Description: Since 1949 China has developed Contemporary Wushu as a competition sport. During the fifties Wushu was introduced into school physical education curriculums, and in 1958 the China Wushu Association was established in Beijing with Li Menghua as the first Chairman. Compulsory forms were created for competition with required movements. "Nanquan" was not standardized early on with the original wushu movement, but later in 1960. Sword and staff were added in 1992. The main difference in Contemporary Wushu is that the goal shifts from an application-based fighting art to a more performance-oriented sport filled with a greater complexity of movement.

Though based on traditional movements, the sport of Wushu emphasizes and judges the athletic challenge inherent in the height of the jump, the speed of the technique, the complexity of the moves, physical strength, visual expression and the beauty of the performance.

Combining their efforts, the organizations of the China Wushu Research Institute, the Chinese Wushu Association and the Beijing University of Physical Education, together with the top Wushu teachers and athletes, developed Wushu routines for both national and international competition.

Today's international compulsory routines include changquan (long fist), nanquan (Southern fist), broadsword, straight sword, staff, spear, taijiquan, taiji sword and nan dao (Southern sword). Contemporary Wushu includes both taolu - forms competition - and sanshou , full contact fighting (also referred to as Chinese Kickboxing). Sanshou takes place on a leitai, a raised platform, and the fighters gain points by punches, sweeps and throws, as well as forcing the opponent off the leitai. In 1990 the International Wushu Federation (IWUF) was formed and the first World Championship was held in Beijing.

Wushu's most famous champion is Jet Li, who became the top star of the Beijing Wushu Team at the age of eleven, All Around National Champion five times in a row, and who performed on the White House lawn for President Nixon in 1974. He brought much of his Wushu style to the top Hong Kong films of the 80's and 90's, and debuted on the American screen in Lethal Weapon 4.