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Originally posted by scotty1
Where did you live Chingei? What was the kungfu like in your area?
Oh yeah, do the Chinese call it all ‘wushu’ or do they differentiate between ‘wushu’ and ‘gongfu’?
I lived in Xi’an for about 2yrs back in the mid 90’s.
Studied Tai chi quan with Chen Quanzhong every morning outside the city wall, and studied northern long fist at a small school tucked away in the muslim quarter.
One day Chen Quanzhong was giving some free demonstration lessons at the University where I worked. I slipped in with the students and tried to follow along (yeah, right!). Of course, I didn’t ‘blend in’ very well and he noticed me (lone pale face in the group). We got to talking, with the help of some of my students, and …
My students were very kind and helped me with alot of things. One of my students learned that I was practicing tai chi quan and we got talking on the subject of what other stuff I was interested in learning (yeah, everything was called ‘wushu’ to the best of my knowledge). A few weeks later, out of the blue he announced that he had arranged an intro for me with a highly respected teacher at this small school in the muslim quarter. I was quite pleased at the opportunity to learn and to grab eats in the muslim quarter (great stuff). I learned a lot of drills, some forms, staff, applications, etc. a wonderful experience.
Far as I know, ‘gongfu’ refers to any exhibition of physical skill and energy. 2 examples:
one night I was heading back to my apt. by taxi. the university kept the gates to the ‘compound’ locked at night so if you got back late you had to kind of scale a 8+ foot wall to get back in. Well, as I was hoping to impress the young lady who was in the cab with me (she would continue on in the cab to her U). I did my best Jackie Chan-type run up the wall (amazingly without falling and breaking my ass). I could hear the cab driver yell “hao!” “gongfu” as I slipped over into the compound (I was so pleased with myself)
another case: At the wushu school one day my trainer (younger guy who kicked my ass all the time at the behest of the master) found out from one of my students that I was a wrestler. So, in true China style, the whole school stopped what it was doing to come watch a ‘demonstration’ (not what I had hoped for). anyway, one of the other students at the school came at me and I shot a pretty basic outside single (quick as I could, knowing the eyes of the world were upon me) and took him down gently. Again, ‘gongfu’ was used in the above mentioned context.
Well, that’s some interestingtonoonebutmyself info. other martial training type opportunities came up often while I was in Xi’an and/or traveling around the country. like anything else, its a matter of making the most of these opps as they come up.
In general, I’ve found that the eyes and ears work better than the mouth when it comes to recognizing opps
