Let's discuss the history of Chinese Wrestling (shuai jiao, et al).

How old is it?

How does it compare/contrast to other Asian grappling methods?

Who are the most famous Chinese wrestlers?

Earliest known 'wrestling' in China can be traced to no later than the Shang dynasty, mainly between men (hunter) and their prey. Common hunting tactics at the time would be to entrap animals before someone brave enough will go in an bring it down with bare hands.

The earliest man-to-man wrestling can be traced to the Zhou dynasty which was refered to as Goli and Shoubo. Contests were held at least 4 times a year which was a part of their seasonal ritual in hope of the following season's plentiful hunting and good harvest.

Has the tactical approach of Chinese wrestling largely remained the same, or has it gone through different phases? Has it always been predominantly an art of throwing?

There isn't any evidence that is good enough to make any certain claim and to make this worse, evidence often contradict. For example, there are vague indication that during the Han dynasty striking and wrestling have already been separated, yet later dynasties such as the Sui makes just as vague indications that there is no difference.

Is Dog style kung fu a ground/grappling style?

Dog Kung Fu, i.e. Góuquán (狗拳), is a martial arts style from China. This is a southern style of Chinese boxing that specializes in takedowns and ground fighting. Often favoured by women, the fighter typically assumes a stance that requires that both hands and feet be on the ground, resembling a dog. This form of martial arts also teaches Iron Shirt, and Iron Palm fighting methods, as well as specialized leaping techniques. It is mainly practiced in Fujian Province.

(wiki from answers.com)

Which chinese MA incorporates a lot of throws/grapples/outfit holds?

All CMA systems incorporates Ti, Da, Shauijiao and Chinna. The whole concept that these techniques existing in isolation of each other is unheard of in CMA.

Off the top of my head, I recall that Gouquan is originally known as Nan Ditangquan which was developed from Ditangquan of the north. That in turn was developed from wrestling techniques outside the great wall by Kou Zi.

Question... did jujitsu originate from Chinese Shuai Jiao? I have always wondered because they seem very similiar. I doubt that the Japanese could have invented a style so similiar without any Chinese influence. It seems highly unlikely since historically, Chinese thought,arts,culture,etc has really molded and shaped Japan.

I did suspect it but I find no tracable evidence that this took place.

Firstly, Jujutsu's beginning is almost untracable. Although we can find some ryus that can be traced to almost 1000 years back, there is nothing reliable that indicates what happened before that.

Secondly, wrestling in one form or another popped up independently throughout the world. I doubt that Han wrestling somehow originated from the northern normads or the other way around. Hence, I believe it is quite reasonable to believe that the natives of Japan developed their own wrestling techniques.

I thought that shuai jiao is a mix of Han and Mongolian style wrestling? the Mongolian throws typically being more power oriented damaging throws while the han throws being more technique oriented throws that required more technique then sheer strength. As for jujitsu, i remember reading somewhere that their was some form of chinese influence. i dont remember where though

Thats just folklore created by Han chauvenism. It is the same as the "They are more couragous and have more brute force but we are more civilized and uses our brains more so we are superior to them".



Influence, yes. I have little doubts there. However, since actual techniques of Shuaijiao were not documented until relatively modern times and most of the Chinese-Japan transition of knowledge occured during around the Tang dynasty, there is no way to track whether if or how the influence took place.

I believe I've read somewhere, possibly on CHF before, that judo has origins in Chinese military training, maybe you are thinking of that with jiujitsu

It is almost impossible for Judo to have originated from Chinese military training. Judo only started to exist at 1882 which means by the time it was developed, the Qing military was almost down the drain. Although Shuaijiao and judo was share a great level of similarity, I still think that the link between jujutsu and judo to be much more likely.

Wujiang is correct.

Read in a Judo book yrs ago, that judo originated from Jiu-Jitsu.