198. What is the difference between Wushu and Kungfu? (Part 3/3)

The Way through Baguazhang - 八卦掌道 - A podcast by Peter Hainzl

So now you know the main differences between Wushu and Kungfu. However, you will still get people who will use the terms interchangeably. And as a consequence, their martial arts journey will be long and difficult. There is no point in arguing about it. What matters is that you now know and that you have, or are in the process of, deciding where you stand in all of this. Wushu is more about the sport side of things and is a great pathway in China, if your career involves physical activities like being a stuntman, policeman, bodyguard or just being a career fighter. Kungfu on the other hand can be a lonely path, that unless involves operating a dojo or being a village doctor, rarely is directly about the money. The author Jin Yong a.k.a. Louis Cha from 'Legends of the Condor Heroes' did a great job in liberating the Kungfu way of life from ignorance and superstition. While a lot of what he wrote was totally made-up nonsense, before he came along, many of the Chinese Kungfu masters were seen as charlatans or sorcerers meddling in witchcraft. Feared by the peasantry and seen as fools by the nobility. And that was just the Kungfu masters who kept their hands clean. So take my advice: Stay on the Wushu side of things. Enjoy the show and don't go looking backstage. Live in the limelight and avoid the shadows. It's just a bunch of old-timers playing mahjong.