difference between Karate and Chinese martial arts

[sensei8]

For what it's worth...

Karate is like a iron chain and it goes "wang". Gung-Fu is like a iron chain with a bar attached to it and it goes "wang"...and it hurts.~Bruce Lee

I don't agree with this totally because, first, I'm a karateka, and I believe that karate goes "wang"...and it hurts...too! I'm sure that Gung-Fu hurts too, and I'm sure that many other styles of the MA goes "wang"...and they hurt too.

[JusticeZero]

Sure, but see who he found to train under? Very good gongfu masters of note, and passable Karatekas, IIRC. If he'd met different teachers, he may have come to a different conclusion. The statement seems to confuse the quality of product - the ability of a given artist to demonstrate martial skili - with the art form itself.

[clfsean]

Let's also not forgot that his training in WC was not complete or even close. I think it was only about 2 years. Sure he learned some other sets (forms, not even close to other styles per se) and techniques, but his "traditional" training was far from thorough.

What he was though was a good fighter with some training. But his outlook was a bit different given cultural background, training background & subsequent vision & him just being him.

Believe me, the last thing I want is to get by anybody that knows how to integrate their body properly into a strike... OMA, JMA, CMA, KMA, etc...

[bushido_man96]

Sometimes I do think Bruce did like the sound of his own voice. He was a very strong personality, with strong opinions. This statement is that.

[Harkon72]

Bushido Man, I agree, Bruce Lee was a legend and like all legends not all of it is true. A mythical figure will be shrouded in mystery and fiction. I wonder how well known he would have been if he were born twenty years later.

[bushido_man96]

Bushido Man, I agree, Bruce Lee was a legend and like all legends not all of it is true. A mythical figure will be shrouded in mystery and fiction. I wonder how well known he would have been if he were born twenty years later.

Its hard to tell, really. Some people are transcendent, others, not so much. Part of Lee's popularity stemmed from the way he shook up the Martial Arts world during his life. One could pose the argument of where we would be now if he had not done so?

[Alan Armstrong]

Unusual way of asking, what is the difference between "karate" and "Chinese martial arts"

One is usually practiced by Japanese people and the other is usually practiced by Chinese people.

They both use different names to describe the same technique.

The cloth that is used in their garments are traditionally different, as one has a larger preference for white cotton used for it's duability attributes and the other for comfort and soft flowing movements preferring fine woven silk, but can also use cotton depending if the Chinese martial art style needs a more sturdier material to cope with severitys in combat and training use.

Karate uses a symbolic cotton color belt ranking system also adding stripes to the belt, that signifies how advanced a person is in any given Japanese style.

While in Chinese martial arts, a silk sash is usually worn around the waist, symbolic of advancements in the style; or a sash is worn without any symbolism whatsoever.

Karate is primarily used for physical self defence porpoises where as Chinese martial arts are usually practiced holistically.