# Art.



## jung567 (Sep 17, 2013)

I apologize beforehand if this question has been asked before. 

But what exactly defines "art" in Martial Arts? We know martial has connections to skills and techniques in combat. But what about art? What defines it? Is it the adherence to the philosophical aspects of one's style? Or is it the "perfection" one achieves through what could be seen as the closest to the zenith of a person's skill?


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## arnisador (Sep 17, 2013)

To me it reflects the fact that many fighting systems are also cultural artifacts, and that a system of historical value and interest is being passed down--but there's also the fact that fighting is always both a science and an art.


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## jks9199 (Sep 17, 2013)

Look at the older definitions of "art."  It means skill.


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## Takai (Sep 17, 2013)

jks9199 said:


> Look at the older definitions of "art."  It means skill.



It still should but, unfortunately what passes for "art" these days can be quite frightening.


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## Steve (Sep 17, 2013)

It's whatever you want it to be.  Frankly, whatever style you train is is art and any style you personally don't care for isn't.

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## Brian R. VanCise (Sep 17, 2013)

Here is my take on my blog from a post awhile back and while I do not expect everyone to agree it certainly is how I see it:

http://brianvancise.com/2013/08/20/i-am-not-really-an-artist/


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## StudentCarl (Dec 5, 2013)

To me art contrasts with science. Science can be reduced to logic and variables defined well enough to find a best answer, where art has elements of individual style and expression.


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## Kung Fu Wang (Dec 5, 2013)

jung567 said:


> what exactly defines "art" in Martial Arts?



It's very "pleasant" to watch a high level skill master's performance. It's not difficult to see the "art" in the following clip.


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## Steve (Dec 5, 2013)

As with most English words, there are misunderstandings that arise when people try to apply an inappropriate definition to a term.  Art can refer to creative expressions or works of beauty, but in this case, it doesn't.  This isn't to say that a Martial Art cannot or should not be creative or beautiful.  They can.  But the term "art" also refers to a discipline requiring skill, such as the "art of negotiation".  

So, a body of study that requires skill and experience to master is an "art."


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## donald1 (Dec 5, 2013)

What part of martial arts is art?  Actually it would be easier to ask what part isn't art.  In a lot of arts from slow and powerful to quick and fluid there's a lot of art so to the question what part of martial arts is art.  Afcoarse not all of it is art but generally a lot is


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## Hyoho (Dec 6, 2013)

jung567 said:


> I apologize beforehand if this question has been asked before.
> 
> But what exactly defines "art" in Martial Arts? We know martial has connections to skills and techniques in combat. But what about art? What defines it? Is it the adherence to the philosophical aspects of one's style? Or is it the "perfection" one achieves through what could be seen as the closest to the zenith of a person's skill?



Martial Art is a bad translation as far as Japanese is concerned. The do in Budo means way. Using a Japanese sword nowadays could only considered as artistic expression. No one actually carries one anymore. The only reason it ha survived the Meiji restoration and WWII is by promoting its educational artistic values.


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## DennisBreene (Dec 6, 2013)

Steve said:


> As with most English words, there are misunderstandings that arise when people try to apply an inappropriate definition to a term.  Art can refer to creative expressions or works of beauty, but in this case, it doesn't.  This isn't to say that a Martial Art cannot or should not be creative or beautiful.  They can.  But the term "art" also refers to a discipline requiring skill, such as the "art of negotiation".
> 
> So, a body of study that requires skill and experience to master is an "art."



In that light, there is art in practicing medicine, law, and any number of " academic " disciplines. The creative leading edge in scientific thinking can be artistic In it's elegance. Art is where you see it and where others see what you have missed. 


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## wingchun100 (Feb 11, 2014)

I view the "art" in martial art in the following way: long before I was into martial arts, I loved writing. Now think about this: there have been countless people who have used the same language as me to create stories, and yet I still use these same tools and find a way to express who *I* am...so if you were to read one of my stories without my name on the cover, you could still say, "This reads like one of wingchun100's stories."

Same thing with wing chun. Many people have used the same techniques before me, and yet I can find a way to express myself through the system. In my mind, there is no difference.


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