Wushu activities in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period are called "initial form" because Wushu in this period has gradually sprouted from the embryonic stage of primitive society and initially became a relatively independent Wushu cultural form. Wushu activities basically began to differentiate from military activities, and besides attacking, it also had the functions of education and entertainment.

Ji Xiaoxin's Book is a military work in Ming Dynasty, and it is a summary of Qi Jiguang's experience in training and running the army during the Pingwa War in the southeast coast. There are many personal martial arts contents in the book.

Wu Ji, written by Wu Xun at the end of Ming Dynasty and the beginning of Qing Dynasty, is an important martial arts document in China. In the book, various marksmanship and single-knife method are brilliantly expounded, especially Emei gun.