Preference for the pen over the sword puts martial arts in an existential crisis

Today, the all-too-common combination of a busy lifestyle and poor diet often leads to health issues. To address such issues, many people in Taiwan choose to visit martial arts academies, where the resident master uses traditional osteopathic methods and massage to provide relief. But there are other ways to treat health ailments at martial arts academies, like learning Chinese boxing from the master! Such techniques were developed during the years when Chinese boxing was still used in street fights and combatants vied for a quick and decisive victory. However, in addition to being a great self-defense tool, traditional Chinese boxing is also a great way to keep fit.

Although the traditional boxing styles seen in Taiwan are very representative of the local culture, due to changes over time, people’s understanding of such arts has gradually diminished. Sadly, with progressively fewer successors to carry the torch, such fighting arts are slowly disappearing in Taiwan.

以下為中文對照

現代人因生活匆忙加上不良飲食，日後造成身體有許多狀況，而有些人會選擇到國術館請老師傅幫忙推拿整骨來緩解身體的狀況，但其實來到國術館你可以選擇不一樣的方式，那就是和師父學習流民拳，而這流民拳是發跡於街頭的械鬥，講求速戰速決，並且這個流民拳可以防身也可以強身健體。

流民拳作為台灣本土的國術可說是具有非常高的代表性，但由於時代的變遷，民眾對於國術的不解，造成後繼無人的情況下，將會加速台灣國術的消失。

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