二、武术的作用 The Function of Wushu

（一）武术的健身作用 The Function of Health Improvement

武术练习是通过人体的运动来实现的，中国人民千百年来的习武实践和多年的科学研究结果，都表明武术由于注重内外兼修，对身体有着多方面的良好影响。

The effect of Wushu practice is achieved by the movements of human body.Chinese people's Wushu practicing for thousands of years and scientific research have proved that Wushu exercise has various benefits to health since Wushu exercise pays attention to both physical and spiritual cultivation.

中国人历来重视运动，注重养生之道。武术在发展的过程中和中国养生导引之术相互影响、渗透，增强了武术的健身作用，经常练习能收到壮内强外的效果。由于武术的内容丰富，不同的练习形式和内容有不同的运动特点，对人体健康也有多方面的影响，并相互补充，全面促进人的身体素质的提高。例如长拳类套路，包括屈伸、回环、跳跃、平衡、翻腾、跌扑等动作，通过内在神情的贯注和呼吸的配合以及人体各个器官的参与，对人体的反应速度、力量、灵巧、耐力等都有良好的促进作用。太极拳和许多武术练功方法一样，注重调息运气和意念活动，长期练习对治疗多种慢性疾病和调节人体内在环境平衡均有良好的医疗保健作用。不同的人可以根据个人的不同要求选择适合自己的项目进行练习，从而发挥武术的健身作用，达到增强体质的目的。

Chinese people always attach importance to exercise and health.During the development，Wushu and Chinese health preservation art have been influencing each other which strengthened Wushu's health function.Constant practicing of Wushu will benefit inner and external health.Wushu includes various forms and contents and the influences upon people's health also vary.These influences form supplements to each other, and promote health in all aspects.For instance，Changquan Taolu includes various movements such as Qushen(bending and stretching), Huihuan(curved swinging), Tiaoyue(leaping), Pingheng(balancing)，Fanteng(somersault), Diepu(falling) etc..These movements are beneficial to the velocity，strength，agility and endurance of human body through the concentration of attention, the coordination of breath and the participation of various body organs.Taiji and many other Wushu practices lay stress on breath and attention，and long-term practice of such Taolu will benefit on chronic illnesses and the balance of inner body environment.People can choose different Taolu or Wushu style according to their individual requirement so as to take the advantage of Wushu's function of health preserving and fulfill the purpose of health improvement.

（二）武术的防身自卫作用 The Self-defense Function of Wushu

在武术产生之初,“防身自卫”就是其最根本的目的。到了现代社会，武术的技击价值虽然已不是很突出，但由于在我们日常生活中还是会遇到一些危及自身和他人安全的情况，所以武术的技击价值依然不容忽视。现今的搏斗运动虽然属于体育范畴，但其技术方法却与实用技击术十分接近，绝大多数技术动作在实际搏斗中可直接运用。套路运动的技术方法虽然不适用于搏斗，但其以技击动作为主要内容，通过练习，不仅可以增强体质，还可以学习到一定的攻防格斗技术，掌握防身自卫的知识和方法，同时也提高了必要的专项身体素质和对意外情况的应变能力。

Self-protection and self-defense is Wushu's fundamental purpose since it came into being.Even though Wushu's combat value has become less than prominent in modern times，the combat value is still not ignorable since it is still possible that our personal safety or that of the others may be endangered in daily life.Currently the combating sport is classified as physical exercises，but the technical skills are quite close to practical cornbat and most technical actions can be directly applied in real fight.The technical methods of Taolu sports are not real fight，but the main contents are fighting and combating actions which have the functions of enhancing health level and get people familiar with certain combat skills of attacking and defending.Through such exercises，people may have command in knowledge and methods of self-defense and may strengthen some aspects of body quality and the ability to cope with unexpected incidents.

（三）武术的教育作用 The Function of Education

武术的教育价值体现在武术在学校教育中的作用。武术在长期的发展中，继承和发扬了中华民族重礼仪、讲道德的优秀传统。“未曾习武先习德”，说明武术练习历来十分重视武德教育。武德可以理解为习武之人应具备的道德，是习武者把握社会、实现社会价值而建立的自我约束与精神自律体系。尚武崇德的精神可以培养青少年尊师重道、讲礼守信、宽以待人、严于律己等良好高尚的道德情操。同时，在武术的练习过程中，需要吃苦耐劳、坚持不懈的精神，这不仅能培养坚韧不拔、自强不息的意志品质，也是一种修身养性的重要手段，有益于人的全面发展。新中国成立以来，武术在学校教育中的作用越来越重要，在开展校园体育活动、丰富校园文化生活、增强学生体质方面都作出了很大的贡献。

Wushu's educational value embodies which function in school education.During the long-term development，Wushu has inherited and carried on such excellence of Chinese traditions as attaching great importance to etiquette and morality.“Being virtuous before practicing Wushu” indicates that moral education has always been emphasized during Wushu exercises.“Wushu morals”can be understood as the virtue that Wushu practitioners are required to have that refers to the spiritual system of self-control and self-discipline established by Wushu exercisers for the purpose of coping social practice and realizing their social value.Wushu morals help young people to build the virtue of respects, credit, etiquette, tolerance and self-discipline.Moreover,the exercise of Wushu requires to the spirit of endurance and perseverance，therefore Wushu exercise is beneficial for the cultivation of such virtue of indomitableness and unremitting self-improvement.Thus as an important way of morality cultivation，Wushu contributes to people's overall development.Since the establishent of the People's Republic of China，Wushu has been playing a more and more important role in school education and has made great contribution to developing campus physical activities，enriching campus culture and enhancing students’ health level.

（四）武术的娱乐、交流作用 The Function of Entertainment and Culture Exchange

武术运动具有很高的观赏价值，套路运动动迅静定的节奏美，踢、打、摔、拿、跌的巧妙结合美，内外合一、形神兼备的和谐美可以引人入胜。各种武术活动，包括各种表演、比赛、训练等都是以精神产品的形式为社会提供服务的。通过习武的共同爱好，特别是随着我国的改革开放，国际间的交流越来越频繁。我国政府一直有计划、有步骤地向国外派出武术队，积极开展武术国际交流和推广活动，同时也有越来越多的外国留学生来到中国学习中国武术。不难看出，武术运动在娱乐身心、增强交流以及传播中国传统文化方面都具有非常重要的作用。

Wushu has high aesthetic value.Taolu is body and spirit rhythmic and it is the integration of Ti，Da, Shuai, Na，Die.All Wushu activities including every performance，competition and training which are spiritual products that serve the society.Through Wushu practicing, the contact between countries becomes more intense.China has sent Wushu teams to other countries constantly to promote exchanging of Wushu.At the same time, more and more overseas students come to China to learn Wushu.It is obvious that Wushu plays an important role in amusement and cultural exchange.