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понедељак, 23. мај 2016.

Golden Eagle style - rare Taiwanese kung fu treasure

        Taiwan , due to specific geographical position and history is the last oasis of true traditional kung fu . Not only that ,Taiwan is repository of rare and on other places long lost kung fu styles. Many styles are still kept secret and taught only to family members while others are more open but largely unknown and remain hidden in small villages all over the island . One of these rare treasures is Golden Eagle boxing which can be found only in Taiwan . Like most of the old , southern styles practiced on Taiwan , Golden Eagle boxing is brought from Fujian province in early 1800's.
     Taiwan in the early 1800's(since Koshinga's arrival in 1660"s  ) was a frontier province , much like wild west in  North America at the same period. Many people came to this frontier land to start new life and found their fortune . Many escaped mainland to hide from government persecution whether they were political refugees or common criminals. Practically, government had a control over very small area of Taiwan around its main administrative center, Tainan, the rest of the island was totally out of their control . People who settle on the island had to take care of their own safety , surrounded by Japanese pirates , domestic bandits and aboriginal head hunter's tribes . Every settlement had its own militia trained in martial arts in order to protect them self   and maintain law and order, One of these places was Hsiulo village a famous Taiwanese kung fu place . Actually Hsiulo was a complex of 7 villages whose elders hired martial arts instructors to teach almost all male members to fight .In early 1830's village elders invited a young martial artist from Fujian to take over martial arts training in Hsiulo. Martial artist was Liu Pao also known as Ming Shan who later became one of the most important kung fu figures in history of Taiwan and known under his nickname - A Shin Shi ,
   a Shin Shi opened his school under a name  Cheng Xiang She(Restoration Society) and was responsible for martial training in all seven villages of Hsiulo. He was extraordinary martial arts master and excellent medical doctor . Having highest moral and ethical standards , well educated and honestly concerned for his students he insisted that martial a\training must start with literary studies. He had great number of excellent students and his Golden Eagle boxing became predominant martial style of Hsiulo. Dut to these facts his fame spread all over Taiwan. A Shin Shi first time retired in 1846 and passed a title of head instructor of his school to Liao Fu . Unfortunately Liao died two years later and A Shin Shi returned to the school where he stayed until 1860 when he finally retired . After A Shin Shi's death his school devied firs at two separate  sub styles and later in couple more distinct sub styles .
Golden Eagle is typical Fujianese style . On first glance resembles on old White Crane styles from Fukian and even more on Hakka styles . Style uses high stances,emphasis is put on evading and dogging rather than on direct blocking . Strikes are linear , fast and combined with footwork for reaching better angle for attack. Style has around 30 short forms and uses a wide variety of traditional weapons.


   


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