In China's kung fu, there is a saying called "Southern Boxing and Northern Legs". What do you mean by punching and kicking?

Nanquan refers to Taizu Boxing, and the northern leg refers to Tan Leg.

According to Wu Beizhi, in the early Song Dynasty, a national Wushu conference was held in Changsha. Zhao Kuangyin's "Taizu Boxing" is called the first of eighteen schools because of its political advantages, and the second place is the "Linqing Tantui" created by Master Kunlun in Longtan Temple, which is called the glory of eighteen schools.

Because the birthplace of "Taizu Boxing" is south of the Yellow River; The birthplace of "Linqing Tantui" is north of the Yellow River; Since then, the saying of "Southern Boxing and Northern Leg" has spread in the land of China. This term can be regarded as that in a certain period, the martial arts of the Central South School are stronger than boxing, and the martial arts of the Northern School are stronger than legs. However, with the passage of time, northern Wushu also absorbed the skills of southern school.

Extended data:

Because of the cold living environment, northerners are taller, longer legs, stronger and more powerful than southerners, and their martial arts also highlight these characteristics. Boxing, for example, is often smashed, collapsed and rushed, and it also emphasizes throwing, rushing and bumping. These skills are based on strength advantage. As for the application and skills of leg technique, the Southern School is far behind.

In the Song Dynasty, the characteristics of southern martial arts were initially formed among the people, but they were scattered all over the country. The Sanshou of the Yue family is like a silk rope, stringing all the pearls scattered everywhere, laying a technical foundation for the southern school of martial arts to catch up with the northern school, and also laying a folk foundation.

Baidu Encyclopedia _ Nanquan Beitui