Sanshou or Sanda (free fighting) is a modern Chinese self-defence system & combat sport; it is considered China's answer to Western kickboxing or Thailand's Muay Thai boxing.

Before Sanshou was made into a sport their used to be bare handed fights with no rules, this was common in the military between soldiers to test & practice martial skills, ability & techniques.

In Contemporary Wushu tournaments you will have the main Taolu Events (forms) and then the Sanshou Event. In these Amateur Tournaments contenders will wear protective martial arts gear, fight on a raised platform (Lei tai), and can use kicks, punches and throws. The professionals on the other hand always refer to the sport as Sanda; they wear only gloves and a mouth guard for protection and fight in a full size ring similar to a boxing ring and also can strike with the knees. Both Professional and amateur Sanda is a full contact sport.

As a self-defence system you can use all of the above strikes as well as elbow strikes, chokes and joint locks.