I definitely experienced trouble with finding sources for this paper.  I had the idea to write a paper on Kung Fu.  I thought that it would be a good idea and that I would learn about its philosophies and significance to Asian culture.  While I was correct in thinking this, I also thought that I would have no problem finding the information that I needed and would have no problems finishing on time.  In this area was where I learned the most valuable lesson of the whole project.  I got some suggestions for what book to start with and others to provide diversity in my information.  I thought that websites would also be no problem.  I was quite wrong. 
 Much like every paper that I have written as a student, I procrastinated my work.  I knew which book was going to be the core of my research and searched for it very late.  Kung Fu: History, Philosophy, and Technique by David Chow and Richard Spangler would be the perfect book had it been available.  I went to the library in complete confidence that it would be there but it wasn’t.  It was due back over a week later, and without any money I was pretty much screwed.  Other books that would help outline my report became available more readily, but didn’t provide enough detail in the points that I wanted to stress.  Websites also posed a problem because when my Internet was functional, I could only find information on certain academies and very brief histories. 
 After all that stress, I managed to come up with the proper research materials to do my project.  These all came at the last minute because my search for Kung Fu became a semester long journey.  By the time I acquired the book, all my information came together.  It covers most if not all of the important issues concerning the history and origins of Kung Fu as well as philosophies and explanations of Kung Fu as a way of life.  Reading through this book and taking notes gave my much of my information and greatly increased my knowledge on the subject. 
 Other sources such as Shaolin, by P’ng Chye Khim and Don F. Draeger and Phoenix Eye Fist, by Cheong Cheng Leong offered short outlines of the origins and definitions of Kung Fu while going deep into the details of the particular style that the book emphasized.  Shaolin especially gave a well-laid out version of the story behind the Bohdidharma, who was thought to be the father of most styles practiced today.   These two books provided me with a small amount of information, which left me short of a full project.  Eventually I came across some good websites that could contribute more to my paper than local information and specific techniques. 
 
 
 

 I must first define Kung Fu and give its meaning before I expand on any of its aspects.  Kung Fu is associated by western culture to any Asian fighting art.  This is not its true meaning although it has gradually evolved to be.  The words Kung and Fu loosely translate to mean accomplishment and effort (Kung Fu online).  A better way to describe it in Chinese is Wu Shu.  In order to attain Kung Fu, you must put forth a great deal of effort and accomplish extremely difficult tasks.  One could attain Kung Fu in areas other that fighting arts.  Michael Jordan could be said to have reached Kung Fu in basketball as Muhammad Ali in boxing.  It really means the mastery of a skill or art that requires great devotion and effort. 
 Kung Fu must be pretty significant if men spend their whole lives mastering it.  How long has it been around?  The very first origins of Kung Fu began with the caveman.  He was born without fangs or claws to defend himself, so he had to use his mind to improvise.  This is when man first made weapons and began developing self-defense skills.  Soon, there began fighting among humans, which required some fighting skills and techniques. 
 Although this was the first occurrence of fighting arts, Kung Fu is usually considered to be born much later in about 520 AD (Chow and Spangler).  This marked the coming of a Buddhist monk from India, who is often considered the father of Chinese fighting arts.  This monk named Ta Mo, also called Bohdidharma settled at a temple in the Honan province called Shaolin.  While enlightening the Chinese monks with the ideas of the Buddha, Ta Mo wanted to teach them meditation.  He had a magnificently trained mind, which enabled him to meditate for long periods of time.  This also takes physical ability for the monks often dozed off or became too drowsy.  Ta Mo decided that he must teach the monks daily excersise routines to increase stamina.  These routines became the basis of Kung Fu and Shaolin Temple Boxing, which is an older form of martial art.  The Honan Shaolin Temple became a center for training of the body and mind and many great masters were produced.  There was another Shaolin temple in Fukien.  This temple became famous when barbarians began to attack the western border of China and the monks went into combat, proving their valiant efforts and amazing skills.  It was later discovered that the monks were rebels trying to restore the Ming government (Khim and Draeger).  The Ch’ing destroyed the temple and attempted to kill everyone involved.  Only five monks escaped and went on to branch into their own styles of Shaolin fighting. 
 There are literally hundreds of different styles of fighting that have developed.  Many masters have refined their techniques and emphasized different subtleties to their personal preferences.  Different styles have developed in different regions of China based on the different environments available to train in.  In South China, where it was wet, snowy and muddy, close in hand to hand fighting was taught.  In the crowded seaport communities, they developed close grappling techniques.  North China has more open dry space to train in, so more free and distant styles were developed emphasizing long kicks and free movement.  There is no style that is the best, only different styles to accommodate your situation.  The student’s body is a major consideration so you must find a style to accommodate you. 
    Something that I found interesting was the amount of Taoist contributions to the world of Kung Fu.  The style that they practiced was T'ai Ch'i Ch'uan or Tai Chi.  Tai Chi is a very peaceful and beautiful art.  It begins as an excersise and at the highly advanced levels, an effective form of self defense.  Tai Chi is a complete balance and muscular control system initially designed to calm the mind, better your health, and increase longevity.  The Tao philosophy on fighting and using your skills is a nice, peaceful one.  A Taoist master has the ability to destroy his opponent, but would never dishonor his art by reducing himself to sensless aggression.  Kung Fu must be used only to preserve the natural flow of life and to neutralize any destructive force. Another great influence that the Taoists had was their ideas about Ch'i, the natural life force that runs through the universe and can be harnessed by proper breathing and a trained mind.  Only the greatest masters can learn to use this affectively for it takes many years to accomplish.  With the proper breathing techniques, one can breath in the flow of the universe and direct it to any part of their body with tremendous force.  Many old masters can perform amazing feats using this.  One famous use is called the death touch.  With practice, one can become very powerfull and sometimes dangerous.  The greatest idea behind T'ai Ch'i Ch'uan is that you should seek the yin within the aggressor's yang to find the weakness in his strength.  The skills that one has mastered should not be used for wrongdoing, only to protect the wellbeing of those around you.