Splashing Hands and Tongbeiquan. A connection?

[kal]

Here's a pretty interesting documentary I found on Tongbeiquan.

What seems very intriguing is how similar some of their training looks to Splashing Hands. Especially in the way that they slap their own bodies. And also, I noticed that a lot of their strikes are done with open hands and relaxed fingers.

Many people seem to believe that the self-slapping in Splashing Hands comes from Kempo ... but now after seeing this video I'm not so sure about that.

At 2:10 and 3:35 there are some drills where the Tongbei people do a strike while at the same time slapping the shoulder with the other hand.

And at 4:10, they are slapping the sides of the abdomen while doing striking.

Is this kind of self-slapping very common in Chinese martial arts?

Could it be that Splashing Hands was some kind of Tongbeiquan (or derivative)?

 

[Xue Sheng]

I do not know a whole lot about Tongbeiquan other than my first sifu new it and demonstrated it once and awhile but he never taught it to anyone.

I do not know of other CMA styles that train this type of slapping but it sure is heck is distracting if you are standing there trying to spare against it.

As to it connection to Kempo it has been my understanding that it is rather difficult to figure out exactly what CMA style Kempo actually is related to but I would have my doubts about it being Tongbei

 

[CuongNhuka]

I know that in Cuong Nhu we do that kind of thing several times. The moves are mostly form Shotokan, so I think it's a somewhat common idea, which means it may have been created indepedent of outside influences.

That aside, striking yourself develops two thing: hard body and striking a grab. The most common explaination I've heard for hitting yourself in Kata is that someone has grabbed your (part of body being hit), and you are hitting and/or grabbing there hand/wrist.

Those aside, Splashing Hands is defenitly one of the more interesting styles out there. Just the form of condioting is wierd sounding, but very affective.

 

[DavidCC]

I think the slapping in Splashing Hands and in Kenpo come from the same source, not from one to the other. That source being Chinese Kung Fu, Ark Wong (search forum on 'splashing hands' for lots of info on the historical connection between Ark Wong and Hung Gar, Splashing Hands, and Ed Parker.

That aside, striking yourself develops two thing: hard body and striking a grab. The most common explaination I've heard for hitting yourself in Kata is that someone has grabbed your (part of body being hit), and you are hitting and/or grabbing there hand/wrist.

John, look me up if you want to get a look at some deeper reasons for doing this, it goes WAY beyond these reasons. I'd be happy to show you some things I was taught about this by someone who was very close to that scene back in the day... it's very cool stuff

-David

 

[CuongNhuka]

John, look me up if you want to get a look at some deeper reasons for doing this, it goes WAY beyond these reasons. I'd be happy to show you some things I was taught about this by someone who was very close to that scene back in the day... it's very cool stuff

I said most, not all. But, maybe I will. We'll have to see how the karmic tides flow.

 

[DavidCC]

I said most, not all. But, maybe I will. We'll have to see how the karmic tides flow.

It's up to you, the offer is open

 

[Touch Of Death]

I know that in Cuong Nhu we do that kind of thing several times. The moves are mostly form Shotokan, so I think it's a somewhat common idea, which means it may have been created indepedent of outside influences.

That aside, striking yourself develops two thing: hard body and striking a grab. The most common explaination I've heard for hitting yourself in Kata is that someone has grabbed your (part of body being hit), and you are hitting and/or grabbing there hand/wrist.

Those aside, Splashing Hands is defenitly one of the more interesting styles out there. Just the form of condioting is wierd sounding, but very affective.

It comes from the knife fighting concept of constantly identifying the location of the blade with a tap to the body, but not just anywhere on the body; preferably, you would tap or slap at a point of reference, make a descision, and move.
Sean