The Crane that flew to Japan.

This topic is meant for my new blog dedicated to Fukien/Fuzhou Crane Boxing. (Click here).

But because I am still preparing materials to be inserted over there; it going to take a couple of days to get them arranged, I have decided to talk about it here first.

A Japanese White Crane book that did a good job in presenting principles and the form “Babulien” or “Happoren”.

If you’re able to, I recommend you get a copy … if White Crane is your poison … of course.

I got it as a gift from Russ  in Florida last year….

Ancestral or Shaking ?

Viewing clips at youku, a mainland site, could be a real pain sometimes, more so when you have my kind of unreliable connectivity.

Did manage to download some interesting clips sometime back and I thought it might be simpler to re-upload to youtube for linking here …… 

Well you know me, anything to do with that “bird” has got priority with me. 

More so if the clip talks about the Fuzhou scene or in this particular case, Fuqing. 

My dad is Fuzhou MingChiang and mom is Fuqing Putien; so I grew up learning both. 

I am sure most are familiar with the “main” Fuzhou Cranes but ignorant that “Zhonghe” or “Shaking/Vibrating Crane” is more “Fuqing”.

And for the longest time, many would go “Zhong” is “Ancestral” which is totally right if you read the Chinese character.

But as explained in the clip, many terminologies in “ZhongHe” are really handed down in spoken “Fuqing”. 

So when writing, they go for nearest sounding characters – so please don’t read too much into the written form. 

“Zhong” is “Shaking/vibrating/shivering” when spoken in Fuqing. 

Or to be more exact, it sounds more like “Choon”. 

Regardless if it’s Fuzhou or Fuqing, when it’s Crane, you can’t miss the standard “whipping” and “shaking” so well demonstrated in the clip. 

Btw, the sound in the clip got screwed when I downloaded it from youku.

No biggie, there’s Mandarin subtitle ……

Fukien / Fuzhou Cranes.

You often hear me talk about Fukien and Fuzhou Cranes and some of you might wonder; why the distinction.

Crane is Crane is Crane, right ?

Weeeell, right and wrong.

Sprang from the same source but later days’ Fuzhou Crane imported elements from others to render it “distinctive” – for want of a better word.

And here to show that I’m not alone with this demarcation, a Taiwanese article explaining “Fuzhou” and “Non’Fuzhou” Cranes……..here.

 

台灣南派武術之傳承-以鶴拳及單頭棰為例———-發佈日期：2006/8/31

（一） 非福州鶴拳
今日學者多為福建鶴拳乃源自福建永春州之方七娘（原住福寧府北門外），故多名之為「永春白鶴拳」。而福州鶴拳乃在此系，由（清）福州府福清縣人方世培再發展而成。故由永春州逐步向外散佈，但又非福州———–。
台灣武術之中，「永春鶴」的傳衍，雖然因為文獻不足徵，師徒口耳相傳之資料，也往往未能直接明白的點眀（這與台灣屬於移民社會有關），但由拳術特徵，祖師爺名號等是可以推斷得出的，此外，至少有一個直接證據，依據台中潭子黃城老師父傳抄的銅人簿所載：「達摩師祖傳授少林寺、而少林寺教授而傳授聖惠師，女子七姑娘，傳授獨目僧一師，上人傳陳獅、曾四海、林明、蘇招良、鄭禮、蔡苓伯住在泉州府惠安縣，總任清山輔田央村，蔡苓伯師傳授八義，蔣標（來台），傳至（台中）清水海風庄仁德堂風仁金獅陣」云云，則係出永春方七娘白鶴拳系統，是非常明顯的。黃城師父時稱自己為達摩拳，時稱自己為太祖拳、永春拳等…這是台灣老拳師的共通說法，總之不管是太祖、永春等…，都與「永春鶴」非常相關。
「永春鶴」一般是比較古樸。
台灣相當明確屬於永春鶴且系統較-的。我們在此列舉三支，第一、西螺勤習堂系，第二、台中玉麟金獅陣，第三、台南飛鶴及春桃鶴等。

 

 

Most Taiwanese Cranes are “Fuzhou” Crane and from the inside looking out, the rest are then, “Non Fuzhou Cranes”.

Hmmm isn’t “Inside Looking Out” a Grand Funk Railroad song – must go youtube to find the clip – if it’s there.

“I’m sitting here lonely like a broken man…I serve my time doing the best I can”……. something like that……..

Aha, a couple of clicks later …the Grand Funk’s clip …. man I love the internet…..

Sifu Liu Feeding Crane Taiwan.

For those who read Mandarin and want to know more about this line of Southern Crane , go here.

Well, if you don’t understand Mandarin, it’s still worthwhile to drop in; some nice videos and pics in their gallery.

Sifu Liu Chang I got to be seen to be believed.

This gentleman’s appearance belies his power in his every move.

I know, I touched hands with him……

White Crane ?

I like to say “Yong Chun White Crane” but I am not totally sure …..

Looks like “Tensho” doesn’t it?

And the 3 slaps at the start is so Taizu…. But the salute doesn’t match. Then the form displays all the classic “Yong Chun” “joint power techniques”……

Aaaarrrrgggghhhh, better leave it as “Southern Fukien Boxing” …….

From one family to another.

Here’s a  montage done recently with pics of my teachers / elders and brothers from my old school.

Meant for White Crane schools in the US….

Body like willow, hands like bullets.

Another clip from the session with my MingHe sihing in Singapore, a very reclusive man, it’s difficult to get him to open up and share sometimes.

In his 60s now, I make it a point to visit him each time I’m back in Singapore. Not always talking about MingHe per se, we would just sit, have tea and reminisce about the old days in the school and teachers and brothers who are no longer with us.

To me, my sihing epitomizes how a MingHe boxer should move, all relaxed and then boom!

Tensing and focusing about an inch before the target which we were taught as the “inch power” that is so often mentioned in Wing Chun.

So that day, watching, shooting, translating and explaining some elementary MingHe concepts kind of transport me back some 20 over years ago.

My Sifu and Sihing taking me through the same moves……

And yes, you hear me speaking in the clip; a little English and some Fuzhou.

Welcome to my world.

Fuzhou Flying Crane.

And for those going around saying “Flying Crane” is extinct or on the decline, I say “The sky is higher and the earth is thicker than you think”.

Especially if you are living at the bottom of a well seeing only with tunnel vision.

The “Crane forum” that I browse regularly see active participation from all 5 major Fuzhou Crane families from all over.

Still alive and kicking ….. flying I mean !

鸣鹤拳 Whooping Crane.

拳诀有这么．一句话“狗法落地蓬车莲（注）鹤法全靠摇宗手。”鹤法中所谓“摇宗手”即“摇身过解”：“摇”指手法和身法的变化方式，“宗”就是我们前面说过的宗劲。鸣鹤拳也是一种鹤拳，它的发劲也离不开宗劲。

鸣鹤拳在发劲后，劲力到达各关节时，有明显的“颤吹之劲”。福建人称这种动叫做“痹”（也有人称之为“吹劲”或“宗心”的）．

鸣鹤拳的发劲方法，也是气沉丹田，劲由腰起，下至足，使两足落地如生根，再从两足由下往上发于全身各部。这种劲较为明显地表现为两手有显著的颤抖之感，吹 抖的频率很快。每次发出“颤吹劲”时，两手有显著的弹劲，不断地颤抖，待劲催达顶端时突然出击，使之有一“寸劲”。

鸣鹤拳的这种发劲方法需要长年累月不间断地锻炼，并非在一、二个月的时间内即可练成的。只有经过平时刻苦的训练，使身体各部的柔韧性得到进一步提高，肌肉 的弹性和活动性不断得到加强，神经肌肉的活动反应迅速，同时收缩力加强，再加上气沉丹田，以气催劲，以声助力，这样发出来的劲才会成为鸣鹤拳里的那种“颤 劲”。所以鸣鹤拳的套路以外观来说比宗鹤拳的拳势更为激烈，勇猛矫健，且富有阳刚之美。

鸣鹤拳要求在训练之时应注意头要顶、项要稳，要含胸拔背，要沉肩坠肘（这些身法在宗鹤拳里已提过不再赘述）。注意力要集中，使目光敏锐有神，动作矫捷机灵，神态安详，两足落地如生根。练时以头、身、手、足四种力势为三战之步法的根基。
鸣鹤拳跟其他三种鹤拳一样，也是以三战为其本，故练举时也应首先练好三战，而且要一年三百六十天持续不断地练，拳不离手，使之熟而生巧。巧而生妙。只有练 好了三战，才能使动作协调，才谈得上手、眼，身、法、步、气、力、功的紧密配合。这就是鸣鹤拳老前辈时常说的“三战为先。端正为务”
鸣鹤这一拳种也跟其他南拳一样，有一个共同的特点，就是手上的动作较多。在技击上也讲金、木、水、火、土的五行变化。这五种手法讲相生、相克，即金生水、水生木、木生火、火生土、土生金；火克金、水克火、上克水、木克上、金克木。

根据前面这十种相生、相克，互相矛盾又互相转化的手法，在训练时自始至终都得保持着吞、吐、浮、沉的变化，还应正确配合气功的腹式呼吸。其配合方法是：吞为吸，吐为呼，浮为呼，沉为吸。

要想成为一个优秀的鹤拳师，使周身的动作自如协调，劲能贯穿一气，技击上能神出鬼没，首先应掌握好正确的呼吸方法及其配合。

鸣鹤拳在训练时也以套路出现，如练三战后还得转入四门（即方向打四方）。在套路训练中体力消耗大，有起、伏、转、拆，上、下、左、右出入，还得配合吞、吐 1浮、沉，变化也十分复杂。在呼吸时，多以胸式呼吸引向腹式呼吸，当胸式呼吸受到一定限制时．就多以腹式呼吸为主，有时由于动作上的要求使腹肌十分紧张， 又多侧重于胸式呼吸，有时还得阔气。这些正确的呼吸形式、乃是保证正确运动的重要因素。同样，正确的动作也可以提高呼吸机能的水平，提高人体的换气量，增 强人体各器官的机能。

By far, one of the most accurate descriptions  posted on Fuzhou Whooping Crane; this piece is extracted from a Crane Fist forum.

For those of you who understand Mandarin, the “inch power” mentioned in not some “advance” method of execution but rather one of the characteristics of Whooping Crane’s style of whipping.

And the author, I suspect must be a Whooping Crane high-hand, rightly pointed out that after the fundamental “SanChin” is the “4 Doors” concept training.

TaiZu uses the same training concept and after the “4 Doors”, you go on to “5 gates 8 methods”.

The “5 gates” here refers to attacking zones that old masters frequently use when talking about fighting principles.

Like for instance, in Por Suk’s Wing Chun, they have a set of drills known as “guarding the 5 Lotus points”….

This part :-

“在训练时自始至终都得保持着吞、吐、浮、沉的变化，还应正确配合气功的腹式呼吸。其配合方法是：吞为吸，吐为呼，浮为呼，沉为吸.”

is the essence of Whooping Crane’s Sanchin.

The unique aspect of Whooping Crane Sanchin is the addition of 5 element hands and the end result is now known as “San Jin” or “3 Advances”.

 

It’s a small world … world of Kung Fu.

Since putting up a clip featuring “Overview of Wing Chun in Canton”, I received numerous messages regarding the book; most wanted to know how to buy the book.

So I look up the details and found that the publisher got a agent in Malaysia – Perak West Malaysia, managed by a “Ngo Kah Keat”.

The same Sifu Ngo doing WuZu Sanchin in one of my youtube clips. So,I called him and we spent about 30 mins talking about CKF and working together since Sifu Ngo, like me, is a traditional CKF fanatic 🙂

Anyway, to keep a long story short, we are looking at pdf version of this and many other books that they got in their library to facilitate puchases. Next month, my original travel plan is Kuching-Singapore-Johor-Penang-Kuching Now, I might just have to include Perak to meet up with Sifu Ngo. Fancy that – 2 complete strangers, one book, one video clip and possibly a start of a new journey….love it!

Here’s another clip  featuring pages of the said book :-