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Myth and Identity in the Martial Arts: Creating the Dragon is a study of the role of myth and ideology in the formation of social identity, focusing on a variety of communities of practice involving the martial arts in East Asian and Western history. Alexus McLeod argues that myths of the martial arts should not be understood as "falsehoods" created as means of legitimizing modern practices, but should instead be understood as narratives that enable individuals and communities to formulate social identities and to accord meaning to their practices. This book covers six influential sources of myth and identity formation in the history of martial arts: early Chinese and Indian philosophy, the formation bushido thought in the Edo period of Japan, Republican-era Chinese conceptions of nationhood and physical culture, Western contributions and the innovations of Bruce Lee, African American conceptions of martial arts as a response to oppression in the twentieth century, and the contemporary ideologies of mixed martial arts.
List of contents
Introduction: Creating the Dragon
Chapter 1. "I Want to Create a New Chamber"- Historical Foundations and Development of the
Martial Arts
Chapter 2. "A Finger Pointing to the Moon"-Dance, Ritual, and the Arts of War
Chapter 3. "One Should Consider Himself as Dead"-Martial Arts and Deconstruction of the
Self
Chapter 4. "What's Your Style?"-National, Ethnic, and Cultural Identity in the Martial Arts
Chapter 5. "Honestly Expressing Yourself"- Bruce Lee and the Idea of Expression of the "True
Self" in the Martial Arts
Chapter 6. "Who's The Master?"-Martial Arts Ideologies of Empowerment
Chapter 7. "No Mercy"-Contemporary Martial Arts Myth of "Real" Fighting, Control, and
Potency
Conclusion: Commitment and the Martial Arts as Way of Life
About the author
Alexus McLeod is professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Indiana University.
Summary
This book is an investigation of the role of myth and creation of social identity in martial arts, looking at historical contexts and important movements in East Asia and the West, from ancient times to the present day.
