Regional styles

[tshadowchaser]

Most of the styles of chinese studies I have seen posted here have been from the eastern part of the country, or from the island. Why do I not see referencto styles that where originated or taught in the north or western parts of the country?
Shadow

 

[arnisador]

There is some brief discussion in this thread including an impressive listing but I agree that there is not much more than names.

I know for example that Tibetan white crane is unlike Fukien white crane but I do not know much about the former.

 

[Chiduce]

Originally posted by arnisador

There is some brief discussion in this thread including an impressive listing but I agree that there is not much more than names.

I know for example that Tibetan white crane is unlike Fukien white crane but I do not know much about the former.

From my understanding Tibetan White Crane and the White Crane System was developed and refined on O Mei Mountain; or "Great White Mountain". The O Mei Temple was also called "Crane Temple"! The praying mantis, snake, dragon and wing chun styles were developed at Fukien. This temple served as the Shaolin Headquarters. When the Henan temple was under threat. Tibetan White Crane from the crane temple on O Mei Shan was an integral part of this temple designated as a martial research instutute, northern library, and medical temple. The Fukien White Crane style was also developed at the Crane Temple. It is believed that this is where the great exchange of ideas happened among martial scholar monks from the other four temples as well as tibet. This temple stayed in constant contact with tibet. It's library is filled with tomes from east and west! This temple integrated into the Shaolin Order around AD 1500. A major medical school for four centuries. Today the temple serves as the Bamboo Forest Conservation Headquarters and research center for pandas. It is noted that most temple monks were branded with the Dragon and Snake on their forearms respectively. The Crane Temple monks were branded with the Praying Mantis and Crane on their forearms. This was whether they studied Fukien White Crane or Tibetan White Crane. Though the uniforms were the same for each of these two; yet the destinguished markings lay in the trim of the uniform! The Fukien White Crane Stylist dawned a white uniform with a white stripe trim. The Tibetan White Crane Stylist dawned a white uniform with a pale blue stripe trim. Thus it is safe to assume that both crane systems are very much alike as well as they are different. Sincerely, In Humility; Chiduce!

 

[arnisador]

Interesting! I had always thought that, counter to what one might expect, they were really quite different. I know there is an O-Mei style of kung fu; is it a different style than the crane?

 

[tshadowchaser]

Good to know some of this information. It explains some of the things I didn't know and possibly where some of the White Tiger and White Leopard techniques and style came from

 

[Chiduce]

Originally posted by arnisador

Interesting! I had always thought that, counter to what one might expect, they were really quite different. I know there is an O-Mei style of kung fu; is it a different style than the crane?

I'am not fimiliar with the O Mei/Emei style of Kung Fu; yet there is (O Mei Baguazhang/Swimming Body Bagua) which is called Dragon Walking Bagua; the eight palms are called Dragon Shape Bagua. This style of kung fu is very complex in nature and takes months to just interpret theory alone. The studying of the 36 Secret Songs takes 3 yrs. of podnering and practice. It is very possible that the O Mei style of Kung Fu is very different from this!I will check out a O Mei Kung Fu site and see what style is presented on it! Sincerely, In Humility; Chiduce!

 

[arnisador]

http://www.usaomei.com/
http://www.kungfumagazine.com/HomePage/magazine/2000/KF200009/htmlFolder/Covstory200009.htm
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/martialartsmart/omeikungfuvi.html
http://www.21cep.com/scts/coursk.htm

 

[Chiduce]

Thanks arnisador for the website info. I have also realized that O Mei refers to Bai Mei/Bak Mei or the White Eyebrow System! Sincerely, In Humility; Chiduce!

 

[arnisador]

Originally posted by Chiduce

I have also realized that O Mei refers to Bai Mei/Bak Mei or the White Eyebrow System!

I did not realize this! Like many of the lesser-known kung fu systems, bak mei sounds like a fascinating style.

 

[Sanxiawuyi]

Originally posted by Chiduce

I'am not fimiliar with the O Mei/Emei style of Kung Fu; yet there is (O Mei Baguazhang/Swimming Body Bagua) In Humility; Chiduce!

E-Mei Shan (Shan=Mountain) is one of the nine great sacred mountains of China. Others include the Daoist Mountains Wudang Shan, Heng Shan, Hua Shan, Song Shan, Tai Shan, and the Buddhist mountains Jiu Hua Shan, Pu Tuo Shan, Wu Tai Shan.

E-Mei is located in Sichuan province (also known in the West as Szechwan). Though E-Mei Shan is primarily a Buddhist mountain, with many great monasteries, it also has some daoist (taoist) monasteries as well. E-Mei was one of the most traveled areas of the great Wuxia (martial arts Knights) of China’s past. Many various forms of Wugong (martial arts) have been practiced in its history. E-Mei is famous for blending the Neigong (internal) systems with the Waigong (external) systems, thus creating the different forms of E-Mei boxing.

I believe it’s important that people in the West begin to know that there is much more to Chinese Wugong then just the southern systems and Shaolin, and as a martial historian I hope to do this. Shaolin was NOT the birthplace of martial arts! There were martial arts in China before Shaolin, and there were martial arts in China during the great periods of Shaolin that had no connection at all to the Shaolin systems, i.e. Wudang. Systems that were/are incredibly sophisticated. In China, the Shaolin systems are considered Waigong, or hard/external systems, and any internal aspects were “borrowed” from other styles. Thus, Shaolin isn’t considered the greatest, it is just one of many great systems of Wugong.

Take a look at the systems of Wudang (or also known as Wu-Tang). Some say it’s the birth place of Taijiquan (The Great Ultimate Fist).

First mentions about wudang styles can be found during the documents of XVI century, when Zhang Songxi found "neijiaquan" (fist of inner family) and opposed it to Shaolin style.

The most typical wudang style is wudang tayi wuxing qinpu (grapples and atacks of Five Praelements and The Great One from Wudang mountains), also called wudangquan (fist of Wudang mountains). This style was created by daoist Zhang Shouxing at the end of 15th century. This style has 23 forms, training is separated to training of the steps and training of the hands, there exist 35 methods of using the hands and 18 methods of moving. Style use snake-like moving (S-form moving), force going along the spiral.

Another well-known wudang styles are kongmenquan (Fist of the Gate of Emptiness), yumenquan (Fist of the Gate of Fish). Jiugong shibatui (18 legs of 9 palaces) emphasizes kicking techniques. Wudangpai also includes wujiquan (Fist of Boundlessness), yaozi changquan (Long Fist of the Hawk), yuanzhou fudiquan (Fist of rubbing Monkey, hidden near the ground), liubu sanshou (Combat Methods of 6 Steps).

Yet another very popular system is wudang jian (Wudang methods of using straight sword). Sword was usual attribute of taoist monk, was used during religious ceremonies, so it is not strange that sword was also used for fighting.

There is wealth of information and martial styles not yet seen in the West. This is changing though, as more people immigrate from Mainland China, as apposed to most of the immigrates from the past who primarily came from Fujian province, Guangdong (Canton) province or Hong Kong.

Sanxiawuyi
:asian:

The Kenpo Exchange

 

[Hu Ren Qianzai Long]

I Bet that this is bevcause of cultural differences. May be kung fu doesn't express the phisosophy of the people of north and west. For example, if you compare the tibetans to the chinese, they are very different.

 

[Matt Stone]

Originally posted by Chiduce

This style of kung fu is very complex in nature and takes months to just interpret theory alone.

That could be said of any martial theory. I wouldn't trust a style that only took weeks or days. However, to overly mystify Baguazhang (one of the styles I have been studying for a long time) is one of the biggest errors that continues to be propagated within the CMA community.

The studying of the 36 Secret Songs takes 3 yrs. of podnering (sp) and practice.

Again, this kind of mindset is what causes people to believe that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a reality, that ancient masters were all wizened, white bearded mystics, and that Shaolin was the birthplace of CMA...

Bagua is no different in its requirements than any other method of physical movement that requires extremes of body coordination. The study of the "36 Secret Songs" or any other documents takes as long as it takes, and no longer.

I don't mean to be so abrasive, :soapbox: but this kind of adherence to the fantasy of martial arts does nothing to advance martial technique, legitimize martial arts study to non-martial arts students, or develop the ability to discern what is reality and what is falsehood in either instructors or students. People are conned daily into bogus martial arts schools promising magical results in minimal periods of time for incredible sums of money thanks to the ignorance such thinking breeds.

Sorry for the rant, but I can't sit by and let these kinds of comments slide by. The commentary by Chiduce regarding the different uniforms and brands was interesting, but I'd like to see what documentation of authenticity he has. As a student of anthropology, and specifically cultural anthropology, I hope to do my theses on the development of martial culture around the world. Details like these are very intriguing, but I would need more than "my teacher told me so" as basis for a factual belief.

I'll shut up now...:shrug:

:samurai: :tank: