Our Hakka gongfu training requires the carrying of heavyweights upon our backs. This represents the hilly terrain the Hakka people lived within throughout the New Territories, Hong Kong. Hakka Clan villages, especially by the 20th century, were often re-constructed upon the top of various hills situated in prominent good (feng shui) positions. The bones must be kept strong for building good health and ensuring longevity. Strong bones allow the bodyweight to drop down through the centre of the bone-marrow into the floor (creating a strong 'root') - and facilitates the rebounding force which is distributed (throughout the skeletal-system) to the striking part of the anatomy - be it a hand, foot, elbow, knee, fore-head or torso, etc. The Hakka people moved into the Guangdong area (that became the 'New Territories' under the British in the 1890s) in the mid-1600s - following the Manchurian invasion of China (which established the foreign 'Qing Dynasty' during 1644 CE). Our 'Chan' (陳) Clan (pronounced 'Chin' in the Hakka language and 'Chan' in the Cantonese language) originally settled at the base of a hill near the coast in the Sai Kung area. I think we probably originated somewhere in Henan province (like many other Hakka Clans that I have investigated). Younger people often carried older relatives on their backs (as part of the required filial piety) up and down the hills - to and from various areas. Chinese families reflect the government and vice versa. One reflects the other whilst the notion of Confucian 'respect' permeates the entire structure. This is true regardless of political system, era, religion or cultural orientation. Many Daoists and Buddhists are Vegetarian - because they respect animals and the environment. When working as farmers - Hakka people carried tools, goods and the products of harvests on their backs between long hours working in the rice fields with the Water Buffalos. The continuous repetition of hand and foot movements - and the standing postures for long hours in the wind and rain - condition the mind and body for genuine Hakka gongfu training. Although there is an 'Iron Ox' gongfu Style (different to our own) - the spirit of the Ox pervades all aspects of the Hakka gongfu styles! Even so, our Hakka Style embodies the spirit of the Bear! We can fighting crouching low - or stand high giving the impression that we are bigger than we actually are! Our developed musculature is like the Ox and the Bear in that it is large, rounded and tough! We can take a beating and still manifest our gongfu Style with ease! We do not go quietly into that dark night! The above video shows Hakka people de-husking rise - with the standing person practicing 'Free Stance, rootedness and knee-striking, etc, and the crouching person showing a low Horse Stance and position for 'Squat-Kicking', etc, whilst demonstrating dextrous hand movements often found in gongfu Forms. Of course, not all Hakka Styles are the same and there is much diversity throughout the Name Clans. Our Chan gongfu is Military-related and can be traced to the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE). I think there used to be a State Gongfu Manual (since lost) issued by the Qin Dynasty as part of the process of turning every village, town and city into a 'Barracks'. Guiding the ploughs through the water and mud at the back of the Water Buffalos reflected the leg, arm and torso positions found within the Hakka gongfu. How the Hakka farmers stood still, stepped forward and back - side to side, tensed and relaxed their muscles, used their eyes and ears, and produced power and learned to give-way - all manifested in the various Hakka gongfu Styles. On Occasion, the Ox is given the day-off and the local people take to 'pulling the plough'! Our Hakka Gongfu is 'Longfist' based. Whereas many Hakka Clans - following our defeat at the end of the Punti-Hakka Clan Wars (1854-1867 CE) - Hakka people were ethnically cleansed into small areas of Guangdong province. Around 20 million people had died in this terrible war (which included the separate but related Taiping Rebellion - a Hakka-led war - fought for different reasons). The original 'Northern' Hakka Styles were persecuted and viewed as the vehicle through which the Hakka people had made war in the South of China (the area they had migrated into). The Hakka are patriotic Han Chinese migrants who fled the foreign invasion of Northern China - but who were not wanted or welcome within Southern China. Since the 1949 Revolution - things are very different today in China - as Hakka and non-Hakka now live side by side in harmony. When the various Hakka Clans 'shortened' the arm and leg movements of their gongfu Styles - to make these arts seem 'Cantonese' in origin - our Hakka Clan lived in a relatively remote area of South East Guangdong province and refused to do this. We practiced our 'Northern' Longfist martial arts in isolation and hid our gongfu in Temples grounds, behind walls and by practicing at night. Master Chan Tin Sang (1924-1993) fought and killed Imperial Japanese soldiers in the New Territories between 1941-1945 using our Hakka gongfu. Around 10,000 Hakka men, women and children were killed in this war fighting the modern Japanese soldiers using bare-hands and feet - and traditional weaponry. Many of our relatives were killed during this time. Master Chan Tin Sang came to the UK in 1956 - as a British Subject - to work for a better life, not because China is a bad place (it is not), but because life in the New Territories under British rule was continuously impoverished. Master Chan Tin Sang worked hard for 10-years before he earned enough money to bring his wife and two daughters to the UK (in 1966) - also as British Subjects. My Chinese relatives were NOT economic migrants, Asylum Seekers, or Refugees. My Chinese relatives do not follow Cults and are free-thinking individuals who are proud to be 'British' whilst supporting Mainland China's right to self-determinate - just like any Western country.
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All genuine Chinese gongfu (family) lineages possess a TCM (folk) prescription for 'Iron Fighting Wine'! These pages written in Medical Chinese ideograms are highly valued and treasured - even though they possess a number of different (but related) names - all variants of theme! As we value Traditional Okinawan Goju Ryu - this bottle is heading to a very good and esteemed Instructor of that martial art living in the UK! Brewing and bottling Dit Da Jow is a family affair that involves an element of profound spirituality.
An interesting examination of the French 'Savate' fighting style. My French friends say different things. One is adamant that 'Savate' derived from a Celtic (Gaul) martial art, whilst another states its comes from Asia - whilst both agree that English Bare-Knuckle Boxing had an influence on the closed hand-work. My view is that Savate looks different to the Asian arts I have seen - and I think its round-kick is unique and could well be an old European kick: This Style of kicking, punching and throwing is also known as 'boxe française' (French Boxing) - but since 2002 has been officially referred to as 'savate boxe française' or 'Savate French Boxing'. The word 'Savate' means a: 1) 'French method of fighting with the feet, 1862, from French savate, literally "a kind of shoe" (see sabotage).' 2) 'The first known use of savate was in 1843. A form of (French) boxing in which blows are delivered with either the hands or the feet. From the original French, literally, "old shoe".' 3) '"Savate" means literally an old shoe or boot in middle French. Savate kicks use the boot effectively – some with the heel, some the toe, some the blade or side of the shoe. The word ‘Savate’ has its etymological root in ‘sabot’, from where the word ‘sabotage’ comes. The term Savate now embraces a set of arts – or associated disciplines – around the French art of fighting with the shoe.' Therefore, I think we can say that 'Savate' is another way of saying 'Sabot' in French. This is how 'Sabot' is defined in a modern English to French Dictionary: 'A kind of simple shoe, shaped and hollowed out from a single block of wood, traditionally worn by French and Breton peasants.' These clog-type shoes must have been formidable devices as they caused substantial damage when used on the foot when 'kicking' - and when thrown into the machines of the Industrial Revolution - these machines were invariably 'broken' and 'stopped'! Today, I think fighters in the ring wear a padded boot and shin guard - and Savate fighters are graded with coloured gloves - with 'White' being the highest achievable in a Club - and 'Yellow' awarded by the French government!
Karate is mentioned just once, and even then, more or less in haste, and certainty not in any historical depth! This is disappointing from a book comprising of over 550 pages! Professor Mitsugu Sakihara provides a fascinating 'Afterword' and about ten-pages of corrections, deletions and other necessary 'errata' clarifications. Again, with a ground-breaking book of such historical scope and ambition - this type of 'correction' by an Asian academic fully armed with the latest research is nothing to be ashamed of - as a vast majority of the historical wealth presented within this books stands up to Japanese and Okinawan academic scrutiny! Of course, we must all be careful to correctly discern 'fact' from 'fiction', 'truth' from 'myth' and 'lies' from 'truth'! I present this data to add the over-all research into the fascinating history of Okinawan Karate-Do - much of which originates in Southern China, indigenous Okinawan martial culture and it would seem - the fighting arts of South-East Asia (Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia, etc) or even Indo-China (Vietnam)! George Kerr's research into the origin of Karate-Do is not referenced (so we do not know where he acquired his information) - but he is of the opinion that 'Karate' was brought back to the Ryukyu Islands by Ryukyu sailors visiting (and training in the martial arts of) South-East Asia and/or Vietnam - and not China! I have heard a similar idea expressed in some Japanese and Chinese language articles - but only in as much as suggesting 'some' Karate-Do techniques (such as the 'round-house' kick) originated within the martial culture of South-East Asia - but not the complete system! Whatever the case, to consider all the available data - the data must be made available to all - and freedom of thought will do the rest!
Global Kungfu Network Editor: Yang Yanfang (林竞峰) "Everyone who earns the black belt must do promotional work - which is an obligation to your art - and it doesn't matter if your financial conditions are good or not!’ Lin Jingfeng, 65 (as of 2012), is the Head Coach of the China Region of the International Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate Federation. He is also the Vice President of the Zhuhai Karate Association and all year round he is travelling and teaching in Zhuhai, Guangzhou, Changsha and Hong Kong. On April 6th, 2012, he sat down with reporters at the karate Dojo situated in the Zhuhai Sports Centre. Lin Jingfeng is a native of Hong Kong – but he speaks Putonghua very well. He is of medium stature, but he is very stocky. In his conversation, he appears to be kind, humble and very modest. He started to learn karate at the age of 15, got the first black belt at the age of 19, and is now an internationally recognized 6th Dan teacher. He told us that the journey went smoothly. He was part of the first batch of (Chinese) people to learn karate in Hong Kong, and also amongst the first group to successfully pass a black belt grading. When we first saw him, the scars on his arms and feet caught our attention, but his secretary told us that it was not the result of injuries, but an allergy to herbs. Lin Jingfeng said, in fact, when practicing karate it is easy to get injured, but he rarely gets hurt himself. This was done when he was practicing striking the sandbag. He was fine, but he used healing herbs on the cuts, grazes and bruises, but the allergies became what they are now. When he was teaching Goju Ryu in the Hong Kong Karate Association, many people in the class were seriously injured and they often had to call an ambulance after each session! Due to the realistic, tough and rough nature of Goju Ryu training - when the ambulance arrived and saw the wounded all over the floor – they did not know who to treat first! Part of the problem was calling an ambulance every 15 minutes due to yet another failed challenge match between a local fighter and one of our more talented Goju Ryu fighter! Things got so bad that the local hospital contacted the police – who launched an investigation – believing there was illicit or underground fighting for money going on! Later, Lin Jingfeng went to Japan, where he was taught the orthodox Goju Ryu karate by Miyagi Anichi Shifu - the brother-in-law of the former ancestral inheritor Miyagi Chojun! Lin Jingfeng told us that there are only four main styles of karate in Japan. As one of them, the Goju Ryu style of karate is mainly characterized by relatively small, circular and direct movements which are good at close-range defending and attacking. During 1980, he was instructed by his Master to travel to Fuzhu (in Fujian province) to seek-out the ancestral ‘Chinese’ martial arts styles that form the foundation of Goju Ryu Karate-Do. In other words, those Chinese martial arts styles which advocate and blend the mastery of yin and yang in their attacking and defending techniques. In other words, Lin Lingfeng was given the task of locating the fighting styles of Fuzhou that Higaonna Kanryo (1852-1915) studied, inherited and brought back to Okinawa around 1881. He was seeking out the same ‘gate’ (门 - men) of inheritance through which Higaonna Kanryo passed all those years ago! Lin Jingfeng stated that he could not find any historical, cultural or physical evidence that matched the reality of the obviously ‘Chinese’ orientated martial techniques preserved and passed on within the Goju Ryu tradition. Instead, following this failure, he decided to re-introduce the people of Mainland China to Goju Ryu Karate-Do – which is obviously a descendant of Chinese martial arts – despite being preserved within the Okinawan area of modern Japan today! Lin Jingfeng is of the opinion that Karate-Do possesses a 600 year history in China and it is about time that Chinese people understand this important exported aspect of their historical culture! Lin Jingfeng and Zhuhai Lin Jingfeng has been in Zhuhai (Guangdong) for 6 years. In the past 10 years, he mainly stayed in Pan Yu (Fuzhou), while his family was in Hong Kong. Over the years, he has been traveling around and communicating with karate associations in other places. We located him by coincidence. It happened that Lin Jingfeng was teaching, and the students were very different in age. Lin Jingfeng told us that people are getting younger and younger – with many girls now taking-up the training! The youngest student today is only 7 years old! Indeed, he explained that traditional Goju Ryu is very intense – but he feels this attitude is not always good in the modern world! Very young children cannot participate in such a feudalistic atmosphere – and so he has toned-down the frequency of training intensity! This adjustment has made it suitable for men, women and children to practice. Now there are five dojos in Zhuhai, including Sun Yat-sen University Zhuhai Branch, Beijing Normal University, and Jinan University. Lin Jingfeng told us a short story. One of his students worked in a government Department in Doumen (斗门). After coming here to practice with his son, in a dispute over a demolition issue, the student stepped forward to quell the incident. Lin Jingfeng said that karate is not only about learning, but more importantly, after you learn it, you have to have the courage to face emergencies and use your own abilities to solve problems. At the age of 65, he has been learning karate for 50 years. He said that the learning process of karate is not as interesting or exciting as some people think – as it involves repeated, boring and arduous exercises - which test a person's skill at patiently enduring. Regarding his persistence in karate, Lin Jingfeng was very calm in his words. When he first started learning, he felt that he was too weak, but later on, there were not too many twists and turns, and he didn't think too much. He said that no matter how old he is, he will definitely be thinking about the future. It is to live to old age and to continue to learn, whilst promoting karate has become a habit. He hopes that more people can understand and learn karate. Lin Lingfeng in Profile Chen Yangdi (陈阳娣), who has been with Lin Jingfeng for quite some time as the secretary of the Zhuhai Karate Association. She came to Zhuhai from Pan Yu (in Fuzhou) with Lin Jingfeng and won the runner-up in the women's group of the ‘First Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Karate Competition.’ According to her, the one who defeated her at that time was the Macau representative in the last Asian Games who had won a Silver Medal in the Asian Games. As a disciple of Lin Jingfeng, Chen Yangdi said that learning karate is very hard. You have to repeat the same movements every day, and the practice is very intense. Sometimes after practice, it is difficult to walk up the stairs and hold chopsticks. However, she feels that she has become more confident and happier in her karate learning, because parents often tell her that their children have changed a lot and become more sensible since taking classes here. Chen Yangdi told us that Teacher Lin once gave the heroine - Chen Baozhu (陈宝珠) - a martial arts instruction in the movie ‘The Lady Killer’, and film and television stars Di Long (狄龙) and Liang Xiaolong (梁小龙) once learned karate in Teacher Lin's place... Lin Jingfeng interrupted her, ‘They are too popular now – perhaps we shouldn’t mention them.’ Source: Zhuhai News Network.. 林竞峰:把空手道带回中国
全球功夫网 编辑:杨艳芳 日期:2012年05月17日 “每个进入黑带的人都必须去做推广工作,这是义务,跟你经济条件好不好没关系。”现年65岁的林竞峰是国际冲绳刚柔流空手道联盟中国区的总教练,珠海市空手道协会副会长,常年奔波在珠海、广州、长沙、香港四地。4月6日,在珠海体育中心的空手道道场内,他这样告诉记者。 林竞峰是香港人,他的普通话讲的还算清楚,身材中等,但却很魁梧,谈吐之中显得为人和善、谦虚、低调。15岁就开始学习空手道,19岁拿到了黑带初段,现已经是国际公认六段师范的他告诉我们一路过来,都很顺利,他是香港第一批学空手道的人,也是第一批拿到黑带的人。 刚见到他,他手臂、脚上的疤痕引起了我们的注意,但他的秘书告诉我们,这不是伤,是对草药过敏引发的。林竞峰说,其实练空手道很容易弄伤,但自己很少受伤,这是练沙袋的时候弄的,本来没事,上了草药,结果过敏就成了现在这样,全是疤痕。当初他在香港空手道协会教课时,班上很多人受伤,每次受伤后要叫救护车,有一次救护车上来看到满地的伤员竟然不知道要抬走哪一个,最厉害的一次是每15分钟叫一次救护车,后来医院就直接报警了,以至于警察怀疑他们在斗拳。 后来,林竞峰去了日本,获巳故流祖宫城长顺的入室弟子宫城安一师范亲自教授正统的刚柔流空手道。林竞峰告诉我们,空手道在日本主要有4个流派,刚柔流作为其中的一支,主要特点在于动作比较小,主张并擅长近距离攻击。1980年受师傅嘱咐第一次来到福建福州市寻找刚柔流同门,但很可惜没有收获,后林竞峰就一直致力于在中国内地和香港推广刚柔流空手道。林竞峰告诉记者,空手道600年前是中国的武术,他的目标是,发扬空手道,并将它带回中国。 林竞峰与珠海 林竞峰来珠海已经6年了,这之前的10年,他主要待在番禺,而他的家人都在香港,这些年来,他一直奔波各地,并与其他地方的空手道协会作交流。 我们去的很巧,刚好是林竞峰在教学,学生们年纪大小跨度非常大。林竞峰告诉我们,由于现在来学习的人年纪越来越小,有个学生只有7岁,而且女生也越来越多,为了利于空手道的推广,现在他已经将空手道练习的强度适当降低,使得男女老少都适宜练习。现在在珠海包括中山大学珠海分校以及北师大、暨大在内的道场就有5个。 林竞峰给我们讲了个小故事,他的一个学生在斗门一政府部门工作,在和儿子来这练习之后,在一次关于拆迁问题引发的纠纷中,这个学生挺身而出平息了事故。林竞峰说,说空手道,不仅仅是学,更重要的是在学过之后你还要有勇气去面对突发事情,并利用自己的能力化解问题。 现年65岁的他已经学了50年的空手道了,他说,空手道的学习过程并不是想有些人想象的那样很酷,更多的是重复枯燥艰苦的练习,在中也能够锻炼一个人的耐力。对于空手道的坚持,林竞峰在言语当中表现的非常平静,刚开始学时因为觉得自己太弱,但后来一路走来中间并没有太多的波折,也没有多想,他表示自己不管年纪多大,以后肯定是活到老学到老,推广空手道变成习惯,他希望有更多的人能够了解、学习空手道。 侧面的林竞峰 一直陪在林竞峰旁边的陈阳娣是珠海市空手道协会的秘书,她随林竞峰从番禺来到了珠海,曾获得“第一届粤港澳空手道选手权”女子组的亚军,据她介绍,当时打败她的是上一届亚运会中的澳门代表,并在亚运会中获得了银牌。作为林竞峰的弟子,陈阳娣表示,学空手道很苦,每天要重复一样的动作,练习强度也很大,有时候练完之后,走楼梯,拿筷子都很困难。不过她觉得自己在空手道中学习中变得更为自信,也很开心,因为经常有家长对她说,自从在这上课之后孩子变化很大,更为懂事。 陈阳娣告诉我们,林老师曾经在电影《女杀手》里面给女主角陈宝珠做武术指导,影视明星狄龙、梁小龙曾经在林老师这学过空手道……林竞峰却打断了她的话,“他们现在太红了,这样说不太好。” 来源:珠海新闻网 Quanzhou: The Birthplace of Yongchun White Crane Fist – A World Famous Chinese Martial Art!8/15/2022 Translated By Shifu Adrian Chan-Wyles PhD ( © ) Yongchun (永春) White Crane Fist (白鹤拳 - Bai He Quan) is one of the seven major martial arts styles developed in Fujian Province. It was created during the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties and has spread throughout China, Southeast Asia, Europe and the United States. It is a national heritage of immeasurable cultural importance! The Southern Shaolin Fighting Method (南少林拳法 - Nan Shao Lin Quan Fa) - which developed during the Tang and Song Dynasties – was popular in Fujian by the middle of the Ming Dynasty. In the Fujian area of Yongchun - no matter whether in the city or the countryside - there were countless practitioners of martial arts! The Southern Shaolin System was prevalent but with such styles as ‘Taizu’ (太祖) or ‘Grand Ancestor’ and ‘Houquan’ (猴拳) or ‘Monkey Fist’ being very prevalent! The area was economically and culturally prosperous! The ‘History of the Ming Dynasty’ (明史 - Ming Shi), Volume 91, Martial Aspiration Three (兵志三 - Bing Zhi San) - Recollections (记载 - Ji Zai) states: ‘The people of Yongchun possess tremendous fighting-spirit and are highly skilled in martial arts practice!’ Therefore, it can be historically proved that the Yongchun people's practice of martial arts has been highly developed as early as the middle of the Ming Dynasty! Yongchun White Crane Fist is one of the seven major fighting styles developed in Fujian Province. It was founded during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. It takes the ‘White Crane’ bird as its spiritual, psychological and physical inspiration (形 - Xing) or ‘Form’ (‘Kata’ in Japanese martial arts) and manifests this inspiration in its general fighting method! The White Crane practitioner understands how to ‘move’ and remain ‘still’ - and how to transition between these two states with a smooth and non-confused accuracy controlled by an underlying higher knowledge that embraces the practitioner, the opponent and the environment! Furthermore, a White Crane practitioner fully comprehends the ‘empty’ (虚 - Xu) and the ‘full’ (实 - Shi) and how and when each is to be used so that the opponent is continuously ‘uprooted’ - whilst the White Crane practitioner is continuously strengthened! All the energy channels in the body (the eight extraordinary and the twelve ordinary) are opened, unified and fully functioning (transporting and strengthening Qi 精, Jing 氣 and Shen 神)! As this is the case, the mind, body and spirit are unified, just as the bones and joints are aligned (allowing the bodyweight to drop into the ground – and effortlessly rebound back up and out of the body – through the relevant striking areas). All movement is perfectly timed, and the speed is so fast that an opponent has difficulty discerning the blows as they are naturally ‘released’ from the limbs of the White Crane practitioner! The hands and feet alternate with a perfect timing and balance that is bewildering to encounter! The White Crane practitioner can ‘vary’ the 'speed’ of each blow so as to bypass the habitual (and expected) movements of an opponent’s defensive reactions! The White Crane practitioner can be as solid as a mountain or as light a feather – depending upon the ‘intention’ of the practitioner and the necessity of the moment! Those who master these ‘internal’ Shaolin martial arts can appear to ‘manifest’ and ‘disappear’ at will – as they manipulate the perception of the opponent! This is why there is said to be a blend of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ martial techniques! This style has been circulating in China and Southeast Asia for more than 300 years, and it is popular in Europe and the United States. As a consequence, this type of Chinese martial art is considered a quintessential manifestation of Chinese martial culture! According to research - Ip Man (叶问 - Ye Wen) who is well-known at home and abroad as the teacher of the great Bruce Lee – taught his style of ‘Wing Chun Fist’ (咏春拳 - Yong Chun Quan) which was heavily influenced by the fighting techniques of Yongchun White Crane Fist. Bruce Lee used all this martial arts knowledge to later develop his system of fighting termed ‘Jeet Kune Do’ (截拳道 - Jie Quan Dao)! Furthermore, Chinese, Okinawan and Japanese scholars all agree that the style of fighting known as ‘Goju Ryu Karate-Do' (刚柔流空手道 - Gang Rou Liu Kong Shou Dao) has its theoretical and technical roots firmly embedded in the fertile martial ground that is Yongchun White Crane Fist! Chen Hong (陈弘) - the President of the China Yongchun White Crane Fist Research Association - pointed out that there are many technical similarities between Fujian Yongchun White Crane Fist and the Guangdong martial style known as ‘Wing Chun Kune’ (咏春拳 - Yong Chun Quan)! For instance, before issuing a blow, the Yongchun White Crane Fist practitioner must first centre his or her own mind, body and spirit – gather up the accumulated energy and direct this ball of power toward the ‘centre-line’ of the opponent’s body! This gather and emitting ‘internal’ and ‘external’ power through the Conception Vessel 任脉 - Ren Mai) - whilst targeting the Conception Vessel of the opponent! This is the real meaning behind the ‘Centre-Line Theory’ which many only pay lip-service to. This is identical to the ‘Centre-Line’ theory as found in Wing Chun (and many other martial systems)! Furthermore, Wing Chun is also famous for the power its practitioners produce during their ‘one-inch punch’ demonstrations! This is termed ‘寸劲’ (Cum Jin) or ‘inch strength’ or the ability to generate ‘explosive short-range power’! Within Yongchun White Crane Fist, this same ability is known as ‘寸劲节力’ (Cum Jin Jie Li) or ‘inch power direct energy’! In both systems the feet are generally rooted with the knees remaining flexible to accommodate a dextrous upper body which delivers fast and massively powerful blows of all descriptions, landing at all levels! These include open and closed hands, fore-arms, elbow-strikes, upper-arms, shoulder and blows with the head! The torso ‘twists’ left and right through the pelvis and around the spine – whilst swaying and leaning left and right (forward and back at oblique angles) – all through, around, away from and back to the ‘centre-line’! The famous ‘chi-sow’ (黐手 - Chi Shou) or ‘stick hand’ technique of Wing Chun is very similar to the ‘pan shou’ (盘手) ‘enveloping hand’ technique found in Yongchun White Crane Fist! Although Wing Chun has been developed for more than 100 years, and is a renowned style of fighting, nevertheless, the shadow of Yongchun White Crane Fist still clearly looms in the background! Chen Hong (陈弘) has been researching the theory and practice of Yongchun White Crane Fist for many years, particularly with regards to practitioners living or taking refuge within Guangdong! During the Qing Dynasty reign of emperors Xianfeng (咸丰) [reigned 1850-1861] - and the Tongzhi (同治) emperor (reigned 1861-1875) - there lived a couple of Yongchun White Crane Masters named ‘Lin Jun’ (林俊) and Chen Hu (陈湖) who took an active part in the Peasant Uprisings! Indeed, many such martial arts Masters participated in these uprising! Hong Xiuquan (洪秀全) led the ‘Taiping Heavenly Kingdom’ uprising which engulfed large parts of China – including Fujian province! ‘Lin Jun’ (林俊) was personally appointed by Hong Xiuquan (洪秀全) as one of the ‘Strong Kings of Three Thousand Years’ - stationed in the Fujian area! This gave him command of thousands of Taiping troops! Despite many early victories and tremendous battles – the Taiping were defeated, and the surviving rebels had to flee! Many of these fugitives fled all over China whilst being pursued by a Qing Army led by ‘Zou Zongtang’ (左宗棠) - which drove them out of Fujian and into the Guangdong and Zhejiang areas – where the Yongchun White Crane Fist practitioners had to adopt disguises and live secret lives (whilst teaching disciples behind the scenes – often at night)! These survivors were inspired by ‘Lin Jun’ (林俊) - where his reputation is still bright and shining in China today! During the mid-Qing Dynasty, with the increasingly frequent unofficial cultural exchanges between Okinawa (Ryukyu), Japan and Taiwan, some White Crane Fist disciples went to Dongying (东瀛) to teach martial arts; many Japanese merchants who travelled to the Mainland for business and employment, also began to learn White Crane Fist and transmitted it back to Japan. During 1877, Higaonna Kanryo travelled from Okinawa to Fuzhou and studied Yongchun White Crane Fist. After three years of intense training, Higaonna Kanryo returned to his home in Okinawa – transmitting White Crane Fist as he went! After integrating White Crane Fist with Okinawan fighting techniques – the art of ‘Goju Ryu’ Karate-Do was eventually developed (by Miyagi Chojun – the key disciple of Higaonna Kanryo in Okinawa). It is clear from this example that White Crane Fist rejuvenated the Okinawan fighting arts! Another example lies with ‘Wang Xiangui’ (吴贤贵) who used to work for the Fuzhou Tower River Water Ministry (福州台江水部的 - Fu Zhou Tai Jiang Shui Bu) - but in 1912 he travelled to Okinawa where he met Higaonna Kanryo – who had established the ‘Eternal Light’ (永光 - Yongguang) Tea Shop (茶行 - Cha Xing). As he saw that Higaonna Kanryo and his disciples already knew ‘Yongchun White Crane Fist’ - he decided to teach the Okinawans the ‘Whooping Crane Fist’ (鸣鹤拳 - Ming He Quan) variant! It was the disciples of Higaonna Kanryo who had trained with Wu Xiangui that formed the ‘Okinawa Strong Foundation Association’ (冲绳刚泊会 - Chong Sheng Gang Po Hui)! Tokashiki, the President of Japan's Okinawa Goju Ryu Karate-Do Association, has been searching for many years to find the identity of the Chinese Masters who taught Higaonna Kanryo! Finally, the source of Yongchun White Crane Fist in Okinawa was discovered in Fujian - and a "remarkable monument" was raised in the Fujian Provincial Sports Centre (in 1990)! During October 1928, the first national martial arts examination was held in Nanjing since its abolition in 1911 – following the overthrow and abolition of the Qing Dynasty and its feudalist and imperialistic system! Yongchun County in Fujian sent a martial arts expert known as ‘Jin jing’ (晋京) - who placed first in every category and won every available award! Indeed, Yongchun as a place was awarded with the title ‘Central Hall of Martial Arts Execellence’ (中央国术馆 - Zhong Yang Guo Shu Guan)! This meant that a government-sponsored centre of martial arts practice was established, legally protected and funded in the Fujian area! The advent of Yongchun White Crane Fist in the 20th century served to strengthen China not only in the eyes of its own people – but also in the eyes of those across the world – a view held and expressed by Mr. Tan Kah Kee (陈嘉庚) - who further stated, ‘China as a country has been strengthened by the vigour of our own martial arts!’ He also said, ‘Promote the strengthening essence and eradicate the weak!’ During August 1929, in his honour, he requested that the Yongchun White Crane Fist School contribute to the formation of a ‘Central Martial Arts Hall Southern Fujian Martial Arts Touring and Exhibition Group’ be formed to travel around China and to do so abroad! Its first performance was at ‘Xingma’ (星马) - but became the first martial arts delegation to go abroad in the history of Chinese Martial arts - creating a precedent for overseas cultural exchanges focusing upon martial culture! Mr. Tan Kah Kee met with all the members of the martial arts troupe many times to promote the concept of ‘strengthening the country by promoting martial arts’, and on the spot, he gave the correct title to the Southern Fujian Martial Arts Troupe: ‘Who is the sick man of East Asia – Certainly not the Chinese people! This shame is eradicated by the mastery of Wu Weiyang (武维扬)! Do not forget that the grandsons and granddaughters of the Yellow Emperor can be reborn anywhere – even as fishes! Perhaps the Heros of the Central Plane Create Cities that are dry!’ In 2008, Yongchun White Crane Fist was included in the national heritage list as being of immeasurable cultural value! Today, there are an estimated 100,000 practitioners of Yongchun White Crane Fist, with thousands of experts and hundreds of top-class Masters! Fuzhou has also successfully held the first World Conference for Yongchun White Crane Fist – which attracted thousands of diverse people from all over the world – including many hundreds of Karate-Do practitioners! Yongchun White Crane Fist has also been a vehicle for good-natured and friendly exchanges across the straits! Throughout the martial arts competitions of the world - Yongchun White Crane Fist practitioners won more than 1,000 awards in various competitions at all levels! This style of martial culture is deeply rooted in Okinawa and across the world! As the theoretical and technical foundation for Okinawan Karate-Do – particularly GoJu Ryu – Yong Chun White Crane Fist has inspired a rich academic research genre, that has spread from educational facilities and on to the internet, as well as in books and in films! There have even been theatre performances, plays and other ‘live’ action and educational activities! At the same time, Yongchun White Crane Fist is entering the fields of health, culture and tourism, etc., and its comprehensive and all-round positive effect is becoming increasingly apparent. The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, Moldova, Poland, the United States, Sweden, Switzerland, Iran, Malaysia and other countries, as well as Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, have all established professional organizations for the inheritance and practice of Yongchun White Crane Fist - in order to establish the ‘World Yongchun White Crane Fist Association' - which now has now laid a solid foundation. Reporter: Ceng Guangtai (曾广太)
Correspondents: Chen Hong (陈弘) & Zhou Lili (周莉莉) - Text & Photographs (Except Signatured) Hakka and Celtic Spiritual Martial Arts Strive for 'Unity' of Mind, Body and Environment!10/14/2021 Technically correct movements – coupled with psychological awareness and conscious expansion. Even if the kicks, punches, blocks, parries, elbow-strikes, knee-strikes, shoulder-barging and precise foot-work of a particular style are precise and exact – the mind-awareness must be ‘non-attached’ and ‘detached’ from the body it inhabits and the environment it - and the body it inhabits, has to traverse and exist within. Being combat effective on one-side – and mentally detached and expansive on the other – is the essence of spiritualised Hakka gongfu. This spiritual reality continuous to exist regardless of what the body is doing – whether sitting in a dark cave – or sat eating at a table! When others are encountered whose minds and bodies are corrupted by greed, hatred and delusion, there is no negative ‘reaction’ but only a continuous sense of boundless loving-kindness, compassion and wisdom which reflects the external and internal world as it really is free of any delusion or misunderstanding. For the mind to remain expansive and reflective (as explained in the Mahayana Buddhist Surangama Sutra), the cultivated control of the body must be attuned to the frequency of rapid physical deployment, movement and positioning, in times of dramatic martial necessity in the outside world! In other words, when greed, hatred and delusion manifest as brutal violence in the minds and bodies of those in the environment – a fully trained Hakka-warrior must respond in a perfect and unhesitating manner that manifests a radical non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion through the correct application of martial technique. Of course, this type of martial mastery is not unique to the Hakka Chinese community – but is evident throughout the world and within every culture and contemplative tradition. Indeed, wherever men, women and children have been required to defend themselves (such as the ancient Celtic peoples of the UK and Western Europe under Roman attack) – this type of martial mastery has been the inevitable result. Although I am very proud to be Anglo-Chinese and to be British and Chinese – I am also very grateful to have been born with the genetics of the ancient ‘Keltos’ people – as the ancient Greeks referred to us! The Keltos became the ‘Celts’ that put up a tremendous military resistance to Roman imperialism, brutality and exploitation! It is recorded that the Greek explorer – Pytheas of Massalia (350-285 BCE) - visited the British Isles (the land of my birth) around 304 BCE, but most of his contemporaries refused to accept that there were any landmasses ‘West’ of what is now ‘France’ - a place the Greeks had already colonised to the South! What is interesting is that When Julius Ceasar invaded Britain in 55 BCE – the defending Celts were still deploying massed chariots – a fighting method probably a thousand years out of date by then, but suitable for an island people who inhabited an idyllic and isolated landmass 800 miles long, 200 miles wides and teaming with wildlife and cultivated grain crops! I have even read of some Western European Celts still employing the ‘Phalanx’ of massed spears which perhaps they learned from the ancients Greeks at some point in their history a very long time ago! Win, lose or draw, as individuals all we can do is our best by manifesting our highest spiritual, psychological and physical achievements when the time is right! Our bravery now – will inspire future generations to do the same...
Everything that needs to be said can be seen in this photograph. Those who are suitably 'aware' and who have developed genuine self-respect - will treat others with respect and understand the true 'essence' of Hakka Gongfu! We train in old warring arts that would not work on the modern battlefield simply because they are out of date. Great martial skill could be wiped-out in a second even by a stray bullet! We train to uproot greed, hatred and delusion, so that warfare does not arise a) in the mind, and b) in the environment. This means we train to create, establish and maintain genuine peace in the world! Chinese culture evolved out of the requirement to 'fight' on the one hand (in 'self-defence') and develop the personality to the highest psychological, emotional and spiritual level possible. This is why Confucianism and Daoism include warriorhood within spirituality. Technically speaking, Buddha advises that ALL violence be given-up but the reality of the matter is that if certain groups of Buddhist monks and nuns had not 'defended' their temples from external attack - their temples (and very probably 'Buddhism' as a whole) would have been wiped-out in China! This is not to say that violence is 'right' or 'preferred' - but rather an acknowledge that Chinese society (and most societies in the world) need to evolve to a higher level of reality so that violence can nolonger exist or flourish!
In 1992, Master Chan Tin Sang (1924-1993) - passed on his family style of Hakka (Longfist) Gongfu to me. In 1993, he was involved in a car accident in Sutton, which led to him developing further medical complications, and following a stroke – he passed away in St Helier Hospital. I received a scrap of paper with Chinese writing on in 1992 – confirming the transmission – which was formally confirmed by his widow –Mrs Chueng Yat Tai – in 2002. This type of time scale is not unknown with regards to traditional Chinese transmissions. I moved to permanently live in Sutton around 1996, and quietly set-up a small Gongfu Training Hall after first securing permission from the local Chinese clandestine societies operating in the area. Due to the respect that Master Chan Tin Sang was held, a) permission was granted (which means the training hall was acknowledged as truly representing traditional Chinese spiritual and martial culture), and b) we were granted ‘exemption’ status from paying the usual monthly ‘fees’ to these groups. This goes on all the time within Chinese culture throughout the West, with many Westerners being completely unaware of it. As a consequence, many supposed Gongfu Training Halls – even those that are commercially successful and interviewed for publication in Eurocentric magazines and journals – are not acknowledged as ‘legitimate’ by the Chinese community these groups claim to represent (regardless of whether any Chinese people train in them). Even in modern China, although the influence of these clandestine associations no longer exists, the idea that there is ‘legitimate’ and ‘illegitimate’ representation of Chinese culture is still a very strong. Master Chan Tin Sang stated that if I decide to ‘teach’ in public (and if he is no longer alive), I am not allowed to lose any fight – be it in sparring or during a ‘honour’ fight (of which I have had many since). As I have taken on the leadership of the ‘Chan’ (陳) clan, I must represent all the ancestors going back thousands of years, and not let them or their descendants down! All opponents must either be taught and improved as both human-beings and martial artists - or ‘removed’ as a threat – end of story. Many of those who read this (and were in our Training Hall in Sutton at any time since 1996) will know this to be true, as they witnessed the many fights (at the end of training sessions) that I was involved in. Fighting does not bother me at all, and I enjoy it as a physical, cultural and spiritual activity. I have no hatred in my heart whatsoever, and only cultivate love for existence. Insult me, my family, our friend, other people or our beliefs and I will deal with you in a firm, disciplined and ‘fair’ manner, in accordance with the law, and as a gentleman. Before this, you will have to survive one of our Ch’an Dao training sessions which have defeated professional fitness instructors, combat sports athletes as well as serving soldiers. If you doubt this to be true – we can start with a thousand squat kicks and see how well you fight after this! This is genuine Hakka gongfu and I suggest a quiet and humble approach whilst you build experience and strength.
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AuthorShifu Adrian Chan-Wyles (b. 1967) - Lineage (Generational) Inheritor of the Ch'an Dao Hakka Gongfu System. |