A General History of Chinese Wushu, Volume 1 : From the Shang-Zhou to the Sui-Tang Dynasties

This volume adopts the perspectives of historical hermeneutics and technological anthropology to explore the cultural evolution of Wushu. Drawing extensively on classical historical sources, excavated manuscripts, unearthed martial-arts artifacts, and a method of mutual corroboration between textual narratives and historical materials, it traces the development of Wushu from the prehistoric cultural era through the practices of the Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties. The study charts how Wushu transformed from its origins in hunting and warfare into a culturally embedded system—a “meta-history” that integrates moral cultivation, aesthetic expression, ritual functions, and educational value. Illustrated with a rich array of rare images sourced from ancient Chinese cultural relics—including prehistoric murals, artifacts from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods, Han Dynasty stone carvings, and Dunhuang murals—the book offers both scholarly depth and documentary significance. Designed for researchers in historical and cultural studies, scholars of Wushu, and general history enthusiasts, this volume combines academic rigor with accessibility, presenting a comprehensive view of the early development of Chinese martial culture.