The term martial arts can be defined as an art of combat that combines codified fighting techniques with philosophy, strategy, and cultural traditions A martial art may be an offensive art for combat or a defensive art for self-defense

China, the world's largest country by population, is widely regarded as the home of martial arts and is the birthplace of numerous diverse styles Modern Chinese martial arts can trace their origins to a number of sources, including ancient military skills, the Buddhist martial arts that evolved out of the Shaolin temple, the Daoist martial arts that originate from the Wudang temple in Hubei province, and a number of other techniques used by bandits, militia, secret societies, invaders, and marauding pirates throughout China's turbulent history