First, the Nanquan routines are the newest ones in all of the Contemporary Wushu forms.

The new routines do NOT include changes to Nanquan, Nandao, or Nangun. These routines will be around in their preent form for --I would say at least through the 2008 Olympics.

As for how they were developed...Mostly from a survey of several of the branches of Hung styles and a few other southern branches. There are some minor northern influences since the person who choreographed the routine added some northern stepping in to make the routine take up all of the competition area and hit all of the corners as is required by any of the competition routines.

The Nandao...all bets are off. The weapon is different and not traditional at all.

The Nangun (staff) is pretty standard southern staff.

"Nan quan is all show and very little if any internal development. Future versions of nan quan will be more weird due to the compulsory requirements."

Gee ****...for most people that is all most traditional folks do as well. There is a lot of garbage proliferated about internal development even in arts like Taijiquan. The first step of all of this is to learn to cotrol the body. Then comes the breath and lastly the mind and spirit.

How you approach the Nanquan routine determines the flavor you get out of it. To claim it has no other merit say that you have not seen it performed with merit...nothing more...nothing less.

"A lot of people do not realize that many of the top wushu competitors from the seventies knew traditional sets first or came from a traditional background."

So...they still do this. It is rare to find someone who does high level modern wushu who does not also do traditional in China.

"With China looking to host the 2008 Olympics (If they win the bid), anything goes... We'll be seeing a lot of acrobatic wushu, bagau, hsing-I, and taichi. Most of the traditional masters have distanced themselves from the governing Olympics board in China. A lot of the fake shaolins guys and PT Barnum opportunists are now in control. Anything for an olympic medal?"

Not at all true. The Shaolin guys are viewed with disdain and known for what they are...excpet in the areas where tourist dollars are concerned. The traditional masters are involved in the IWUF in setting what the competition will include and how it will be scored. Many of the changes are being required by the IOC so be sure you blame the right party when yo say you don't like how it goes.

For all of us in the Chinese Martial Arts, the inclusion of Modern Wushu into the Olympics can either be a big boost or a problem. We have 8 years to get it together and learn to work as a whole instead of Modern vs. Traditional.

The interest in the Traditional arts will be feuled by the exposure in th Olympics... unless of course we choose to be devisive about it.