Historically how were real life martial arts schools run and work ?

[piloting]

Something about the portrayal of martial arts schools in movies,comics,shows etc doesn't make sense.Ussually in a movie that takes place like in the early 1900's to late 1800's or even before that,you see a whole bunch of ppl (who'd I'd assume would be considered lower class ppl) attending a martial arts school like it was something normal.Yet how could they afford it?.Also what really doesn't make sense is that it makes it look like apparently back in those days instead of getting a "normal" education consisting of learning to be literate,writing and at least arithmetic for math ppl would go to a martial art school to learn some traditional combat method and whatever philosophical viewpoint was significant to that martial art and/or it's particular teachers with the slim hope that when they graduated there accomplished enough so that job wise......what?.. they might have a slightly better chance of filling an exclusive job opening as a martial arts instructor to some hopefully rich people?.And they did all this while using money from doing who knows what to support there education while attending a martial arts school?.This really makes me think how historically martial arts schools actually worked as well as who and how ppl actually enrolled.I mean I can understand if it's like largely taught to those for luxury or for law enforcement,public safety or military jobs and the rare times some clerics taught this to common ppl for the sake of helping their personal development or something to that effect,like maybe Shaolin monks did? (dont know if they historically they ever that or do that presently).Does anyway know then how martial arts schools were run,taught,who attended them and how in the past,then?.

[Donald M.]

I have no idea how actual Martial Arts Schools operated in the early 20th Century or earlier, but if the depiction of them in tv shows and movies seems unrealistic, that's probably because the depiction of most things in tv shows and movies is unrealistic.

[Paradox]

I'm confused about the "how can they afford it" question. I don't think feudal or empirical Japan (nor China nor Korea, at the time) were capitalist societies, were they? Weren't martial arts tied in with monks?

[dupont2005]

Not really sure, but the Shaolins are pretty good at it an I don't think they are known for their wealth.

[dupont2005]

I'm confused about the "how can they afford it" question. I don't think feudal or empirical Japan (nor China nor Korea, at the time) were capitalist societies, were they? Weren't martial arts tied in with monks?

From what I understand the Samurai were considered upper class, but all schools would have had some fencing instruction. Not at the level of the private instruction a politicians, merchants, or warriors kid would receive though. Kind of like American and our compulsory curriculum.

[mikekerrIII]

I'm confused about the "how can they afford it" question. I don't think feudal or empirical Japan (nor China nor Korea, at the time) were capitalist societies, were they? Weren't martial arts tied in with monks?

Mostly private businesses, the Monks were pretty much out of the business by then the few that survived. And not much money was required since the expenses were small and the luxuries non-existent. Both china and Korea at the time were nations filled with small business, the government was tied in with the big ones.

My Wife's family ran a small private lumberyard in Korea for a few hundred years until the Japaneses stole all their trees then then killed the family members that objected. The land now is inside the DMZ. Small business are massively ingrained into both cultures.

[mikekerrIII]

From what I understand the Samurai were considered upper class, but all schools would have had some fencing instruction. Not at the level of the private instruction a politicians, merchants, or warriors kid would receive though. Kind of like American and our compulsory curriculum.

Nobody was allowed to fence but the Samurai until the 20th century possession of a sword by a commoner was punishable by death. That ban is where most of the Okinawan martial arts weapons came from. The only people taught to use swords were the people born with the right to carry them.

[Vibranium]

Mostly private businesses, the Monks were pretty much out of the business by then the few that survived. And not much money was required since the expenses were small and the luxuries non-existent. Both china and Korea at the time were nations filled with small business, the government was tied in with the big ones.

My Wife's family ran a small private lumberyard in Korea for a few hundred years until the Japaneses stole all their trees then then killed the family members that objected. The land now is inside the DMZ. Small business are massively ingrained into both cultures.

wow....dick move