Books in Chinese on NSL
Beiquan,
Hello again!
These are the only books in Chinese that I am aware that exist and was specifically on Kuo Yu Chang’s NSL. KYC was not a writer but only a true CMA fighter.
Back in 1952? Yim Shan Wu open a school in Kowloon with his classmate, Lung Tzu Hsing. As part of their advertisment for their school they featured a series of articles in a local newspaper. (Sorry but I do not know the name). The series included photos of both LTH and YSW performing the Shaolin Sparring set. The text for the photos was written by P’an Mao Chung who was one of the few martial artist that could write.
YSW was not educated enough to write a book while LTH, who could write, was busy writing his Tai Chi book (published in 1951) which is now a collector’s item. These articles on NSL sparring set were collected and later re-published by one of their student who worked in a publishing company. A limited number of books were printed for every student in the school in 1952.
LTH’s son (Lung Kai Ming) wrote an article with photos of his students performing the Northern Shaolin sparring set in New Martial Hero #63 (199) October 1977, page 16-18; #65 (201) October 1977, page 32-35; #66 (202) October 1977, page 44 –47. No history and the final part was not published. Only written text on the movements of the set along side of the photos.
LTH’s Tai Chi book was completely re-worked by Paul F.N. Tam (a disciple of LTH) in 1987 (Chinese), English version in 1991 by Shech Wah Tong Printing Press H.K. The book is title: Tai Chi Chuan: Theory and Practice, (very $). Interesting short history on GGM Kuo Yu Chang and his thoughts about Tai Chi Chuan on page 25-27.
LTH wrote another booklet on NSL called Northern Shaolin Chuan. Unknown year published by student. A limited number of booklets were produced and thrown in a corner of the school and was free for any student who wanted it. This book contained the names of the techniques for all ten NSL hand sets. This booklet had the same short introduction about NSL as the newspaper article mention above on the NSL sparring set.
This is what the short intro said: (Forgive my translations)
‘Fist arts can make a healthy body and develop self-defense because it matches the theory of movement. There have been one thousand variations since ancient times. There were many good ones. There were different styles although they used the same principle: The body, the step and the hand movements. There are eight gates on the body and three methods within the ten different fist arts (10 NSL sets). Within the ten sets there are 12 do’s, 3 joints, 3 spear points, 4 emptiness, 3 quickness, and 12 don’t’s.
If you have only seven of the eight gates, it will not be good enough. One must know all eight gates to be successful. The eight gates are fist, palms, elbows, head, hip, knee, leg, foot. The 12 do’s are: the heart is calm, the nerves are strong, the eyes are clear, hands are fast, shoulders are level, the body is straight, legs are spread, steps are strong, front leg is bent, rear leg is bent, the bones and joints are flexible, know the three joints, and know the three spears.
The three joints are top, middle and lower with special attention to the groin area. The top is the head, the middle is the heart, and the lower is the groin area. The three spear points are spear hand, spear toes, and spear shoulders. The three quickness are the mind, the hand and the eyes. The four emptiness are lifting the leg, side stepping, and pay attention to the top will create an empty bottom, and empty bottom into horse.
The 12 don’t are nervous, timed, lack of clear vision, slow hands, lazy legs, shaking legs, body is not center, shoulders are slopping, joints are not flexible, incomplete knowledge and understanding of the three joints, incomplete knowledge and understanding of the three spears, and the lack of understanding of the style.
If one the lack of understanding of the three joints and the lack of understanding of the three spears, then the student does not know the style.
The eight awareness are: the heart is always steady like a rock, the vision is bright like a reflective mirror, hands should be fast like lighting, foot movement should be fast like a bird flying back and forth, the foot should be light like walking on water, the body should be quick in dodging and turning, the body is still and strong like a mountain, and the body moves fast like lighting.
If you do not learn any of what is said above then you do not know the art of Northern Shaolin. Therefore if you keep studying and understand the NSL style, then the unfathomable meaning of NSL will come. In other words, if you do not study now, what will you do when you face the enemy?’
There you have it. Easy to read these words of wisdom from our GGMs of the past but one must keep repeating these words and find their true complex meaning as it relates to how we currently practice NSL.
) can help me here; I’m looking for the titles in mandarin (any romanization is fine) of the books written by Lung Tzu Hsiang and Yim Shan Wu on Bei Shaolin. I know of Lung’s book “Taijiquan Xue”; I believe he also wrote a book on shaolinquan as well as a book with Yim on the BSL sparring set; I have heard as well that Yim Shan Wu also wrote a book on BSL. If anyone could give me any info on these, I’d really appreciate it, as I’d like to try to track down copies…