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Bai Mei (White Eyebrows) Wu Xing (Five Elements) Pole

Bai Mei (White Eyebrows) Wu Xing (Five Elements) Pole
    The school of Bai Mei (White Eyebrows) Quan (Boxing) focuses on the practical use of one's strength in essence. It is famous especially for fierce strike. Bai Mei Pole is basically the same with its Quan.
    There are two series of Bai Mei Pole. The primary one is Da Zhen Pole (A series with double-headed pole). Now we introduce the advanced one, Wu Xing (Five Elements) Zhong Lan (Middle Blocking) Pole (a series with single-headed pole). The length of the Pole should be about one foot longer than the stature of that practicer. The Pole for practicing Wu Xing Pole is generally made from Malaysian Kun Dian Wood or the softer ash. However, there is no absolute role for the pole, practicer can make the pole by his own preference. Practicer using harder pole can generate bigger might and greater execution, while the flexible pole is easier to handle.
    Wu Xing Zhong Lan Pole, also known as Wu Xing Pole for short, is based on the principle of neutralizing the opponent's attack to conquer him. This principle comes from Nourishing ("Sheng") and Control ("Ke") of five basic elements of Jin (Metal), Mu (Wood), Shui (Water), Huo (Fire), Tu (Earth) in the Taoism theory. Practicer should focus all his strength on the head of the Pole to make his striking mighty and step neatly and flexibly. Special attention should be paid to felicity but not a sleight of hand.
    In Wu Xing Pole, Feng (Ward off), Sha (Chop), Tan (Flip), Jian (Point), and Quan (Circle) are techniques that nourish (One of two functions between five elements) each other; Cuo (Twine), Tiao (Raise), Lan (Hold back), Sao (Sweep) and Zhi (Throwing out) are techniques that control (One of two functions between five elements) each other, and producing followed by bating between Dian (Sting), Ge (Cut), Pao (Throw), Bo (Block) and Shuai (Plunging) are techniques that both nourish and control each other.
    Jin (Mental): Some techniques moving made sidelong by Feng(Warding off), Cuo (Twining), and Bo (Blocking).
    Shui(Water): Some techniques moving downward made by Sha (Chopping:), Sao (Sweeping), and Dian (Stinging).
    Mu (Wood): Some techniques moving upward made by Tan Flipping), Tiao (Raising), and Pao (Throwing).
    Huo (Fire): Some techniques moving straight made by (Pointing), Zhi (Throwing out), and Shuai (Plunging).
    Tu (Earth): Some techniques moving centering made by Quan (Circling), Lan (Blocking), and Ge (Cutting).
    For example, your opponent resists your motions of Jin (Metal) with Huo (Fire), but your Jin can counterattack his Huo by producing Shui(water). Your choice of techniques can be derived the same way.
    Body guidance is slanting your body with twisting your waist and covering your arms. Step guidance focuses on receding, moving upon, rotating and triangle. When you exercise the Pole yourself, you can practice the veracity of your pole attacking by putting leaves, dragonflies or nuts on the ground.
                

A Summary of Bai Mei Quan Kuan-fu

A Summary of Bai Mei Quan Kuan-fu
     The School of Bai Mei (Whi fense specially and containing both Chang Shou (Long Hands) and Duan Shou (Short Hands). It is both stiff and soft to be associated together being a wonderful style of Nei Jia Kung-fu (internal strength).
     There are Zhi Bu Quan (Straight Steps Boxing), Jiu Bu Tui (Nine Steps Push), Shi Ba Mo Qiao (Eighteen monsters Bridge), and Meng Hu Chu Lin (Tiger Steps out of the Forest) in the formula of Bai Mei Quan, Da Zhen Gun (Long Pole) and Wu Xing Gun (Five Element Pole) in its instruments and Liu Ye Shuang Dao (Double Willow Knives), Fei Feng Shuang Dao (Double Band Knives), Huo Di Da Ba (Harrow), Jiu Jie Dan Bian (Scourge), Hui Hun Shuang Guai (Double Crutches), Qiao Deng (Pew), and Guan Dao (Sword with a long handle).
     Zhi Bu Quan (Straight Steps Boxing) is the rudimental Kung-fu of White Eyebrows. In order to comprehend Bai Mei Kung-fu, you must concentrate your efforts upon Zhi Bu Quan at the first stage.
     As for Jiu Bu Tui Quan (Nine Steps Push), someone may ask how the name Jiu Bu Tui (Nine Steps Push) comes, why it is not named Shi Bu Tui (Ten Steps Push). I believe that Jiu Bu, Shi Bu, or Shier Bu (twelve steps) doesn't mean anything in numbering, maybe the ancestors used that word "Jiu"(nine) because of the special meaning of Jiu Jiu Bu Jin (nine times nine equals infinity) but not the number of nine steps contained in Jiu Bu Tui Quan.
     Jiu Bu Tui Quan (Nine Steps Push Boxing) focuses on training the power of your Guan Jie (joints), incorporating with the use of your waist, stance, spiting, swallowing, floating and sinking, etc. Practice without a mentor's instructions is difficult for you to comprehend the point of the Jiu Bu Tui, to say nothing of great achievements. In order to master Jiu Bu Tui, you must concentrate your efforts on it. In case being under the guidance of some professional mentors, you can make some great achievements within three years.
     The Kai Li (Beginning) of Jiu Bu Tui is Die Gu Gong Practice (Superposition of Your Bones) exercises. The first style is Yin-yang (Two Opposite Concepts in Taoism) Shuang Tan Shou (Double Flipping Hands) and it practices your Tan Jin (Slipping Power). Biao Zhi Zhi Quan (Plunging with Fingers) practices your Biao Zha Jin (Power of the Plunging Fingers). Shuang Chou Shou (Thrust Both Hands Inward) practices your Chou Jin (Power of Thrusting Hands Inward). And Bei Jin (Thrust the Hand Upward) practices your Bian Jin (Power of Thrusting the Hand Upward). Zuo You Chuan Mo Shou (Thrust Two Hands Outward by Turn) practices your Chuan Mo (Harmony of Two Hands While Taking This Actions) and Ding Jin (Power of Thrusting Hand Outward). Ji Zhang (Press Palm) practice Ji Jin (Power of Pressing). Though Jiu Bu Tui contains only a few movements, but it covers the essence of Bai Mei Quan, and Liu Jin (Six kinds of Strengths) is included. The so-called Liu Jin is the power produced by your teeth, neck, waist, stance, hands and feet accompanied by the Kung-fu of Tun (Swallow), Tu (Spit), Fu (Float) and Chen (Sink).
     According to Mentor Zhang Binglin, Zhi Bu Quan (Straight Steps Boxing) is rudimental to White Eyebrows Kung-fu and Jiu Bu Tui (Nine Steps Pushing) is a good routine to practice fingers and elbows. I understand deeply the meaning of his words by my experience. Some Kung-fu learners just pursue amount and quickness would only learn some useless styles in routine. It should be avoided by all means for us studying Kung-fu. I am confident that most of the people specialized in Kung-fu field will agree to this opinion.
                                

A Brief introduction to Wu’s Thirteen Tai Ji Falchion

A Brief introduction to Wu’s Thirteen Tai Ji Falchion
    Tai Ji Quan was called thirteen styles before. The thirteen styles are Peng (Ward off), Lv (Roll back), Ji (Press), An (Push), Cai (Pluck), Lie (Split), Zhou (Elbow strike), Kao (Body strike), Jin (Step forward), Tui (Step backward), Gu (Step right), Pan (Step Left) and Ding (Central Equillibrium). Peng (Ward off), Lv (Roll back), Ji (Press) and An (Push), the four are for four square end points of Kan, Li, Zhen and Dui ("Kan", "Li", "Zhen" and "Dui" are four elements among the Eight Diagrams; their positions in the Eight Diagram can just form a square). Cai (Pluck), Lie (Split), Zhou (Elbow strike) and Kao (Body strike) are the four bevels of Qian, Kun, Gen and Xun ("Qian", "Kun", "Gen" and "Xun" are also our elements among the Eight Dia-grams; their positions in the Eight Diagrams can just form bevels). These eight elements compose the Eight Diagrams, in Chinese, means Ba Gua. Jin (Step forward), Tui (Step backward), Gu (Step left), Pan (Step fight), and Ding (stand in the middle) compose the Five Elements, in Chinese, means Wu Xing. Ba Gua (Eight Diagrams) and Wu Xing (Five Elements) compose the thirteen styles.
     The routine of Wu Style Tai Ji Falchion still follows the locating routine of traditional Quan (Boxing) called Thirteen Falchion as well.
     There are four moving directions in Wu's Thirteen Tai Ji Falchion. The up one is to cut your opponent's head named cutting head. The middle one is to thrust at his breast called piercing heart. Another one is to cleave his rib named piercing back. The down one is to cut his legs called cutting leg. However the routine of Wu's Tai Ji Falchion changing more, its punching bag just contains these six points: head, breast, left, right, back fibs, two legs.
     Shadowboxing advocates "Kung-fu should be practiced like the way you read books and write essays", it also means that we can compare notes and interchange through fighting without any weapon. There have been no authentic records of any fighting with weapons in shadowboxing. So the routine of Tai Ji Falchion (includes sword, crutch) is the extension and complementarity of shadowboxing and it's also a part of shadowboxing exercise. The falchions were tempered wrought iron ("Hun Tie" in Chinese). Their weights may be several kilograms to tens of kilograms according to the usages and the holders'preferences and abilities. In regular training, athletes attach sandbags to their legs in order to strengthen their legs. When they are competing without the sandbags, they'll be spry and light like a swallow. Just like sandbags and athletes, the falchion is the extension of one of your own arms. During practice, combine the falchion with your arms, and further more combine your body with the falchion so that you'll be deft. When you take exercise, you should spread your power to the falchion head in order to practice your arm's power and your whole piercing strength. Under the condition of extending and burdening your right arm, finish Tai Ji styles such as Peng (Ward off), Lv (Roll back), Ji (Press) and An (Push) and take vast exercise, you'll be more skillful when you are boxing and fighting.
    Wu Style Thirteen Tai Ji Falchion is feature by defense and counterattack, its basic principle is to neutralize your opponent's attack by a soft touch ("Yi Rou Ke Gang" in Chinese, directly translated into English is "Softness overcomes Stiffness"). It focuses on your body's softness and its moving styles. The thirteen moving styles in Shadowboxing are fit for the routine of Falchion in principle too. You should step on along the shape of a triangle. Your strength must be full and your vigor must be round and plump. The styles of Falchion are conjoint and moving upon your steps. There are no any break within all your movements. Practice simply and don't focus on a sleight of hand. Blanks and neutralize to defend; make with artfulness and defend with attack. Avoid stiff fight by all means and attack with your opponent unconscious. Energize instantly and attack with defense. During the falchion routine, doughty is shown in the pliancy, smartness is shown in elegancy and abundant verve is shown in calmness.
    The Names of Thirteen Falchions
     1, Qi Shi An Dao (holding the falchion and starting the motion)
    2, Qing Long Chu Shui   (blue dragon moving out from the water)
3, Feng Bai He Hua (water lily waving with wind blowing)
4, Bai Yun Gai Ding (white cloud covering all the heads)
5, Bei Dao (backing the falchion)
     6, Ying Fen Gui Mi (meeting the grave and being captivated by ghosts)
     7, Zhen Jiao Ti Dao (shocking the feet and lifting the falchion)
     8, Buo Yun Wang Ri (moving the cloud by hands and looking at the sun)
     9, Bi Dao (shunning the falchion)
     10, Ba Wang Ju Ding (the overlord cooking vessel)
     11, Chao Tiao Yi Zhu Xiang (a burning incense pointing to the sky)
     12, Tuo Dao Bai Shi (pulling the falchion and pretending to be failed)
     13, Ling Mao Bu Shu (a dexterous cat catching a rat)
     14, Shou Shi (ending)
     Explanation:
     1, Mr. Hao Pingshun is the great grandson of Mr. Hao Weizhen who was one of the third generation of great master of the school of shadowboxing of Wu. He learned the falchion Kung-fu from his uncle, Mr. Hao Xiangrong.
     2, Any Kung-fu weapon is an extension of one's arm or arms. The falchion should be combined with your arm. All one's spirit, energy and body should be associated with the falchion as a whole to make him much more deft. The falchion Kung-fu is also a boxing routine. All the requirements for the boxing routine are fit for the falchion Kung-fu as well. Thus the falchion Kung-fu must be under the guidance of the rules set up in the field of Wu style Tai Ji Quan.
     3, All the routines of thirteen Tai Ji Falchions are coherent as a whole. Your strength must be full and your vigor must be round and plump. One should Learn hard and not focus on some sleights of hands merely. Defending at first, then attacking and focusing on utility would be much more practical to show abundant verve of the falchion routine in the pliancy and elegancy.
         

Yongnian Tai Ji Quan

Yongnian Tai Ji Quan
     Guangfu Town, Yongnian County in Hebei Province, is an old town recording the history of the development of Tai Ji Quan (shadow boxing). What's the situation today in Guangh? Do people living there still keep the custom habit in practicing Kung-fu as what practitioners of the older generation said? How many fans of Tai Ji Quan today? What were the styles and features of Tai Ji Quan in the past? I went to Guangfu again after this Spring Festival with a series of questions.
     Yang Zhiying, one of the Guangfu Tai Ji Quan researchers belonging to the new generation, and Hao Pingshun, one of the posterities of Master Hao Weizhen, welcomed me.
According to what Yang and Hao said, Guangfu Town had been surrounded by water. There were bulrushes, willows and fishing boats everywhere. Numberless streams and brooklets overlapped and interlaced with one another. It was an attractive land flowing with milk and honey. However, the attractive land has gone nowadays, the custom of practicing Kung-fu is also hard to be seen.
     From the Republic of China era on, some Tai Ji Quan masters had left Guangfu one after another. They made a living by promoting the Quan in every place. By the end of last century, as the society changed, new generation of Yongnian Tai Ji Quan masters lived by going out to promote the Quan just as what masters had done several decades earlier. There was only one difference between their circumstances, the old ones could promote the Quan everywhere in China and the new could also do it this way plus doing the same all over the world. That's what Yongnian people have been contributing to global humankind.
     Because of the changing of the society, there have been fewer people like practicing Tai Ji Quan in Guangfu in recent years. Maybe most of the Yang Jia (Yang school) Tai Ji Quan practitioners of the older generation had worked outside of the town or moved elsewhere, I could only find few of them. In the former residence of Yang Luchan, I met Han Huiming, who has been voluntarily taking care of Yang's former residence. He said that he didn't practice the Quan every day. I invited him to perform a set of Quan and then asked him who passed the Quan Jia (boxing frame) of this Quan. He told me that the Quan Jia he teamed was passed by Master Fu Zhongwen. Presently in Guangfu, fans of Tai Ji Quan such as Hao Pingshun, Yang Zhiying and so on, have been mostly practicing the Quan Jia handed down from Master Wu Yuxiang. Among the elder practitioners, Hao Shuying, one of the granddaughters of Master Hao Weizhen, and old Li Disheng, had witnessed the history of Guangfu Tai Ji Quan in some extent.
     Some elders in Guangfu usually said that people normally didn't care if the Quan belonged to Yang school or the Wu when they practiced in the past, they only cared whose Quan Jia coming down they were practicing. Tai Ji Quan was divided into five styles with different characteristics of movements only since the national sports department distinguished them in several decades earlier in order to promote popular exercising program and facilitate the spread of Tai Ji in preserving health.
     As a kind of Chinese traditional Kung-fu, Tai Ji Quan had only a little essential difference with others theoretically and technically in its beginning past. The difference between them exists in the concepts of Quan Jia in preserving health and in the process of practicing. If we are intending to categorize Tai Ji Quan into different varieties, subspecies or species, we could get nearly a thousand or even more.
     I believe that there might be 1.3 billion kinds of Tai Ji in China as China has a population of 1.3 billion. There is a certain form of Tai Ji in everyone's mind. That might be a best explanation for "Tai Ji".
     We can only read, see and search some limited information and views on the style and features of the Tai Ji Quan created by Yang Luchan in the books published in the era of early Republic of China. Yang Luchan was a great Kung-fu master. Some of his experiences in playing Tai Ji Kung-fu could be heard in the Kung-fu circle in Beijing during the early years in that era.
The book of Tai Ji Quan Tu Jie (illustration of Tai Ji Quan postures) written and published by Xu Longhou in 1921, tells a short story about Yang Luchan. Joining the Manchuria military camp to teach them Kung-fu, Yang had got only three prentices having inherited his Tai Ji Quan in reality. They were Wan Chun, Ling Shan and Quan You. The first one was powerful, another was good in sending out his Ta Ji Jin (strength) letting his rival falling down and the third had been quite softening his movements in melting any attacking. It is said that the three had obtained the excellences in Yang's Tai Ji respectively, Jin (tendon), Gu (bones) and Pi (skin). Getting this description with a rounded message, we know that Yang Luchan was credibly a great martial artist and, he had a real talent in learning Kung-fu. The powerfulness inherited by Wan Chun mentioned above shows Yan's Tai Ji strength. Being good at setting people free represented that Yang Luchan not only knew how to strike, but also won his rival without hurting him, making him convinced by Yang's generosity as a Kung-fu master. Being good at softening his movements, Yang had got full abilities and skills in freely defending and counterattacking. Unflappably meeting enemies, he would be striking them as he wished.
     Being one of the disciples of Yang Luchan, Yang Banhou was said having reached an advanced level in Tai Ji Kung-fu. People nowadays could not make clear how good Yang Banhou's Kung-fu really was. From the performances and descriptions by Wu Mengxia, Jia Z3ixiang, Wang Changxing and others, grand-prentices of Yang Banhou, we could realize that the Quan Jia handed down by Yang Luchan and Yang Banhou was different from anyone we can see today.It has been even more difficult for people to reach senior masters’ level nowadays. In addition, we can also notice the differences between various understandings of the Quan Jia and explanations issued by other prentices and grand-prentices(in the era of the Republic of China) of Yang Luchan.
    Within the period from the end of Qing Dynasty to the beginning of the Republic of China, many experts in (the Eight Diagrams) Zhang (palm) also practiced Tai Ji Quan at the same time. There were many reasons and factors why those Kung-fu experts had practiced Tai Ji Luchan’s Tai Ji Quan founded by Yang Lunchan and Yang Banhou especially the commonness in terms of Kung-fu practice.
     Getting from the books talking about Tai Ji Quan published in the era of the Republic of China, we could realize how the experts understood and comprehended Tai Ji Quan then. Some books introduce and explain Tai Ji Quan spread in the Kung-fu circle and the society in that era quite well. They are, Tai Ji Quan Jiang 3'i (Tai Ji Quan teaching material), written by Yao Fuxiang and ShanRongqiao, published by Shanghai Martial Art Studies Press in 1930, Tai Ji Quan Shi Tu Jie (illustration of Tai Ji Quan postures), written by Xu Longhou, published in 1921, Tai Ji Quan Qian Shuo (elementary introduction of Tai Ji Quan), written by Xu Zhiyi, published by Cultural Books Press Company in 1927 and Tai Ji Zheng Zong (orthodox school of Tai Ji Quan), wriiten by Wu Zhiqing, published by Great Oriental Press in 1940. We will make a further comparison between them in the next issue of our Magazine.
                                

Yahu Wing Chun Quan in Guangzhou

Yahu Wing Chun Quan in Guangzhou
    Wing Chun Quan, come down in Renhe, Shichitang in Nancun of Longgui Town, Baitang and some other places in Guangzhou nowadays, were spread over Yahu in Renhe by Yi Jin originally. Yi Jin with his byname "Zheng Dan (an actor but formally playing a woman continuously on Chinese old drama stage of Beijing opera) Jin" had his ancestral home near by the seaside of Yahu in Renhe. He was born within the period from the end of Qing Dynasty to the era of the Republic of China. Being one of the successors and members of Hong Chuan (red boat) in Foshan, he learned some martial arts and returned to his native place accepting prentices such as Cao Shunhe and some others.
Wing Chun Quan and weapons going around nowadays in Renhe, Shichitang in Longgui Town, Baitang, and some other places are as follows.
   Quan:
   1. Shao Lin Tou (It has been pronounced so in local accent. It should be named Xiao Nian Tou (small idea) originally. The contents of Xiao Nian Tou, Xun Qiao (finding bridge) and Biao Zhi (fingers pointing to a target) in Wing Chun Quan best- known in Guangzhou, Foshan and other places nowadays have constituted a full set of the Quan. It is said that the teachers of Zhing Dan Jin were three brothers in Kung-fu practicing. One of them taught disciples the Quan in Huiyang and Shantou, another, in Renhe in Yubei(the Renhe area today) and the third was unknown to the public. The methods of practicing the Quan mainly with one's hands were separated into Duan Shou (short bridge) form and the Chang Qiao (long bridge). The one has spread over Renhe was Chang Qiao as well. Unlike the Wing Chun Quan played by the practitioners in Guangzhou and Foshan, the Quan practiced by the people in Yayuan Village has been likely more simple and unsophisticated. It is a kind of Quan systems maintaining the original styles and features.
    2. Shao Lin Tou is the primary Quan method. Other methods including Nian Shou (sticking one's hand on the other), Lu Lu (rolling), Sui Da (fighting casually), Bei Di Zhi (the North King's pointing), and so on.
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