clearbamboo
are you from the Pik Lik Chi Fei Tai Kik School in Ipoh?
Do you remember bundles of rattan?
Chasincharpchui.
Long time ago. Trained with Master Nip and a few of his senior disciples. Ipoh and Kampar. No more Pok Khek. Retired and have no school. Only teach a few students Tai-Chi privately now. I like name of charp chui, which is really what Pok Khik is about as it has no set routines. Do you remember bundles of rattan?
I came across this forum while surfing the net and thought I would help fill in a few missing pieces.
If I recall correctly, Pok Khek also had an emphasis on iron body training…?
[QUOTE=Clear Bamboo;1013267]Chasincharpchui.
Long time ago. Trained with Master Nip and a few of his senior disciples. Ipoh and Kampar. No more Pok Khek. Retired and have no school. Only teach a few students Tai-Chi privately now. I like name of charp chui, which is really what Pok Khik is about as it has no set routines. Do you remember bundles of rattan?
I came across this forum while surfing the net and thought I would help fill in a few missing pieces.[/QUOTE]
you might have the wrong person, i don’t know anything to do with bundles rattan. lol
i myself am a student of buk sing.
And i’m very interested in the history of Nip Chee Fei Sifu, he would be my sisookjo. how he came to Malaysia, how he founded pok khik, and what he changed from the original teachins of his sifu, my sijo Tarm Sarm.
Ipoh in that period
Chasincharpchui.
My respects.
I am ignorant of Master Nip’s early days. However, Ipoh was the centre of tin mining in those days. It was after World War 2 and the Communists turned to terrorism. In response. the government of the day fortified the smaller villages in the countryside. Movement was restricted.
Not so in Ipoh. It was the state capitol and a thriving trading centre. So young people flocked there for employment, education, fun and to make their fortunes. So it was also natural that triad gangs thrived there too. It is not like that now, but fighting between rival gangs were frequent then and killings did happen.
It was the right climate for the growth of kung fu schools as it was mainly a Chinese town. Judo, karate and other Japanese or Korean arts did not start until the late 1950’s. Nip’s earlier students were a rather rough bunch and many came to learn the tools of their trade (sic).
You will understand that it was a time when a student does not question too much. If the Master scolds, one is happy that he has been noticed. When one does not have a stable stance, the teacher will tell him that as he is lying flat on his back dazed looking up at the teacher. So understandably, I did not seek a lot of direct clarification. Ha! Ha!
However, we often sit at night over bowls of Sar Hor Fun (Famous Ipoh rice noodle soup), discussing the moves and trying not to get into fisticuffs over the applications. To be young was to need further education. Sigh!
We all agreed it came from other hard fighting arts, probably long fist because of the importance of Pow Chui or cannonball fist. At the same time, because he also taught Tai Chi (which while clearly Yang style had quite a few differences), he would have adopted this.
To be caught having a weapon was a hanging offence so the favourites with the triads were concealed weapons. I believe this had a lot to do with the evolution of the art. Rather nasty beginnings, which was why in later years, Master Nip preferred to work with younger pupils from secondary schools to teach better morals.
[QUOTE=TenTigers;1013268]If I recall correctly, Pok Khek also had an emphasis on iron body training…?[/QUOTE]
Sparring was full contact with no protective gear. Once one was finished with the concrete dumbbells and rattan bundles, every session was sparring. I think Iron Shirt was a natural result rather than a specific training. Ha! Ha! Iron Fist and Iron Wrist may be a better description.
Every morning, when I get up from bed, I remember the sparring. Ha! Ha!
That’s how it should be. Iron shirt / Palm / etc… should be a natural result of the training that is done. Sometimes it is taken apart from the training and focused on specifically, which is not bad by the way, but should be incorporated into the regular routine.
Clear bamboo,
Nice to hear some of the stories of old time training with the old school masters.
Peace