If one goes with the more literal translation of wushu as a term describing the Chinese martial arts, then the history is vast and somewhat clouded in mystery. Generally, the martial arts in China go back thousands of years and were formulated for the same reasons they were nearly everywhere — to aid in hunting and protect against enemies. One of the early formalizations of the arts seems to have occurred under Emperor Huangdi, who took the throne in 2698 B.C.
