Styles of Chinese martial arts

Hundreds of different styles of Chinese martial arts have developed over the past two thousand years, many distinctive styles with their own sets of techniques and ideas. There are themes common which allows them to be group according to generalized "families" , "sects" , "class" , or "schools" of martial art styles. There are styles that mimic movements from animals and others that gather inspiration from various Chinese philosophies or mythologies. Some styles put most of their focus into the belief of the harnessing of qi energy, while others concentrate solely on competition and exhibition. This rich variety of styles has created numerous classification schemes.


Geographical location such as regional affiliation is one well known example.
A particular Chinese martial arts style can be referred to as either a ''northern fist'' or a ''southern fist'' depending on its point of origin. Additional details such as province or city can further identify the particular style. Other classification schemes include the concept of ''external'' and '''' . This criterion concerns the training focus of a particular style. Religious affiliation of the group that found the style can also be used as a classification. The three great religions of Taoism, Buddhism and Islam have associated martial arts styles. There are also many other criteria used to group Chinese martial arts; for example, imitative-styles and legendary styles; historical styles and family styles. Another more recent approach is to describe a style according to their combat focus.

Geographical classifications

The traditional dividing line between the northern and southern Chinese martial arts is the Yangtze River. A well known adage concerning Chinese martial arts is the term "Southern fists and Northern kicks" . This saying emphases the difference between the two groups of Chinese martial arts. Although such differences are not absolute and there are many Northern styles that excel in hand techniques and conversely, there are many different type of kicks in some Southern styles. A style can also be more clearly classified according to regional landmarks, province, city and even to a specific village.

Northern styles

Northern styles/Běi pài feature deeply extended postures — such as the horse, bow, drop, and dragon stances — connected by quick fluid transitions, able to quickly change the direction in which force is issued.

In general, the training characteristics of northern styles put more focus on legwork, kicking and acrobatics. Some say this is because the northern Chinese were generally taller than those living in southern China, and such training takes advantage of their greater range of motion, especially in their legs. Others claim that the terrain of northern China is more suitable to kicking techniques, or that the cold of the northern Chinese winter caused the practitioner to emphasis leg techniques rather than hand skills. Still others suggest that jump kicking techniques were developed to fight Mongolian horseman who used "very short stirrups". Regardless of the reason, Northern styles exhibit a distinctively different flavour from the martial arts practised in the South. The influence of Northern styles can be found in traditional Korean martial arts and their emphasis on high level kicks.

The group of Northern martial arts includes many illustrious styles such as Baguazhang, Bajiquan, Chāquán, Chuojiao, Eagle Claw, Northern Praying Mantis and Taijiquan. Chángquán is often identified as the representative Northern style and forms a separate division in modern curriculum.

Southern styles

Southern Chinese martial arts features low stable stances and short powerful movements that combines both attack and defense. In practice, Nan Quan focus more on the use of the arm and full body techniques rather than high kicks or acrobatic moves. There are various explanations for those characteristics. Some suggest that the physical stature of the Southern Chinese are responsible. The Southern Chinese are generally shorter in contrast to the Northern population and as a result the Southern styles are generally short, direct and powerful. Similarly, it is speculated that the dense urban population and its humid climate made focusing on close-quarter hand techniques more practical then the kicking techniques of the North. Still other suggest that the Southern styles focus on practical fighting techniques that can be mastered in a short time because Southern styles were founded and used by Chinese rebels. The influence of Southern styles can be found in Goju Ryu, a karate style from Okinawa.

The term Southern styles typically applies to the five family styles of Southern China: Choy Gar , Hung Ga , Lau Gar , Li Family and Mok Gar . Other styles include:Choi Lei Fut, Fujian White Crane, Five Ancestors, Wing Chun, , Southern Praying Mantis and . There are sub-divisions to Southern styles due to their similar characteristics and common heritage. For example, the Fujian and Hakka martial arts can be considered to be one such sub-division. This groups share the following characteristics that "during fights, pugilists of these systems prefer short steps and close fighting, with their arms placed close to the chest, their elbows lowered and kept close to the flanks to offer it protection". Nanquan became a separate and distinct component of the current training. It was design to incorporate the key elements of each major Southern styles.

Other geographical classifications

Chinese martial arts can also be identified by the regional landmarks, province, city or even village. Generally, this identification indicates the region of origin but could also describe the place where the style have established a reputation. Well known landmarks used to characterize Chinese martial arts include the famous mountains of China. The Eight Great Schools of Martial Arts , a grouping of martial arts schools used in many wuxia novels, is based on this type of geographical classifications. This group of schools include: Hua Shan , ?méi Shān , Wudang Shan , , Kunlun Mountains ,Cangshan , Mount Qingcheng and Mount Song Shaolin . Historically, there are 18 provinces in China. Each province have their own styles of martial arts. For example, in Xingyi, there are currently three main branches: Shanxi, Hebei and Henan. Each branch have unique characteristics but they can all be traced to the original art developed by Li Luoneng and the Dai family. A particular style can also be identified by the city where the art was practised. For example, in the North, the cities of Beijing or Tianjin have created different martial arts branches for many styles. Similarly, in the South, the cities of Shanghai, and Futshan all represented centers of martial arts development. Older martial art styles can be described by their village affiliation. For example, is a branch of Chen Tai Chi originating from Zhaobo village.

External and Internal

The distinction between external and internal martial arts comes from Huang Zongxi's 1669 ''Epitaph for Wang Zhengnan''.
Stanley Henning proposes that the ''Epitaph'''s identification of the internal martial arts with the Taoism indigenous to China and its identification of the external martial arts with the foreign Buddhism of —and the Manchu Qing Dynasty to which Huang Zongxi was opposed—may have been an act of political defiance rather than one of technical classification.
Kennedy and Guo suggests that external and internal classifications only became popular during the Republican period. It was used to differentiate between two completing groups within The Central Guoshu Academy.
Regardless of the origin of this classification scheme, the distinction becomes less meaningful since all complete Chinese martial art styles have external and internal components. This classification scheme is only a reminder of the initial emphasis of a particular style and should not be considered an absolute division.

External styles

External style are often associated with Chinese martial arts. They are characterized by fast and explosive movements and a focus on physical strength and agility. External styles includes both the traditional styles focusing on application and fighting, as well as the modern styles adapted for competition and exercise. Examples of external styles are Shaolinquan, with its direct explosive attacks and many Wushu forms that have spectacular aerial techniques.
External styles begin with a training focus on muscular power, speed and application, and generally integrate their qigong aspects in advanced training, after their desired "hard" physical level has been reached. Most Chinese martial art styles are classified as external styles.

Internal styles

Internal styles focus on the practice of such elements as awareness of the spirit, mind, qi and the use of relaxed leverage rather than unrefined muscular tension, tension that soft stylists call "brute force".
While the principles that distinguish internal styles from the external were described at least as early as the 18th century by Chang Nai-chou, the modern terms distinguishing external and internal styles were first recorded by Sun Lutang; who wrote that Taijiquan, Baguazhang, and Xingyiquan were internal arts. Later on, others began to include their style under this definition; for example, Liuhebafa, and Yiquan.

Components of internal training includes stance training , stretching and strengthening of muscles, as well as on empty hand and weapon forms which can contain quite demanding coordination from posture to posture. Many internal styles have basic two-person training, such as pushing hands. A prominent characteristic of internal styles is that the forms are generally performed at a slow pace. This is thought to improve coordination and balance by increasing the work load, and to require the student to pay minute attention to their whole body and its weight as they perform a technique. In some styles, for example in , there are forms that include sudden outbursts of explosive movements. At an advanced level, and in actual fighting, internal styles are performed quickly, but the goal is to learn to involve the entire body in every motion, to stay relaxed, with deep, controlled breathing, and to coordinate the motions of the body and the breathing accurately according to the dictates of the forms while maintaining perfect balance. Internal styles have been associated in legend and in much popular fiction with the Taoist monasteries of Wudangshan in central China.

Religious classifications

Chinese martial arts being an important component of Chinese culture are also influence by the various . Many styles were founded by groups that were influenced by one of the three great religions: Buddhism, Taoism and Islam.

Buddhist styles

styles include Chinese martial arts that originated or practised within Buddhist temples and later spread to lay community. These styles often include Buddhist philosophy, imagery and principles. The most famous of these are the Shaolin styles, e.g. Shaolinquan, Luohanquan, Hung Gar, Wing Chun, Dragon style and White Crane.

Shaolin Kung Fu

The term "Shaolin" is used to refer to those styles that trace their origins to Shaolin, be it the Shaolin Monastery in Henan Province, another temple associated with Shaolin such as the Southern Shaolin Temple in Fujian Province, or even wandering Shaolin monks. More restrictive definitions include only those styles that were conceived on temple grounds or even just the original Henan temple proper. The broadest definition includes just about all external Chinese martial arts, though this has much to do with the attractiveness of the Shaolin "brand name". One common theme for this group is the association with the philosophy of Chán Buddhism.

Taoist styles

styles are popularly associated with Taoism. They include Chinese martial arts that were created or trained mostly within Taoist Temples or by Taoist ascetics, which often later spread out to laymen. These styles include those trained in the Wudang temple, and often include Taoist principles, philosophy, and imagery. Some of these arts include Taijiquan, Wudangquan, Baguazhang and Liuhebafa

Islamic styles

Islamic styles are those that were practiced traditionally solely or mainly by the Muslim minority in China. These styles often include Islamic principles or imagery. Example of these styles include: Chāquán, Tan Tui, some branches of Xingyiquan, and Qishiquan.

Other classifications

Imitative-styles

Imitative-styles are styles that were developed based on the characteristics of a particular creature such as a bird or an insect. An entire system of fighting were developed based on the observations of their movement, fighting abilities and spirit. Examples of the most well known styles are white crane, tiger, monkey , dog and mantis. In some systems, a variety of animals are used to represent the style of the system. For example, the Five Animals of Shaolin Boxing includes the imagery of the Tiger, Crane, Leopard, Snake and Dragon. Similarly, there are twelve animals in most Xing yi practise. Another type of imitative styles concerns the state of the practitioner. For example, in drunken boxing, the performer tries to imitate the random uncontrolled motions of an intoxicated person inorder to execute techniques that are completely relaxed and unexpected.

Legendary and historical styles

Many Chinese martial arts styles are based or named after legends or historical figures. Examples of such styles based on legends and myths are the Eight Immortals and . Example of styles attributed to historical figures include Xing yi and its relationship to Yue Fei and Tai Chi which trace its origins to a Taoist Zhang Sanfeng.

Family styles

Family affliations are also an important means of identifying a Chinese martial arts system. Heavily influenced by the the Confucian tradition, many styles are named in honor of the founder of the system. The five family of Southern Chinese martial arts are representative of family styles. Family styles can also denote branches of a system. For example, the families of Chen, Yang, Wu and Sun represents different training approaches to the art of Tai Chi Chuan.

Other styles

The variety of classification schemes, like the subject of Chinese martial arts, are endless. Some styles are named after well known Chinese philosophies. For example, Baguazhang is based on the Taoist philosophy of the eight trigrams . Some styles are named after the key insight suggested by the training. For example, Liuhebafa is a system based on the ideas of six combinations and eight methods.

Another popular method to describe a particular style of Chinese martial arts is to describe the style's emphasis in terms of the four major applications. The four major applications are: kicking , hitting , wrestling and grabbing . A complete system will necessary include all four types of applications but each style will differ in their training focus. For example, most Northern styles will emphasize kicking, Southern styles have a reputation for their intricate hand techniques, Shuai jiao trains predominately in full body closed contact techniques and Eagle claw is noted for their Chin na expertise.

Baduanjin qigong

The Baduanjin is one of the most common forms of Chinese qigong used as exercise. Variously translated as Eight Pieces of Brocade, Eight Section Brocade, Eight Silken Movements and others, the name of the form generally refers to how the eight individual movements of the form characterize and impart a silken quality to the body and its . The Baduanjin is primarily designated as a form of medical qigong, meant to improve health. This is in contrast to religious or martial forms of qigong. However, this categorization does not preclude the form's use by martial artists as a supplementary exercise, and this practice is frequent.

History

This exercise is mentioned in several encyclopedias originating from the Song Dynasty. The ''Pivot of the Way'' describes an archaic form of this qigong. The ''Ten Compilations on Cultivating Perfection'' features illustrations of all eight movements. The same work assigns the creation of this exercise to two of the Eight immortals, namely Zhongli Quan and Lu Tung-pin.

The sections

The Baduanjin as a whole is broken down in to eight separate exercises, each focusing on a different physical area and . The Baduanjin traditionally contains both a standing and seated set of eight postures each. In the modern era, the standing version is by far the most widely practiced. The particular order in which the eight pieces are executed sometimes varies, with the following order being the most common.

Standing

;Two Hands Hold up the Heavens : This move is said to stimulate the "Triple Warmer" . It consists of an upward movement of the hands, which are loosely joined and travel up the center of the body.

;Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Hawk : While in a lower horse stance, the practitioner imitates the action of drawing a bow to either side. It is said to exercise the waist area, focusing on the kidneys and spleen.

;Separate Heaven and Earth: This resembles a version of the first piece with the hands pressing in opposite directions, one up and one down. A smooth motion in which the hands switch positions is the main action, and it is said to especially stimulate the stomach.

;Wise Owl Gazes Backwards or Look Back: This is a stretch of the neck to the left and the right in an alternating fashion.

;Sway the Head and Shake the Tail: This is said to regulate the function of the heart and lungs. Its primary aim is to remove excess heat from the heart. ''Xin huo'' is also associated with heart burn in traditional Chinese medicine. In performing this piece, the practitioner squats in a low horse stance, places the hands on thighs with the elbows facing out and twists to glance backwards on each side.

;Two Hands Hold the Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys and Waist: This involves a stretch upwards followed by a forward bend and a holding of the toes.

;Clench the Fists and Glare Fiercely : This resembles the second piece, and is largely a punching movement either to the sides or forward while in horse stance. This, which is the most external of the pieces, is aimed at increasing general vitality and muscular strength.

;Bouncing on the Toes: This is a push upward from the toes with a small rocking motion on landing. The gentle shaking vibrations of this piece is said to "smooth out" the qi after practice of the preceding seven pieces.

Bajiquan

Bājíquán is a Chinese martial art that features explosive, short range power and is famous for its . It originated in Hebei Province in ]], but is also well-known in other places today, especially Taiwan.

Origins

Bajiquan was originally called Baziquan , due to the fact that when not striking, the fist is held loosely and slightly open, resembling a rake, and also the art from involves many downward strike moves, just like a rake's movement in the field. However, the name was considered to be rather crude sounding in its native tongue, so it was changed to the title Bajiquan. The term ''baji'', which comes from the oldest book in China, the ''I Ching'', signifies "an extension of all directions." In this case, it means "including everything" or "the universe."

The first recorded teacher was Wu Zhong 吴钟. Famous teachers that promoted the style included Wu Xiu Feng 吴秀峰, Li Shu Wen 李书文 , ]].
A Peking Opera Wu Shen by training, he was foremost in his Kung Fu Basic trainings. His most famous quote about fighting was, "I do not know what it's like to hit a man twice."
Li Shuwen's most famous students include Huo Dian Ge 霍殿阁 , Li Chenwu , and Liu Yun Qiao 刘云樵 ]]. Because of this, Bajiquan has come to be known as "The Bodyguard Style". Ma Feng Tu 马凤图 and Ma Yin Tu 马英图 introduced Ba Ji fist into central/nan jing kuo shu guan 南京国术馆 . It was a required practice for all students there.


Bajiquan shares roots with another Hebei martial art, . It is said that Wu Zhong, the oldest traceable lineage holder in the Bajiquan lineage, taught both arts together as an integrated fighting system. They then slowly split apart, only to be remarried by Li Shuwen in the late 18th to early 19th century. As a testament to the complementary nature of these two styles, there is a Chinese martial arts proverb that goes: "When pigua is added to baji, gods and demons will all be terrified. When baji is added to pigua, heroes will sigh knowing they are no match against it."

Today, the lineage holder of Bajiquan in China is Wu Lian Zhi 吴连枝. He is also the prototype of Akira Yuki of fame. Through more than 50 years of training, he collected much material and records which were passed down from generation to generation.

Features

A. Tactics and Strategy:

Ba Ji fist is known to open the opponent's door/arms forcibly or Qiang Kai Men 强开门 and mount attacks at high, mid, and low levels of the body or San Pan Lian Ji 三盘连击. Thus the style is also called Kai Men Ba Ji Quan 开门八极拳.

Most Chinese Kung Fu styles have their own fighting forté. Bajiquan is generally used in close combat. With this concept, Bajiquan pays much attention to elbow, knee, shoulder and hip strikes. When blocking an attack or nearing an opponent, Bajiquan techniques emphasize striking major points of vulnerability, the thorax and roots .

Six big ways of opening door or Liu Da Kai 六大开:

1. Ding 顶: using the fist, elbow, shoulder etc to push forward and upward.

2. Bao 抱: putting 2 arms together as if hugging someone. It is usually followed by Pi 劈.

3. Ti 提: elevating the knee to hit the thigh of the opponent, or elevating the foot to hit the shin of the opponent etc.

4. Dan 单: using a single move.

5. Kua 胯: using the hip.

6. Chan 缠: entanglement with rotation around the wrist, elbow and shoulder etc



B. Stepping and Body Methods:

Footwork in Bajiquan is simple compromising of three special features: Zhen Jiao, Nian Bu and Chuang Bu. These striking techniques are closely related to ancient Chinese medicine, which states that all parts of the body are directly connected, either physically or spiritually.

C. Open Hand Forms and Weapons:

The forms of Baji are divided into Fist and Weapon forms. There are 20 fist forms. Some of these include: 12 Baji Small Structure Fists, Baji Black Tiger Fist, Baji Dan Zhai, Baji Dan Da/Dui Da, Baji Luo Han Gong, and Baji Si Lang Kuan. In Weapon forms, there are eight different kinds of weapons, including the very famous Liu He Da Qiang , Liu He Hua Qiang , Chun Yang Jian , San Yin Dao , Xing Zhe Bang , Pudao, and Chun Qiu .

D. Power Generation and Expression Methods:

The major features of this school of Chinese martial arts include elbow strikes, arm/fist bashes, hip checks, and strikes with the shoulder. All techniques are executed with a very distinctive form of short power, developed through rigorous training; in Chinese martial arts, Baji is famous for its very violent and fast movements. Strategically, Baji focuses on in-fighting, entering from a longer range with Baji's distinctive charging step and issuing power up close.

The essence of Bajiquan lies in '''', or power-issuing methods, particularly '''' . The style contains a total of six types of ''jin'', eight different ways to hit and several different principles of power usage. Unlike most western forms of martial arts which require swinging motion to create momentum, most of Bajiquan's moves utilize a one-hit push-strike method from very close range. The bulk of the damage is dealt through the momentary acceleration that travels up from the waist to the limb and further magnified by the charging step known as ''zhen jiao''.

The mechanics of ''jin'' are developed through many years of practice and Bajiquan is known for its particularly strenuous lower-body training and its emphasis on the horse stance. Its horse stance is higher than that of typical styles. Like other styles, there is also "the arrow-bow stance", "the one-leg stance", "the empty stance" , "the drop stance" , etc. There are eight different poses of hands, plus different types of breathing and ''zhen jiao''.

Six Major Characteristic Powers:

1. Sinking 2. Thrusting 3. Extending 4. Entangling 5. Cross 6. Inch

Influences

There may not be that many styles in kung fu that resemble Bajiquan. The Baji style focuses on being more direct, culminating and powerful, fast strikes that will render an opponent unable to continue. Even so, there are some styles that have derived by using Baji Quan’s main principles or concepts on how to hit your opponent:

*"Bashi"
*"Bashi Gong"
*"Bashi Chui"
*"Shuang Bashi" ,
*"Jingang Bashi"
*"Longxing Bashi" .

Many of these forms are also based or mixed with , a Shaolin style. The term Bashi ''Pashi'' may also refer to Baji. But it can also be noted that Bashi is also a term used in the style of Xingyi Quan.

Bruce Lee, along with many of his contemporaries, studied styles like Bajiquan. Along with his training of wing chun, Lee incorporated useful moves from other styles, including Bajiquan.

Popular culture

*Bajiquan was in brought to popular attention in the west largely by the Sega video game Virtua Fighter, as the style that the main character Akira Yuki practices, though none of the many representations of Bajiquan in popular media has ever been very accurate.
*Other video game characters that use this style are from the series and Xiuying Hong from the Shenmue video game series.
*Despite popular belief, in the Tekken series Ling Xiaoyu does not practice Bajiquan, rather she practices Piguaquan and Baguazhang , similar to Wang Jinrei. Julia Chang, however, uses Bajiquan techniques as part of her style.
*Another additional new Tekken 6 character uses Bajiquan style, but in Japanese, it will be heard to be called Hakkyokuken.
*"Baji Quan" appears as one of Li Mei's fighting styles in ''Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance'', even though it has very little resemblance to other forms in games like Virtua Fighter, Dead or Alive, and Tekken. Instead of being in a balanced stance, she instead stands on one leg, and only has one combo resembling three front kicks in the standing pose.
Also Tak Sakaguchi practices Bajiquan.
* Baji Quan along with Bāguàzhǎng are some of the martial arts studied by 10-year-old English teacher and Mage-in-training Negi Springfield, protagonist of Negima!. As quoted by his martial arts instructor: ''"This boy is truly talented; He is able to pick up in a week what most people take three months to learn. Life really is unfair."''.
*Hakkyokuken is a martial art learned by Haruka Urashima, character of Love Hina.

Wugong

Wugong may refer to any of several places in China:
* Wugong, Shaanxi
* Wugong, Henan
* Wugong, Hebei

Wugong is also the name of the Shaolin Temple's martial arts. The term has been used since 1997 to differentiate the Shaolin martial arts from and .

Ku Yu Cheung

Ku Yu Cheung was a who disseminated the Bak sil lum style across southern China in the early 1900’s. Ku was also known for his expertise in Iron Palm hand conditioning among other Chinese Martial Art training exercises. Ku Yu Cheung has become a legendary heroic figure in some Chinese Martial Arts communities.

Exploits

Major events in Ku’s life are difficult to verify, as many of his achievements have been made legendary and have been subject to gross exaggeration.

Ku Yu Cheung entered the first National Wushu Fighting
Examination and placed in the top 15 competitors. He was also an instructor for the Guangdong Armed Forces.

According to legend, Ku Yu Cheung, in the same spirit as the folk hero Huo Yuanjia, defeated foreign fighters who viewed the Chinese Martial Arts as an inferior system of fighting.

Feng Shou

Feng Shou is a self-defence style associated with Taoist Arts of the Lee style. It is an or soft style. ''Feng Shou Ch’uan Shu'' means literally 'Wind Hand Fist Art'. The name comes from the ‘Earl of the Wind’, who in Chinese mythology was called Feng Po. He is depicted as an old man with a long flowing white beard, who stands on the green grass of the heaven’s highest pinnacle, dressed in a yellow cloak and wearing a red and blue hat. In his hands he holds the open end of a cotton sack, and wherever he points the mouth of the sack, the wind blows in that direction. He can turn a full circle, and send the winds unhindered across the whole world. If he moves slowly, then the wind from his sack will hardly move and it will feel like the gentleness of a morning breeze. But if he becomes angry or is surprised then he may turn very fast, and the wind will hurtle across the universe to create the devastation of a tornado.

Fanzi

Fānziquán is a that emphasizes offense and defense with the hands.

As a Chinese martial art, it is usually practiced in sets of preformulated routines. Its movements have been described thus: "Two fists are fast like the falling rain drops, and fast like a snapping whip". Fanziquan routines are usually quite short and very fast. There are no weapons routines for Fanziquan.

''Fānziquán'' is a source of the modern Eagle Claw style.

History

Until at least the Ming Dynasty , ''Fānziquán'' was known as ''Bāshǎnfān'' , or "8 evasive tumbles".

''Fānziquán'' is often taught in conjunction with ''Chuōjiǎo'', not unlike how ''Xíngyìquán'' and ''Bāguàzhǎng'' are often taught together. The routines of ''Chuōjiǎo'', with its kicks, wide open stances and focus on hard power, were known as Martial Routines and those of ''Fānziquán'', with their more compact movements combining soft and hard power, were known as Scholarly Routines, which is why the ''Chuōjiǎo'' ''Fānziquán'' combination is known as "Martial-Scholar".

Both ''Fānziquán'' and ''Chuōjiǎo'' are associated with the 12th century Song Dynasty general Yue Fei and the association between the two may date that far back.
However, as a legendary figure, Yue Fei has had many martial arts attributed to him, including Eagle Claw and ''''.

Nonetheless, the association between the two is old enough that by the mid-19th century, Zhao Canyi, a general in the failed Taiping Rebellion, was a master of both styles.

After the failure of the rebellion, Zhao went into seclusion in in Raoyang, where he taught ''Fānziquán'', which emphasizes the hands, to the Wang family and ''Chuōjiǎo'', which emphasizes the feet, to the Duan family.

During practice, the families would exchange techniques.

Modern Day

According to his official website, martial arts actor Jet Li specialized primarily in Fanziquan and Chángquán during his wushu training.

Fanchento

Fanchento is a non-classical form of kung fu, heavily influenced by the principles of Jeet Kune Do. It attempts to move away from the restrictive limitations of classical style and tradition, being more fluid and adaptive. It bears some similarities to wrestling, kickboxing, Judo, Aikido and Tai Chi Chuan.

Fanchento classes incorporate elements of philosophy and uses techniques similar to those of Yoga. The training regimen is based on the idea that a state of simplicity, calm and self-mastery is the key to success, and that the execution of a should be instinctive and natural.

Family System (martial arts)

Family Systems are kung fu styles passed down through clans from father to son, nephew, etc. and remain in that family exclusively for a period of time.

Emeiquan

Emeiquan is a style of Chinese martial art. Mount Emei, in Sichuan Province is one of the major martial mountains. A wide range of Kung Fu styles have originated from this place. Since the Emei mountain range is renowned for its abundant wildlife, Emei Quan is famous for its animal styles, most particularly monkey style and its unique Northern styles.

Emeiquan combines both and practices. Low stable stances with little hopping are characteristic of this style. Jumps are executed very lightly and quickly and its movements are very diverse. Many of its most lethal techniques are derived from the use of the wrist.

Eighteen Arms of Wushu

The Eighteen Arms is a list of the eighteen main weapons of chinese martial arts. The origin of the list is unclear and there have been disputes with regards to what the eighteen weapons actually are. However, all lists contain at least one or more of the following weapons:

*
*
* Jian
*
* Axe
* Battle axe
* Hook sword
* Fork
* Chain whip
*
*
* Talon
* Trident-halberd
* also known as Staff
* Long-handled spear also known as Lance
* Short cudgel
* Stick also known as Crutches
* Meteor hammer
* Biān

East River Fist

In Guangdong in the 1750s, the closely related martial arts of Bóluó and Huìyáng counties, which occupy either bank of the Dongjiang in the of Huizhou just east of the Pearl River Delta, came to be collectively known by the name East River Fist.

The style master Lam Yiu-Kwai, the Bak Mei master Cheung Lai-Chuen, the Kwong Sai Jook Lum Southern Praying Mantis master Chung Yu-Chang, and the Chow/Chu Gar Southern Praying Mantis master Lau Shui were all from Huìyáng County.
In fact, when Lau Shui passed the Chow Gar mantle to Ip Shui, he gave the full name of his art as the ‘East River Chow’s Praying Mantis Style.’

On the north bank of the Dongjiang in the northwest of Bóluó County is the sacred mountain Mount Luofu.
Choy Fook, one of the teachers of Choy Lee Fut founder Chan Heung, is said to have been a monk there.
One of its temples, Wa Sau Toi, is linked to both Dragon and Bak Mei and another, the Temple of Emptiness, is where the Mok Gar master Lin Yin-Tang studied meditation and traditional Chinese medicine.

Because this area is part of the Hakka heartland of inland eastern Guangdong, East River Fist is associated with Hakka Kuen, the martial arts of the Hakka people.

A precursor to the anti-Qing Heaven and Earth Society was organized by Ti Xi, one of the Heaven and Earth founders, in Huizhou.

Chung Yu-Chang opened his first school not in his native Huìyáng, but just over the border in Bao'an County in Píngshān Town, where his successors Wong Yook-Gong and Lum Wing-Fay hailed from.
Lin Yin-Tang was likewise not from Huizhou proper but the neighboring prefecture of Dongguan.

Eagle Claw

The style known as Eagle Claw is thought to be one of the oldest and most complex of the surviving Northern Shaolin kung fu systems. Along with the long strikes and kicks that typify Northern systems, the Eagle Claw system is distinguished by its gripping techniques and system of joint locks, takedowns, and pressure point strikes, which represent one of the oldest forms of the Chinese grappling known as Chin Na.

History

While the details of the history alter according to the teller, with names and places shifting as they tend to do in any oral history, in essence the story of Eagle Claw began in the and in Chinese military training, became a family tradition passed on from parent to child for generations, and eventually shed its air of secrecy with the advent of public martial arts schools.

Yue Fei

The Eagle Claw method is said to have been created by General Yue Fei who lived at a time of warfare between the and the Jurchen tribes of the . Yue credited his victories in battle to his martial arts training under . .

While known primarily as an Archer Zhou Tong is said to have taught Yue Fei a method of grappling from the "Elephant Style" which he later expanded to create the "108 Chinna locks" known as Eagle Fist style . He taught this new style to his soldiers and they were victorious in battle.

Elephant Fist

In Chinese, elephant is pronounced ''Xiàng'' . However, the same character can also mean "shape, form, or appearance". The elephant style in question some believe to be a mistranslation of ''xiang'', which actually refers to ''Xiang Xing Quan'' , a fighting technique which emphasizes the imitation of the offensive and defensive actions of a certain animal or celestial personage.

Shaolin

In the late Ming Dynasty Yue Fei's material is said to have made a re-appearance at a Shaolin. Lai Chin/Liquan an expert in the Fanzi boxing method encountered soldiers practicing the hand techniques they called ''Ying Quan'' .

After taking the time to learn and master these skills he undertook the daunting task of assimilating them into his pre-existing Fanziquan sets.

Ming - Qing Dynasty

In 1644 the Ming Dynasty was overthrown and replaced by the Qing Dynasty. Many royal family members of the Ming house went into hiding, with several becoming monks, scholars and artists. On such monk was Zhu Ruoji aka Shitao, a low-level prince. He was only two years old when the Ming fell. Later on in his life he took the name Dao Ji . He had a classmate or student named Fa Seng .

Liu Shi Jun and Liu Cheng You

Liu Shi Jun of Xiong County, Baoding City, Hebei is considered the Sijo of the ''yīng zhuǎ fān zi quán'' . He took up martial arts at an early age and studied under several proponents of Shaolin kungfu, Fanzi, Chuojiao and Liuhe boxing, etc. Around middle age, he learned ''Yue Family linking free hands'' from Fa Seng and Dao Ji. He later was appointed as the military arts instructor for one of the barracks in the capital city of Beijing. He taught the troops fist and spear skills. His two most prominent students were Liu Dekuan and Ji Zixiu .



Liu Chen You first learned martial arts from his uncle Liu Dekuan , who had been a student of Liu Shi Jun when stationed in Beijing. He continued his instruction under other prominent martial artist of the region such as "Dong Xianzhou & Yang Jingshan ". He later later received advanced training under Liu Shi Jun when he retired to his home village. Liu Chen You turned out to be a very strict teacher and only accepted a few students. The more well known of those were Liu Qi Wen , Chen Zizheng and Zhang Zhan Wen One of Liu Qi Wen most prominent students was Liu Fa Meng, who taught not only at teh ShangHai Chin Wu association but went onto teach in Hong Kong being know as the Ying Wong of Eagle Claw or King of Eagle Claw in Hong Kong. It is through the books written by Liu Fa Meng that many people around the world were able to read about the eagle claw system of China. The book published by Liu Fa Mang, cover Dai Hon Keun or Big Hero Fist Yi Ling Ba Cum La Sau or Yhat Ling Bhat Cum La Sau the 108 two man combat principle of eagle claw and also the Dai Do or Big Sword skills

Chin Woo Athletic Association

The Chin Woo Athletic Association was founded by the famed martial artist Fawk Yuen Gop/ Huo Yuanjia in Shanghai. Its purpose was the dissemination of not only Martial Arts but sports and other educational systems to the public. The Eagle Claw system remained relatively restricted to the Xiong County, Baoding City in Hebei until Chen Zizheng was invited to teach at the Chin Wu.

After initial success with the first School in Shanghai, Chen went to his training brother Liu Qi Wen to offer his students careers as Martial Arts instructors in the Chin Woo Association. In time, Eagle Claw was being taught in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guandong, Futsan, Singapore, Malaysia etc.

Lineages

There are three main Eagle Claw lineages known that most teachers/schools can trace their style to.

#Liu Qiwen
#Chen Zizheng
#Zhang Zhan Wen

Training

How the Eagle Claw system is taught varies between each teacher's skill and experiences. What is consistent of an Eagle Claw Master is their knowledge of the 3 core sets of the style.

*Xing Quan is known as the "Walking Fist." This set consists of ten to twelve rows of techniques representative of what is today known as Shaolin Fanziquan.

*Lian Quan is known as the "Linking Fist." A very important set in that it not only provides the exponent with an encyclopedic base of the various seizing, grappling and joint-locks of qinna, but it also incorporates various Qigong skills as well. Most have nicknamed this set the "Dictionary of Eagle Claw" due to the content containing probably 90% of the styles skills and techniques.

*Yue Shi San Shou is considered the "heart" of the Eagle Claw system. It is Believed to be the original material passed down by the style's legendary founder Yue Fei. This material has 108 different categories of skills/techniques that are trained to a level of perfection with partners. One thing to remember is that each sequence is only a example of that catagory which contains numerous variations and off shoots.

Missing any of the 3 core sets will severely hinder a student's hope of mastering this style.

Movies

Below are some of the many films that feature the Eagle Claw Style. Most films have the proponents of Eagle Claw as villains.
* ''Invincible Armour'' with Hwang Jang Lee

* ''Shaolin Martial Arts''
* ''Shaolin Assassin''
* ''Snake in the Eagle's Shadow'' with Jackie Chan
* ''Avenging Eagle'' with Fu Sheng & Ti Lung
* ''Master of the Flying Guillotine''
* ''Death Duel of Mantis''
* ''Eagle's Claw''
* ''Fearless Hyena'' Jackie Chan -
* ''Jade Claw'' also known as ''Crystal Fist'' with Billy Chong
* ''18 Fatal Strikes''
* ''Talons of the Eagle''
* ''Legend of a Fighter'' with Leung Kar Yan & Kurata Yusuaki
* ''Super Power'' with Billy Chong
* ''Eagle's Claw and Butterfly Palm''
* ''Martial Club'' with Gordon Liu & Kara Hui
* ''Undefeatable'' with Cynthia Rothrock; Don Niam; John Miller II
* ''No Retreat, No Surrender 2'' Cynthia Rothrock, Hwang Jang Lee
* ''Kill Bill Vol. 2'' Pei Mei

Dynamic Strength

Dynamic Strength is the name of an exercise system created by Kung Fu San Soo expert, Harry Wong. Dynamic Strength involves a series of "flowing" moves where the practictioner's muscles provide resistance. Certain styles of kung fu and Karate have forms which incorporate similar moves.

Wong claims that one can build muscle and with these moves without injuries traditional weightlifting can cause. Exercises include: "pulleys," "dry land swimming," "T.N.T.," and "crossing hands."

Duan Quan

Duan Quan, also known as short-style boxing, is a form of kung fu practiced primarily in the Hebei Province of China.

A highly-dynamic and combat-oriented , Duan Quan focuses on short and compact routines, low stances, and quick movements. Students are taught to be highly mobile, in order to keep the opponent disoriented and unable to attack.

Dragon Kung Fu

The movements of the Dragon style of Chinese martial arts are based on the mythical Chinese dragon.



Long before Saint George encountered his legendary beast, the Dragon played an influential and beneficial role in Chinese culture. An amalgam of several creatures, including monitor lizards, pythons and the Chinese alligator, the polymorphic dragon was a water spirit, responsible for bringing the rains and thus insuring the survival of crops. The dragon was symbolic guardian to the gods, and was the source of true wisdom. This latter feature most likely resulted from the observation of the living reptilian counterparts which, usually at rest, seem to be in a near constant state of contemplation.

The dragon represented two of the ancient elements, Earth and Water, endowing the creature with powers of illusion and strength. A Yang symbol, the Taoists saw the dragon as a personification of the Tao itself--"the Dragon reveals himself only to vanish." Shaolin Buddhists saw him as a vision of enlightened truth, to be felt, but never to be held. Certain very old men were called dragons, these being well versed in the life-supporting skills of herbal medicine, agriculture, and kung fu. In early China, these skills were surely a matter of life or death, and those so educated were held in high esteem.

History

The history of Dragon style has historically been transmitted orally rather than by text, so its origins will probably never be known in their entirety. Modern Dragon style's history can be reliably traced back to the monk who was the abbot of Wa Sau Toi temple on Mount Luofu. No reliable records of the style's origin prior to that exist, though there is much speculation regarding the subject.

Dragon style has roots in Hakka Kuen, a combination of the local styles of the Hakka heartland in inland eastern Guangdong with the style that the monk Gee Sim Sim See taught in Guangdong and the neighboring province of Fujian in the 1700s.

North of the Dongjiang in the northwest of Bóluó County in the of Huizhou in Guangdong Province is the sacred mountain Luófúshān.
Luófúshān is the site of many temples, including Wa Sau Toi where, c. 1900, a master named Tai Yuk taught Dragon style to Lam Yiu-Kwai, who in turn passed the art on to the many students of his schools in Guangzhou.

Lam Yiu-Kwai and Cheung Lai-Chuen were good friends from their youth in the Dongjiang region of Huizhou, longtime training partners and later cousins by marriage. Lam and Cheung would open several schools together, and Dragon style and Cheung's style of Bak Mei share many similarities.

A variation of the Dragon style is taught by the Long Choo Kung Fu Society based in Penang, Malaysia and with branches in Australia. Founded by Li Ah Yu and his father near the turn of the century, this association claims it is teaching a Soft / Hard Dragon style originating from Fukkien province.

Methods and Philosophy

Dragon kung fu is essentially an internal, qi cultivating method, but initial training is far more like a hard, external style than a delicate, reptilian approach. In learning the moves, the student will strike hard, block hard and stomp into each position, with the idea of learning the proper place to be once each movement is complete. Eventually, the method of transmitting power is retained, and the physically strengthened body is able to make transitions in the proper, fluid manner. In turn, this reptilian smoothness helps disguise the attack, making it extremely difficult for an adversary to effectively counter.
The practitioner stands at a 45 degree angle at the opponent

Once a purely physical semblance to flow has been mastered, the disciple incorporates the deep hissing sounds to train ch'i flow. Inhaling is silent, but exhalation is deliberate, tense and controlled. Inhaling lightens the body for aerial maneuvers, while exhaling drives power into each technique. Blocking is dispensed with, and parries or simple strikes substituted. At this point, novice and advanced student show very little in common.

On the highest level, an opponent is allowed to tire himself out, evasion becoming the Dragon's key defense. Qi control is highly developed, and the degree to which the body must be moved to redirect or avoid impact is under greater control.

The forms that constitute this system are divided by complexity into three categories, and are enumerated below:

*Basic
**16 Movements
**Passing Bridge Three Times
**Fierce Tiger Leaping Over Wall
**Rescue Master From Single Side
**Single Sword and Mount
**Press and Hit from Four Sides
**Eagle Claw
**Bridge Smashing
*Intermediate
**Touch Bridge
**Venomous Snake Moves Tongue
**Hua King's Fist
**Standing Five-Form
**Cross Standing Five-Form
**Turn to Hook and Hit
**Five Horses Returning to Stable Palm
*Advanced
**Plum Flower Punch
**Seven Ways of Plum Flower Punch

In each form, one is taught to "ride the wind", a phrase which in large part means follow rather than lead. Provide no opening without first letting your opponent open. Unlike Crane, which also relies heavily upon evasion as a tactic, the Dragon evades primarily by rotation of upper or lower torso with little or no stance movements, while the Crane stylist hops frequently to reposition the entire body. Both styles employ pinpoint strikes to vulnerable meridian targets, but dragon also heavily uses tiger-like punches and clawing techniques, snake-like stance shifts, and leopard-like hit and run strikes to weaken a physically superior adversary. Dragon kung fu also regularly employs low sweeping techniques, but these are not unique; most senior stylists of any kung fu system use these on a weakened adversary.

Techniques

Overview

The dragon stylist relies on a variety of fighting techniques that can be employed for a wide range of needs. The style uses techniques that can cripple or kill an opponent if the need arises or it can be used simply to control a minor street fighting situation.

Lung Ying focuses mainly on powerful, short range attacks, as is common among southern Chinese styles of kung fu. However, the styles' use of gripping and seizing techniques as well as the extensive use of the forearms both offensively and defensively are fairly unique to the art. The style was created as an aggressive combat art and operates under the basic assumption that you are trying to either disable your opponent to the point that they are no longer a threat in battle, or kill them, though these are not by any means the only options a Lung Ying player has. As such Lung Ying employs a large number of techniques to damage the opponent's joints either through joint manipulation or direct striking; nullify the opponent's defenses either through breaking their stance or compromising their guard, and thus their ability to defend; and others. Like most southern style kung fu, it has limited kicks and jumps and consisted mainly of fist, palm and clawing techniques. Power generated from the waist using soft hard jin.


Lung Ying training also involves an extensive amount of iron body training. Hardening the forearms especially is considered essential to the style as it makes such extensive use of them. Depending on the particular school any of a fairly large pool of traditional training methods will be used to toughen the body. Three, five and seven star conditioning drills, pea buckets, weighted ropes, sand bags, and striking poles are all common in Lung Ying schools. It really isn't possible to separate lung ying conditioning from its methods, the two work hand in hand, each needing the other to be completely effective.

Basics

The Dragon Kung Fu practitioner typically attacks with winding low yang; that is, powerful and quick movements. For example, when striking with the fist, more power can be exerted when the movement originates from the feet, is guided by the waist, flows through the body, and exits through the fist.

Foot work

In Southern Dragon style, leg work is characterized by a zig-zag motion that mimics the imagined movement of the mythical Chinese dragon. This also allows one to use floating and sinking movements which are very important in generating power and stability, making your body calm and relaxed.

Though the Lung Ying footwork pool is deep, it generally centers around two basic types of stepping. The first is "Zig Zag" stepping . Basically with each step forward, the rear foot moves forward and becomes the forward foot. However, the step is not take directly forward but basically follows the angle the front foot is turned at . This has the effect of moving the LY player forward and off to an angle while offering some protection to the groin from attack. This type of stepping allows a lung ying player to press his opponent while launching attacks from angles that are difficult for the opponent to defend. The LY player seems to be constantly moving into an uncomfortable range and at an angle that forces their opponent to reposition their whole body to defend against, or else torque their torso around thus breaking their structure and disconnecting them from the power generation machinery of their lower body.

The second basic type of stepping is Bic Bo stepping, or press stepping. In this method the front foot moves forward and the rear foot drags up to get back to the basic position. This stepping generally covers less distance than the dragon stepping, and is used to press the opponent. It will frequently be used once the LY player has begun to press their attack in earnest or is exploiting some advantage. There are specific methods for stretching this footwork out addressed in various forms. One of the primary purposes of this footwork is to keep the LY player "on top of" their opponent and in attacking range. Also, this type of stepping is heavily used in various stance breaking methods.

Southern Dragon style motto

:"Control yourself, let others do what they will.
:This does not mean you are weak.
:Control your heart, obey the principles of life.
:This does not mean others are stronger."

Codes of Southern Dragon style

*The seeds were first planted from Haufeng; the essence was gained later at Haushou
*Restrain one's self and yield to others not because one is weak, but to uphold the ethical Tao and let the others have their claim.

Four rules & two principles

#Focus to train and condition the body. One must not have any act of laziness.
#Be righteous and uphold your honor. One must not have any act of hypocrisy.
#Respect your parents, honor your teacher. One must not have any act of defiance.
#Treat others with honesty, treat your friends with loyalty. One must not have any act of arrogance.

Dragon style in popular culture

*Dragon is one of the 3 fighting styles utilized by the character in the '''' series and the character Jarek in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. It is also Liu Kang's grapple style in ''Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks''. Onaga, the boss character of ''Mortal Kombat: Deception'', also uses a fighting style named Dragon. However, this is not the true Dragon style , but is simply named as such due to Onaga being an actual dragon.
*The Dragon fighting style is used at times by the cop, Lei Wulong, in ''''.

These are all examples of Northern Dragon Style - rather than the aforementioned Southern Dragon .

Jackie Chan uses the Dragon Style in his movie "Dragon Fist".

Dog Kung Fu

Dog Kung Fu, i.e. Góuquán , is a martial arts style from China. This is a southern style of Chinese boxing that specializes in and ground fighting. This martial art also teaches Iron Shirt and Iron Palm fighting methods as well as specialized leaping techniques. It is mainly practiced in Fujian Province and was historically often practiced by women who were victims of , for whom any form of standing physical exertion was difficult. Its creation is traditionally credited to a Buddhist nun who developed the style to defend herself from bandits on her travels.

Training Books

* by Chen Zhi Fan
* by Ding Xiao Se

Images and Videos

*

Do Pi Kung Fu

, "style of the way", is a style of Kung Fu founded by the late Grandmaster Chan Dau in the Yung Kay district of in the late . Chan was a student of Yu Mui , monks at a nearby Buddhist monastery , Jow Lung , and Tam Sam . He established a school in Canton and later at the Sham Shui Po district of Kowloon, Hong Kong. The tradition continues today in Hong Kong, by Chan Dau's son, Chan Ching and one of Chan Dau's prominent disciple, Paul Chan in Toronto, Canada.

The style is a combination of Hung Gar, Choy Li Fut, Jow Ga and Hop Gar. Some of the sets of this style include Drunken Eight Immortals and Drunken Fan, Lohon Kau Da, Lohon Kuen, Tei Saat Kuen.

Citation: from the archives of

Current master of Do Pi kung fu:

Ditangquan

Ditangquan, is a type of that originated in the of China during the Song Dynasty .

Style

The major characteristic of this style is the ability to perform tumbles, falls, turns, somersaults and aerial acrobatics using those techniques for both offense and defense.

Since the time of its origin, this martial art has spread throughout China and has been incorporated into other martial arts styles.

Examples

Examples of the varieties of Ditangquan that now exist include, among others:
* Ground Element Boxing ;
* Plum Blossom Ground Tumbling Boxing ;
* Boxing ;
* Flying Dragon Ground Tumbling Boxing ;

Classical Wing Chun

Classical Wing Chun Kung Fu is the style of Wing Chun Kung Fu taught by Sifu Ian Protheroe and his students. Protheroe was a direct student of Grandmaster William Cheung in the 1980s in Melbourne, Australia, before moving north to Queensland where he opened his own school and began the development of his Classical Wing Chun Kung Fu System .

General

The Protheroe's Classical system is based on Cheung's Traditional Wing Chun Kung Fu system . However, it incorporates chin na into the syllabus and sophisticated traditional weapons drills for the butterfly sword and dragon pole not seen in Cheung's system .

The system also draws from other significant Wing Chun practitioners and influences in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland . These include the three star dummy . Finally, The adoption of the side stance in the non-contact range is believed to facilitate the acquisition of positional advantage in a confrontation .

Training Methods and Drills
Significant emphasis is placed upon the standard Wing Chun open-hand forms and sticky hands in addition to combat and self defence techniques. Basic self defence applications and drills in addition to the Little Idea Form form the core of the beginner syllabus. Single and double handed chi sao drills feature prominently in the training of intermediate students, as does the second open hand form, Seeking Bridges . Finally, senior students are placed in more realistic and live situations to develop combat effectiveness and learn the final open hand form, Thrusting Fingers . Weapons training is central to Classical Wing Chun and is commenced from level one .

Training equipment
Several training devices are used. these include the traditional weapons , the three star dummy , the rattan ring . The standard Wing Chun sandbag is also used, as is the similarly shaped leather heavy hand bag.

Forms
The Traditional Wing Chun forms are also practiced by Classical Wing Chun practitioners. These include:
*Little Idea Form
*Bridge Seeking Form
*Finger Thrusting Form
*The 108 Wooden Dummy Form
*The Eight Slashing Broadsword Form

Chung Chi Wing Chun

Chung Chi Wing Chun is a style of Wing Chun created by Sifu Ian Protheroe and taught only to his private students and disciples. Chung Chi was the name given to Sifu Ian Protheroe by Grandmaster William Cheung at a formal ceremony in 1986 and the system's name is also taken from this.

History and Development

During the course of his twenty year pledge to teach Cheung's Traditional Wing Chun Kung Fu, Protheroe developed his own unique approach to Wing Chun. The system incorporates sword drills, chin na and soft chi sao inspired by the teachings of Grandmaster Chu Shong Tin to which Protheroe was exposed during his frequent training trips to Hong Kong. Chung Chi Wing Chun does not incorporate a formal and explicit grading system. Instead, the "traditional Chinese system of dedication, time spent training and advanced skill level is the only basis for seniority". In addition, training is by invitation only. Those who are taght the system are at least reasonably fluent in the Classical Wing Chun system before they begin in Chung Chi Wing Chun.

Technical Aspects

Chung Chi Wing Chun does not incorporate a formal and explicit grading system. Instead, the "traditional Chinese system of dedication, time spent training and advanced skill level is the only basis for seniority". In addition, training is by invitation only. Those who are taght the system are at least reasonably fluent in the Classical Wing Chun system before they begin in Chung Chi Wing Chun. Chung Chi Wing Chun includes:
*mainland Chinese methods of training
*Chin na
*Two man sword drills
*a variety of other open-hand drills

The system draw heavily from the Classical Wing Chun system as a foundation. Thus, students who are invited to learn Chun Chi Wing Chun must have completed the Classical Wing Chun system and be graded to at least level five . Thus, students who begin Chung Chi have learnt:
*Sil Lim Tao
*Chi-Sao Basics
*Kicking
*Skills drills
In addition, students will have at least been introduced to Chum Kil and advanced self defence techniques.

Chun Chi Wung Chun is more circular than Classical or Traditional Wing Chun. It is based on biomechanics and energy flows.

Chuojiao

Chuōjiǎo is a Chinese martial art that comprises many jumps, kicks, and fast fist sequences. The fist and feet work in unison and strike continuously forward, like “falling meteorites”, never giving the opponent a moment to recover. The qinggong portion of this style's training involves a practitioner jumping against a wall with heavy weights affixed to his/her calves. This style is practiced mainly in central Hebei, northern China, Beijing and Liaoning in North-eastern China.

History

''Chuōjiǎo'' originated in the Northern Song Dynasty and became popular during the and Dynasties . The source from Wu Binglou, a famous Chuojiao expert and founder of Beijing style, believed ''Chuōjiǎo'' comes from the Wen Family Boxing style of the Song dynasty .

''Chuōjiǎo'' is attributed to Deng Liang, who is said to have created the style on the basis of the 18 basic feet plays. He developed the basics according to calculations of the Chinese abacus to form a chain of feet plays incorporating 108 tricks. According to legend, he later taught the monk Jow Tong the style, who later passed it on to his pupil General Yue Fei.

Some of the outlaws who appear in the famous novel ''The Water Margin'', such as Wu Song, were experts in this style; this is why Chuojiaoquan was alternately known as the "Water Margin Outlaw style". It is also known as ''Yuānyāng Tuǐ'' or "Mandarin Duck Leg." In ''The Water Margin'''s 28th chapter, entitled "Drunken Wu Song beats Jiang Menshen innkeeper", it mentions that Wu Song uses the following moves: "step of nephrite ring, leg of mandarin duck".

Feng Keshen, a general in the failed Tianli Rebellion of the early 19th century, was a ''Chuōjiǎo'' ''Fānziquán'' master. After the failure of the rebellion, Feng went into seclusion with two other experts Tang Youyi in in Raoyang, where he taught ''Fānziquán'', which emphasizes the hands, to the Wang family and ''Chuōjiǎo'', which emphasizes the feet, to the Duan family. During practice, the families would exchange techniques.

Styles

The northeast China style of Chuojiao falls into two categories-martial and scholarly routines. The Beijing Chuojiao does not have any such division. It is called Chuojiao Fanzi, which is short for Chuojiao and Fanzi Quan . There is still another style which combines the martial and scholarly routines.

Techniques

The martial routine was the origin of Chuojiao . The martial routine in Shenyang later became known as the Hao-style Chuojiao, namely feet poking Chuan named after Hao Mingjiu. It features powerful but comfortable moves and its blows are accurate and incorporate a variety of subtle feet tricks. Hands and feet cooperate well for better advantage and longer reach. Its strikes are short but fatal. Hardness is the core of Chuojiao which it combines with suppleness. Its routine consists of nine inter-connected twin feet routines. These routines can be practised either one by one, or linked together. The feet plays call for close cooperation between the feet which is why it is called twin feet play. Another feet poking Chuan is called nine-tumble 18-fall Chuan.

The scholarly routine is a derivative of the martial routine. It is said that during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, boxer Hu Fengsan of Shenyang learned of the fame of Chuojiao masters, the Duans in Hebei Province, and traveled 500 kilometers to study with him. After years of hard work, Hu came to understand the secrets of Chuojiao and went back to his native town, where he further developed the art into the scholarly routine, known later as the Hu-style Chuojiao. It is characterized by its exquisite and compact stances and clear-cut, accurate and varied movements. It is also very fast in delivering both fist and feet blows. The scholarly style features such routines as 12-move Chuan, 18-move Chuan, flying swallow Chuan , arm Chuan, turning-ring Chuan, jade-ring Chuan, six-method Chuan, two-eight Chuan, two-eight feet plays, 16-move Chuan, 24-move Chuan, 32-move Chuan, soft tumbling Chuan, one-legged 80-move feet plays, one-handed 81-move fist plays, etc.

The martial-scholar tumbling Chuan has combined the strengths of the martial and scholar routines, especially the combative techniques. It is arranged according to the rhythms of offence and defence of the martial arts and combines high-low, release-catch, extension-flexion and straight-rounded movements. Its tricks, combinations of motions, still exercises, hardness, suppleness, substantial and insubstantial moves are well planned and accurate. New tricks include ground skill feet poking, feet poking tumbles, Shaolin feet poking, leg flicking feet poking, free-mind feet poking, eight-diagram feet poking, etc. All these have their own styles, forms, rhythms and techniques.

Sources

*Outlaws of the Marsh ISBN 7119016628

Chris Crudelli

Chris Crudelli is a martial artist and television presenter. He is best known as the host of BBC television programmes about the martial arts of far eastern countries, ''Mind, Body & Kick Ass Moves'', ''Kick Ass Miracles'', and ''Kick Ass in a Crisis'' all shown on BBC Three. He is a developed Kung Fu artist and also worked at the London Theatre for 4 years. He holds a degree in "Chinese Language and Literature", which he completed at the University of London; an Advanced Diploma in "Chinese Language and Literature" from Beijing BNU University and a postgraduate in Acting & Theatre from a London drama school.

Biography

Early life

He was born in Birmingham, England. Crudelli's early years were spent on an underprivileged council estate in a rough part of Birmingham. By the age of 7 he had already been witness to an armed robbery, an armed kidnapping and hostage situation, and a number of other drug-related crimes.

These early experiences coupled with the civil wars, border conflicts and street skirmishes he later experienced while living for ten years in South East Asia, directed his lifelong research in martial arts to focus on the practical, genuine and readily applicable aspects of mind, body and self defense in the Martial Arts. On that subject, Crudelli states: "You may have the strongest most perfect reverse punch in the world, but it's useless against a gun, think carefully, there is much more to martial arts than punching and kicking."

His parents divorced very shortly after he was born. Chris subsequently traveled a lot with his mother living briefly in , Paris, Switzerland, Italy and Holland. As a child he studied Kung Fu for a number of years before going to live with a family and later living in China and South East Asia for 10 years.



He flew to China as a teenager and studied in Hong Kong where he developed his Kung Fu abilities. He trained under a Chinese full contact Champion and herbalist, while also setting bones and making medicines. He later qualified as a Kung Fu instructor.

It was in Hong Kong as a teen that Crudelli first performed Kung Fu, traditional lion and Dragon dance in front of live audiences, of 10,000, at the time his performance team were the S.E. Asian Champions, which led to him demonstrating at the bequest of the Hong Kong Government at official events such as the inauguration of Chris Patten, former Governor of Hong Kong, and for the state visit of Corazon Aquino, former Philippine president. He also worked briefly in the Hong Kong film industry before returning to take a place at London University.

Crudelli's BBC series' have been broadcast in over 120 countries worldwide making him one of the UK's most exported and played presenters in television history. His first 10-part documentary series concentrated on the more exotic, elaborate systems of far eastern martial arts and has enjoyed continued cult success on BBC television, Discovery Channel and is available on a double DVD.

The series travels straight to the source, filming in China, Japan, the Philippines and Taiwan. The series examines, through interviews and experiments, the more diverse, and unbelievable, aspects of martial enlightenment, from extreme conditioning to the unusual. This gives the show a strange hybrid quality of -style stunt show, complete with preliminary disclaimer, and part mentalist circus show, with tricks and mind games, which Crudelli manages to blend seamlessly.

Crudelli has been accused of down playing his abilities, particularly in the sections that examine his own personal skill and level of abilities.

As shown through all the series hosted by Crudelli, he is not only a Kung Fu teacher but also a master of the mystical energies of Qi , which are demonstrated throughout the series.

Choy gar

Choy Gar is a Chinese martial art deriving its name from Choy Gau Lee and is one of the five main familystyles of Kung Fu in southern China. The style emphasizes swift footwork and rapid strikes.

Early history- Shaolin Legacy

According to legend, the monks of the Shaolin Monastery wanted to find a balance in their life where they could cultivate both spirituality and physical health in harmony. Not only did they develop philosophies and meditations to help them be at peace with themselves and their surroundings, but they also studied the art of combat. Texts and Murals show the monks created various exercises where they could sharpen their skills and also observed various animals when they fought. Doing so they tried to imitate their distinct ways of fighting and wanted to be able to master every type of battle.
It seems that by the time of the 17th century the art reached such a level of sophistication and distinctness that not much has been added to it even to this day.

Choy Gar- The formation

In the 17th century the Manchurians took control of China under the Qing dynasty.
The majority of the Chinese people, being Han-Chinese, felt that their country had been invaded and it was a time of rebellion.
Especially the Shaolin temples in northern China are said to have been a place where many rebels gathered to train and mobilize, and the Manchurians knew this.
They began attacking the temples and many monks fled to southern China to seek refuge.
Many came to the Fujian province and one of these was a monk known as Gee Sum Sim See.
Gee Sum Sim See had many students but of all his students five stood out and are famous in southern China.
Two of them were Choy Gau Lee and Hung Hei Guan who founded Choy Gar and Hung Gar and the other three founded Mok Gar, Li gar and Lau Gar.
Of these five styles only the Hung Gar was able to expand considerably due to its close bond with the revolutions in the south of China against the manchú dynasty of the Ching in which its creator Hung Hei Gung or Hong Xi Kuan participated. The other four styles didn't have the same luck and nowadays it is very difficult to find them in their original state, such as is the case of the style Lau Gar which forms have been included in the Hung style; of the Lei style which techniques have been included in the Choy Lee Fat and of the very Choy style which techniques, forms and philosophy have passed to form part of styles like the Chow Ka, Jow Ka, Choy Lei Fat and Wing Chung.
At the moment the Choy is very rare , it is wrapped in a mystery of and secret halo, and although it is mentioned in almost all the stories of the Kung Fú of the South of China only a few have can be considered masters of its forms and techniques.

The Style

Choy gar is a self-defense style that practices low stances and swift footwork like that of the rat. The body and arms are meant to resemble the quick attacking movements of the snake.
Unlike the northern shaolin styles which have wider, more open techniques, Choy Gar's short and swift movements are better suited for the crowded alleys and streets of the densely populated southern China.
The low stance and power in the techniques, will in time, develop an inner strength within the practitioner. This is the basic foundation for creating effective movements, abilities and actions of the body. Only through this one can truly understand the wide range of Kung Fu techniques and it's distinctive character.
The philosophy behind Kung Fu is, in the east, of great significance. For many students, the training is like an upbringing and in everyday life, morals and traditions taught in Kung Fu help to mold their characters.

Training

One begins by building up physique in a good way. Stamina, strength and flexibility workout is combined with stretching and basic techniques. Training is performed in a low stance to increase the leg strength. In the Choy style, strong legs are a necessity for performing the techniques in a correct manner. Lower body strength is the foundation of Choy.
The basic techniques are put together into different form combinations. One learns the forms in two versions, to the sides and to the front and are required to execute it against the Sifu at a certain pace and without any stalls.

All the various techniques of Choy Gar can be found in the following forms:


Choy Gar kungfu is based on short and rhythmic techniques which minimizes the area the opponent can attack which in turn becomes an effective self defense. The short and fast leg techniques, combined with the low stances, give the opponent a smaller area of attack giving a more secure defense .

Choy Gar Today

Its not known how many people still practise Choy Gar today in mainland China, but one could speculate that many clubs went underground during the cultural revolution.
What is known is that It was in Fujian province, and near Luofu Mountain in the neighbouring Guangdong province that the Choy Family had their centre and how many people that spread the style from there is unknown.
What is known however is that Hakka Chinese people, who resided in colonies in Lima, Peru practised Choy Gar sometime in the 1940s.
By that time it was strictly for Chinese people and it was not until after the 1960s that some of the world's first non-Chinese people came into contact with Kung Fu.
Among them was Sifu Adolfo Tijero, who now has a Choy Gar club in Sweden, Stockholm, and who probably is one of the last first-generation non-Chinese sifu's .
He learned it from sifu Fausto Wong whom in turn had been the student of sifu Pablo Kam .
There is also a club in Cuba who was introduced there by Sifu Lei Tchoy from Guangdong Province and who arrived in Havana in the first quarter of the 20th century.
Together with Master Lei Bu and Master Wong Key from Canton they opened up a martial arts and sport society in the Havana Chinatown.
The other existing club lies somewhere in Peru though the existing whereabouts are unknown.

Chow Gar

Chow Gar Tong long is a southern and is one of the four major schools in . It is an aggressive style with emphasis on close range fighting. These skills are developed by utilizing a range of training techniques which have been developed over several centuries.

This style is not related to , a southern Chinese martial art founded by Jow Lung in the early 1900s.

History

The history of Chow Gar Praying Mantis was transmitted orally with little supporting documentation until the 1900s. The origins of Chow Gar are similar to other martial arts of the Hakka community with references to the Southern Shaolin monastery and exploits centered around Southern China. Information prior to the turn of the century were speculative at best. In the modern era, Lau Soei is recognized by both the Chow Gar and Chu Gar practitioners as the leading promoter of this style. The leading authority of Chow Gar are the students of Yip Shui and their schools can be found worldwide.

Chow Ah Naam

According to Chow Gar tradition, the founder of the style was Chow Ah Naam who lived in the 1800s. He had spent many years in the Southern Shaolin Monastery under the guidance of the abbot Sim See Yan. He created a new style which he called Praying Mantis from watching a fight between a praying mantis and a bird. His style is not related to the Northern Praying Mantis created by Wang Lang during the Song Dynasty . Ah Naam taught the style to many people in the region and one of his students was Wong Fook Go.

Wong Fook Go

Wong Fook Go was initially a lay person but later became a traveling monk. He travelled throughout Southern China including Wai Yearn village in the area of Tung Kung .

Lau Soei

Lau Soei was an accomplished teacher of the martial arts in his home village of Wai Yearn in Southern China before meeting Wong Fook Go. Oral traditions suggested that Lau challenged Wong and was soundly defeated by Wong. Lau then became a student of Wong and became proficient in the Chu Gar Southern Praying Mantis. Using this knowledge, he further enhanced his reputation and earned the nickname as the "Number one of the three tigers of Dong Jiang .

In 1913, Lau Soei moved to Hong Kong and established a Southern Praying Mantis school in Kowloon. Initially, he would teach his system only to members of the Hakka community. Near the end of his career, he opened his teachings to the general public. Yip Shui was one of his first non-Hakka students. Lau Soei died in 1942.

Yip Shui

Yip Shui continued on the tradition of Lau Soei after living and training extensively with Lau Soei. He established a reputation for the effectiveness of the Chow Gar style by meeting all challenges. He worked hard to teach and promote this style. Yip Shui passed away in 2004.

Yip Chee Keung, the son of Yip Shui, continues the family tradition as a promoter of this system. Chee Keung emigrated to London, England in the 1970s. He established a Chow Gar Southern Mantis School there. Paul Whitrod started his training with Yip Chee Keung at that school in 1974. Paul is now the UK representative for Chow Gar.

Ng Si Kay , Yip Shui's son in law, is the current head instructor for Chow Gar Mantis Association based in Hong Kong. Li Tin Loi , another student of Yip Shui, is teaching at the Hong Kong Tong Kong Chow Ka-Praying Mantis Li Tin Loi Martial Arts Association .

With the efforts and dedication of those teachers and many others, Chow Gar practitioners can now be found throughout the world. There are now Chow Gar schools and associations in Hong Kong, England , the Netherlands and Australia.

Forms

There are many different forms in the Chow Gar system and each instructor teaching a variety of forms. The name for some of those solo forms include :

*Sarm Bo Jin
*Sarm Jin Yiu Kiu
*Sarm Jin Pai Kiu
*Sarm Gong Pin Kiu
*Second Level Sarm Bo Jin
*Pao To Fist
*Leep Kiu
*Gau Si Mun sau
*Mo Ying Sau Chor Kui
*Bo Sim Sau
*Gen Tung Gen Sau Lin Wa say
*Poon loong keok
*Yau Loong Sau
*Say Mun Sau
*Bic Saan Quan
*Yin Yang Sau
*Fut Sau

There are also pair forms and weapon forms.

Techniques

Basic Movements

There are also 36 basic movements consisting of one or 3 moves, these are known as San Sau. they are;

*Bow Chong
*Gau Choi
*Cye Sau
*Doa Sau
*Narp Sau
*Got sau
*Saw Sau
*Chum Chung sau
*Yong Sau
*Chuen sau
*Larp sau
*Mut sau
*Kum la Ja Jook
*Kwor sau
*Yui Sau
*Pai Kui
*Cheet Jeung
*Lau Sau
*Dun Chung
*Ngai Chung
*Jin Sau
*Din sau
*Soc sau
*Yong Kum sau
*Yum Yearn Kor Sau
*Lim Chung
*Tai Sau
*Kok Choi
*Man Dan Sau
*Chup sau
*Noi Choi fun sau
*Chy Sau
*Doy Chong
*Sarm Bo Jin

Shock Power

The short-range power that can translate into shock power is a basic characteristic of this style. According to legend, this technique is created when the founder, Chow Ah Naam's saw a praying mantis fighting off a blackbird using quick sudden movements.

Choi Lei Fut

Like other southern Chinese martial arts, Choi Lei Fut features Five Animal techniques based on the tiger, dragon, crane, leopard, and snake but is distinguished from other by long, swinging, circular movements and twisting body motions more indicative of .

As a Southern Shaolin style with Five Animal techniques, Hung Kuen is a close relative of Choi Lei Fut and is said by some Choi Lei Fut branches to be the style that Chan Yuen-Wu taught founder Chan Heung.

The stances of Choi Lei Fut are as wide as those of Hung Kuen, but higher - though not as high as those of Wing Chun - trading off some of the stability and root of Hung Kuen stances to allow more mobile footwork. In order to generate the characteristic whipping power of Choi Lei Fut, the hips and shoulders must be decoupled. Though Hung Kuen also features whipping power, particularly in its crane techniques, the hips and the shoulders are more frequently locked in the same plane, resulting in a "harder" form of power. Hung Ga and Wing Chun both hold the torso perpendicular to an opponent, to allow for the full use of both arms. By contrast, Choi Lei Fut holds the torso at an angle to the opponent to reduce the target area exposed to him.

Choi Lei Fut is a characterized as a "soft-hard", "external" style. The curriculum was designed so that anti-Qing rebels could quickly gain practical proficiency and also incorporates a wide range of weapons. Several common movements have specific sounds associated with them—for example, "sik" when throwing punches, "yik" when punching from horse riding stance, "wah" was used when using a Tiger Claw and "dik" when kicking—supposedly so that friendly forces could recognize each other in battle and to force the practitioner to coordinate his breathing patterns with his movements.

Like many martial arts, Choi Lei Fut has diverged into several lineages that differ not only in terms of training and emphasis but also on what they see as the true history of the style.

The style has not gained popularity in mainland China and by some it is still seen as merely an amalgamation of southern and northern techniques and is not really seen as a separate style. Due to the nature of the style, it is said to be preferred by traveling merchants who could easily exchange techniques with others while traveling.

The popularity of Choi Lei Fut is strong in Hong Kong, Canada, the United States, and growing elsewhere, and in the late 20th century, the style was popularized in the Canada and the United States. It is also one of the fighting styles used by the Outworld ninja Ermac in the '''' video game series.

Choi Lei Fut, together with Hung Gar and Wing Chun, are given the name "The Three Great Martial Art Schools of the South" because of their origin and popularity in Southern China.

Origins

Chan Heung was born in Guangdong Province, China in 1805 or 1806.
At the age of six or seven, he began to study Kung Fu from his uncle, Chan Yuen-Wu , a master of Southern Shaolin.
So proficient as an adolescent that he could defeat any challenger from nearby villages, Chan Heung was ready to learn more.
So he began training under another Southern Shaolin master, , founder of Lei Ga, the Lei Family style.
After only four or five years of training, it became apparent that Chan Heung was ready to move on once again.
So Chan Heung set out to find Choi Fook , who is said to have been a monk on Luofu Mountain.
After several years of training under Choi Fook, Chan Heung returned to his home village of Ging Mui in the county of Xinhui. He did not personally believe in fighting because of his personal Buddhist beliefs although his students fought and believed in the Revolution.

According to the Jeung Yim branch

Jeung Yim was an orphan his parents were killed so he was cared for by his uncle.
According to Huang,Shenjiang, manager of the Fut San Hung Sing Kwoon manager, the uncle's name was Jeung Kwan and Jeung Yim was at this time a disciple of Lei Ga master Lei Yau-San.
When Jeung Yim was twelve, his uncle had obligations that meant he would no longer be able to take care of Jeung Yim.

So he took Jeung Yim to his old friend Chan Heung in the hopes that Chan would be able to take the boy in as a live-in student so he would be cared for and fed.
However, village rules forbade Chan Heung from teaching martial arts to non-family members.
Unable to take care of the boy by accepting him as a student, Chan Heung instead hired Jeung Yim to do odd jobs at his martial arts school.
Jeung Yim took the opportunity to observe Chan Heung’s lessons and practiced the moves that he imitated in secret .
One night, Chan Heung came upon Jeung Yim practicing.
Impressed by the Jeung Hung-Sing's motivation and abiliies, Chan Heung taught him secretly for several years before the other villagers found out and expelled Jeung Yim for not being a village family member and not having the Chan family name not wanting him to learn the Chan Village Style (in later years this style was to be called Choi-Lei-Fut.

So in 1831, at the age of seventeen, Jeung Yim left Ging Mui, but not before Chan Heung gave him a letter of introduction and money for food and instructions to seek out the monk Ching Cho at the Zhajian Temple on Mount Bapai in Guangxi Province.
Absent to the distractions of secular life, Jeung Yim was able to give himself over completely to the things that the monk Ching Cho had to impart, having no distractions or other people to distract him so he had nothing to do but practice what the Green Grass Monk had to teach him: his knowledge of Fut Ga Kung Fu and traditional Chinese medicine, and a promise of commitment to the Green Grass Monk to help in the overthrow of the Ching Government the which reflected that patriotic ideal.His teacher, the Green Grass Monk bestowed him his new revolutionary name which HUNG-SING.
Jeung, now Jeung,Hung-Sing, returned to Chan Heung and shared with his first teacher the some of the things he had learned from his second teacher for the most of the last decade the time he spent with the Green Grass Monk.
Chan Heung hired Jeung once again, this time as a teacher rather than hiring him just as a menial/clandestine student, enabling Jeung Hung-Sing to stay for a year or two until he left to open his own school in Foshan in 1839 and continue with his well known and Activities with the HUNG MOON SOCIETY, THE REVOLUTION and recruitment and opened his fist school Hung Sing using the Character of the Hung Society And called his style HUNG"s FIST later changing the Character to the now popularized Hung to mean Great or Glorious for fear of being arrested and executed for being a member of the Hung society.
Because it incorporated the Choi Ga style from Choi Fook, the Lei Ga style from Lei Yau-San the Lei Style was widley known and practiced in southern China at this time., and the Fut Ga style from the monk Ching Cho which completely changed his out look and usage that he had learned before, their new style became known as Choi Lei Fut in the years to come (likely named this in the 3rd generation period.

According to the Chan Family branch

At seven years old, Chan Heung began learning martial arts under his uncle Chan Yuen Woo. Yuen Woo was a famed master from Shaolin Temple, and taught his nephew the Buddha Style Fist or Fut Ga Kuen.

After years of study with his uncle, Chan Heung had become a consummate warrior by the early age of 15. To further his skills, Chan became a student of Lei Yau San, a Shaolin practitioner of the Lei Family Fist. Yau San was Yuen Woo's sihing or elder brother at Shaolin Temple.

Becoming proficient in the Lei Family style, Chan Heung was then referred to the Shaolin monk Choi Fook to further his martial arts knowledge. After years of intensive study with the Buddhist recluse, Chan Heung revised what he had learned and formed a new system. He combined his knowledge of 3 martial arts systems and called it "Choi Lei Fut" in honour of his teachers.

Three styles that constitute Choi Lei Fut are as follows.

Chan Yuen Woo and the Buddha Style Fist
Chan Heung learned the Buddha Style Fist, or Fut Ga Kuen, from his uncle Chan Yuen Woo. Yuen Woo was a famed master of Shaolin Temple.

Three sources

Choi Fook 蔡褔

Depending on the branch of Choi Lei Fut, Choi Fook is said to have been a master of Southern Shaolin Kung Fu from Fujian province.

Choi Fook had learned this from Choi Gau-Yee,founder of Choy gar.

Choi Fook was not related to Choy Gau-Yee though he was his student.
Choy gar is said to have the longest range of the .

Either way, Choi Fook is considered a source of Choi Lei Fut's long-range characteristics like its swift, mobile footwork.

Choi Fook was a monk from the Shaolin Temple of Fujian.

Lei Yau-San 李友山

Said to be a student of Jee Sin while others believe him to be a student of Li Sik Hoi-one of the 5 Ancestors of the Hung Mun, Lei Yau-San is known not only as a teacher of Chan Heung, and recently discovered of Jeung Hung Sing as well, but as the founder of Lei Ga which, like Choi Ga, is one of the .

The prominence of the leopard punch hand formation within Choi Lei Fut may be the influence of Lei Ga, a middle-range style which emphasizes techniques.

Fut Ga 佛家

Fut Ga , literally "Buddha Family," specializes in palm techniques and for this reason is also known as Buddha Family Palm, Buddhist Palm, or Buddha Palm. Monk Ching Cho Woh Seung was responsible for spreading the Fut Ga system throughout Guandong.
Both the left and right hand are used in attack and defense. Long and short-range footwork is employed.

Technical characteristics of the branches

Chan Family

Chan Family Choi Lei Fut emphasizes a soft, loose, flexible waist and faces the opponent at an angle to reduce the target area exposed.

Hung Sing 鴻 勝

Though still characterized by the whipping power indicative of Choi Lei Fut, the Jeung,Yim "HUNG SING" branch maintains a loose alignment between the hips and the shoulders, imparting a "Looseness" to generate its power.Also known for it's aggressive fighting methods such as onslaught Combinations
and side stance techniques, and many weapons forms because they felt this was a warfare system,the Hung Sing has a small amount of hand sets in their Primary Core.The Cheung Kuen ,The Kow da Kune ,The Ping Kuen. The wooden Dummy and varied amount of Perifial hand forms. Also they have a variety of both weapon and hand spar forms to teach the usages of the system. Weapons forms are usually hidden hand forms.

Current grandmaster of the US HQ Hung Sing Kwoon that teach today are Sifu Dino "Jew, Tein Loong" Salvatera. Past grandmasters of the US HQ Hung Sing Kwoon include Professor Lau Bun, Jew Leong.

Buk Sing

Founded by Tarm Sarm and Ku Yu Cheung, Northern Shaolin, Buk Sing Choy Lay Fut focused on direct combat rather than forms and weapon routines.

The Buk Sing lineage features a shorter syllabus comprising only a handful of routines—Sup Jee Kuen , Ping Kuen , Kau Da , Seung Gaap Daan —as compared to the dozens in the syllabuses of the other branches.

Buk Sing techniques are generally 'rawer' and more aggressive than their equivalents in other branches of Choy Lay Fut. In fighting the focus is on blitzing the opponent with rapid, advancing movements rather than engaging with him.

One example of Tarm Sarm's approach is the "side body" stance, which takes the idea of reducing one's exposed target area by to its logical conclusion: turning the torso 90° away from the opponent.

Some famous masters of Buk Sing Choy Lay Fut that teach today are Dave and Vince Lacey who teach at separate schools. One of their masters, Lai Hung, also teaches Northern Shaolin and Buk Sing Choy Lay Fut in California. Although there are also branchs in Australia, in Melbourne and Perth taught by students of the Laceys.

Masters of Choi Lei Fut

Chan Family masters:
* Chan On Pak
* Chen Yong Fa
* Wong Cam Piu
Contemporary masters:
*
*
*

Grandmaster:
*
*

Buk Sing Choy Lay Fut:
*
*

Chin Woo Athletic Association

Chin Woo Athletic Association is a Chinese martial arts association founded in Shanghai on July 7, 1910, but conflicting sources also cite dates in 1909. It can be found spelled in many ways - Jing Mo, Ching Wu, Jing Wo, etc.



Many sources say that Chin Woo was founded by Huo Yuanjia , the famed challenge fighter who died within months of its establishment. This gives the false impression that only one person founded the entire association when in reality it was founded by a committee of people. Due to Huo Yuanjia's popularity and recent death, the committee had decided that he should be the "face" of Chin Woo, resulting in his strong association with it.

Because Huo was widely admired as a national hero, a series of other masters agreed to teach at the school including Eagle Claw master Chen Zizheng , Seven Star Praying Mantis master Luo Guangyu , Xingyi master Zhao Lianhe , and Wu Jianquan , the founder of Wu style Taijiquan . Master Chao Lianhe, a master of Northern Shaolin Bizong Style became the Chief Instructor after the sudden death of Huo.

One of the first major public martial arts schools in China, Chin Woo was intended to create a more open environment for teaching and learning martial arts as opposed to the secretive training that had been common in the past. By doing so, the founders felt that this would keep alive traditions that secrecy and social change would otherwise doom. The basic curriculum drew from several styles of martial arts, giving practitioners a well-rounded martial background in addition to whatever they wished to specialize in. The Chin Woo Association inspired the ecumenism seen in the Chinese martial arts community during the Republic of China giving rise to such efforts as the National Martial Arts Institutes. Sun Yat Sen , founder of the Republic of China, attended the third annual event held by Chin Woo in 1915, giving a speech of encouragement to the attendees. When Sun Yat Sen attended again at the 10th annual event in 1920, he also wrote for a special Chin Woo newsletter and made a plaque with the engraving "martial spirit"., the Chin Woo Association was allowed to re-open after the Cultural Revolution, and currently has more than 150 branches around the world.

Standard Curriculum

During the early days of Ching Wu in Shanghai, chief instructor, Chao Lianhe developed a curriculum that became the standard Chin Woo sets .

#Twelve Rows of Tan Tui
#Gong Li Quan
#Jie Quan
#Da Zhan Quan
#Ba Gua Dao
#Qun Yang Gun
#Wu Hu Qiang
#Jie Tan Tui
#Tao Quan
#Dan Dao Chuan Qian

Styles taught varied from school to school, depending on the local Masters, i.e. Northern Mantis, Northern Shaolin Lo Han, Mizong, Eagle Claw, Bizong, Mizongyi, etc. The standard curriculum, however, was universally in all Chin Woo Associations.

Fictional portrayals

* , also known as ''Fist of Fury'', a 1972 film starring Bruce Lee, is a fictional account of a Chin Woo student who avenges the murder of Huo Yuanjia at the hands of a rival Japanese school. This film was originally released in the US as ''Chinese Connection''.
* , also known as ''Fist of Legend'', starring Jet Li, is a remake of ''Fist of Fury''.
* , also known as ''Jet Li's Fearless'', starring Jet Li, is a fictionalized version of Huo Yuanjia's biography.
*Donnie Yen starred in the 1995 Hong Kong television series, "Jing Wu Men".