A Brief Discussion on “Steel Whip Arm” Under Lingnan Wing Chun
Lingnan Wing Chun is a unique Chinese boxing system from practical Wing Chun scholarship which comes from the summarization and development of several Wing Chun scholarships by Master Huo Zhenqiu of Guangzhou.
The so-called "Steel Whip Ann" is also a feature of Lingnan Wing Chun. Here "Steel Whip Arm" is neither only the hardness of bridge arms, nor some appointed poster or skills. The meaning of "Steel Whip "is the continuity and combination of softness and hardness in the fighting. When attacking, it is rapid, hidden, and continuous and all the postures are linked .While defending, it is perfect protection without weak points to be attacked. When tangling with your opponents, it will it will make them difficult to get out of the attacks. All these are part of the obvious characteristics of "Steel Whip Arm" Kung-fu. Actually, as a type of powerful practical fighting skill, it has much more connotation.
The writer wil.1 try to briefly introduce the fundamentality of "Steel Whip Arm"' in fact, we may understand the "Steel Whip Arm" from Master Huo by three tiers from the aspect of actual fighting:
First, from the features of attack and defense: in fighting, Lingnan Wing Chun accepts that human beings are bodies made of flesh and blood and it is hard to judge the strength of your opponents. In actual fighting, the situation is always changing. So Wing Chun pays much attention to use its means in the development of skill and the utilization of human huge potential, on the precondition of being reasonable and scientific to hit the final target of putting the opponents in inferior sit uation and defeating the opnents. Therefore, in attacking and defending of real fighting, one of the most important points is to combine toughness and softness, it is one of the physical characteristics of steel whips. The theories of Kung-fu tell us that purely toughness will be easy snapped, and purely softness will be erosed. Only when they are combined, they will be in natural state, forming the greatest skills. in the tier of attacking and defending , "Steel Whip Arm" must be as tough as steel, as soft as rope, and as flexible as rattan .While absorbing opponents' attacks ,you should be flexible with tenacity, converting opponents' posture and resisting opponents' force. By this way, the opponents cannot hurt you, while being controlled wholly. When attacking your opponents you must be tough and hard, as if cutting steel bars, and as rapid as a scared snake. By this way, you will defeat the opponents by one attack. Lingnan Wing Chun emphasizes attacking the opponents while absorbing their attacks, so it is not purely toughness or softness, but keeping yourself as an integrated unit of mixture of toughness and softness .When unloading your opponents' force, transiting the proper force to your opponents, you re act to your opponents with proper force, (as in the Guangzhou dialect, your force turns with your feeling, and strength attacks and strength attacks the opponents, including the meaning of set-to, viscosity, mantling, compelling and involving ) to control and break to control and break the opponents' posture. That is the real skill of "Inner scholarship”, loose but not passive, tough but not stiff.
Surely, if you want to perform above effects in real fighting, you need to know how to use your force, besides the integration of appropriate training and the accumulation of experience in real fighting. In the following, we shall discuss the technique of "Steak Whip Arm". When the human force is in use, in Kung-fu, we may divide the force into three types: force keeping, force breaking and force converting. All of them are not separate but combined in real fighting, and the relationship and the relationship among them should be combined, mutual them should be combined, mutual assisting, and almost simultaneous. Some types of Chinese boxing use the force by "First keeping and then breaking, first converting and then breaking" in real fighting, while some use the force by "keeping and converting, then breaking". In Lingnan Wing Chun boxing, as inner boxing scholarship, much attention is paid to the use of forces, when using forces, emphasizing simultaneous "converting, breaking and keeping", and in the real fight in, each "posture" contains the forces of converting and breaking and at the same time winning advance opportunity for continuous attack or defense of next step, creating the best condition for next attack with force breaking By all these in the real fighting, you will be quick, strong and continuous in using the force, ------to be quick, is to control or depress opponent's posture so that you may attack, that is, what we refer to as "really quick" which is different from disorderly attacks without consideration of your lower foundation to be strong because you fully use your posture and use your force, strong attacks will be killing and suddenly, with huge impact. To be continuous means the opponent will not have chance to convert your force to another direction and each of your attack is followed with the next one. For example there is a posture in Wing Chun called" Moving step swallowing and restraining hit", which is a technique of using forces with combined attack and defense, with simultaneous "converting, breaking and keeping ". It is also one of the exclusive skills of" Steel Whip Arm" Kung-fu.
The thirdfe ature of "Steel Whip Arm" is the combination of attack and defense, long and short, just like attacking with a whip. That can be false or true. No matter you are in long bridge posture or in short bridge posture, you will be able to break out your long or short forces. No matter it is long or short, it is breaking out continuously, with the matching moving of the whole body, and your waist your crotch, your back, your lower foundation are controlled by your consciousness in their turning or relative moving. The force breaking comes with the force of the whole body.
It may attack, or defend. In the real fighting, the combination and variation of long and short bridges and forces, the breaking of whole force, the inertial force and the controlled force make your opponent hard to make judgment of your action, unable to defend effectively and so as to be passively beaten.
Above contents show that the "Steel Whip Arm" Kung-fu of traditional Lingnan Wing Chun, developed and initiated by Master Huo Zhenqiu, is the Kung-fu of real fighting condensed from experience of real fighting, through the training of consciousness of control (including self-control and controlling others), and the methods of completely changing the body. The features of it in real fighting are represented by combination of attack and defense, fully control, and activation of huge human potential in fighting.
The above contents are the personal viewpoints of the writer. There must short comings due to my limited knowledge and I am waiting for guidance from Kung-fu experts and lovers. I hope that with this article I might be encouraged together with Wing Chun lovers and all friends who are eager to develop Chinese Kung-fu and are ready to contribute all for that purpose.
Remarks:
Master Huo Zhenqiu had been following his father to learn Guangzhou Wing Chun since his childhood (his father Mr. Huo Junxun, a famous scholar in Wing Chun Kung-fu scholarship, was the early disciple of Mr. Cen Neng, the Master of Guangzhou Wing Chun Scholarship. He has deep knowledge in Wing Chun Kung-fu, and he was also specialized in double falchions of "Er-zi-qian-yang").Master Huo Zhenqiu hadbeen guided by Master Cen Neng. personally as well. Huo has deep knowledge in Guangzhou Wing Chun. And because of coincidence, he had the chance to learn Shao Lin Wing Chun from Mr. Chen Jialian, the grandson of Mr. Qian Hua, another Kung-fu master in Foshan. He was also guided by Mr. Bai Chang (Bai Ziwen), who was the master of the Kung-fu style from Mr. Deng Suan. With guidance from so many Kung-fu masters, Huo has absorbed and combined all the skills. With his own practice and experience in guiding trainees in tens of years, Huo has summarized Lingnan WingChun Kung-fu system with its own feature and excellence.
Wushu Festival
Xingtai a city in Hebei Province, with its long history and abundant local culture is consisted of the main components of the culture of the Yan Zhao (two important Dynasties in Zhan Guo Period, i.e. Warring States Period) in Chinese history. Meanwhile, its culture has also been an important source to the long traditional culture of China.
Xingtai City in ancient time was named Da Lu Ze(i.e. Water with a Big Land). It contained a very large area in Chun Qiu Dynasty(i.e. the Spring and Autumn Period) and Zhan Guo Period(i.e. War States Period) in Chinese history. In those periods of ancient China, there was a very big lake even like a sea with a huge land inside it named Yun Meng Ze in southern district of Yunna, so was the north, i.e. the "Water with a Big Land" in Xingtai. This City area had instructed several famous Tai Ji Quan experts such as Wang Qihe , Dong Yingjie , Cui Yishi , Jiang Tingxuan and Liu Renhe etc.
The ancient "Da Lu Ze" in Xingtai was not only the paradise for lots of different species of plants growing both in land and water, but also the kingdom for various kinds of birds, an area with an abundant food resource such as fish, rice and lotus roots. There were lots of birds, of which the number may be exceeded the total sum of aquatic birds living in Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake nowadays. While lots of birds were flying in the sky, they looked like a big piece of cloud; when they were going downwards, they seemed to be as a huge wall falling down to the ground. This land had kept in the same situation with its water entering into the lake from three channels, from the east, south and west, and going out of the northern part of the continent before the year of 1963. There was a poet named Li Jing in Yuan Dynasty writing such a poem named The Wave of Water with a Big Land, said that" How powerful the thousands of layers upon layers of water wave, as nine water headstreams all come together in one lake here. When it is calm the surface looks like a mirror reflecting the light. While it is irritating, that is probably impossible to discern the various characters or moving directions of the wave in the lake. In spring, a number of fish jump out of the surface of the lake in the drizzle, sparrows flying alertly with the wind in the evenfall. In the moonlight, among the aquatic plants, near the bank planting willows, the fishermen are singing the praise song for the lotus flowers while sailing." There is another poem written by Wang Yan named The Nan Fung River, "The wave moves toward the center like a drawing from the far, all kinds of fishes and birds strolling about at the surface of the lake. A thousand thatching are built near the water, the fragrance of rice flowers spreading away around ten li (half of one mile) from the calm lake".
When we talk about the "Water with a Big Land ", there was a village located at the center of the land inside the lake has to be mentioned. Since the village was located in an isle of the center of the lake, it was named a "Village Around the Water'' at that time. This village had existed long before Tang Dynasty. Most of the people in this village made their living by fishing and making the lotus leaves to baskets and fans for sale. In Ming dynasty, it was also named the village of "Lotus Leaf", for it was situated in an extruding place, shaping like a lotus leaf surrounded by vast waters,. So there is a saying about its name: "The dew on the lotus leaf, lotus flowers blossom out". In Shunzhi Period, the residents living over there once intended to build a tower but in vain, whereas usually called as "tower platform" on this little island. If it said that the "Water with a Big Land" was like a big eye of the south of Jizhou (one of nine states in ancient China), then the 'village was its pupil of the eye.
This village was a precious place quite famous for its people. As a saying in Chinese legends, it was blessed by the heaven, helping foster lots of talents. For instance, two famous poets, Liu Yongxi and his son Liu Shuqi, who wrote many beautiful poems praising the "Water with a Big Land", were born in this village. The famous master of Tai Ji Quan, Wang Qihe was also born here. In July 4,1938, Deng Xiaoping visited the village for an inspection to shun the Japanese, and stayed in Liu Jia Tai of that village for several nights. There is a gulf named "Xingjia" stands at the throat of backward position of the "Water with a Big Land" and it is a good strategic spot to control battling ships through the channel. This gulf is also called "on land dock" because of its shallowness. The people of the village lived a peaceful life. At night, the honk of wild geese could even been heard several miles away. There is a poem saying, "At the other side of the bank, willows stand and birds fly, and the fiver goes straight into the lake. The aquatic plants flourish after the spring rain. It is not happy without fish every meal, so, with a pole in hand, to fish by the bank".
However, as time goes by, the beautiful natural scenery of the village does not exist any more. The ancient waterway has been replaced by lots of highways and road networks, modem factories spreading around the isle. The picture of the peaceful village can only be recalled in memory nowadays. Even though the environment has been changed so much, with its long history and ancient civilization, there are still many outstanding masters who love the traditional culture, like Li Jianfang, standing as the successors of Kung-fu.
13 ways of spear in yang’s Tai Ji
Spear (Qiang) is a special kind of the long handle weapons of ancient time in China, which was transformed from spear. Its head looks like a short sword, with protruding spines, setting on the top of a hard shaft (usually made of wood). In Song Dynasty, the head was made of iron and the end of shaft was also equipped with a piece of iron. The spear used by the cavalryman is about six che ( about two miters).Later in Qing Dynasty, the government tried its best to develop firelock as the main weapon in the military force, but Qiang was still often used in the army such as the "Eight Flags" camp and green camp (Two famous camps of government in Qing Dynasty), which reached three point two to three meters. By the middle of the 19th century, after the royal army was equipped with rifle, spear became the daily fighting apparatus for soldiers to practice Wu-shu.
Yang Style Tai Ji Qiang was invented by Yang Luchan, and then every master was accomplished in it, but few disciples could have access to it, due to the strict and hard regulation. First, the disciple had to learn the fist art several years and then Jian art, and also Dao art (Jian, Dao are two different kinds of so-called swords in China). The fundamental spear art was called thirteen Tai Ji Qiang, started its proceeding from the practice of shaft.
Practicing the Shaft: The shaft should be used without the sharp head, thick enough to fully hold, over three m-eters long, suitable heavy, and the front part is shrunk sharply. The front hand ( also named the first hand, usually is the right hand ) should grasp the place near the gravity center of shaft in order to hold firmly and shake smoothly. So the shaft should be neither too long nor too heavy, and the way of grasp should let second head reach the end of shaft. The practice has three step motions: sticking shaking and thrusting.
Sticking: Using your shaft to keep in touch with your opponent's shaft in order to stick. The wrist keeps moving flexibly to let the shaft go around from upside to downside, even though in practice alone. The arm exerts out the strength, the back straights, and the waist sinks a little down to help the hands to control strength well.
Shaking: Use both hands to hold the shaft firmly and stick to the opponent's, exerting strength to press his shaft down or lift his shaft up with the help of waist power. The purpose is to shake away opponent's shaft. In this motion, the center gravity of the body should move a little more to the fight leg.
Thrusting: After the previous two step motions, follow the tendency of the movement, catch the opportunity, exert out strength through two hands, and thrust the shaft at your opponent .The posture of this motion should act in this way :the front hand straights like pipe, filled with energy, parallel to the chest. The other hand grasps the shaft firmly as a lock, and let the whole strength of body go through from waist to hand and to shaft, at the end reach the head of shaft; the arm presses close to waist in the movement. During the movement, you should harmonize every part energy from body to assist each other. We call it: "arm help wrist, waist help arm and foot help waist". And you also have to step steadily, saving the energy to do preparation. When fight hand pull forward, according to left hand roundly, you suddenly thrust out, with great powerful vigour.
Sticking, shaking and thrusting are the three basic Qiang arts. After practicing skillfully, one can use the Qiang adroitly, able to thrust powerfully at every direction from upper to lower. It is unquestionable for someone to reach this level after hard practice.
Yao Shen Jum Jia of Tai Zu Quan
Yao Shen Jun Jia is an advanced achievement of Kung-fu practicing in Nan Shao Lin Wu Lan School. It is not particular movements but a practice of strength and Gong Fa. The most importance is how to apply this high-grade Kung-fu in the movements of Wu Zu Quan. In the past, the Quan was taught by the masters orally without any relative literature left. There are as well no any written records regarding Yao Shen Jun Jia in Quan scripture of Wu Zu Quan. Though it has been always ignored, Yao Shen Jun Jia still could be found easily in various styles and movements of the Quan if we are analyzing it well enough. It appears in the movements of "San Zhan", "Sha Quan Ru", "Qiao Da Ru" and "Tun Piao Chu" etc. Most masters would explain it as shivering in Minnan dialect when such Gong Fa appears. Those who are familiar with Wu Zu Quan would know that when there is a Chinese letter "Ru" inside the movement's name, it is just the style of Yao Shen Jun Jia containing.
The Quan routine name Ping Ma Jin that I usually practice is the most common style containing the practice of Yao Shen Jun Jia. The movement is simple and clear. Relax your body; do not move up or down, nor toward either side before practicing Yao Shen Jun Jia. Do not raise your shoulders nor move your waist in a large scale. Do not shake your shoulders or your buttocks heavily. Inhale and exhale with the coordination of uttering sounds. Your sounds coming from your Dan Tian (an acupoint of the abdomen) should be vigorous and low but avoiding shouting loudly. All these movements should be finished without any pause and be sent out with a horizontal quivery force. It should be quickly applied in actual fights and help us to win.
Xing (acting) Zhang (palm)" is a special Kung-fu in practicing the circulation of your Qi (inner breathing and strength) derived from Shao Lin temple. It was created by Xingyin Da Shi (senior master) while it has been rarely imparted to anyone else apart from a few monks in the temple.
Within the period of the Qing Dynasty, She Genii, one of the disciples of the master went to make a living in Zhongshan passing down this Quan to Xu Yi. And in turns, Xu Yi taught Du Yuxun, from Du to Zheng Yanbin and Zheng's brother, from Zheng Yanbin to my father Liu Yuting. My father then imparted the Quan to my brothers Liu Jinghuan, Lu Zhenyu, Liu Shengyuan and me. My eldest brother and I, are two of his disciples belonging to the sixth generation. Here I will share my own understanding and experience in practicing the Quan.
"Xing Zhang" integrates the Gong Fa (the methods of Kung-fu practicing), fighting techniques and methods in preserving health. All its movements are soft, swift, flexible simple, with a perfect natural sense. Practicing the Quan, you will have your mind controlling all your actions with your forming and your spirit integrated. Even if your forming is not hold constant, your intention is required to be continuous. It looks stiff from an outside view, while it resolves Tai Ji (here representing a softer approach initiating strength) from your within. Strength in also stressed on in practicing. You will experience the process of sending out external strength, then internal strength and finally converting the opponent’s force.
A saying that “Yu You(as swift as a fish) Xia Za(as Pricky as a shrimp) Xie Fu Si(as hard as a crap)” is the unique method of Xing Zhang to refine your Nei Gong (interior Kung-fu), to build your body, to convert interior strength and to practice your attacking-defending techniques. Practicing the Quan, you should have your Qi held in your Dan Tian (an acupoint in your navel), concentrate your mind and converge your Qi following the Quan theory and instruction. Keep practicing it for ages you will enter a state of "combining Yin and Yang, easy transforming between firmness and softness".
"Zhong (middle) He (associated and balanced)" is the truth of any kind of Kung-fu and is reflected in the many aspects. For instance, in exerting your strength, it means a balanced association of your firmness and softness; in attacking, it is to strike your opponent by your intention without any anxious feeling in a hurry. Master Xing Yin was a great monk in understanding and practicing of Kung-fu. Having a thorough and in-depth understanding of the essence and principle of Kung-fu, he created Xing Zhang based on the theory of "associated and balanced". It technical concept of "retaining calmness, withholding flexibility; seeming to be un-ambitious but with ambition within indeed" always embodies the application of "associated and balanced". This is exactly where the essence of Chinese Kung-fu lies in.
"Xing Zhang" has seventy-two forms. Foot work is often done in eight-inch straight stepping, T-shaped steeping, small bow stepping and small four flat stepping while the latter three having their front in emptiness and the back, firmness. It could train both your bones and muscles in the above foot work. Hand form includes falchion-shape palming, angle-shape palming, palm back and finger. In actual fighting, you could hit your opponent by falchion-shape palming, angle-shape palming and palm back and, point and stick him with your middle finger. Most of the leg techniques are kicking with heel and shoveling.
Nei Gong is the core of the Quan while your physical practicing like grasping walnuts, inserting into mung bean stack and, hitting sandy dishware are all required to train your bones and muscles. In this way, you could practice both your interior as well as your exterior.
"Xing Zhang" is too delicate and profound to be explained well further more. Practicing it hard for ages, I could only comprehend a little. I hope our next generation of Xing Zhang could continue the pursuit of its delicacy and profoundness as well and to develop it.
