What is the origin of Chinese Martial Arts?

Question

What is the origin of Chinese Martial Arts?

Answer 1

Like many kinds of martial arts, it was developed by peasants to defend themselves against tyranny.  There are many kinds of chinese martial arts.  The Shaolin kind was for defending their temples against the peasants, who were jealous of their elevated status and land ownership (they were granted free land by the government/monarchy).  At least in the early days it was like this, but later on they won the hearts of the people through their spirituality and helped defend them against bandits and such, with their martial arts.

Answer 2

Ummmm...

China maybe?

But seriously -- the best you are going to do on this question is to get a lesson in Chinese folklore.

Answer 3

People say that Bodhidharma, or Da Mo brought martial arts to Shaolin from India, and from there, styles were created, others say that monks developed the martial arts from observing animals, and some old school teachers attribute it to the gods. My opinion is that there is no origin, because for something to have an origin, it must be created, CMA weren't created, they are simply refinements of human nature. There are only influences. The theory that makes the most sense though, is a story of many martial artists that gathered together, they combined their knowledge into what is known as Shaolin, this makes sense, if I were to state the origin of all of them, it would take days, because every single style and substyle are influenced differently, like the Animal Styles or Bagua influenced by the symbol, or even Luohan based on statues. In conclusion, they are influenced by what their name is.... there is no origin because there is no beginning and there is no end, styles are created now.

(I think that's one of the best answers I've written on here....folklore, logic, philosophy, I'm impressed with  myself.)

Answer 4

...Fighting. They made fighting styles to fight the fights they were fighting.

Answer 5

China