Does Kung Fu have belts & what is the meaning behind the Kung Fu belt system?

Kung Fu is an ancient martial art that originates from China. Physically, it is based on striking and is stylistically similar to Karate. Not only this but like many traditional martial arts, it has a heavy emphasis on spirituality, mentality, and religion. The history of belts in Kung Fu is slightly different from its counterparts such as Karate and Judo. Originally Kung Fu did not have a belt system which is seen as more of a modern way of ranking martial artists. Instead, when students got promoted they would receive a scroll that was signed by their teacher.

Whilst this is quite a nice way of promoting people, it isn’t really much of a thing these days unless done for nostalgic purposes. Similar to many martial arts, Kung Fu offers a belt-testing system where each practitioner must perform a set of moves to prove their skill and technique. If they fail this test, they remain on the same belt until the next grading process is ready which is usually determined by their sensei.

Like most martial arts, Kung Fu does have a recognized belt system which starts at white belt and goes through to black belt. During this process, there are eight belts to achieve. Interestingly, Kung Fu belts can have two distinct styles. The first belt is like most modern martial arts belts and is made out of the same material that you may find in Judo or Jiu Jitsu. However, the other belt that is also worn around the waist is more of a sash and is a thinner, more light material. The difference in belts is purely based on aesthetics and is down to the owner of the dojo and their personal preference. Below we shall give a breakdown of each Kung Fu belt and roughly what each belt means in terms of skill and experience.

Beginner (no belt)

Beginners in Kung Fu do not own a physical belt. As the saying goes, ‘the first belt you get is the white belt’. Unlike other martial arts, this belt is not a given and has to be earned. It is also the easiest of belts to obtain in Kung Fu and is more of a technicality rather than anything. Most newcomers will not have a belt for a few days or a week or so, depending on their time spent training. In brief, you are beltless in Kung Fu for a few hours and this is a symbolic process as much as anything. You will often be tested for the white belt, but this is very tame and focuses on a few easy movements.

White belt

The white belt is the first official rank in Kung Fu. This involves group training and is based on the fundamental movements of Kung Fu. Often this involves basic blocks with your upper body through moving your arms in the correct motions. With regards to the lower body, you will be expected to understand basic footwork. Remember, the white belt is the start of your journey, so you should not expect to know much at this level, and your bodily movements will not be fluid and may lack timing. In terms of maturity, this belt is the equivalent of being a newborn baby, so your knowledge at this point will be minimal. It is good to approach the lower belts with an open mind where the idea is to look and learn, trying to soak up as many lessons as possible.

Yellow belt

The yellow belt is the first belt that is of color. This is the first real belt that practitioners may fail tests on to obtain the rank. Compared to the white belt, the yellow is more of an offensive belt. What this means is that it practices more aggressive moves such as kicks and strikes. Unlike the white belt, it is less focused on blocks and defensive work.

Whilst defense is still the priority as the yellow belt is still a beginner’s level, this is also the first time the practitioner really starts to delve into the world of striking and attacking opponents. With this said, a lot of moves and techniques learned at yellow belt will continue throughout the life of the average Kung Fu practitioner meaning even after black belt, they will still use a lot of techniques found whilst training at the yellow belt.

Green belt

At green belt, the average student should now be a lot more well-rounded than before. The idea of the green belt is that you have a basic grasp of how Kung Fu works from a physical perspective. From both a defensive and offensive viewpoint, a green belt should be able to realistically handle themselves against untrained opponents which also means some knowledge of takedowns and sweeps as well.

Perhaps the main difference between the green and previous belts however, is that it focuses on more of a philosophical element. Previously, a lot of emphases was placed on literal fighting. At green belt, the idea is to look inwards at self-improvement and how to better yourself. This is often found in lots of different martial arts and is a big part of Kung Fu. With this said, the green belt is the first when this really comes into play for most people. This is the first of the intermediate belts.

Purple belt

The purple belt is a continuation of the green belt. This is towards the end of the middle child phase during the Kung Fu belt system and generally means progression. The idea of the purple belt is continued physical and spiritual growth. Usually, achieving this belt means you’re on the right path in Kung Fu. What is meant by this is that at this point, you will probably make it to black belt and beyond. From an outsider’s perspective, the purple belt shows real commitment to the craft. Of course, your sensei will be taking note of this as well throughout this period.

Brown belt

Brown belt marks a transformation from the other colors. Basically, it means at this point you are now a serious Kung Fu practitioner. Whilst you are still a student, you are also transitioning into the stages of becoming a teacher. In terms of physical knowledge, you should understand strikes, movement, sweeps, trips, and everything that is used in Kung Fu. Whilst your skills may not be as sharp as a black belt, you are no longer in the earlier learning stages.

On a spiritual level, the brown belt should also mark more enlightenment. As you’re now aware of your Kung Fu skills and progression, you should also apply this knowledge to wider areas of life. One part of this is through teaching and passing on your knowledge by now you should be aware at this point that Kung Fu represents life and even though you’re more enlightened, the process of learning goes on forever as perfection is a mentality rather than a set goal.

Red belt

Red belt is the penultimate belt. This is dependent on each specific gym however, as some do not feature red belts and others may have specific stripes on the brown belt instead. Unlike the brown belt, the red is based more so on teaching and the passing down of knowledge. Rather than learning, you are now teaching whereas before it was a mixture of both. In short, the red belt is the penultimate belt and demands a level of authority at this point.

Both your physical and mental skills should be sharp by now and your knowledge should be deep. On the one hand, you are now considered an expert, but should still remain humble and realize there is still more to learn, at least on a spiritual level. Interestingly, you may have enjoyed the learning process as a beginner. Now is the time to enjoy the teaching side of things and to selflessly help others progress

Black belt

This is the final belt in Kung Fu. The black belt represents complete mastery and the end of the colored belts. Having said this, the Kung Fu black belt similar to other martial arts black belts. What is meant by this is that the journey doesn’t end, instead it only begins. This may be a cliche, but it’s true. Your original aim shouldn’t be to obtain the black belt for the sake and status that it brings. Instead, you should continue your training with the same approach that you had earlier in your journey. The black belt often involves teaching.

Of course, you are still allowed to train and spar like at any other point however you are now seen as a pillar of knowledge. With this said, you should use your knowledge to enhance your mental side of things. Whilst you may be able to throw strikes or takedowns with ease, you are still only a human. This means that you should still consistently be looking inwards and focusing on how to become better as a human outside the dojo, as well as improvements within the dojo.

Final thoughts

The journey through Kung Fu is not an easy road, nor should it be rushed. Typically it takes the average practitioner around 8 years to reach black belt once they begin training. Obviously, this depends on the amount of training done per week and other skills such as naturally being gifted or the willingness to learn. With this said, Kung Fu is not a quick fix or a simple route to getting a black belt. As much as anything, the idea behind Kung Fu is about inner growth which should also be emphasized and is a key part of learning the art.

Overall, the above should act as a brief outline as to how to train through Kung Fu and understand what each belts stand for. In terms of meaning, each belt should represent progress from the start until the end. It should also be added that a good metaphor is growing through life.

One metaphor is that as a beginner you are a baby, whereas towards the end of the journey you are an old, knowledgeable man. With this process completed, it will eventually become your time to teach babies how to learn and improve. With this in mind, Kung Fu is the perfect embodiment of life and how to apply knowledge to improve yourself as well as others.