it most literally described the newly established rules of Shuai Jiao, which banned traditional striking techniques in favor of grappling and throwing one’s opponent onto the floor. By taking away the military striking aspect of Shuai Jiao, the professionals in Nanjing hoped to lessen the chance of severe injury and promote it as a sport. Starting in 1933, Shuai Jiao became recognized as an official event at the Chinese National Games. However, by 1990, several years after the Cultural Revolution, the Chinese National Games Committee dropped Shuai Jiao because it did not bring the People’s Republic of China international recognition as an Olympic sport (Lin 1). Meanwhile, Japan had succeeded in promoting Judo, their style of wrestling, to be the first Olympic sport of martial origin in 1964 (Reid and Croucher 193).
So how could Judo, which is a relatively new martial art, gain so much more recognition than Shuai Jiao? I asked this question to my stern, yet friendly mentor, Shifu James Man Chin, 7th degree black belt Shuai Jiao instructor. He simply responded by saying “Olympics and adoption of Judo by the United States Army for basic training after World War II.” Shifu Chin also commented that the type of person who chooses to study Shuai Jiao generally “prefers to learn traditional Chinese martial arts for close quarter combat and the ‘mother style’ of modern day Judo/Jujitsu.”
Judo is a mature form of the older Jujitsu, which concentrates more on physical training and culture as opposed to severely harming one’s opponent (Draeger and Smith 138). Jujitsu consists mostly of grappling; joint locking, and vital strikes. “Although Jujitsu’s techniques were known from the earliest times, it was not until the latter half of the sixteenth century that Jujutsu was practiced and taught systematically. During the Edo Period (1603 A.D.-1868 A.D.) it developed into a complex art taught by the masters of a number of schools” (Kano, 15-16). Curiously, this time period coincides with the Ming Dynasty (1368 A.D.-1643 A.D), during which Chen Yuan-Bin (1587 A.D.-1671 A.D.), a Chinese delegate, fled from China to Japan in 1659 (Ngo, 3). Chen taught his understanding of military Shuai Jiao to Fukuno Hichiroemon, Miura Yojiemon, and Isogai Jirozaemon at a temple in Tokyo. These three students later became the three founding fathers of Japanese Jujitsu and developed their own styles bearing their surnames (Lin 3). The Japanese honor Chen Yuan-Bin with a monument citing his contributions to the martial arts of Japan (Weng 1).
Centuries after the introduction of Shuai Jiao in Japan and its conversion into Jujitsu, Dr. Jigoro Kano set out to study the main styles of Jujitsu and reorganize its various techniques. Dr. Kano says
| In my youth I studied under many eminent masters… each man presented his art as a collection of techniques, I often found myself at a loss to know which was correct. This led me to look for an underlying principle in Jujutsu, one that applied when one hit an opponent as well as when one threw him… I designed an all-pervasive principle: to make the most efficient use of mental and physical energy (Kano 15-16). |
He explains this “all-pervasive principle” through various examples, which involve flowing with an opponent’s energy as a means of breaking his or her balance and thereby obstructing his or her strength (Kano 16). This principle is very closely tied not only to Shuai Jiao, but also to Tai Chi Chuan. The Yin and Yang principle of Tai Chi Chuan states that when an opponent attacks with great force, or Yang, one should yield to the opponent’s attack with lesser force, or Yin (Draeger and Smith 35-38). By guiding an opponent in the direction of his or her current movement further than he or she anticipated, one brings the opponent off balance, leaving him or her helpless. It is because of this all-pervasive principle that Dr. Kano named his new art “Judo,” or “giving way” (Kano 17-18).
The new style of Judo gave practitioners the chance to train to the fullest without having to worry about seriously harming their training partners because dangerous joint-breaking and life-threatening techniques had been replaced by throws and methods of restraining an opponent on the ground. “After extensive promotion efforts by the Japanese government, Judo became an official sport in 1964” (Lin 3). Due to Judo’s large success as an international sport, the martial, philosophical, and other intrinsic elements of Judo soon diminished among competitive Judoka, or Judo athletes. Dr. Kano had never intended to make Judo into a sport, but rather a way of efficiently using one’s mental and physical energy (Draeger and Smith 138).
Even though Judo and Shuai Jiao are both built on the main principle of uprooting an opponent’s balance and throwing him or her on the ground, the two styles are slightly different. Most Judo techniques require first obtaining a good grip on an opponent’s uniform or body before applying the throw. Shifu Matt Gelfand, an eccentric competitor in Shuai Jiao and other martial arts, said “the main concept in Judo sparring is to throw the opponent on their back by any means necessary. This usually involves a sacrificial throw where both competitors end up on the ground... this is something Shuai Jiao competition frowns upon.” Because Shuai Jiao was originally a military martial art, landing oneself on the ground would have meant sheer death. In addition to throws and takedowns, Judo heavily emphasizes ground fighting, in which one Judo practitioner attempts to restrain the movement of his or her opponent on the ground, rendering the opponent helpless. Also, certain Judo throws, especially those used in competition, use a heavily loaded force that does not allow room for a follow up technique. Shuai Jiao on the other hand keeps its attacks more fluid, favoring any kind of grip over a perfect grip and keeping its throws subtle so that countless follow up techniques can be used should the previous one not work (Ngo 3). Just as Shifu Chin said, “Once you go in (to throw your opponent), you never back out. If I move back he has the chance to attack me.”
However, the most distinct difference between Shuai Jiao and Judo is the fact that Shuai Jiao was and still is a combat art designed to potentially maim the opponent. Although malicious joint locking and striking is prohibited in modern competition, it is still used by the police in Taiwan for dealing with dangerous criminals and as self-defense. Shuai Jiao uses some, but not many ground fighting tactics because it is more efficient to take advantage of a downed opponent (Weng 5). In practice, it takes much less effort to strike an opponent’s vital points or dislocate any of his or her joints rather than attempt to hold them in a position where they cannot move. The most dangerous problem with ground fighting is that it may leave the person applying the hold open to another opponent’s attack from behind. Shuai Jiao is basically different from Judo in regards to the fact that it is more practical in actual combat.
After researching the various Shuai Jiao and Judo techniques, it becomes evident that both of them are good martial arts within their respective fields. Judo tends to be best suited for sport and competition. I recall one Judo coach teaching me a choke hold in which the lapels of an opponent’s gi, or Judo uniform, are crossed as a means of cutting off oxygen and blood flow; however he failed to explain that this technique would not work if the opponent were not wearing a gi. By contrast, Shifu Chin teaches students to be fluid and adapt to the situation. If an opponent does not even wear a shirt, which would make grabbing much more difficult, one must make efficient use of hand hooks, similar to those used in praying mantis style Kung Fu, in order to control the opponent’s joints. On top of adapting to one’s surroundings, a lot of Shuai Jiao instructors explain to their students that there is a distinct difference between fighting on the competition mat and fighting in the street. Moves such as eye stabbing, groin striking, or finger breaking may be considered illegal “black hand” in competition, but are considered “survival methods” on the street.
Learning so much about Shuai Jiao and Judo has only allowed me to begin my life commitment to martial arts. I have yet to compete in Shuai Jiao competition and apply the tactics taught to me by Shifu Chin, but also to do more research on Tai Chi Chuan. I only touched a little bit of Tai Chi Chuan while researching the information displayed in my essay and while training in Shuai Jiao. The tactics in Shuai Jiao may be somewhat similar to Tai Chi Chuan, but Tai Chi Chuan takes the concept of yielding to an opponent’s force even further by “opening the body.” One Tai Chi Chuan expert who came to my Shuai Jiao class to watch explained to me that he could escape from any hold or joint lock I applied on him by simply “opening his body.” I’m not completely sure what he meant by this, but from my understanding he is allowing his joints and even his point of balance to flow like water. Even though Tai Chi Chuan is mostly defensive in nature, there is no doubt as to why it is called “Grand Ultimate Fist” in Chinese. In the future I hope to pursue more training in Tai Chi Chuan along with Shuai Jiao.
Works Cited
Draeger, Donn F., and Robert W. Smith. Asian Fighting Arts. Berkeley: Berkeley Corp., 1969.
Kano, Jigoro. Kodokan Judo: The Essential Guide to Judo by Its Founder. London: Kodansha Europe Limited, 1994.
Lin, David C.K. Chan-Chiao Theory: The Art and Science of Combat Shuai-Chiao. Taiwan: Chen Kwan Book Co., LTD, 2008.
Ngo, Tai D. Chinese Fast Wrestling for Fighting: The Art of San Shou Kuai Jiao. New York: YMAA Publication Center, 1997.
Reid, Howard, and Michael Croucher. The Fighting Arts. Ipswich: W.S. Cowell Limited, 1983.
Weng, Chi-hsiu D. Fundamentals of Shuai Chiao: The Ancient Chinese Fighting Art. Taipei: Chinese Culture University, 1984.
Zhongyi, Tong. The Method of Chinese Wrestling. Trans. Tim Cartmell. New York: North Atlantic Books, 2005.
