# Kung Fu Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 29, 2019, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kung-fu-question/839413 "2019-08-29T13:59:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kung-fu-question/839413/1 "2019-08-29T13:59:26Z")
At the [6:42 MARK](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHUewEWi9SE) of this video the narrator mentions that name of this Kung Fu form. It looks exactly like what Neo did to start out the fight against Morpheus in The Matrix, right after Neo says, “I know Kung fu”. The narrator even says the name, but I cannot Google it with my piss poor phonetic translation. What is the form called? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kung-fu-question/839413/2 "2019-08-29T15:16:33Z")
I took a stab at the phonetics and did some random googling, which took me to this wikipedia page: > **[Shaolin Kung Fu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaolin_Kung_Fu)** > > Shaolin Kung Fu (Chinese: 少林功夫; pinyin: Shǎolín gōngfū), also called Shaolin Wushu (少林武術; Shǎolín wǔshù), or Shaolin quan (少林拳; Shàolínquán), is one of the oldest, largest, and most famous styles of wushu, or kung fu of Chan Buddhism. It combines Ch'an philosophy and martial arts and originated and was developed in the Shaolin Temple in Henan province, Greater China during its 1500-year history. Popular sayings in Chinese folklore related to this practice include "All martial arts under heaven or... On that page is a list of known styles. My guess is that he is saying cháng hù xīn yì mén, aka 7-star & Long Guard the Heart and Mind Gate style. (Disclaimer - definitely not my area of expertise and a lot of guesswork involved) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2019, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kung-fu-question/839413/3 "2019-08-31T01:52:25Z")
For the Matrix movies, the Wachowskis hired Yuen Woo-ping. Yuen’s father Simon Yuen Siu-tien, a Peking opera performer who worked in films after moving to Hong Kong from China in the 1940s, started his career. His background is as a stuntman and fight choreographer. His ‘style’ is described as Hollywood Kungfu. In other words he developed it to look good on camera. So if your interest is in the style that Neo uses, that’s it. As to the actual name mentioned on the video, I can’t help you. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2019, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kung-fu-question/839413/4 "2019-08-31T02:05:56Z")
**Kung Fu Question** It’s an ancient Chinese art and everybody knew their part. Everybody was Kung Fu fighting. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2019, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kung-fu-question/839413/5 "2019-08-31T12:44:31Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > **Kung Fu Question** > Everybody was Kung Fu fighting. Are you sure? > **[Surely Not Everyone Was Kung Fu Fighting T-Shirt](https://chummytees.com/products/surely-not-everyone-was-kung-fu-fighting-t-shirt-hoodie-tank-top?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkNWjnJGt5AIVhq_sCh0JYAhlEAQYASABEgLkuvD_BwE)** > > So, you're sporting our "surely not everybody was kung fu fighting" tee? Nice! Making a comical spin on that legendary martial arts song we all belted out, it's a quirky must-have for both kung fu enthusiasts and music lovers alike! Don't worry about... ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2019, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kung-fu-question/839413/7 "2019-10-10T08:52:03Z")
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