New book about basic techniques of Shaking Crane (Zong He Quan) is available on Amazon. This book is continuation of my previous "White Crane - secrets of internal power". "White Crane- basic technique" is a training manual that introduces the reader with basic concepts and basic teachniques of Zong He Style.
I want to talk about very interesting thing in martial arts. Before we start I suggest the reader to check the article about the role of the heroes in human society and especially martial arts
People will have heroes, especially in people who practice traditional martial arts. I am not a psychologist or sociologist but it is more than obvious that traditional martial arts attracts certain kind of people. What is interesting, people not only completely disregard negative things their heroes did or stand for but they aggressively defend those negativities. While many of “martial heroes” were drug addicts, gamblers and abusive spouses and parents, these things belong to the domain of private life and do not impact society on larger scale. As if having a junkie or a man who beats his wife and children as a role model is not bad enough, people worship racist, criminals, fascist, psychopaths… Following link shows some of the most popular martial idols,worshipped by millions today.
When confronted with facts considering their idols, people become aggressive and they are trying a justify their behavior by any means necessary. Let’s analyze few of these people. Probably the most famous and worshipped almost as deity is Miyamoto Musashi, described as a Japanese swordsman, philosopher, strategist, writer and rōnin and a perfect warrior. In reality he was a man who killed others for pure pleasure of killing under the excuse of improving and testing his skills. Among his victims were also unarmed children. I will not debate his “philosophical” achievements, everyone has a right to choose what philosophy is for him. Anyway, when confronted with a fact that Musashi killed people for no real reason, that he wondered around challenging people for death duels just because he enjoyed in that, his worshippers say that he had no other choice, that he lived in a time when something like that was usual practice and that he did nothing wrong. Killing a 13 years old child is wrong in any era, in any culture, just this should be enough to make people rethink who do they worship. About that he had no choice and death dues were norm of the time, that was not true. Without detail historic analysis ( all the data about the period in which Musshi’s lived are publically available and easy to find) it enough to say that Musashi caused a lot disturbance with his way of life and what he did was certainly not a norm of behavior at the time. Even if they claim is true (which is definitely not), what Musashi did is completely unacceptable in modern society and worshiping Musashi today is the same as worshipping a serial killer. There are many heroes throughout history, Japan also does not lack real heroes, many of those heroes killed many people defending their countries and their people. And those people are heroes because they fought for a right cause , for right reasons, when all other options were exhausted and they had no choice.
Let’s
look at another example. Yip Man today is worshipped as a god, his martial
style, Wing Chun, is often practiced more as cult than martial art. Besides the
fact that he was a gambler and opium user, he was also a racist. When
confronted with the fact that he was a racist his followers say he was just man
of his time!!! Hitler was also a man of his time. Racism cannot be justified under
any circumstances. No one in the right mind would say that segregation in U.S.
was right, although it was a social norm of the time. Same Wing Chun people
will condemn the racism in U.S or any other place but they will justify racism
of their idol.
There aremany examples like this but these two perfectly describe how followers of traditional martial arts justify things for which people today would end up in prison.
Historical
evidence of putting together two sticks to use during cooking or eating have
been found in East Asia and the Middle East. The earliest versions
were probably twigs used to retrieve food from cooking pots. The fabled ruins
of Yin, in Henan province, provided not only the earliest examples of Chinese
writing but also the first known chopsticks—bronze sets found in tombs at the
site. Capable of reaching deep into boiling pots of water or oil, early
chopsticks were used mainly for cooking. It wasn’t until A.D. 400 that people
began eating with the utensils. This happened when a population boom across
China sapped resources and forced cooks to develop cost-saving habits. They
began chopping food into smaller pieces that required less cooking fuel—and
happened to be perfect for the tweezers-like grip of chopsticks.. This new
method of cooking made it unnecessary to have knives at the dinner table—a
practice that also jibed with the non-violent teachings of Confucius, as
expressed in one of his numerous quotable quotations: "The honorable and
upright man keeps well away from both the slaughterhouse and the kitchen. And
he allows no knives on his table." During
the Chinese dynastic times, silver chopsticks were sometimes used because it
was believed they would turn black if they came in contact with poisoned food.
This practice must have led to some unfortunate misunderstandings—it's now
known that silver has no reaction to arsenic or cyanide, but can change color
if it comes into contact with garlic, onions, or rotten eggs, all of which
release hydrogen sulfide. Wood
and bamboo were the natural early forms of chopsticks, and are still the most
common materials today. In time bone, ivory, bronze, brass, silver, gold, jade,
agate, coral and other exotic materials have been used, especially for wealthy
chopstick owners. Ancient sets of chopsticks in China were commonly found with
a knife and pouch, and chopsticks were frequently bound together at the handle
end by a chain. Disposable chopsticks are modern invention, in the past
everyone had his own pair of chopsticks and they were usually made from some
kind of durable material so they could last long.
Chopsticks
are traditionally utilized as an improvised weapon. Martial artists have
trained with them and carried them not as much as weapons but for having a meal
for centuries, but they make excellent improvised emergency weapon for certain
situations where taking out the main weapon is not easy, for example while sitting
in the restaurant during a meal. While chopsticks don’t have enough weight and
the grip really doesn’t allow firm hold of a weapon, therefore they can’t be
considered a lethal weapon, they can definitely hurt the opponent and give time
to the fighter to either escape or reach the main weapon. Of course, in the past chopsticks were made
form durable and heavier materials, some kind of metal and hardwood and could
be used as weapon in the case of emergency or as a concealed weapon. Modern, light,
disposable bamboo chopsticks can’t be used as weapon.
Chopsticks
can be used as a weapon in three different ways, and can be trained in three
different ways of technique development. It can be used as a throwing blade.
There was a wide variety of throwing darts used in ancient China that are
similar in length and weight with chopsticks. Throwing any kind of dart is
technically really complicated and hard and requires a lot of training.
Chopsticks can be also used as a stabbing weapon. Technique for this kind of
using is similar to other short blades techniques with a difference that
chopsticks can’t cut, they can only be used for stabbing. Chopsticks can be
also used as tool \weapon in joint lock (Chin Na) techniques.
Most
of Kung Fu styles do not use chopsticks as weapons. There are only few rare
styles in China and two Ju Jutsu styles in Japan that teach use of chopsticks
as a weapon. Snake Crane Wing Chun is one of the rare Kung Fu styles that uses
chopsticks as a weapon and as a training tool to enhance the strength and
mobility of the joints.
World of White Crane is
disappearing quickly in Taiwan and seems no one cares about it. South of Taiwan
is the repository of many old and unknown Fujian styles, many of them older
than popular styles like Tai Chi or Wing Chun by far, and definitely more
significant historically culturally and
technically. These styles, practiced traditionally for centuries, pretty much without
contact with other styles still keep original technical content, language,
mythology, oral histories even some aspect of religion. Traditionally, in
Taiwan, particular kung fu style is practiced only by family members or the members of the community
(village). Styles were not secret in a sense that they were hidden behind closed
doors but they were almost never taught to outsiders. This tradition is very much alive today and it
is one of the reasons why all these styles are on brink of extinction. Vast
majority of these are some form of White Crane. Many styles are pure Crane
styles while others have been mixed with styles sometime in the past but Crane flavor
is still prevalent. Many of these Crane
styles are far older that better known White Cranes like Yong Chun Bai He fist,
Shihe, Suhe, Zonghe…
Having in mind that
strong tradition prevents masters to teach people outside their community or family
and that majority of these styles concentrated on the south part of Taiwan, endangeres
the survival of these styles. For decades young people for the south ,
especially from villages, migrate to the north, to big economical centres in
serach for better jobs and better life. It came to the point that many schools
in far south had tobe closed because there are no more kids. Young people leave
early, in search for better education that will give them better oppurtunities
later in life and there is no time for the masters to pass the complete styles
to next generations. On the other hand , young generation do not show much
interest for kung fu. Baseball and tennis are much more popular than any other
sport or activity. In Taiwan, kung fu is a thing of old people, those who want
to keep and preserve the tradition, but there is not many of them.
Another reason for
declining interest in kung fu is rasining popularty of MMA and asscoated arts. Kung
Fu in general didn’t
show well in full contact fighting and that is one more reason for declining interest
in it. Thai Boxing and MMA gyms have much more students in Taiwan than average kung
fu club.
Having all this in mind
we can see that extinction process of kung fu is at the point that simply
cannot be reversed. Many interesting Crane styles (and other kung fu styles)
simply disappeard in the last few decades. The rest will probably disappear with
last masters of those arts in the next decade or so.
Disappearing of these old
styles will be irreplaceable loss for traditional Chinese cultural heritage. People’s Republic of China started a project of
documenting rare and disappearing Kung Fu styles,which will be preserved at least in digital formand
could be revived some time in the future with some effort. If nothing else,
preserveing Kung Fu in this format can be valuable source for all kinds of research
in the future. Bottom line, these styles won’t be alive but they would not disappear
completely. Unfortunately, In Taiwan such a project is not even
considered.There were few tryes done by a private researches and kung fu
pracitioners, but they simply lack resources to complete such a big project.
To conclude this article, chances are that we will have accept the fact that allthese beautiful old styles will disappear in the future, leaving an enormous gap in traditional kung fu heritage.
After a few a months break due to lockdown caused by supposed virus I have finally returend to Taipei to continue my White Crane training. I came to 228 park near Taipei Main Station at 8 am. There were already several groups of people practing different Kung Fu styles. Older people practiced Tai Chi and Bagua, it was interesting to watch sword play preformed by people who are definitely above 80 years of age. Countles decades of training are easily seen in their movements. It was quite an experience and honor to watch those people who would beem in any other place, considered grandmastes, but here they are just Kung Fu devoties, nothing more and nothing less. Younger people engaged in vigoros training of modern Wushu and some Northern traditional styles, but I really have very little knowldge about Northern styles so I couldn't say what did they practiced exactly. Usually, park is full of people who exercise, but people were still afaried of the virus and groups were much smaller in number of the practitiones.
By the time I finished coffee, my teacher arrived. After a warm up we started the training. Because we had a long break teacher decided to teach a whole bunch of new things, to cover the time we couldn't practice together. On comfortable 35 degrees Celsius and humidity that requires gills for breathing the training started. Big air-conditioned training hall with matts, heavy bags wooden dummies and other exotic equipment is standard for practicing martial arts in the west. In Taiwan most of the schools operate in local parks and some of the most significant teachers in the past as well as today still teach in the open. Taiwanese people practice Kung Fu regardless of the weather, only typhoon can stop them. Next two and half hours were very hard, teacher was strict but patient, he was correcting my movements, explaining the underlining principles and applications. At one moment I had ask teacher to stop showing new things because it was too much information to absorb at once.
Master
Elton Chiu is one of the best Taiwanese Kung Fu teachers. Extremely knowledgeable
and very patient he has the ability to pass very complicated concepts and
principles effortlessly. Well educated and speaking perfect English, Master
Chiu taught a number of domestic and foreign students. Despite all the knowledge
and skills he generously share with everyone interested, he is a perfect
example of Kung Fu Master we read about in old stories. Humble and quiet, he keeps low profile in
Kung Fu community while preserving the most traditional forms of Kung Fu, not
only in technical context but also social and cultural. Being accepted as
student by Master Chiu is a rare privilege and I consider myself extremely lucky
to learn from such teacher. There are no words to express my gratitude to
master Chiu. Hopefully, next time when I go to Taipei, weather won’t be so
harsh on this poor foreigner who still can’t adapt to tropical heat of this beautiful
island.
White Crane is not just one of many
southern Chinese Kung Fu styles, it is a style that many other arts claim they
descended from. What is obvious in all
southern Kung Fu styles is that they indeed share many similarities in
principles and techniques, especially styles from Fujian province. Most Fujian styles
to untrained eye may look pretty much the same and even people involved in one
of those styles can’t really separate other styles and recognize them at first
glance. It is evident that Fujian styles share common origin and same goes for
Guangdong styles but to a lesser degree. Although influence of some proto style
from Fujian that influence development
of all southern Kung Fu is not as strong in Guangdong as it is strong in
Fujian, that influence is still very strong and many foundational principles
and basic body mechanics are shared thorough different styles. Of course,
styles developed in different direction but common origin, as it is the case in
Fujian styles is obvious for majority of Guangdong styles.
How White Crane came to the place of
that proto-style remains unknown. Early history of White Crane remains unknown.
Early history of the style is completely mythical without any historical evidence.
Today it is wide spread opinion that the oldest White Crane style is Young Chun
style from the village with the same name. In reality, we have no evidence to
support that believe. Just like with all other Kung Fu styles, White Crane
history could be tracked with some certainty from 1860’s after the end of
Taiping rebellion. Before that time legends and myths is all we have regarding
the development of the style and people involved in it. We have some evidence
that White Crane as a style under that name existed prior 1850, but the
technical content of that style remains unknown and the evidence surprisingly comes
from Guangdong province. There are also Crane like styles in Taiwan that are
brought to the island prior or in early 1850’s, but there is no clear proof for
White Crane in particular. The conclusion is, there is not clear historical evidence
that can prove White Crane is really the proto-style from which all other southern
styles developed or at least were influenced by to a certain degree.
On the other hand, technical content
of White Crane speaks in favor of that belief that this style indeed is the
proto-style of most southern styles. We can see Crane techniques, principles, parts
of forms or entire forms and body mechanics in most of Fujian and Guangdong
styles. From purely technical perspective Crane really could the proto style we
are talking about in this article.
How and why White Crane came to be
what it is today in technical, social and historical terms remains unknown.
What is known is the fact that all White Crane styles are extremely sophisticated,
beautiful, and seemingly simple. Also mastering White Crane can allow practitioner
to master most of the other southern styles in a very short time.
I present my book
“Wing Chun - Structure and Internal Power” is an insightful, very practical, and also sometimes quite provocative book that takes unique approach in explaining the very foundation of Wing Chun style. The author is describing the history of some popularly used terminus in Martial arts supported by science and not mythology. Same approach is used in explaining the true nature of “internal” powers and body structure. Separating myths, religion and esotery form real facts,author gives clear and easy to understand explanations of internal practice in Wing Chun through the prism of medical science, biology and physics. This a book that every serious Wing Chun practitioner must have in his library.
Book can be found here: WING CHUN: STRUCTURE AND INTERNAL POWER
