All about Fuzhou Singing Crane.鳴鶴拳.

鳴鶴拳

Just in case you are unaware, I got another blogsite up and running with regular entries all dedicated to my family line’s of Fuzhou/Fuqing Singing Crane.

Click here.

Cho Gar Ban Chung WCK.

Aaaaarrrggghhhh, with so many clips shot in HD, it took a while to convert to the format I need for editing ……

Anyway, here’s a clip that I assembled that features Por Suk, one of his students in Penang and some scenes of him teaching Chas Cho Gar Wing Chun.

It’s a good thing that Chas got some years of WCK and White Crane in his background or otherwise, this short training stint with Por Suk would have resulted in little.

But then again, if his cup is already “full” there would be little space for any new experience.

Enjoy.

Hips don’t lie.

Was about to power down my machine but I thought I better check my mails first – backlogged for the last couple of weeks …….

Found a mail from Stacy, one of my students in Colorado, and she sent a youtube link with the message “check this out, you’ll like it”…….

Now now now, whatever gave her this notion ??? hahahahaha …….

Taking it (not so) easy in Penang.

I knew from the very onset that the Penang leg of the trip will be nothing short of running around and getting as much done as possible ….. eerhh like short breaths …….

What with Por Suk prearranged to pass on some Cho Gar Ban Chung Wing Chun to Chas, me meeting with Peter (my Zhou Jia sihing) to discuss the many programs for next year, gathering with masters from the various styles for a dinner discussion and courtesy calls to some of the schools in Penang …. Arrrrghhh there’s hardly any time to savor the many foods that Penang is well-known for.

Then, this being Chas’ first ever visit, I got to make time for him to be a tourist – you know the tourist attraction sites that are so glossily described in brochures and now that Penang is awarded the Unesco World Heritage Site status, you just gotta see everything!!!

Take Kek Lok Si, the awe-inspiring Buddhist temple and without doubt the largest and best known temple in Penang staggered on the hillside overlooking the town of Ayer Itam.
Since the olden days, the hills of Ayer Itam are regarded as important geomantically. Known as He San, or Crane Hill, they are recommended as a retreat for Taoist practitioners striving for immortality……okay okay got that off a site about Kek Lok Si ….. I don’t write that well ….hahahaha….

The new bronze status of the Goddess of Mercy and according to some, a potential entry into the Guinness Book of Records for being the tallest is almost completed. I got to tell you that if this don’t inspire awe in you, something is not right somewhere ….blown light bulb somewhere you understand???

And of course Peter got to run a restaurant/pub along the famous Gurney Drive that serves Carlsberg ……….

What can I say???

Well, nothing else except that I will let the video clip show you more……..and if you are planning to visit Penang, go for at least 10 days.

Now for some sleep…..zzzzzzzz……and I’ll work on the video that I took zzzzzzzz………

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures from Singapore.

Hi folks,

Just as promised, here are some pics from Singapore.

Eerrh, you only see Chas in the pics because I am behind the camera ……

 

Breakfast Singapore’s style – Indian pancakes (roti prata) dipped in hot curry.

 

Chas and TaiZu/Grand Ancestor Sifu Teo Choon Teck.

 

My Fuzhou White Crane Sihing, Tien Ngoon.

 

Got more but it is getting late and I got to get up early tomorrow to meet my White Crane Sihing again and then it is off to the airport to catch a plane to Penang……

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the road again …. again.

So folks, once again I find myself packing to get ready to fly tomorrow morning to Singapore.

Will be there for 3 days and then it is off to Penang…..

2 cameras, 1 notebook and 10 days’ clothes change ….. aarrggghhhh !!!

Again, I am not sure how much time I got moving from place to place, so if you find this blog unattended during that time window, its okay – I did not binge out on Carlsberg somewhere.

I will try to upload some pics at least using my notebook and wireless modem.

Anyway, before all that …… those who know me know that I am a big stick fighting fanatic.

Starting when I was just a little boy and watching my dad/uncles and other folks in the small farming village in Singapore in the 60s, stick fighting was the choice weapon for most village “protectors”. Make sense too, you are not violating any laws walking around with a stick and those days, after the British left Singapore, things were a little chaotic and village guardians are expected to keep the community safe. Except that in any actual confrontation, sharpened lead pipes replaced the wooden sticks – same techniques but bigger kill “factor”.

So it’s no wonder that stick fighting left a profound impression with me and all thru my kung fu learning days, this is the one weapon that I put the most effort in.

Jeeze, can’t even remember how many forms and how many teachers, some just for stick skills, I studied with. I remember even trading forms, you know, my knife form for your stick form barter…… kids hahahaha……

So there you go, you’re a product of your environment, well at least, in my case …. I think.

Even now, when I chance upon stick forms / fighting videos on any mainland sites, I would download and study them.

Here’s one – “Beggar Stick” and by the looks, it appears to have Northern origin. Well, for one thing, the stick that you see is more associated with styles like Hsing Yi, some Tai Chi, Chaquan etc etc  …… like I say mainly “Northern” where it is more commonly know as “bian” .

Some southern styles also do “Beggar Stick” but typically using the “eyebrow” level or “Chi Mei” sticks.

We do one in Fuzhou Crane but then, we call it “walking stick”…..

The only “Beggar stick” that I’ve seen around here in Sarawak is the “Wanderer Stick” that is passed down thru the Hakka Grand Ancestor lineage.

And interestingly, comparing that and the one in this clip, I see parallels except maybe in the length of the sticks used.

Well, before I start to bore you, here is the clip :-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Golden Armor” by Chairman Jay Chou.

Eeeerh, got a youtube message asking about the music in the “Wushu Association Sarawak” clip that I uploaded few days back…..must be from outside Asia …hahahaha      :)

That track is “Golden Armor” by Jay Chou and here’s the MV :-

散打 Sǎndǎ

From Wiki :-

Sanshou (Chinese: 散手; pinyin: sǎnshǒu; literally “free hand”) or Sanda (Chinese: 散打; pinyin: sǎndǎ; literally “free fighting”) is a Chinese hand to hand combat, self-defense system, and combat sport. Not seen as a style itself, but is rather considered as just one of the two components (taolu and sanshou) of Chinese martial arts (Kung fu) training and is often taught alongside with taolu training. It may simply be seen as the practice of martial applications in a realistic environment or simply free fighting. However at the same time the modern standard taolu curriculum was created by theChinese government. They created and formalised a standard curriculum for sanshou as well. This curriculum was developed by experimenting with the Chinese military experiences in close range and hand to hand combat with reference to traditional Chinese martial arts. Chinese martial arts masters that were still in China (prior to the abolishment of traditional martial arts during the Cultural Revolution) gathered to contribute the creation of the standard curriculum.

Click here.

Something that I hope to see rekindled in Sarawak and looking at the clip, you are going to see that Sanda is not that far away from traditional training.

During the organized “lei tai” days, the scoring system is different and in some cases, imho, pretty “disordered” often ending in disagreements …..

Well, talking to both GM Sim and James Ting, Sanda is something that is planned for induction into the Wushu Association and you are going to hear more about this and my involvement.

Slowness, Lightness, Balance, Calmness & Clarity

Through centuries of practice, many different schools of Chinese mind and body exercises such as qigong – breathing exercises – and taichi have proven to help improve health and even possess some healing powers.

According to traditional Chinese medical theories, these exercises, which involve regulation of the mind, body and respiration, enhance the development and circulation of qi, the vital energy in the body.

However, qi has remained somewhat elusive to modern medical science, as it is yet to be measured or proven to exist. Researchers from the International Alliance for Mind/Body Signaling and Energy Research in the United States have applied the latest biomedical technologies to gain a better understanding of the physiological aspects of such effects.

At Alliance laboratories, different types of measurements were made on more than 20 high-level qigong and taichi practitioners and several control subjects. Researchers find that when the taichi practitioners are doing movements, which are co-ordinated with deep breathing cycles, there is a big increase in peripheral blood flow. While achieving the effect, practitioners must be relaxed.

In theory, human brain tissue will harden with age. However, after measuring the brain response of some qigong practitioners who have been training for many years, researchers find their minds are as responsive as people in their 20s. Researchers believe that the result is related to their breathing exercises, which allow more oxygen to reach the brain. This way, they can keep their brains as flexible and elastic as the young.

The study also reveals that when qigong practitioners enter a deep meditative state involving mind regulation, they show a pattern of high-frequency heart rate variation indicative of relaxation normally seen during deep sleep.

Researchers conclude that qigong and taichi practices lead to measurable changes in mind and body functions that can be explained in part by conscious control of the autonomic nervous system.

The positive results in the lab partly explain why there are so many taichi and qigong practitioners in China and around the world. Despite the on-going controversy over its effect in the science world, people show even greater interests in the cultural values of the practice of taichi, particularly the legends and figures related to it, which have always been a spring of source for writers, TV dramas and movie makers.

For many people, either a practitioner or not, taichi quan (or Chinese shadow boxing) means more than a system of physical exercises and a secret key to keeping fit. It helps people maintain physiological balance through circular movements.

Taichi quan was also named “chang quan (long punch)”, “shisan shi (13 postures)” and “ruan shou (soft hand)” in the past. The origin of taichi quan is still a mystery as historians of Chinese wushu are still looking for earlier sources than the commonly known possible inventors, such as Xu Xuanping of Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), Chen Wangting and Wang Zongyue of Qing dynasty (1644-1911).

The most well-known candidate is Zhang Sanfeng, whose lineage remains unclear. He is often dubbed “founder of taichi quan” especially among some enthusiasts for kungfu-themed TV drama series and movies.

(Source: China Daily)

 

Soree……me bad boy…..

Again, a public apology to those who left messages over at youtube and facebook ………and I fail to answer.

You see I am really swarmed with work commitment and the last thing I want for now is to join groups and friends and then fall flat.

Work, this blog, my 4 cats and 1 dog is taking up almost my entire day.

Plus working on translations, preparing articles for a local newspaper (yes, yours truly will be starting on a weekly column talking about ….. ta da…..martial arts) ……

Then in a couple of day’s time, I will be on the road again ….. jeeze ….. this is a good time to think about that Apple Iphone …..to stay “connected”…..

Once again, thank you for writing and please look the other way if you don’t get an immediate reply.

Ooops, time to feed the cats again.

Just flow …….

Here is something written about Portishead:-

I am a confirmed portishead head. they are one cool (really) band. i’m not a real hip-hop fan, but i think portishead’s alchemy of that with lounge music, jazz and blues, and a little ’60s secret agent theme music thrown in is quite unique and listenable. beth’s voice of course drives the sound. the woman has SOUL.

Their music is defined as “acid jazz”…jazz instruments with a hip hop flavor and a steady beat to which you can dance to.

Me?

I just looove Beth Gibbons.

Don’t ask me why – somethings are meant to be left unexplained …. hahahaha..

Like Carlsberg.