Anyone else use Yao Bu?

[Wing Woo Gar]

There are a few translations; shaking step is the literal one 搖步 but it can also be translated as rowing step, or walking step because of the motion of the upper body, or the legs respectively.

The best I've got in terms of online references would be the stance guide I released recently which talks more about the stance- Shaolin Stance Guide — Kung Fit: Kung Fu and Fitness to stay Fit for Life

The Shaolin Yuzhai channel has videos of forms which show the movement in use (such as the er lu da tong bei quan one), as does my own, but there's nothing else I know of out there, other than a handful of old forum posts mentioning it. Which is why I'm making a video about it and gong bu at the moment.

From a Shaolin long fist perspective yao bu and gong bu make use of translational movement of your mass to generate power, in slightly different ways. This contrasts with the rotational mechanics which are now more popular.

It's quite a complicated topic, which I think is why it's not widely known or even taught by people who do know it. I fully expect to enrage a lot of people though

I think it really clears up a lot of things to think of these two approaches to power generation, and understand when one is being misapplied; it doesn't mean it doesn't work, just that there can be a better way.

Enrage people? Why?

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Ok, you learned this as 搖. A Shaolin art under a different name smells as sweet.

柔 (rou in Mandarin/yao in Cantonese/Hakka) is the traditional Shaolin for "soft/supple" and the foundation for several different core Buddhist and Taoist training methods, especially the internal Nei Gong, and an old school Shaolin family tree out of Hong Kong and San Fran (the Yau Kung Mun) that is totally legit.

Given the similarity between "shaking" and "supple", there might be some connection between these, but I'd be interested in native sources if you've found some (like, manuals in Mandarin if you got any). But for certain, "yao" will mean "soft" in the southern (non-mandarin) Shaolin traditions.

I'll check out your newsletter, don't be surprised if I use a fake name to order it.

Howdy oily! How ya been?

 

[Damien]

Enrage people? Why?

Well, you'd be surprised. People don't like hearing they don't know something. I got an awful lot of grief after a previous video where I described using Xie Xing as a strike. I was categorically told by a number of people that it was a throw and nothing else...

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

As a Chinese, I have never heard the term Yao Bu 搖步. I still don't know what it is.

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[Damien]

As a Chinese, I have never heard the term Yao Bu 搖步. I still don't know what it is.

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If you watch the video I posted above it talks about the stance and what distinguishes it from gong bu, at least within Shaolin

 

[Oily Dragon]

As a Chinese, I have never heard the term Yao Bu 搖步. I still don't know what it is.

​

Have you heard of 柔, yao kiu? This is a very deep Shaolin idea, much deeper than stances and punching bags. No Mandarin required. ;D

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Well, you'd be surprised. People don't like hearing they don't know something. I got an awful lot of grief after a previous video where I described using Xie Xing as a strike. I was categorically told by a number of people that it was a throw and nothing else...

Well you won’t hear that from me. To me it’s just all motion. Tell me it’s a block and watch me use it as a strike. Good on you for exploring. You could just use it as such on a resisting opponent and make a video.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Have you heard of 柔, yao kiu? This is a very deep Shaolin idea, much deeper than stances and punching bags. No Mandarin required. ;D

Never heard 柔, yao kiu in Taiwan either. It's not in the following list.

• • • 1Contemporary wushu stances
      • 1.1Mǎ Bù (馬步)
      • 1.2Gōng Bù (弓步）
      • 1.3Fú Hǔ Bù （伏虎步）
      • 1.4Xuán Jī Bù （玄機步）
      • 1.5Zuò Pán Bù （坐盤步）
    • 2Traditional wushu stances
      • 2.1Sì Liù Bù （四六步）
      • 2.2Jin Ji Du Li （金雞獨立）
      • 2.3Tūn Bù （吞步）
      • 2.4Qi Lin Bu （麒麟步）

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Have you heard of 柔, yao kiu? This is a very deep Shaolin idea, much deeper than stances and punching bags. No Mandarin required. ;D

These posts are why I missed you.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Never heard 柔, yao kiu in Taiwan either. It's not in the following list.

• • • 1Contemporary wushu stances
      • 1.1Mǎ Bù (馬步)
      • 1.2Gōng Bù (弓步）
      • 1.3Fú Hǔ Bù （伏虎步）
      • 1.4Xuán Jī Bù （玄機步）
      • 1.5Zuò Pán Bù （坐盤步）
    • 2Traditional wushu stances
      • 2.1Sì Liù Bù （四六步）
      • 2.2Jin Ji Du Li （金雞獨立）
      • 2.3Tūn Bù （吞步）
      • 2.4Qi Lin Bu （麒麟步）

Yau kiu isn’t a stance.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Never heard 柔, yao kiu in Taiwan either. It's not in the following list.

• • • 1Contemporary wushu stances
      • 1.1Mǎ Bù (馬步)
      • 1.2Gōng Bù (弓步）
      • 1.3Fú Hǔ Bù （伏虎步）
      • 1.4Xuán Jī Bù （玄機步）
      • 1.5Zuò Pán Bù （坐盤步）
    • 2Traditional wushu stances
      • 2.1Sì Liù Bù （四六步）
      • 2.2Jin Ji Du Li （金雞獨立）
      • 2.3Tūn Bù （吞步）
      • 2.4Qi Lin Bu （麒麟步）

Sorry Yao Kiu

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Never heard 柔, yao kiu in Taiwan either. It's not in the following list.

• • • 1Contemporary wushu stances
      • 1.1Mǎ Bù (馬步)
      • 1.2Gōng Bù (弓步）
      • 1.3Fú Hǔ Bù （伏虎步）
      • 1.4Xuán Jī Bù （玄機步）
      • 1.5Zuò Pán Bù （坐盤步）
    • 2Traditional wushu stances
      • 2.1Sì Liù Bù （四六步）
      • 2.2Jin Ji Du Li （金雞獨立）
      • 2.3Tūn Bù （吞步）
      • 2.4Qi Lin Bu （麒麟步）

All apologies, I don’t know the Chinese names. Can you translate those for me please. thank you.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Well, you'd be surprised. People don't like hearing they don't know something. I got an awful lot of grief after a previous video where I described using Xie Xing as a strike. I was categorically told by a number of people that it was a throw and nothing else...

Was that on this forum?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Yau kiu isn’t a stance.

If it's dynamic step (not static stance), it still needs to be transfered from 1 stance into another stance. So if the starting point is a bow arrow stance then what's the ending stance?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

All apologies, I don’t know the Chinese names. Can you translate those for me please. thank you.

• 1Contemporary wushu stances
  • 1.1Mǎ Bù (馬步)
  • 1.2Gōng Bù (弓步）
  • 1.3Fú Hǔ Bù （伏虎步）
  • 1.4Xuán Jī Bù （玄機步）
  • 1.5Zuò Pán Bù （坐盤步）
• 2Traditional wushu stances
  • 2.1Sì Liù Bù （四六步）
  • 2.2Jin Ji Du Li （金雞獨立）
  • 2.3Tūn Bù （吞步）
  • 2.4Qi Lin Bu （麒麟步）

1. Horse stance
2. Bow arrow stance
3. Striking tiger stance
4. Empty stance
5. Twisting stance
6. 4-6 stance
7. Golden rooster stance
8. 7 stars stance
9. Monkey stance

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

If it's dynamic step (not static stance), it still need to be transfer from 1 stance into another stance. So if the starting point is a bow_arrow stance then what's the ending stance?

I don’t know. Let’s pose that question to Damien. I have guesses but I’m simply out of my depth when we talk using Cantonese or Mandarin.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

• 1Contemporary wushu stances
  • 1.1Mǎ Bù (馬步)
  • 1.2Gōng Bù (弓步）
  • 1.3Fú Hǔ Bù （伏虎步）
  • 1.4Xuán Jī Bù （玄機步）
  • 1.5Zuò Pán Bù （坐盤步）
• 2Traditional wushu stances
  • 2.1Sì Liù Bù （四六步）
  • 2.2Jin Ji Du Li （金雞獨立）
  • 2.3Tūn Bù （吞步）
  • 2.4Qi Lin Bu （麒麟步）

1. Horse stance
2. Bow arrow stance
3. Striking tiger stance
4. Empty stance
5. Twisting stance
6. 4-6 stance
7. Golden rooster stance
8. 7 stars stance
9. Monkey stance

View attachment 28855

View attachment 28856

Thank you very much.

 

[Oily Dragon]

Never heard 柔, yao kiu in Taiwan either. It's not in the following list.

• • • 1Contemporary wushu stances
      • 1.1Mǎ Bù (馬步)
      • 1.2Gōng Bù (弓步）
      • 1.3Fú Hǔ Bù （伏虎步）
      • 1.4Xuán Jī Bù （玄機步）
      • 1.5Zuò Pán Bù （坐盤步）
    • 2Traditional wushu stances
      • 2.1Sì Liù Bù （四六步）
      • 2.2Jin Ji Du Li （金雞獨立）
      • 2.3Tūn Bù （吞步）
      • 2.4Qi Lin Bu （麒麟步）

It's the squeezing between the Gong (hard) Fist, and Yao (soft) fist in One Finger Zen formation, that makes the Yao really stand out in a crowd.

Also, Wood element. 相生. 震

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

It's the squeezing between the Gong (hard) Fist, and Yao (soft) fist in One Finger Zen formation, that makes the Yao really stand out in a crowd.

Also, Wood element. 相生. 震

View attachment 28857

That look like a horse stance to me. What's the weight distributation?

- 30/70?
- 40/60?
- 50/50?

Are both feet completely on the ground?

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

It's the squeezing between the Gong (hard) Fist, and Yao (soft) fist in One Finger Zen formation, that makes the Yao really stand out in a crowd.

Also, Wood element. 相生. 震

View attachment 28857

It's the squeezing between the Gong (hard) Fist, and Yao (soft) fist in One Finger Zen formation, that makes the Yao really stand out in a crowd.

Also, Wood element. 相生. 震

View attachment 28857

It’s not really “soft” more like supple or wrapping if I understand correctly.