Kung fu
Is the mother of all contemporary martial arts was
brought to China from India by a Zen Buddhist monk named Da Mo (Bodhidharma).
Da Mo trained the monks in China the 18 Lohan Kung (18 Buddha Hands ) for
wellbeing of body, mind, and spirit. Kung fu usually refers to Chinese martial
arts, or fighting systems invented from China. Kung fu is a common Chinese term
that have become identical with Chinese martial arts. The enhancement of
Chinese martial arts can be track down to hunting activities and martial
preparation. Over time, it transformed with the evolving Chinese civilization
acquiring philosophical bases. Ultimately, Chinese martial arts became an
essential element of Chinese culture Yellow Emperor (Huangdi, traditional date
of ascension to the throne, 2698 B.C.E.) initiated the earliest forms of
martial arts to China. The Yellow Emperor was a famous military general who,
before becoming China’s leader, wrote extensive dissertation on medicine,
astrology and the martial arts. He supposedly developed the system of Jiao di
or horn-butting and exploit it in war In spite of of these legends, Jiao di
evolved during the Zhou Dynasty into a wrestling system called Jiao li
(eleventh century B.C.E.) . The practice of Jiao li in the Zhou Dynasty was
recorded in the Classic of Rites This warfare practice integrated techniques
such as strikes, throws, joint manipulation, and pressure point attacks.Jiao lo
ultimately became known as Shuai jiao, its prevailing form. During the Han
Dynasty, martial arts known as shuobo and jiandao became widespread Jiao li
became a spectator sport throughout the Qin Dynasty (221 - 207 B.C.E). In the Song
and Yuan dynasties contests were promoted by the imperial courts. The
contemporary concepts of kung fu were fully developed by the Ming and Qing
dynasties The development of Chinese martial arts is associated to its use in
the military.
Hand to hand combat and weapons training were
essential apparatus in the training of Chinese soldiers. Taoist claimed to have
been practicing physical movements that bear a resemblance to Tai Chi at least
as early as the 500 B.C.E. era. In 39-92 C.E., "Six Chapters of Hand
Fighting", were included in the Han Shu (history of the Former Han
Dynasty) written by Pan Ku. Also, the noted physician, Hua T'uo, created the
"Five Animals Sport" - eagle,tiger, deer, monkey,and bear, , around
220 B.C.Taoist attitude and their method to well being and training can be seen
in the Innermost styles of Chinese martial arts. The present-day view of
Chinese martial arts are deeply influenced by the actions of the Republican
Period (1912-1949). The period between the fall of the Qing Dynasty and the
chaos s of the Japanese attack and the Chinese Civil War, Chinese martial arts
became more available to the general public as many martial artists were
encourage to openly teach their art. At that time, some considered martial arts
as a means to promote national pride and improve the health of the Nation. As a
result, many martial arts training handbooks were available and several martial
arts societies were formed throughout China Chinese societies. The Central
Guoshu Academy was set up by the Government in 1928 and the Jing Wu Athletic
Association founded by Huo Yuanjia in 1910 are examples of association that
publicized a systematic approach for training in Chinese martial arts A series
of regional and state contests were arranged by the Republican government
starting in 1932 to sponsor Chinese martial arts.In 1936, at the 11th Olympic
Games in Berlin, a group of Chinese martial artists demonstrated their art to
an international spectators for the first time. Ultimately, those events leads
to the current view of martial arts as a sport. Kung-fu simply means skill or
ability that possessed by a carpenter, cook, or an expert in the fighting arts;
the word refers to no particular style or martial art. Some feel its synonymy
with the martial arts is a new trend originating in Hong Kong and Kwangtung
province. But as early as the 17th century, the Jesuit priest, Pere Amiot,
wrote of the "peculiar exercises," which he called "Cong
Fou," practiced by the Taoist priests of his area. A more precise phrase
for the martial arts in China is wu shu, although there have been other terms
used in China through the years whose meanings are equally clear. Kuo-shu,
according to the martial historian Robert W. Smith, was a popular term until
1928; kuo-chi has also been used. Terms such as chien-shu (way of the sword),
tao-fa (way of the knife), or ch'uan-fa (way of the fist) do not signify a
martial art. Wu shu is currently the formal term for martial arts adopted by
the People's Republic of China.
Kung-fu is composed of a number of martially
inspired systems for fighting, health development, and dance. There are
hundreds styles of kung-fu; most, however, were formed around a more limited
number of approaches to a specific subject, be it combat, health, or whatever.
Some systems of kung-fu emphasize strenuous, energetic kicking and punching,
while others stress more subtle techniques. Indeed, some are nearly
static. At first glance, there are three main types of kung-fu: for fighting,
for show, for health. Classification becomes progressively more
complex under the surface. Styles can be divided and classified roughly by
geographical origin, religious tenets, and technical type (e.g., linear,
circular, etc.). Kung-fu also was influenced to varying degrees by smaller
factions of specific periods, non-religious and military organizations, family
clans, and theatrical and operatic troupes. Thus kung-fu is just too extensive,
too deeply embedded in Chinese culture to be sensibly sketched. It would be
highly impractical to include all the medicines, weapons, techniques,
historically significant ' events, personalities, and terminology that have
played important parts in the development of kung-fu. The categorization alone
requires, for its study, a respectable amount of at least one dialect of the
Chinese language. Exactly when kung-fu first surfaced is not known,
though the subject continues to be disputed. Some traditional historians date
it as far back as the Shang dynasty (16th century B.C.) Others place it in the
period of the Contending States (475-221 B.C.) and the Yellow Emperor, Huang
Ti. Perhaps its origins are bound up in the unique way China learned to absorb
aspects of her conquerors' cultures. Contemporary kung-fu certainly exhibits
distinct traces of Mongolian, Tibetan, Indian, and other cultural
ideologies. Geography also played an enormous role in kung-fu's
development. Those who lived in the tropical rain forests of the south, for
instance, would naturally develop different approaches to living and thinking
than those who nomadically wandered the arid northern plains.
With the collapse of the Ch'ing dynasty and the
establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC), many changes have taken
place in kung-fu as an institution. All thought of using the art, now called a
sport, as an implement of war is considered incorrect. The aims of the PRC are
to make kung-fu conducive to competition and available to large numbers of
people. Thus far, kung-fu has been classified by geography (e.g.,
northern and southern) and philosophical roots (e.g., Buddhist, Taoist,
communist). The systems may be further subdivided by the way in which they deal
with force (e.g., the internal family in the south, and the external family in
the north). All of these general categories are useful for making distinctions
among styles presently used for fighting (e.g., the Hop-Gar style), for
gymnastics or theater (Chang-Ch'uan and other styles from the PRC), or for
health (e.g., t'ai-chi-ch'uan). Styles may be again divided by techniques
employed: those based on linear movement (from which karate sprang), or
circular movement, or long-arm and short-arm systems. The northern,
Buddhist systems leaned more toward the linear, with short -hand tactics built
upon series of linear attacks and retreats; they rely on strength and speed.
Southern, Taoist systems were markedly more circular, with both long- and
short-arm styles employing intricately patterned footwork. While not contesting
the northern notion that a straight line is the shortest distance between two
points, southern adherents maintain it is not necessarily the most practical
technique. The circular, internal, soft systems were based on timing and
internal strength, as opposed to speed and muscular strength. (Slight lateral
angles or simple, circular hand maneuvers do not make a circular system; styles
claiming otherwise have lost track not only of their lineage, but of their very
essence.) The Shao-lin and t'ai-chi-ch'uan styles of kung-fu are often
pointed to as exemplary of northern and southern Chinese styles. Shao-lin
represents the hard style of the north, while t'ai-chi, the soft southern
style. As a geographic shorthand, one may remember, but with reservation, the
kung-fu expression, "nan-ch'uan pei-t'ui" (hands in the south, kicks
in the north). Between the two extremes lie many degrees of hard, soft, long-arm,
and short-arm systems. It is difficult to say which styles may have
originated for combat, which for show, and which for health. Fighting is in
vogue now, except in the PRC, and at the moment nearly every style claims to be
a combat system. Some noted situ (teacher, instructor) have separated the
fighting systems from the more theatrical styles by the terms "wide"
and "narrow" kung-fu.
In this classification scheme, a style that
employs a large number of movements to link a single defensive maneuver to each
possible attack is called "narrow," and, as a system, is placed in
the non-fighting category. "Wide" kung-fu, on the other hand, employs
fewer moves, but relies on "changes," or alternative uses, of a
technique, One may note the relative simplicity of wing-chun, Pat Mei, Tibetan
white crane, or Hop-Gar, all of which, using this scheme, would be considered
fighting styles. Hop-Gar, for instance, has only 24 hand techniques instead of
the hundreds found in some narrow styles. Thus, the classification of kung-fu
systems into northern, southern internal, external, long-arm, short-arm, soft,
hard, wide, or narrow is generally accepted and understood as it relates to
actual performance in a given style. Classifications by philosophical
promptings- Confucian, Taoist, Buddhist, or communist -is not relevant. And
classification by originating intent-martial, theatrical, or medicinal-is
controversial. But there are numerous subdivisions relating directly to
the specialized techniques for which a particular system or school was known.
Although a proficient boxer studied a variety of systems, often traveling from
province to province seeking different styles and teachers, nearly every boxer
of repute made use of a special technique he favored over all others. It might have
been a technique of the sword, or some other weapon; it may have been a hand
tactic, a kick, or any number of other techniques. Master Ku- Yu-Cheong, for
example, specialized in the iron palm; Cheng-Hua of the Hung-Gar style in the
tiger-tail kick; Lau-Fat-Mang in the Chin-na hand of the Eagle Claw Fan-Tzu
system; and so on. A specializing student often broke with his original school
to found a new style or branch revolving around his specialty. These
specialized hand or foot maneuvers then became the trademark of the style. A
person who trained certain parts of his arm or hand, for instance, could be
identified with a specific style. like the differences in the salutation or the
uniform, a specialty became the index of yet another distinction within kung-fu.
Four great philosophical systems stand out as primary influences in kung-fu's
development. First was Confucianism, with its ancient theories of change
acting upon the principles of full and empty, or yin and yang (often traced to
the ruler Fu-Hsi, who lived during the Chou dynasty, ca. 900-800 B.C.). Taoism,
the second, promoted philosophical, magical, and religious transformation
within a Confucian cosmology. Mahayana Buddhism, the third influence,
absorbed some of both, moving into the Taoist sections of northern and eastern
China in the form of Chan Buddhism and assimilating itself into the western
Tibetan tantric faith.
Tao","the way"
Tao ‘The Way’ Appears in the poetic Taoist text,
Tao- Te-Ching (The Way and the Power), which asserts that when life takes its natural
course, harmony with nature and the correct flow of existence are assured.
Achieving harmony with Tao requires first achieving harmony within one's
self. By the 1st century A.D., Taoism had acquired a strong flavor of
magic, and alchemical practices emerged, which were greatly to affect the
martial arts. Taoist alchemy sought immortality through the cultivation of the
life force known as ch'i (air, breath-a concept probably introduced by
the Chinese philosopher Mencius, born about 100 years after the death of
Confucius). 'Ch'i was thought to be a spiritual or psychic energy giving
substance to all things, acting through the five elements: wood, fire,
earth, metal, water. The ei-jya (also nei-chia), or Internal family of
kung-fu styles, was constructed around such beliefs. The gold of Chinese alchemists Was in the soul. Techniques for
manipulating psychic and spiritual qualities comprised an enormous segment of
not only Taoist religion but also of Chinese traditional medicine (which
overlaps kung-fu). Special meditative exercises were used in kung-fu for the
conversion of elements. They varied in form and usually required an experienced
teacher. Ch'i was drawn up through the base of the spine, called the 'first
gate," and circulated through the body. Passing through the second gate,
between the kidneys, the third gate, in the back of the head, and finally down
the front of the body, it returned to its origin. Circulation and breath
control were to draw generative forces, related to man's sexual nature, into
the lower t'an-t'ien cavity, called the "cavity of the dragon" or the
"golden stove," Here, ch'i was converted into an alchemical agent
that completed the process, first in the middle t'an-t'ien, called the "yellow
hall," then in the brain. In t'ieh-sha-chang, the Iron palm, a dramatic
example of such kung-fu alchemy, the ch'i force was drawn from the t'an-t'ien,
to the palm of the hand. A relaxed slap with the open palm would suffice, as in
the case of Ku- Yu-Cheong of the northern Shao-lin school, to shatter the spine
of a wild horse. During the magical phase of Taoism, just pre-dating the
appearance of Buddhism, a surgeon named Hua- T'o (A.D. 190-165) laid the
groundwork for the southern, long-hand styles of kung-fu.
Making animal attitudes his mental and physical
models, and adopting Taoist breathing techniques, Hua- To developed a set of
gymnastics . called the wu-ch'in-hsi (frlic of the five animals), This system
was later refined by Tai-Chung, first emperor of the Sung dynasty. The
later Han dynasty, dissolving in the warring upheaval that produced the era of
the Three Kingdoms (A.D. 220-280), witnessed a surge of Buddhist missionaries
flooding into China with Mahayana doctrine. By the 4th century A.D. the
religion had captured the favor of the Chinese, especially in the north, where
governmental instability produced special sympathy for the Buddhist's
optimistic doctrines. The south, however, maintained a decidedly more Taoist
philosophy. As a result, a hybrid form of Buddhism, called Chan in Chinese and
Zen in Japanese, emerged, exhibiting a Buddhist structure but with Taoist
embellishments. As these religious developments occurred, the effects
upon kung-fu were marked. In the 6th century A.D. the monk Ta-Mo (Da Mo)(Bodhidharma
in Indian) of the Chan school came to the Shao-lin monastery in the Shao-Shi
mountains of Honan province. Legends of Ta-Mo in Chinese mythology are
elaborate. He was, for example, said to have sat staring at a cave wall for
nine years in meditation. After
accidentally falling asleep, he became so angered with himself that he tore off
his eyelids and cast them to the ground. Tea shrubs grew from where his eyelids
fell, and thereafter, the monks of the temples used tea to deter sleep.
Ta-Mo may have authored the series of 18 exercises contained in a manuscript,
the I-Chin-Ching, outlining the Shao-lin method of Chinese boxing. The method
that emerged from the Shao-lin Temple,' which is representative of the northern
Chinese styles in general, was called the "wai-jya" (also wai-chia),
or external family of Chinese boxing. Noted for its harsh training, and in
contrast to southern forms of boxing, Shao-lin strove to increase speed,
strength, and elasticity. It was vigorous and calisthenic, and became the basis
from which karate, in Okinawa, and the Korean martial arts were derived.
Kung Fu - Western Migration
According to many historians trace
kung-fu's origin to the Shao-lin Temples of China, but actually kung-fu, or wu
shu, the proper name for the Chinese martial arts, extends much further back in
the middle kingdom's history. The temples housed a large number of kung-fu
styles. but many others were born in Taoist retreats, Tibetan lamaseries, and
non-religious military encampments. Much of the Shao-lin's colorful reputation
as being the birthplace of kung-fu originates in the Ch'ing dynasty, when many
of the temples were used as training camps and hideouts for anti-government
revolutionaries. Kung- fu flourished as a means of uniting underground
organizations like the pa-kua and harmonious fist sects, established to answer
Chu-Hung- Tang's call to overthrow the Ching and restore the Ming government to
power. The decline of the Ch'ing dynasty brought revolutionary uprisings
led by kung-fu societies, culminating in the Boxer Rebellion. Many kung-fu
practitioners fled the country, their alternative being a gruesome death by
torture. Dating back to early California, in the days following the gold
rush of 1848, kung-fu was an integral part of the lifestyle in Chinese labor
camps and mining towns. Activity increased dramatically in 1863 with the
importation of Chinese laborers to work on the Central Pacific Railroad. The
center of Chinese migration was San Francisco, which now boasts the
second-largest Chinese population outside mainlaind China (Hong Kong is
first). Within four years after the first Chinese arrived in California
in 1848, the Chinese population had multiplied to 25,000. With them came the
benevolent society structure, first appearing in the form of the Chinese Six
Companies-comparable to a traveler's aid society-then in the form of Tong
brotherhoods, which were overseas extensions of the old country secret
societies.
With the Tong, kung-fu had unquestionably
arrived in America. Within the Tong factions, bitter conflict over who would
control gambling, prostitution, and the like was commonplace. The results were
the notorious "tong wars" between rival societies, which did not
completely end until 1906. These internecine wars, much like the struggles
between different Mafia families, were fought by "hatchetmen." They
were in reality hit men or assassins who used hatchets and meat cleavers to
slay their targets. They were also skilled at kung-fu. at the art of "pin
blowing," and at the throwing of lethal razor-sharp coins. Later, these
hatchetmen remained in the U.S. and made their livelihood as a secretive group.
Since, obviously, they never became legal American citizens, it is impossible
to trace them or their transmission of kung-fu. Any accurate attempt at tracing
the early practice of kung-fu in the U.S. would therefore prove fruitless: The
American-Chinese societies that sponsored kung-fu practices limited
participation to those of immediate ancestry. The slow opening of it to
non-Chinese did not take place until two decades after World War,II, in the
early 1960s. Early kung-fu schools in America perpetuated the secret
society mystique. Few people, even Chinese, were allowed to study the art. As
time passed, however, the strict tenets eased and kung-fu slowly came into the
public light. Shao-lin was probably the first style to emerge through teachers
such as Alan Lee of New York, Ark- Yueh Wong of Los Angeles, and T.Y. Wong of
San Francisco. T'ai-chi ch'uan instructor Tinn Chan Lee was the first known Chinese
sifu to have opened his teachings to the Hawaiian general public when he
initiated his classes in Honolulu in 1957. The aforementioned Ark- Yueh Wong is
largely credited by the martial arts media for breaking from the traditional
"color line" in Los Angeles in 1964 and accepting students of all
races. Choy-li-Fut and t'ai-chi ch'uan on the mainland U.S. soon toll
owed suit, then the various branches of northern and southern Shao-lin. Sifus
Peter Quang and Brendan Lai were instrumental in establishing the praying
mantis system in northern California, as Y.C. Wong did the Hung Gar and tiger
crane systems: Kuo-lien-Ying did tai-chi ch'uan; George Long did the white
crane style; and Lau Bun and the Luk Mo Studio did the Choy-li-Fut style. Throughout
the U.S., kung-fu spread gradually, then rapidly during the Bruce Lee
era of the early and mid-1970s. During this period, due to Lee's films and
television's Kung-Fu series, the Chinese martial arts reached an all time apex
in popularity, But the vast majority of styles remain secluded even today.
Other styles of Kung Still Practiced Today
Below are some of the other forms of Kung fu
system still around today:
BAK-SING CHOY-LI-FUT =A combination of two of China's most renowned
martial arts styles: Choy-Li-Fut and northern Shao-lin. Bak-sing was founded by
Tam-Sam during the Ch'ing dynasty. Tam-Sam had learned the Hung-Sing style of
Choy-li-Fut. Hung-Sing had been a student of the founder of the style, Chan
Heung, who had combined the three family systems of Chou, li, and Fut into the
Choy-li-Fut system.
Master Ku, a kung-fu practitioner famous for his
remarkable "iron palm" was challenged by Tam-Sam to fight. Ku
accepted, but neither fighter could best the other. They became friends, and
Tam-Sam merged his Choy-li-Fut style with Ku's Shao-lin, christening it the
bak-sing Choy-li-Fut system. Bak-sing places heavy emphasis on sparring,
kicking and long arm movements.
A wide horse stance is most often used and force
is believed to come mostly from the waist and shoulders. Many techniques
involve simultaneous blocking and punching, or blocking and kicking. Bak-sing
techniques are graceful and the fluidity of the supple long-arm movements,
combined with the speed and dexterity of the quick, short-hand techniques, give
this stvle a very artistic appearance.
CH' A CH'UAN = is an ancient Chinese martial art, considered a
Northern style. Practitioners contend from long range, darting swiftly to the
attack. High, long leaps are important in ch'a ch'uan to cover distances quickly.
Not widely practiced in China today, it was developed in the 14th to the 17th
centuries by Chinese Moslems of Sinkiang. Chinghai. and Kansu. in the west and
south of China. and is primarily still practiced by them.
CH'O CHIAO = is a Northern Chinese style of kung-fu
originating in the Gao-Yang county of Hopei province, where it is still
practiced. Ch'o chiao contains difficult, high-kicking movements, perhaps more
than any other system of kung-fu. Because of its flamboyance, the style is
suited to the Chinese opera, whose members are often practitioners. Wang- Yu is
a famous exponent of the style in China.
CHOW-GAR =is aStyle of kung-fu from southern China. It was founded by Chow
Lung, who learned hung-gar, one of the five basic southern systems originating
in the Shao-lin Temple, from his uncle, who added the pa-kua (eight trigrams)
staff maneuvers to his nephew's training before passing away. The Choy style
was taught to him by Choy-Kau. Later, after a three-year residence in one of
the Shao-Iin templs, he opened his own school in Canton. In 1915 Gen. Lee
Fook-Lam appointed Chow-Lung an instructor in the Chinese Army.
CHOY·LI·FUT =is the Cantonese name for a popular southern Chinese kung-fu
system. Choy-li-Fut derives from the Shao-lin Temple In Choy-li-Fut the
contenders oppose from some distance, which requires of each the proficient and
expert development of long- hand abilities, as well as firm and solid grounding
of the body. though the feet must be versatile. The arms are wielded freely and
powerfully in a variety of styles: uppercut blows, back fist strikes,
roundhouse blows, and overhead foreknuckle thrusts. The Baat Gaw lance, willow
leaf double swords, and "18" staff may be used in this aggressive
kung-fu style.
CRANE STYLE = Also known as called hok or hark yang; form of
kung-fu utilizing one-legged stance. See a/so white crane (Tibetan style).
DRUNKEN STYLE = Is a System of Chinese fighting patterned after
the conventional movements of a drunkard. The actions appear wild and
illogical. The practitioner wobbles unsteadily and Occasionally seems to
stumble to the ground, where he will lash out with a combination of foot and
leg techniques. Many styles have drunken sets, which are reserved for the
highest levels of training. There is a drunken monkey set, a drunken praying
mantis set, a drunken white crane set, and so on. The Eight Drunken Fairies
set-extremely difficult-was developed by the famous eagle claw master
Lau-Fat-Mang, who used it to win the competition at civil examinations in Peking.
EAGLE CLAW SYSTEM = Is a Style of kung-fu visible in the highly
acrobatic fann tzu system. Teaching the style for the famous Ching Wu (jing Mo,
in Cantonese) Athletic Association in Shanghai, China, Grandmaster liu Fa Mang
catapulted the style to its present popularity.
FAN-TZU = Is aNorthern style of kung-fu; dates at least to the Ming period.
It is very simple in its approach. Also called ba-fan. FIVE ELDERS Style
of kung-fu; also, the five priests who escaped the burning of the original
Shao-lin Temple.
FONG NGAN = Is a Style of Chinese kung-fu, known as the Phoenix Eye,
originating in China's Hopu province and developed by Kew Soong. In the fang
ngan system, the basic blow is delivered with the fore- knuckle fist (from
which the style takes its name). Palm fist, finger poke, ridge hand, and knife
hand techniques also are taught. The style's only kick is the front snap kick,
delivered low to the groin area.
There are no formal stances in the style.
Instead, practitioners learn . to crowd an opponent, enticing him to make a
wrong move. A fong ngan practitioner never retreats from an attack, but
moves into it or, if necessary, jumps to the side while counterattacking. Fong
ngan employs tripping and leg-hooking throws, techniques that are always followed
up by a "killing" blow or strike. The style emphasizes kuen (forms),
proper breathing, speed, and form. There are four-man and two-man exercises,
the latter closely resembling sparring.
FU-CHIAO = Is aA tiger claw system of kung-fu; the style emulates the·
movement of the tiger. There is a fu-chiao federation in New York City headed
by Wai Hong.
HOP GAR = Also known as Lama kung-fu, Hop-Gar became
prominent during the Ch'ing dynasty in China as the official martial system of
the Manchu Emperor and his guard. It was, and still is, a style for fighting,
not for exercise or dancing. More than three hundred years ago, in the Ming
dynasty, a Tibetan priest named Dai-Dot laid the groundwork for the Lama kung-fu
style, creating the "lion roar" martial system. According to legend,
Dai-Dot was stricken with enlightenment one day and, pointing one finger toward
the sky and one toward the earth, he fell to his hands and knees and roared
like a lion roar, composed of eight fists, eight steps, eight fingers, eight
grips, and eight kicks, was taught in the Ting-Juck-Lui-Yam Temple by the
Kay-Lam Buddha. Lama passed through many generations of Tibetan priests at the
temple before reaching the hands of the Lama Jickbowloklowtow, whose Chinese
name was Ng-Mui, a famous personality in Chinese kung-fu novels. He is credited
with devising the mui-fa-jeong (plum flower stumps) atop which kung-fu was
Practiced.
The Lama style is composed of four main
subdivisions: white crane, ta-mo, wei-t'ol, and law-horn. Ng-Mui taught the
complete Lama style to only one student, named Hing-Duk, leaving his four other
disciples to make full styles of their respective subdivisions. Hing-Duk passed
the lama style to Wong- Yan-lum, who brought it to the emperor's palace in
Peking, where he was employed to instruct the Imperial guard. When the Manchu
dynasty collapsed, Wong left the Forbidden City and changed the style's name to
Hop-Gar. To establish a reputation in southern China, he constructed a stage in
Canton, challenging all comers' and besting more than 150 kung-fu masters. For
this he gained the number-one seat in the prestigious group of martial artists
known as the Canton- Ten-Tigers.
Wong- Yan-Lum passed the Hop-Gar style to Ng- Yim-Ming,
who brought it to the U.S. Ng-Yim-Ming, before his death in the early 1970s,
appointed one official representative to carryon the Hop-Gar system,
Chin-Dai-Wei (David Chin). Hop-Gar is composed of 12 short-hand and 12
long-hand maneuvers, and 8 forms employing empty-hand and weaponry techniques,
The most important aspect of the style is its footwork, called kay-men-bo, used
atop Ng-Mui's mui-fa-jeong, a series of stumps driven into the ground.
Technique and form, according to Hop-Gar philosophy, are a means to an end; one
learns through formalized training but, finally becomes free, discarding all
that is not natural and spontaneous.
HOU CH'UAN = Is a Northern Chinese style of kung-fu requiring great agility;
the monkey style of kung-fu. See also ta-sheng pi-kua.
HSING-I; HSING-YI = literally means, the "mind form" style
,a kung-fu system found chiefly in the north, originating in San-Shih province,
It spread to Hepei, then to Hunan, and eventually reached Peking.
Based on the five-element philosophy of Chinese
cosmology, it is a simple, practical style. Major weapons in hsing-i are the
knife (tao) and sword (chien). It uses single movements in training, repeated
on both left and right sides, and contains short basic forms, unlike other
northern systems.
Important figures in the Hepei style (which
stems from the San-Shih, original style) are li-Tsun-I, who taught
San-Yuen-Shiang, who taught Tsau-Ke-li, Chiao-liang-Feng (now in Taiwan), and
Adam Hsu (in San Francisco). Contemporaries of li- Tsun-I were Sun-Lu Tang, who
taught Shuen-Chian- Yuen, now in the People's Republic of China; and
Chiao-liang-Feng, who taught li-Ming-Shan, now in Taiwan.
HUNG-CHIA = Is a Southern style of Chinese kung-fu stressing powerful
hand techniques, delivered from strong low stances. As the story goes, five
monks, called the Five Ancestors, escaped from the Shao-lin Temple during its
destruction by government troops. One monk, Chi-Sim, made his way to southern
China, taking refuge among the boat people, where he was recruited by a
floating opera troupe to teach martial arts.
Chi-Sim reportedly modified his Shao-lin style
accordingly; kicks and the more intricate balancing maneuvers found in northern
strains of Shao-lin were excluded. The origination of the style is credited to
Fong-T'sai after his escape from the Shao-lin Temple. Another source holds that
the originators of the style were Ng-Mui and Mui-Hin.
The system is based on the movements of the five
animals: dragon, snake, tiger, leopard, and crane. A famous exponent of this
system is Yuen-Yik-Kai, in Hong Kong.
HUNG CH'UAN = Is a Form of northern Chinese kung-fu dating to
the 12th or 13th century. See also wai chia; triads.
INTERNAL SYSTEMS = Any Chinese kung-fu styles whose emphasis
is mostly defensive, with circular soft techniques and regulated breathing
patterns. T'al-chi ch'uan, pa-kua, and hslng-I are the best known of the
internal systems. See also nei-chia.
KE-CHIA = A Southern form of Chinese kung-fu, composed of three
styles: lung-hslng (dragon), bel mei (white eyebrow; also bak-mei in
Cantonese): and tsu chlo (also known as southern praying mantis). Ke-chia
literally means "guest family," as the originators of these styles
were not from the Kwang-Tung province area.
KUNG-KI-CH'UAN = A Northern style of Chinese kung-fu originating
in the Chang county, Hopei province, where it is still practiced. Practice is
quite slow and very difficult, consisting of low horse stances. Famous for its
staff and knife routines, it is a rare style in which a practitioner will often
strike his own body. Because of this, and its extreme difficulty, the nickname
Sa-Dung-li, or "stupid Kung-li practitioners," has been applied. The
system has three forms, liu- Twei-Jya, Kung-li-Jya, and Kung-li-Ch'uan.
KUO-CH'UAN = Dog Boxing: a northern form of Chinese kung-fu originating in
Shan-Tung province. The system is not particularly popular and is mostly done
for fun. Practitioners stay close to the ground, often barking like a dog. Used
in demonstrations.
PAO (LEOPARD STYLE) = Leopard style Kung-fu style,also called
pao; movements are fast and deceptive. The style contains narrow stances and
clenched fists.
LI GAR = Is a Southern short-hand style of kung-fu; characterized by
slapping and poking motions with rapid stance changes. In Mandarin, called
li-chia.
LION, CHINESE KUNG-FU (northern and southern) = In the south, a large, papier-mache, highly
decorated head operated by a kung-fu practitioner from inside. Attached to this
head is a long-silken "body" under which a second practitioner
crouches, aiding the lion's maneuvers. There are, principally, two kinds of
southern lion, the young, or black lion, and the old, or multicolored. The
former is considered a mark of hostility by the school that displays it. Horns,
birds, tassels, and mirrors (in to which any local demons will stare and be
frightened away by their own reflections) may adorn lion heads.
By contrast, the northern lion is more
animal-like; its costume is a form-lilting suit. The head is less stylized than
that 01 its southern relative. The lion traditionally represents the
"soul" of the kung-fu school. A school's prowess is tested by testing
the lion when it roams the streets, Usually during festivals or opening
ceremonies. lion head . colors may follow those attributed to Kwan-Kung and his
brothers, Chang and liu. These are white face, eyebrows, and beard; red face
with black beard; or black beard with green nose. Often seen accompanying the
lion are the large kung-fu drum (ta-gu), with cymbals and gong, a buddha head
or antagonist dressed like a buddha, and the kung-fu school "guards,"
LIU-HE "Six methods," = Some of the best forms of liu-he come from
Chang County, Hopei province, in China. This is a difficult style of northern
Chinese kung-fu; weapon routines include the spear. staff. and knife. It is
composed, as the name implies, of three internal and three external principles
which, as it turns out, can be applied to many other martial arts. In Shantung,
liu-he was combined with tang-lang (praying mantis). forming the liu-he
tang-lang style. Important figures in the liu-he style are Teng-Cheng-I and
liu-Te-Kwan, who taught Chiao-Shin-Chou, who taught Wan-Lai-Sin (who wrote a
popular book on the liu-he system
LIU HO CH'UAN =Is a style of Kung-fu which originated
in . A.D. 1100; also known as six-combination boxing.
LIU-HO-PA-FA = Also known as "Six Harmonies, Eight
Steps," a northern form of Chinese kung-fu comprised of the styles known
as liu-ho and pa-fa. The development of this system is rooted in folklore.
Essentially, it is similar to yueh-fei-ch'uan. A soft form of kung-fu, this
style's origin is somewhat of a mystery. Until 1929, when master Wu-I-Hwei
brought the system to Nan-Hing, nobody had seen it. Even when Wu brought it into
the open, the lineage and development were unclear. The style is popular
primarily in the Hong Kong area. The system favors fingertip strikes with a
minimum use of the legs. Kicks are directed only to leg areas of an opponent.
It also favors hand-trapping elbow strikes and wrist-locking tactics. See also
liu-ho-ch'uan.
LO-HAN-CH'UAN = Is literally the Buddha style, a Chinese kung-fu
form with northern and southern variants. The most famous is the northern
style. which is itself composed of several systems. Basically. the . style is
similar to chang-ch'uan. Emphasis is placed upon positioning rather than
movement (a concept peculiar for kung-fu styles). The southern strain is
especially popular in Fukien province; it too stresses positioning, but with more
liberal movement.
MIEN-CH'UAN = Literally means, "callan fist," a northern style of
Chinese kung-fu. Notions of softness, smoothness, slowness, warmth, and even
weakness are conveyed in its name. Practitioners train very slowly. Emphasis
here is on soft training, training the legs, perfecting a low horse stance. A
saying about this style warns "Mein-ch'uan, ten years stay in the
home"-ten years of practice before one can use it. Important figures
in the mien-ch'uan style are Luo-Tsen-li, who aught Wen-Chin-Mong (now in the
People's Republic of China) and Fu-Shu- Yuen (in Taiwan). Of the same
generation as Fu-Shu-Yuen is Lan-Shu-Chen (also in tho People's Republic of
China).
MONKEY STYLE = This style is known in Chinese as lai-sing pek
kwar; founded by Kou Tze, a Chinese martial artist, in the early 19th century.
Kou Tze formulated his art through observation of monkeys‘ habits during an
eight-year imprisonment. He analyzed and classified their movements and
combined them with the grand earth style of kung-fu, which he had studied
previously. The style consists of five species, each utilizing a different
principle of movement. Kou Tze named these forms the "lost monkey,"
"the drunken monkey," "the tall monkey," "the stone
monkey," and "the wood monkey." Lost monkey deals
with surprise attacks and self-defense situations.
Drunken monkey, perhaps the most bizarre of all
kung-fu sets, imulates imbalance and broken rhythm. In reality, the performer
is alert, his stance solid, and his movements evasive and deceptive-thus
unpredictable. The drunken monkey cannot be hit; he rolls with each blow and
gets up again to do battle. Tall monkey features long distance sweeping,
swinging arm movements, and low, deep stances. lone monkey relies on power and
brute strength; it is characterized by somersaults, rolling, and
failing-usually taught only to students with strong physiques, who can take the
punishing movements. wood monkey is the primary form of deception. It requires
quick wits and cleverness to lure an opponent into the trap. Generally only one
set is taught to a student, the one which the Instructor feels best suits the
student's body and ability.
NEI-CHIA = Is a Chinese kung-fu styles that approach the development of
strength through the cultivation of ch'l. Prime examples are t'al-chl-ch'uan,
pa-kua and hslng-I. These are also referred to as "soft" schools of
kung fu. Most systems. using this definition. fall into a mixed category, in
which "hard" and "soft" techniques are combined. Some
authorities believe the divisions "inner" and "outer,"
defined in this way, are erroneous, that most systems, if not all, contain
aspects of both the "hard" and the "soft," that no clear
division among schools can be drawn. Chinese kung-fu styles that base
their philosophical attitudes primarily upon Confucian thought. This definition
is vague; though Confucianist, Taoist, Buddhist, and Hindu strains become
intertwined, significant influences can sometimes be identified..
PA-KUA = One of the three branches of nel-chla (internal family or system)
of Chinese boxing. The other two branches are t'al-chl ch'uan (grand ultimate
fist) and hllng-I (form of mind). The name pa-kua, as well as its rationale,
derive from the philosophy growing out of the I Ching (Book of Changes), but
one need not comprehend the Book of Changes to practice pa-kua boxing. Pa-kua's
philosophy is concerned with continuous change: all is in flux, nothing stands
still.
The origin of pa-kua is unknown; it is known
only that Tung Hai-ch'uan (AD 1798-1879) of Wenan Hsien, in Hopei province,
during the Ch'ing Dynasty learned this art from an anonymous Taoist in the
mountainous stronghold of Kiangsu province. A young man then barely in his 20s,
Tung is reputed to have been nearly dead of starvation when the hermit found
him. The Taoist ministered to him, and Tung remained with him several years
learning a "divine" boxing.
After becoming famous in Peking, Tung was
challenged by Kuo Yun-shen ("Divine Crushing Hand") of the hsing-i
school. Through two days of the duel, Kuo, who had killed men with his
notorious crushing hand, could not gain any advantage. On the third day, Tung
finally took the offensive and so completely defeated Kuo that he made him a
lifelong friend. At once they signed a brotherhood pact requiring hsing-i
students to take pa-kua training and vice versa. For this reason, the two
styles are to this day coupled. Tung's most famous pupils were: Yin Fu,
Ch'eng T'ing-hua, Ma Wei-chi, liu Feng-ch'un, and Shih liu. The best known
pa-kua boxers in Taiwan today are Wang Shu-chin, Chang Chuan-feng, Ch'en
P'an-ling, Kuo Feng-ch'ih, and Hung I-hsing.
Pa-kua is one of the three internal methods of
Chinese boxing emphasizing displacement of horizontal strength and turning of
the palms. Pa-kua (eight trig rams) is comprised of various circling postures
named after and based on the movements of the snake, stork, dragon, hawk, lion,
monkey, and bear. Further reading: Pa-Kua Chang, Lee-Ying-Arng, 1972; Pa-Kua,
Chinese Boxing, Robert W. Smith, 1965.
PI-KUA = ANorthern style of Chinese kung-fu emphasizing use of the palm
for striking. Pi-Kua spends a great deal of time teaching one to receive
punishment as well as to dish it out. A practitioner may even strike himself,
following through with all his force. Noted weapons of pi-kua are the single
and double knife. Important figures in the tung-pei strain of pi-kua are
Chiang- Tze, who taught Chiang-Dz; and Chlang-Hsiau- Tang, who taught Meng
Tsau-Shuen (currently in Taiwan).
POE KHEK = A New style of kung-fu popular in Malaysia. The art has been
developed in the past thirty years by a Chinese sifu (teacher), Nip Chee FeI.
Its resilience is drawn from t'al-chl-ch'uan, its strength from Shao-lin. Poe
khek has its own kata; leg techniques are employed, but hand techniques
predominate. During sparring, punches and kicks are not pulled, and protective
gear is worn.
PRAYING MANTIS = A Kung-fu system founded In the17th century by
Wong Long in the southern part of China. Praying mantis relies heavily on
fierce grasping movements, clawing attacks, and punches, both for offense and
defense. There is, however, a great variety within the style, using as it does
the firmness of stance found in lung gar, a number of movements from the monkey
systems, and something of the litheness and antennae like actions of its
namesake. According to legend, Wang Lang captured a praying mantis and took it
home, where he studied its movements. He blended these movements with the
monkey style to form his new system.
(eight steps style): This is aNorthern Chinese kung-fu style founded
near the end of the Ch'ing dynasty by Chiang-Hwa-Lung, perhaps the leading
praying mantis master of his time. As Chiang grew older and more knowledgeable,
he became dissatisfied with the existing praying mantis system. He had two
friends, one a hsing-I practitioner and one a t'ung-pei master, whom he trusted
enough to ask for advice while formulating a new style. The
"horse-monkey" footwork patterns of the original system Chiang believed
inadequate; he therefore introduced the eight steps footwork pattern. It is
significant that he, as most other kung-fu grandmasters, always saw the
footwork of the style as most important. Chiang also modified the original
seven stars forms known as:
Shau-fan-she (the small rolling wheel)
Ta-Ian-she (the big rolling wheel)
Though still considered seven stars, it was
tightened up, fighting was at closer range. Chiang also extended the seven
stars form t'sai-yau to over 360 movements presented in six sets, deemphasized
the hook like mantis-shaped hand so often considered a trademark ot the
fang-lang style, and introduced more techniques using the palm. Famous masters
of this stylo include Chlang-Hwa-Lung, who taught Feng-Wan-I, who taught
WoIShnu-Tang, currently living in Taiwan.
(seven stars style): Northern style of Chinese kung fu. The
"seven stars" style of praying mantis is the original system, so
called because of its footwork pattern. The pattern takes its name from the
constellation Ursa Major, a conspicuous zig-zag star arrangement in the
northern firmament suggesting the angular positions adopted during combat. The
Chinese name for this style is Chi-hsingt’ang. A common misconception holds
that the style's founder noticed a star like pattern of dots on the back of a
mantis he had captured to study.
Chl-hsing rang-lang is also known as mei-hwa
rang-lang (plum flower praying mantis), essentially the same system as the
seven-stars style Its name finds a similarity of form in the branching of plum
blossoms and the hand configurations of the style. Mei-hwa rang-lang, however,
is not a popular style.
Yet another name for chi-hsing tang-lang is
t'ang-Iang-gou-dz (t'ang-Iang hook). because of the Hook like way in which the
hand is used. Praying mantis was founded by master Wang Lang during the end at
the Mlng and beginning of the Ch'ing dynasty. Already a master of the Shao-Iln
style of Chinese kung-fu, he combined "monkey" footwork with praYing
mantis hand techniques. He called the footwork horse-monkey" after a
species of large monkey whose habits he had observed. The style is quite clear
and direct as contrasted with pa~kua or t'al~chi, which are ambiguous in
application. Chi~hsing Tang-Lang has also been known as Shwei-Shou Tang-Lang, a
branch of the seven stars system. Seven stars praying mantis has three
important forms and numerous minor ones The Mei-hwa subcategory has three
forms: Mei-Hwa-Lu, Mel-Hwa-Ch'uan, and Mei-Hwa-Shou; there is little real
difference among them.
Chi-Hsing also has three important forms:
Peng-pu (the most important), Lua-Che (literally meaning the free arrangement,
so named because in the old days the situ asked students to arrange the
routines themselves-the reason there are so many arranged sets today), and the
Tsai-Yau, using elbows and hips. A subcategory of T'sai- Yau IS Pa-Sou, or
eight elbows, emphasizing a complex use of elbows, hips, and knees.
Important practitioners of the chi-hsing t’ang-lang style are Ch:ang-Hwa-Lung,
who taught li-Kwun-Shan, and Lo-Kwang-yu, who taught Wang-Han-Hsun, who taught
San Francisco situ Brendan Lai. The same generation as Wang Han-Hsun was
Chen-Chiu-I. Li-Kwun-Shan also taught li-Teng-Wu, now in Taiwan, and Chiang
Te-Hwei, who taught Hsu-Yu-Chiang
SAN-HWANG PAO-CH'UI = Is aNorthern style of Chinese kung-fu
originating in the Three Kingdoms period; literally means "cannon
fist." The style is also known as hsing-kung-ch'uan, and is still
practiced in Peking.
SHAU WAN CH'UAN = Is a Kung-fu style originating in a
northern Shao-lin monastery. It combines quick, accurate foot techniques with
fist movements.
SHUAI CHIAO = Is known as aChinese form of wrestling dating back to about 700
B,C, Unlike Western wrestling or judo, shuai chiao uses throws and takedowns,
as well as strikes, kicks, and blocks similar to those in kung-fu. Throwing is
often done by a combination of sweeping and throwing actions, thus making the
opponent fall hard. Instead of grabbing an opponent's uniform, as in judo,
shuai chiao wrestlers grab the arms, legs, shoulders or other bodily parts to
execute moves.
Stances are very low and solid. Freestyle
fighting is practiced, with kicks, strikes and throws combined. Because of the
heavy failing, shuai chao students, of course, learn to fall and tumble. Today,
students are graded by colored belts. the art is taught as a means of combat,
not as a sport. There are numerous styles practiced in different parts of
China.
TA-CHENG CH'UAN = Is a Internal boxing system created from
hsing-i by Wang Hsiang-chai after the death of Chang Chao-tung. Also known as
the "great achievement" boxing.
TAI-CH'I (Ch'eng style) = Is a Highly philosophical system of Chinese
kung-fu founded by Chen-Wong-Ting in the Ming dynasty and closely held for many
years within the Ch'en family. A relatively recent creation compared to many
other styles, it grew out of five basic forms. The first is soft, designed to
change the "way" one moves. The second form begins development of
power and circular movement. The third and subsequent forms concentrate heavily
on strength and power.
T' AI-CHI-CH'UAN (Ch'en style) = Is a Style of "long boxing" in the
tradition of rai-chi kung-fu The reader should note that the origin of
Ch'en-Chia t'ai-chi is disputed among martial arts historians. The 'Yang'
school of ('ai-chi has, according to at least one noted authority, always
subscribed to the traditional story of Chang San Feng's being the founder of
t'ai-chi, in the Sung dynasty. This is probably myth. A second theory suggests
that t'ai-chi arose as a natural outgrowth of the four boxing schools of Hsu,
Yu, Ch'eng, and Yin. Yet another traces the founding to Wang-Tsung- Yueh. All
that is known for sure, however, is that as far back as historians have been
able to trace the style, it has been practiced by the Ch'en family of
Ch'en-Chia Kou village, Honan province, in China.
T'AI-CHI-CH'UAN (Fu style) = Is a System of Chinese t'ai-chi kung-fu
developed by master Fu-Chen-Shung, who passed the art to his son, Fu-Wing-Fay,
it is now taught in the People's Republic of China. The style is also taught by
Fu-Wing-Fay's former colleague, Mark- Bow-Sim, in Boston, who also teaches
"combined" and "simplified" t'al-chi-ch'uan. See also
t'ai-chi-ch'uan (Simplified and General).
T'AI-CHI CH'UAN (General) = Is also a well known Northern style of Chinese
kung-fu; it cultivates chi as the Seat of power and force behind the techniques
It employs. There are several theories of its origin: that the Taoist priest
Chang San Feng ofthe Yuan dynasty created the style; that it emerged during the
Tang dynasty and developed through the Hsu, Yu, Ch'eng and Yin schools; that
the Ch'en family of Ch'en-Chia-Kou In Honan province created it during the Ming
dynasty.
A fourth theory attributes its development to
Wang- Tsung- Yueh, during the Ch'ien-Lung period of the Ch'ing dynasty.
Ch'en-Chia-Kou, it is safe to say, was the first t'ai-chi-ch'uan master.
Essentially, Ch'en is the original style, Important figures In this style are
Chen-Chiang Shuen, who taught Chen Gen-Yuan, who taught Chen- Yuan-Shih, who
taught Chen-Fa-Ke Chen-Fa-Ke then had three students of note: Chen-Chiao-Shu,
who taught Chen Shlao-Wang (now in the People's Republic of China); Chen-
Tsau-Kuei; and Wang-Men-Pi (in Taiwan), who taught Rei-Mu-Ni (now in the
Peoples Republic of China), Feng-Tz-Chiao (also in China), and Tien-ShoU-Chen
was Tu-Yu-Tse in Taiwan, who taught San Francisco-based Adam Hsu.
Two major and important schools of t'ai-chi
emerged from Ch'en style, namely the Yang and Wu styles. Actually, Wu, li, Hao,
Tsuen, and Sun styles all derive from the Wu system which, in turn, comes from
Yang. In one way or another, styles ot t'ai-chi originate with Ch'en.
Following the Yang style through Yang-Lu-Ch'an, who learned tram
Ch'en-Ch'ang-Hsing, we find that Yang had two students of importance: Yang-Chien-Hou
and Yang-Pan-Hou. Yang-Chien-Hou taught Yang Ch'eng-Fu, who taught
Cheng-Man-Ch'ing, Ch'en Wei-Ming, Li-Ya-Hsuan, Tung-Ying-Chieh, and Wu
Hui-Ch'uan. Cheng Man-Ch'ing taught Ben Lo, who taught Tung Ying-Chieh, who
taught Tung-Kai-Ying in Los Angeles. This is but a partial listing of
important figures in the lineage of t'ai-chi-ch'uan. There are many schools of
t’ai-chi, with members too numerous to mention.
T' AI-CHI-CH'UAN (Hsu style) = Is a Style of "long boxing"
originating in the Tang dynasty with Hsu-Hsuan-P'ing. Hsu was born in
Chi-Hsien, An-Hwei, and promulgated a style of t'ai-chi comprised of 37 basic
maneuvers. According to one authority, these maneuvers were taught one at a
time until a complete understanding of the system as a whole was learned. See
a/so t'ai-chi ch'uan (General). The techniques of Takenouchi ryu were so
effective that warriors flocked to Takenouchi's dojo. According to ancient
scrolls and manuscripts of this school, Takenuchi's son was requested to
perform techniques from his father's program of instruction, which included
More than 600 techniques, before Emperor Gomizuno (1611-1629). Following the
performance, the emperor bestowed upon the art the title of "supreme and
unsurpassed art of combat," granting the disciples of Takenouchi
permission to use the imperial color, purple, for the Cords employed in the
school's immobilization techniques.
T' AN- T'UI = ANorthern form of Chinese kung-fu from the Chang-Ch'uan Islamic
style. This is actually not a system in itself, but the first form of
Chang-Ch'uan. T'an-t'ui was adopted by several other northern systems (e.g.,
erh-Iang-men, mei-hwa-ch'uan) in their basics. This Chinese boxing system is
characterized by low kicking techniques and an emphasis on strong yet mobile
horse stances. Training stresses repeating movements left and right, always
ending each move with a kick.
TAO YIN = Is aEarly Chinese art, purportedly the forerunner of
t'al-chl-ch'uan. It was a breathing exercise similar to the Zen Buddhist
method. Chang San-feng, a Taoist priest (1279-1368), is credited with spreading
the art.
TA-SHENG-MEN = Is anotherKung-fu style, known as the monkey style. In AD 629,
Hsuan Tsang, a Buddhist monk, was traveling from China to India. According to
legend Sun Wu-k'ung, a monkey, was his body guard. From his methods, so
folklore says, the kung-fu system of ta-sheng-men developed. The stances of a
monkey are adopted in this style, which also employs roils, crouching defensive
postures, and aggressive leaps.
Hsuan Tsang, a Buddhist monk, was traveling from
China to these styles were supposedly put together in Hong Kong, many feel they
are still taught and learned as two separate systems. The pi-kua in this case
is not the original sytle but chang-ch'uan pl-kua, which is itself a mixture of
pi-kua and the "long fist" of chang-ch'uan.
TI T'ANG = Is a Northern Chinese boxing system; techniques of fighting
while falling or lying on the ground. Emphasis is on kicking and falling
techniques. Balance is considered from three standpoints: keeping comfortable
balance; using difficult movements, yet maintaining balance: and breaking
balance, failing, and yet maintaining composure. This training is seen as
practical in circumstances In which one cannot follow the usual methods of
fighting, when injured or taken off guard, for example. Ti- T'ang is also known
as Ti-Kung and Bai-Ma-Sya-Shan; its most well-known exponent is Hwa-Che.
WAH KUEN = Is a Northern Chinese style of boxing emphasizing high kicks and
long-range hand techniques. Students learn to close the gap quickly. Besides
kicking and striking, the system also adopts joint locks and throwing
techniques. Forms are practiced alone or as two-man sets.
WHITE CRANE = Is a Style of Chinese kung-fu based on the movements of the crane
and the ape. Tibetan white crane as opposed to Fukeinese white crane from the
Shao-lin Temple, is called Pak-hoc In Chinese. It stems from the Tibetan Lama,
or Hop Gar martial system. Sing-Lung, a Buddhist priest, is credited by many
with introducing white crane to China. From him the style was passed to
Wong-Lum-Hoi, then Ng-Siu-Chung, the last great patriarch of the system. After
. Ng's death in 1968, the Pak-Hoc Athletic Federation was formed in Hong Kong,
extending authority to all white crane teachers in the absence of Master Ng,
who died without appointing a successor. Today white crane is closely overseen
by federations in Hong Kong and Singapore, although more and more non-Orientals
are being permitted to study the system.
Ng-Siu-Chung taught three prominent students who
became key figures in the migration of white crane kung-fu to the U.S.: Cheuk
Tiang-Tse, in Hawaii; Chan-Hoc-Fu, whose student, George Long, was the first
person to open his kwoon (Chinese school) to non Orientals in San Francisco;
and Lak-Chi-Fu, whose student, Quentin Fang, is well known in the U.S., and
whose son, Lak-Chung-Mau, teaches the art in Canada. Tang-Chak-Ming's students
William Siu and Raymond Mar are also well known within the Chinese martial
arts.
White crane is a combination of long- and
short-hand techniques. It employees both internal and external methods of
training and is composed of 24 sets, 10 empty-hand and 14 weaponry, utilizing a
wide range of hand and leg maneuvers. As e rule the techniques apply methods of
cutting nerves and striking pressure points. White crane footwork, like that of
Hop-Gar, is based on moves developed for the mui-fa-jeong (plum-flower stumps),
a series of tree-stumps driven into the ground atop which students practiced
kung-fu. This philosophy of white crane, identical to that of Hop·Gar, is based
on four words: chon (to destroy). sim (to evade). chun (to penetrate). and jeet
(to intercept).
WING CHUN = Is a Wing Chun is a southern style of Chinese kung-fu, the most
influential Chinese martial art in modern times. Wing chun emphasizes
self·defense reduced to its most streamlined rudi· ments: simultaneous attack
and defense with multiple straight-line strikes at extremely close range. Every
punch, poke, strike, slap, or kick in the system has been designed to serve as
a defense; similarly every block, deflection, or evasion has been designed to
double as an attack. Rapid hand techniques combined with low kicks tend to be
featured in an aggressive array of constant forward pressure. Wing chun
students are taught to insure the most effective de- ployment of their striking
techniques by controlling, or "trapping," one or more of an
opponent's limbs whenever possible.
Trapping skills are developed through a
competitive form of resistance training called chi sao, or "sticking
hands," which besides strengthening the upper body tends to make a student
combat-effective faster than students in most other fighting arts. Formal wing
chun training also includes instruction in three shadow-boxing sets, a wooden
dummy set, and two weapon sets. The first shadow-boxing set called sil lum tao,
or "way of the small idea," contains the core of the art's techniques
although the routine focuses primarily on breathing, balance, coordination as
well as correct hand and arm positions. The second set, called chum kil, or
"searching for the bridge," teaches defensive maneuvering skills and
closing techniques. The last shadowboxing set. called bil gee. or
"thrusting fingers," develops fingers strikes.
The wooden dummy set (muk yan chong) is
performed on a training device unique to wing chun composed of a wooden trunk,
three arms, and one leg, This set teaches the applications of trapping
controlling. and basic combat techniques. The two weapons sets develop fighting
skills with an eight-foot-long pole (Iuk dim boun kwan), which is especially
useful against multiple opponents, and with the twin butterfly knives (pak cham
dao). According to semilegendary accounts, wing chun originated in the early
1700s at the Shaolin Temple in Honan Province. At that time in Chinese history,
the Shaolin Temple with its long established tradition of martial arts training
had become a sanctuary for dissidents, revolutionaries, and secret societies
dedicated to the over throw of the Manchu dynasty. The Manchu government
employed professional soldiers who were highly skilled in the martial arts and
well versed in the fighting tactics of the Shaolin Temple. Whenever they were
sent into an area of Shaolin activity to enforce the Man :hu will, they quickly
put a halt to the Robin Hood operations 01 the rebellious monks.
The Shaolin monks eventually realized that they
could not rapidly train a young rebel to match the fighting skills of the
Manchu soldiers since full mastery of the Shaolin martial arts required
approximately eighteen years.
A solution to this problem needed to be found.
The elders of the temple convened a meeting and agreed to develop a new
fighting art which would overcome all others, and which would take a much
shorter period of time to learn. The elders met regularly and engaged in
lengthy discussions during which each elder revealed his or her most secret
fighting techniques. Soon the elders became so encouraged by the progress of
these discussions that they renamed the martial arts training room in which
they met Wing Chun Hall , or Forever Springtime Hall. The words "wing
chun" expressed their hopes for a renaissance in Shaolin martial arts
instruction. as well as for a more effective weapon in their struggle against
the Manchus.
However before the new fighting art could be
completely developed a. Shaolin traitor tipped off the government and Manchu
soldiers were sent to destroy the temple. Most of the temple residents were
killed in the attack, and the few who survived quickly fled to clandestine
locations throughout China.
Among the survivors was a nun named Ng Mui who
had been one of the temple elders. After the raid, she hid herself at a nunnery
on Tai Leung Mountain between Szechwan and Yunan provinces. She spent her time
there finalizing the movements of the new fighting art. Once completed, Ng Mui
decided to call the art "wing chun" after the Wing Chun Hall in which
she and the other elders had held their discussions. Ng Mui taught the
new art to the teenage daughter of bean-curd vendor Yim Yee Gung who lived in
the village at the bottom of Tai Leung Mountain. Shortly before Ng Mui's death,
she named her student Vim Wing Chun since the girl had been entrusted with the
art's future. For the next two hundred years, wing chun remained a private
kung-fu system, taught only to family and friends, until 1952 in Hong Kong when
grandmaster Yip Man tirst offered commercial instruction. Although over
90 percent of the wing chun schools in the world today can be traced directly
to the efforts of Yip Man and his students, the art has evolved into two
branches of instruction. The first, which may be termed centerline wing chun ,
represents the form of the art taught to Yip Man by Chan Wah Shun. Chan had
been an extraordinarily large and powerful man. His teaching stressed direct
and overpowering aggression.
Centerline wing chun, therefore, is based on an
imaginary straight line, called the "centerline," which is drawn from
the wing chun practitioner's solar plexus to the opponent's chin. The
centerline forms the axis for all attacks and defenses. As long as the
centerline remains in alignment directly in front of an opponent, the wing chun
practitioner can attack in a straight charge, with straight punches, straight
up the opponent's middle. The clenched fist becomes the primary offensive
weapon, reinforced by secondary open hand work and low kicks. The formal
sets in centerline wing chun lack standardization since Yip Man changed them
over the years and frequently modified them in accordance with each student's
abilities. Grandmaster Wong Shun Leung of Hong Kong is generally regarded
as the foremost exponent of centerline wing chun, although other prominent
instructors include Koo Sang (Hong Kong), Leung Ting (Hong Kong), La Lan Kam
(Taiwan), Lee Sing (Britain), May Yat (New York), Jason Lau (New York), Alan
Lamb (California), Hawkins Cheung (California), Keith Kernspect ryJest
Germany), and Greco Wong (South Africa).
HIDDEN FIST KUNG FU (SAO CHOI) = Is a New Kung fu System Known as the GOOCH
SYSTEM, Developed in 1998 by Sifu Mitch Gooch for wheelchair users, This style
focuses on Hand Movements,Developing speed and technical movements,It has
elements of Shaolin Chuan Fa, "Small temple way of Boxing" within its
system. Can be used as a adapted martial arts for Disabled students who are
wheelchair users. The Us of Iron Palm Training is also used within this
system.
HIDDEN FIST KUNG FU (JURN SAO CHOI) = Is a New system from the Gooch System Developed
in 2012 by Sifu Mitch Gooch for able Body students using Animal Forms to
Develop Speed,' accuracy,Pin pointing Pressure points on the body,Whilst using
Chi Sao "Sticking Hands" and Chi Jurn "Sticking Legs"
techniques, as well has Kung Chia "Energy techniques".
If you Would like to study our style of Kung Fu
as well as afew other within our multi martial arts systems feel free to try
one of our sessions at Saint Analaby Church Hall,’Hall Road Hull Every Friday
night 6-30pm till 7.30 pm under Mitch Gooch an experienced martial art
