Mu Dong Kung Fu - Definition and Overview

Mu Dong Kung Fu is the southern Chinese pronunciation of a branch of Chinese martial arts also known as Wudangquan or more generally, nei jia. It originates from Wudangshan in central China and is primarily known as a Taoist martial art. The Wudang mountains in Hubei province are well known for their many Taoist temples. Wudang martial arts in general are a major subsection of the Chinese martial arts, the other major subsection being the styles descended from and related to Shaolinquan.

The style incorporates the five Taoist elements of water, earth, fire, wood and iron. The five Shaolin animals of tiger, crane, snake, leopard and dragon are also evident in some of their forms of training. Special qigong known as "nèi gōng" 內功 is used to condition students and practitioners for defensive and offensive purposes. See nei jin. This style of martial arts is also well known for weapons training, especially with the Chinese straight sword or jian.