New Martial Arts documentary for the Discovery Channel

says...

I don't know the answer to that one beyond that I was told by a mainland Chinese that a few of the best wushu artists in a given region get picked to go the Shaolin temple for professional coaching in wushu training. I haven't verified this, but that's one possibility to explore.

Nevermind the troubling question many would have about the Shaolin Temple being associated with modern wushu routines, but that's commercialization for ya...

BTW, since you're on the country of China, if you get to taijiquan, please interview sources beyond Robert W. Smith like I saw on a previous MA documentary. There's some good folks in the traditional lineages that you should concentrate on. Just a suggestion, but do ya want a cheezy scattershot MA documentary like most turn out or do you want a first-rate one? You seem like the kind of hard-hitting, no-nonsense investigative reporter that would opt for quality; am I right here or what? Cheers, JS

Maybe you could start with the new posterboy for Wushu- Ray 'Darth Maul'

says...

Sorry, I'm not knowledgeable about wushu schools in China. You're talking 'ancestry', 'well-respected names' and so on, which suggests to me things like tradition, family heritages, etc. etc. I.e., more along the lines of traditional Chinese martial arts. Wushu is a fairly modern phenomenon and it's not a family or lineage or venerated old master type of consideration at all. We're talking modern government programs and professional coaches.

Maybe I misunderstood. Maybe all you're referring to is mainland Chinese wushu practitioners... Hope you find some good leads from others on that.

Cheers,

Sean has suggested, so far, the best places to visit.

One might think of Bejing for Ba Gua, Ermei temple, or (E Mei), and Chen Village as Sean suggests. Repeating Sean thread sounds ideal.

If you wish to really impress the viewer with authentic fighting styles then consider Baji Taiji and Xing-yi as a must.

One might be wasting time on Wushu as it's frowned upon by the experts as watered down gymnastics flavored with a bit of entertaining Kung Fu 'foolishness' so to speak.

Shaolin is seen pretty much in the same way with endless forms, non-real action and the like especially with it's more or less commercial appeal. Many complaints have been filed since the inception of the so-called 'Shaolin Monk' issue coming to the U.S. as a money making venture.

We sure could use a realistic, hard hitting view of how truly powerful Baji, Ba Gua, Taiji and Xing-yi are to the internal arts.

Anymore dramas about breaking, spears in the throat, cars running over people's bellies, etc. will only reinforce the misconstrued aspects rather than inform the public how mis-informed we are.

Don't overlook the Hakka people and thier MA's, Jook Lum Mantis, Chow and Cu Gar, Pak Mei...etc.

'Wushu' is less about fighting these days and is more of a performance art.

You will also find that the venerable 'Sifu' has been replaced by a 'coach' who wears expensive imported warm-up suits.