Jet Li about Kung Fu:
Nowadays, one associates the word, “kung-fu,” with
punches,
kicks,
martial arts champions, fighting. But the
original meaning of “kung-fu” was never intended to describe
martial arts in any way. Kung-fu originally referred to the time and energy spent in learning something.
A successful
chef expends lots of “kung-fu” to cook the tastiest dishes. A
doctor undergoes considerable “kung-fu” to be able to take care of sick people. A martial artist uses lots of “kung-fu” in practicing his physical forms so he may display them to audiences one day.
The term “kung-fu” was first broached to
Western audiences by
Bruce Lee when he stepped into the
spotlight and used it to describe his martial arts. From there, a
misconception arose and people began using “kung-fu” to refer to
Bruce Lee,
martial arts,
punches,
kicks, and the whole related system".