Who in China made up martial arts?

Answer 1

The Chinese Martial Arts was not made by one person, but is an accumulation of works by millions of people. Shaolin martial art is the pearl of Chinese wisdom, which was handed down by lots of China's top martial artists.

No nation is hermetic(air tight/free of external dynamics). Chinese Martial Arts just as any other classification of cultural arts or phenomenons are a result of indigenous(Native), endogenous(produced from within the culture or by result of a reaction as a need to adapt), and also external influences.

Legend says that an Indian warrior/prince caste named Bodhidharma/Da Mo brought knowledge of India's Kaliripiyattu fighting system and used it to create exercises that were both for strength and discipline, as well as having self defense value. He is considered China's first regal patriarch. Bodhidharma/Da Mo supposedly meditated for nine years on the problem of finding the Buddhist monks in such poor condition and they were easy targets for robbers. The result was the "Eighteen Hands of Lohan/Arhat" and the "Muscle Tendon Changes exercises".

Yet, there was war prior to Da Mo's entrance to China. These violent encounters birthed battlefield tactics and methods of fighting, although they were not "systemized", they existed nonetheless. Equally so, nobody can discount Chinese locals developing their own 'brand" of defense.

What is peculiar/note-worthy is that neither India nor China systemized fighting systems until after they had met the tidal force of the mighty armies of Alexander. Alexander's soldiers were all trained in Pankration (Greek "Game of Powers"); the hardcore Gladiatorial fighting system employing every part of the body. I am suggesting that such influences played a large role of the spread of "War Arts/Martial Arts". Did you know that the earliest "Yin/Yang" symbol was found on a Roman shield? It was older than any ancient Chinese Taoist scripts! It represented fire and water - total opposites/dualities.

This later idea was introduced to Chinese philosophers whom either adopted the symbol/amigeri heralded by the Western Roman Empire.

Later, trade routes opened and influences mixed from culture to culture/contact to contact/encounter upon encounter. China's Martial Arts whether termed Ancient, Traditional, Contemporary are all a synergistic phenomenon. Hence, I educate others to see Chinese Martial Arts and all others as gifts (not secrets) from many cultural exchanges (some not so kind) and we all stand to gain much by interacting and exchanging methods. I say that all Martial Arts/Combat Systems have commonalities' or universals that are discovered and spread as a result of experience and wisdom.

I hope the Martial Arts communities begin to see that we are all one family, with different names, and characteristics. However, the blood that flows in our veins carry 99.9% similarity in DNA. Hence, there really is no "Chinese" or "Roman" or "Japanese" Martial Arts as these ideas are free and belong to those that labor to discover them. Martial Arts including all the methods, training, and philosophy are a culturally universal phenomenon. Now with Science and technology and Critical Thinking we can use it as a means for gaining peace and maintaining our health, minds, and social cohesiveness. I think Martial Arts can be used to change the whole world it is after all a "human experience".