Matt Stone
Master of Arts
I know that there are some folks out there that are critical of other styles based, at least in part, on the uniforms that they wear.
Japanese, Okinawan and Korean schools wear uniforms that are fairly easily identified as being from those countries of origin.
Many Chinese schools wear either a Chinese style uniform, or simple loose pants and a shirt.
FMA schools wear a variety of outfits, though it seems in my limited experience that they lean toward a similar cut in clothing.
Whatever.
I know that some folks have taken issue with Chinese schools that wear a Japanese style uniform, stating that it is somehow an illegitimate style because they aren't wearing "authentic" clothing. The Shaolin-Do people, in addition to many other issues, have had to fight this issue as well.
In my school, our teacher helped us to obtain black Chinese style uniforms for us, but when his supplier was unable to procure uniforms to fill new orders, we went ahead and allowed black karate style uniforms to be worn. His argument was (and is) that the Japanese style uniform actually has precedent for wear in China (if you look at the uniforms of the Shaolin monks, you will see that they are not button up, but rather wrap around style). Secondly, it matters very little what you wear, but more importantly what you do...
Anyway.
I was watching a video of a BBC special done on martial arts, and in one episode they were interviewing a Xingyi, Taiji and Bagua teacher in Taiwan. After a few minutes of narration, they began showing his students demonstrating their methods...
Guess what they were wearing...
They were wearing a white Karate style uniform, though it had dark cross stitching on the back and shoulders (kind of like what is worn in Kyudo or Iaido sometimes...)
Just curious what others think on the issue... I know the NHB people won't care, but I was wondering what other "traditionalists" like myself thought...
Thanks!
:samurai: :samurai:
Japanese, Okinawan and Korean schools wear uniforms that are fairly easily identified as being from those countries of origin.
Many Chinese schools wear either a Chinese style uniform, or simple loose pants and a shirt.
FMA schools wear a variety of outfits, though it seems in my limited experience that they lean toward a similar cut in clothing.
Whatever.
I know that some folks have taken issue with Chinese schools that wear a Japanese style uniform, stating that it is somehow an illegitimate style because they aren't wearing "authentic" clothing. The Shaolin-Do people, in addition to many other issues, have had to fight this issue as well.
In my school, our teacher helped us to obtain black Chinese style uniforms for us, but when his supplier was unable to procure uniforms to fill new orders, we went ahead and allowed black karate style uniforms to be worn. His argument was (and is) that the Japanese style uniform actually has precedent for wear in China (if you look at the uniforms of the Shaolin monks, you will see that they are not button up, but rather wrap around style). Secondly, it matters very little what you wear, but more importantly what you do...
Anyway.
I was watching a video of a BBC special done on martial arts, and in one episode they were interviewing a Xingyi, Taiji and Bagua teacher in Taiwan. After a few minutes of narration, they began showing his students demonstrating their methods...
Guess what they were wearing...
They were wearing a white Karate style uniform, though it had dark cross stitching on the back and shoulders (kind of like what is worn in Kyudo or Iaido sometimes...)
Just curious what others think on the issue... I know the NHB people won't care, but I was wondering what other "traditionalists" like myself thought...
Thanks!
:samurai: :samurai: