Philosophy is one of the most important aspects of any traditional martial art. The philosophies of many martial arts such as Taekwondo, Kung Fu and Karate are based on Confucianism and the principles of the Analects of Confucius. Although traditional martial arts contain philosophical teachings, modern martial arts have lost their meaning, or “art.” The popularity of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has contributed greatly to the loss of meaning of modern martial arts. By examining the importance of philosophy in The Analects, one can see how martial arts are more than a physical set of skills. One of the most important aspects of martial arts is philosophy; without philosophy there is no art. In fact, many traditional martial arts and warriors developed a code of conduct/philosophy based on Confucianism. The Analects is a collection of stories and teachings of Confucius, an ancient Chinese thinker and sage who developed a system of ethics designed to ideally govern all relationships in family, community, and state. His teachings in the Analects focus on meditation, selflessness (humility), and spiritual cultivation. Confucius' teachings emphasized the practice of moral virtues by moral people, including humanity, righteousness, fairness, wisdom, and trust. The practice of virtue distinguishes civilized human beings from animals. The Analects describe the five most important personal and social relationships in human life: father and son, husband and wife, older brother and younger brother, ruler and subject, friend and friend. Moral virtue should be expressed within these ethical relationships. Major family relationships can be applied to society (Maguire). Mental and and......middle of paper......martial arts.Works CitedBreckbill, Jeremy. "Is MMA a Real Martial Art?: How Does Mixed Martial Arts Compare to Traditional Styles? | Suite101.com." Suite101.com: Online magazine and writers' network. 25 September 2009. Web. 15 May 2011. .Maguire, Sean. “International Taekwon-Do Essay.” International Taekwon-Do - Home. Network. April 20, 2011. "Mixed Martial Arts: Sports or Entertainment?: NPR." NPR: National Public Radio: News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts: NPR. August 24, 2007. Web. May 15, 2011. .WebsiteSimpkins, Dr. Annellen and Alex. "The Way of Virtue." Tae Chun Do web page. Network. April 19. 2011. .