bean curd
I will certainly speak to my sifu regarding snakes, as you say im sure he would be able to tell me more of how the snake is seen in chinese culture.
Can i ask if you know of my sifu? Just from the way you surgest that, it sounds as though you may have heard of him. Just curious is all its certainly not a loaded question.
I know what you mean about the movement aspects and the ideals of how they could be applied to a human form, i guess my main issue is why pick that animal in particular. Especialy from a compleate system standpoint.
Tiger on Duty
Thank you for your post it was an interesting read, i had not considered the idea of using differing snakes for different tactics and hand formations. I once saw a fist in a book called a snake fist that was similar to a pheonix eye but the bottom knuckle was also extended giving the fist a two pronged apperence.
Anyhow thank again for your insights:)
Im enjoying this though ive learnt a lot and all i had to do was start an argument:D
Maybe all our trolls are actualy just students in disguise as they know its the best way to get the info;)
i have heard of ho sifu, though this should not make any differance if heard off or not, skill is skill by ability not by name. ho sifu is from the old school not only by age but by time, so his understanding will be a perspective from old and new.
the stories these men ( elders ) can tell are worth listening too, if he however smiles at you when you ask him to explain a faht, run hahaha, as the the elders usually say , " feeling is a better teacher than hearing "
jon i also understand your question and i know
you would not " load " a question, but thanks for clarifing - good mo duk.
tiger on duty has said some good things, he has clarified what i was eluding too, but still ask ho sifu there is much more to snakes in chinese culture, that is worthy to note
Hi bean curd i hope your well and training is going along nicely for you.
I will certainly ask Master Ho, i spent ALL day today learning to lion dance and at the end had to do four performances in one night. It was my very first outing and was tasked with taking the head[comming from shoalin i have better stances and footwork for lion]. Needless to say i proberly stuffed it rightously but sifu was happy and the crowd really seemed to dig it. I had no idea how fun lion dancing was It was a great day really i spent the morning learning Bagua then had lunch with my sifu [always an honor] before spending the afternoon trying desperately to learn the stepping patterns and the different beats.
Sorry for the big rant on Lion dance but i JUST got home and im still buzzing:D
“if he however smiles at you when you ask him to explain a faht, run hahaha,”
You just made me laugh so hard i spat my drink on the screen:rolleyes: I actualy did JUST that exact thing today.
“Sifu how do i make this move work in combat, is it only a block?”
He gave me the exact smile you spoke of and asked me to attack, next thing i found myself bent painfully backwards over his knee with his hand sitting nicely RIGHT on my voicebox.
I learnt that one the hard way, still it was worth it:D
Anyhow enough of my pointless musing, its been a long day and wanted to tell someone about it. Im sorry to pick on you:)
" i’m sorry to pick on you " - not a problem, sounds like you had a good/ interesting day sing si is a great extention to gung fu, everyone should learn it.
Hi bean curd
I would have to agree on the lion being an excerlent form of training for kung fu, if not vital to its development.
I think its mainly to do with connecting with the intagible aspects of martial arts for me but then again im only starting;)
In a funny way it relates to combat becouse you need to let go and follow a flow more than a set movement. Plus the whole swinging around a great heavy lion over your head whilst holding flat level stances for ten minutes.
I got the full run down today on the differences between southern lion, northern lion and Maly lion. We are the northern, needless to say need to stop stomping around so much and be a bit lighter on my feet.
I just cant belive i spent last night stamping around popular Sydney nightspots dressed up as a lion dancing around to a drum.
Life is good:D
Gung Hay Fat Choy to you and your familys [kung fu and regular]
Hi Cherry
hehe i havent checked about the snakes yet, i basicaly forgot but now you have reminded me i will certainly try and pry some information.
I will write you via email tommorow regarding the lions as there is no reason to bore everyone with them:)
Anyway I hope master Chan is well and your Bagua is progressing, did you guys do anything for Chinese new years?
Have you found any reference to snakes in your training?
I have heard you discribe the Bagua spinal power generation as a snake like movement and found this very fitting. Does Master Chan ever draw that comparison?
Anyway ill speak to you soon Cherry and again im sorry for being so absent minded lately, about more than one thing:rolleyes:
All the best and keep spinnin:D
Jon
P.S i found out my Masters Bagua linage today. After i picked myself up off the floor and wiped the drool from my mouth i managed to find the words to tell him i wouldnt be going anywhere in a hurry.
I will tell you that in private as well though, he prefers to keep such things out of the public eye and im prone to respect that.
Its not a secret exactly its just something he doesnt want badied around, still i know i can trust you:)
still waiting for the snake info and, of course, your lion dancing.
for chinese new year’s master chan gave his students a present and held classes both on new year’s eve and new year’s day. one of the senior students jokingly said that “all the sweatshops in chinatown are closed today and you’re still open!”
i’m loathe to discuss what i don’t quite understand though i did mention to you in private that i felt some “thing” a few days ago while i was at ba gua class with master chan. i guess, it was, as you say, “spinal power generation,” so, i will leave it at that…
i have only been under his wing for the past two weeks and i have never heard him discuss ba gua in terms of having a snake-like movement. i have heard him describe certain palms as having a “crocodile”-like movement but i have yet to hear him describe the body as snake-like, which makes my experience even more interesting as i felt the impression of a snake from ground to my fist the other day.
maybe, like my sihing said (not to mention a lot of other people), i’m just strange…
Hi Cherry:)
I just sent you a great long email regarding the lion dance im sorry to have taken so long.
I personaly think the spinal power generation in Bagua is very snake like in its movement.
Crocodile is one i havent heard though
I would rank Bagua as VERY close to Shaolin dragon kung fu, the expression of power and the use in application is quite close to some of the dragon ive learnt.
“maybe, like my sihing said (not to mention a lot of other people), i’m just strange…”
Or maybe your just a cut above?
Either way, im sure like me they all love you to bits so keep smiling and keep Master Chan happy
I saw snake in eagles shadow, but i’m so used to movies embellishing true martial arts with aerobics and dances that i didn’t think it was the real system i was watching. Does this mean that Chan uses authentic systems in his movies?
From a bit of research, the authentic snake system seems to be fairly hidden from western society. In Australia where I live, they have a school in the Eastern states, which teaches SNAKE and CRANE style…
Most Kungfu schools claim to teach “genuine shaolin snake kungfu” but I think many of these are somewhat “sugar coated” - call it a gut feeling if you want
As many of the shaolin systems imitated animal movements, im guessing that the snake system would be very fluid, and emphasise lower back and arm movements, with finger strikes..
As we know today, the finger strike to the eyes is an extremely effective movement, and you would think that this would be one of the main objectives for a snake stylist, to immobilize and sting its prey..
Also snakes are known to wrap themselves around the neck of there prety in a BJJ way.. Mabye snake style kungfu was very similar to BJJ crossed with strikes to the eyes (what the BJJ fighters would probably do if there were NO RULES in the fights)
makes sense to me, but im interested to know more, ???
A couple of years ago, cyberkwoon published an mpeg of a snake form from a German guy. Don’t know if it’s still there or if it was a members-only thing…
Someone I used to know studied a style called “Internal Snake” here in London somewhere. Claimed to have done a lot of Chi Gung and ground work. Dont see him much anymore though. If I see him again I’ll get some more info for you guys.
It was a great day really i spent the morning learning Bagua then had lunch with my sifu [always an honor] before spending the afternoon trying desperately to learn the stepping patterns and the different beats.
