shaolin kung fu
Shaolin Longfist Kung Fu: Lien Bu Chuan and Gung Li Chuan!
‘Longfist’ Kung Fu
Shaolin Longfist Kung Fu owes its origin ultimately to the ancient battlefields of Northern China. The same notions of striking, stabbing, sweeping and cutting etc at long-range were extensively systemized and codified at Bei Shaolin Si, the Northern or ‘Grandfather’ Shaolin Temple for over 150 years, before their first open display at the start of the Tang Dynasty,
The Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) apogee of Chinese Culture to date owed its existence to the Shaolin Temple’s support of Emperor-to-be Li Shi-Min whose far-sighted generalship is redolent of Shaolin long-range thinking. General Zhao Kuang-Yin, who established the Sung Dynasty (960-1279 CE) acknowledged as the founder of Nothern Shaolin Longfist Kung Fu, was similarly Shaolin trained.
Kung Fu Forms
Forms, predetermined sets of inter-connected Kung Fu moves, embodying certain themes or particular aspects of their parent style, are an essential aspect of Kung Fu training. Varying in length from less than 30 to more than 300 moves, Forms become more sophisticated, advanced and demanding as Students progress with an entire Section of Kung Fu Contests devoted to Forms Competition.
Sometimes described as the ‘Spirit of Kung Fu’ Forms repeated performance imprints Students’ Technique with the parent style’s fundamentals. Demanding recall of long sequences and their accurate physical performance, Forms are also renowned for invigorating the mind and sharpening the intellect, whether individuals are at School, College, work or in retirement. Through Form practice coordination and balance are acquired, kicks, blocks and hand-strikes are ‘polished’, speed, stamina and flexibility enhanced and body, mind and breath linked together until they operate as one. Northern Shaolin Longfist forms usually embody the extended circular movements, power and, athleticism that typify the style.
Lien Bu Chuan/’Continuous Step Sequence’
Developed Circa 1910 by Huo Yuen-Jia (played most notably by Jet Li in ‘Fearless’) at the Chin Woo (‘Pure Spirt’) Association in Shanghai. Lien Bu Chuan’s upright stances show its affinity with the Crane. Fighting on-the-move (albeit in straight lines) is emphasised, sometimes against multiple opponents. The form’s success led to its adoption by the Central Kuoshu Institute of Nanjing for Chinese Army Kung Fu Training purposes. The opening and closing salutes reveal its Northern Shaolin origins, representing the Northerners’ custom of tying up and untying their long tunics before and after Kung Fu practice, whilst the moves in-between are full of kicking, striking and Qin Na applications.
Gung Li Chuan/ ‘Power Training Sequence’
Gung Li Chuan, also known as ‘Power-Training Sequence’, like Lien Bu Chuan, a basic training Form at Huo Yuen-Jia’s Chin Woo Association, was similarly selected by Chinese Military Authorities for Army-Training purposes. However, the Form was created by Chao Lian (1657 – 1748) during the early part of the Qing Dynasty. Gung Li Chuan’s deep stances help to develop lower body strength and endurance:
“Zuo fu mian, Heu hu tuo xin, Xia da zai hu xi qian.”
“Sweep left-face, Black Tiger Steals the Heart, Double fists hammer downwards to stop knee.”
Thus runs Verse 3 of ‘The Song of Northern Gung Li Chuan’, describing moves 5-8 of this classic, flowing ‘Longfist’ Form. Apart from its dynamic strength and stamina-enhancing qualities, and a certain aesthetic appeal, Gung Li Chuan also has curative and health-giving properties and is conducive to longevity!
Filmography
Many films have depicted Huo Yuen-Jia’s untimely death and the way his Senior Student, Chen Zhen, avenged this, including: Bruce Lee’s ‘Fist of Fury’ (1972); Jet Li’s ‘Fist of Legend’ (1994) and ‘Fearless’ (2006); and ‘Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen’ (2010) starring Donnie Yen, currently on release.
Shaolin Style of Kung Fu
The Shaolin style, the temple-derived and the family style are the three styles of Kung Fu. The temple style has always been taught in the temple, while the Shaolin styles perfected by the southern temples include White Crane, Tiger, Dragon, Leopard, Snake, and Southern Praying Mantis. Most of these use hand-based fighting styles.
The Northern styles, including Northern Praying Mantis, Black Crane and Black Tiger, focus more on kicks and nimble footwork. The movements are representative of the animals that they are named after and concentrate only on the maneuvers of that animal. All the blocks and the attacks imitate the bird or the beast.
Each Shaolin style is therefore as different from the other as the mantis from the tiger. However, the systems are not rigid and there is a mutual give and take. The Northern Praying mantis style, for example, incorporates the Tiger techniques and some amount of Monkey and generic footwork.
Each style revolves around a particular training objective. For example, the Dragon style revolves around building alertness and concentration. The Tiger movements focus on developing the bones, tendons and muscles. The Snake movements are used to develop endurance and fluidity. Similarly, the Crane system is used to develop character and spirit.
These Shaolin systems are further divided into the high and low orders. The low systems use physical manoeuvres of the Crane, the Cobra and the Tiger. The application of chi in these forms is considerably less.
Snake is an intermediate level between the high systems and low systems. It is a creature of the earth yet somewhat spiritual because it has an element of mystery about it. The snake style therefore has all the physical applications of the low systems but its movements are essentially those of the higher order. Chi is present in the practitioner as his body mimics the coiling, undulating motions of the reptile.
Dragon, Praying Mantis, and Wing Chun are all seen as high systems because of their efficiency of movement and the use of chi to either augment or replace physical techniques. These systems were taught in some measure to all monks as part of their training. The complete systems were, however, revealed to the few who remained in the temple after being granted priesthood.
Shaolin Kung Fu For Kids
Shaolin is a 1,500 year-old Chan (Zen) Buddhist temple in China that is famous worldwide for its peaceful-looking monks who perform incredible kung fu stunts.
You might have seen images or performances of Shaolin kids bending their limbs into mind-boggling positions and asked yourself “Now, how did they do that?” What you have just seen is a display of Shaolin Juvenile Kung Fu.
Juvenile Kung Fu? Is it only for kids? Yes, because boys start practicing this art at ages five or six. There’s another reason it’s called Juvenile Kung Fu.
After practicing this art for years the student stays as young as a child even though his hair may be white as a crane’s feathers.
Juvenile Kung Fu makes his body soft as cotton, light as a swallow and hard as steel. What is amazing is that a person who practices it stays as strong and sharp when he’s 60 as when he was 16. Hence, to become a great Shaolin Kung Fu master, it is vital to learn Juvenile Kung Fu.
Young boys selected for this unique training must be lean and have good bone structure and flexibility. (Bigger boys are selected for Shaolin hard qigong training.) Basic training involves a lot of leaping and rolling.
At advanced levels, the boys bend and stretch their limbs at impossible angles with soft and powerful qi-controlled movements. Their joints and tendons become strong and flexible. They have excellent blood and qi (chi) flow. And they show precise posture and fantastic power in their kung fu.
An excerpt from the fully illustrated children’s book “Shaolin – Legends of Zen and Kung Fu” (0-9733492-3-9) by Kah Joon Liow, 32 pages, includes original 3D-animated story “Enter The Zen” on DVD, published by SilkRoad Networks (Canada), Sept 2006, US$26.95, With the participation of MDA. Copyright 2006, SilkRoad Networks and MDA.