Gung Fu is a general term used to describe all martial arts originated from china. There are many different styles of Chinese Martial Arts. The recent reports from china claim more than 1000 styles still practiced in china. Some of these styles very well known all over the world and some many people never heard of. By style I mean a particular school of martial practice, with its own training methods, techniques, tradition, and emphasis on attack and defense.

It is a very hard task to categorize the styles of Chinese martial arts. Generally the styles of gung fu are divided into northern and southern, internal and external, long range (long bridge) and short range (short bridge). However, sometimes this kind of classification can be confusing and may not seem appropriate. For example if we look at Wing chun, a short range style known for its short, direct attack and defense techniques, also operates at a long range if the situation requires it. So a short or a long-range style only favors short or long range techniques, it does not mean it works at only one range. This is same, with internal and external styles. Just because a style is classified as an external, it doesn't mean that style just uses hard, external power and no soft, internal power. Most of the external styles put as much emphasis on internal energy training as any known internal style. So don't be confused by the classification below, it is just a general way of categorizing many styles of Chinese martial arts. Here is a brief description;

Internal, stresses the regulation of breath, exercise of chi-kung, subduing the offensive by stillness, and has the aim of defeating an enemy at the instant he attacked. The internal styles can also be called soft styles. These styles unlike external-hard styles do not use brute power. Now days many people practice internal styles to improve there health and some even practice it to cure their illnesses. The following are the most famous and widely known internal arts: Tai Chi Chuan, Hsing yi, Pa kua

External, emphasized training of bones and muscles, ability to advance and retreat, and unity of hard and soft. External styles are also known as hard styles, these styles use hard, external power and requires rigorous body conditioning. Examples of external styles: Hung Gar , Shaolin, Dragon, Hop Gar, Bak Mei, Wing chun etc.

The gung fu styles can also be divided further into Northern and Southern styles.A geographical categorization which takes Yangtze River as the dividing line.


Southern styles, footwork is less active. First teaches hard external power so the student learns how to fight quicker and then slowly moves into soft internal power. Southern styles mostly relay on hand technique and their stances are lower and wider than the northern styles. These styles of gung fu are very powerful and use explosive and destructive power. Southern styles do not favor high kicks; all the kicks are generally low but very powerful. Examples of some southern styles are Hung gar, Bak Mei, Hop Gar, Southern Mantis, Wing Chun, Dragon, Southern shaolin, Choy li fut etc.

Northern styles, relies on active footwork, moving in all directions, to penetrate or break through and opponents defense. Teaches soft power and movements first then slowly advances to harder more external power. Northern styles use higher stances than the southern and also emphasize leg techniques with long or middle range attack. Examples of some northern styles are Eagle Claw, Northern Mantis, Long fist, Monkey style, Northern Shaolin etc.