Hi Eric
What can you tell me about this Shaolin Kai San form Chuka Shaolin Phoenix Fist has this form as its basic set ? Is this a common form among Southern Shaolin Systems i have herd only this form mentioned by another style that was a Wuzu Ngo Cho Kun style but they called it Hoi Sam Kun and Kai San .
Hi Robert,
All I know is this; “Kai San” or “Opening Mountain” is the entry form found in quite a few CKF styles.
“Hoi Sam” is the Cantonese pronounciation.
The form that I shot in KL, according to Sifu Yap, is “Shaolin Kai San” which is the beginner’s form of Southern Shaolin.
The other Shaolin “San” form is “Hu San” or “Protecting Mountain”, also taught in Shaolin lineages.
Got another clip here comprising of pictures extracted from a mainland WuZu manual.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RVD2LqUMEQ
Warmest Regards.
Eric
Aaaaaarrrrgggghhhhh… the link in above message is DEAD!:mad: :mad: :mad:
Here’s the new one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2piH1fF0Xqw
Anyway flying to Sibu again tomorrow.
To record their “Hornbill Trophy” MA competition.
Also to shoot more Kung Fu.
Got to start packing; will be away for a week minimun…
Warmest Regards.
Eric
hi all,
seeing that this is taught in our school, this is what I know. The form is actually a Shao Lin form and not Ngo Chor (WuZu).
Kai San Quan, the name means ‘Opening the Mountain’. This was the first form taught traditionally to new Xao Lin temple recruits. It is simple enough for them to learn yet sophisticated enough to master. Hence a new students can be judged by the profficiency by which he has achieved in this form.
The name could come from the fact that to enter Xao Lin, is referred to as ‘going up the mountain’
[QUOTE=Eric Ling;726610]Hi Robert,
All I know is this; “Kai San” or “Opening Mountain” is the entry form found in quite a few CKF styles.
“Hoi Sam” is the Cantonese pronounciation.
The form that I shot in KL, according to Sifu Yap, is “Shaolin Kai San” which is the beginner’s form of Southern Shaolin.
The other Shaolin “San” form is “Hu San” or “Protecting Mountain”, also taught in Shaolin lineages.
Got another clip here comprising of pictures extracted from a mainland WuZu manual.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RVD2LqUMEQ
Warmest Regards.
Eric[/QUOTE]
Hi everybody,
Boh, good to see you here. How’s things in KL? Hope to read more & learn from your postings…
I am posting this from Sibu Sarawak. Here to cover a traditional CKF event and to shoot more of Sifu Xiong De Lu’s Wuzu Quan.
Another exciting turn of events for me; I was introduced to a Hakka Internal Chu Gar Praying Mantis Sifu here. Captured this Sifu, Liew, doing 3 of his Chu Gar PM forms and managed to interview him somewhat. We even arranged to meet again in his “kwon” to do more videos of his syllabus.
This is an exclusive family style and Sifu Liew is the 7th generation of this line of Chu Gar.
The “Internal” in the name is deliberate as this style emphasizes “internal jin” work.
I will post some of his clips when I get back to Kuching on New Year’s Eve.
And believe me folks, this Sifu got to be seen to be believed……
Got to run…got an appointment to meet some White Crane elders here….
Warmest Regards.
Eric
Hi everybody,
Just got in from Sibu.
What a trip this has been; besides covering the traditional CKF event held on the 22nd and 23rd, I spent the next 6 days meeting and shooting more Masters of diverse styles from all over Sibu.
This includes a session with one of the highest ranking White Crane Masters from the late GM Lee Kheng Kiang’s line.
The opportunity to observe and shoot this style of White Crane up-close is most fulfilling, to say the least.
I also met another Master who described 2 other styles that were prevalent in Sibu many years ago; “Dragon Tiger” and “Teochew Praying Mantis”.
So guess what I’ll be searching for next when I travel to Sibu….
Here’s a clip of Master Liew’s Chu Gar Internal Jin Praying Mantis. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWJTQAUj1lw
In his 60s, Master Liew is in tip-top shape, evident in his delivery. His short range “fa-jin” is really exceptional and at no compromise in speed either.
Besides this empty-hand form, Master Liew also did a stick and double-butterflies knives form; both of which superbly presented.
My next assignment is to visit this Master and record more of this truly rare style…
Warmest Regards.
Eric
Thankyou Eric for sharing your clips. I look forward to seeing more (I have a special interest in Fukien White Crane). Cheers Jo
Hi everybody,
Yat-chum, I got a “White Crane” clip pending at youtube.
This is me teaching and showing some basics to Edmund Wong, the young Hakka Prayng Mantis Sifu….
Next I would be putting up clips featuring Sifu Chen Chang Kang, a senor from the late GM Lee’s Shaolin White Crane.
Sifu Chen really needs special mention here. A coffee-shop operator, he works graveyard shift and run poultry deliveries in the day.
I met him at noon after all that work and on a wet soggy day, we sat down in his house for an interview and demo session.
He did a couple of empty-hands forms indoor and then moved the shooting outdoor for the long weapons.
And all through that, it was still drizzling…
There was even a portion with him doing a basic drill form with his dogs walking in and out of the camera range….
This man’s dedication is really overwhelming and to hear him say that he will pass on his knowledge no matter what is truly inspirational.
I will definitely be working with this Sifu again.
A Happy and Peaceful New Year to all… Carlsberg’s Cheers…
Eric
okay, ny White Crane clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y7b2mpI7pQ
Hi everybody,
Here another view of Sibu Sarawak http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty3nm9sPZ8w
This time round, I am trying to portray more the peoples of Sibu; the colorful ethnicity mix that is unique to Sarawak.
Really love this land where the old and new co-exist seamlessly. And of course the rich treasure stockpile of traditional fighting arts just waiting to be unearthed.
When I first arrived here, I already knew that Sarawak is one of those Crouching Tigers Hidden Dragons places.
But nothing prepared me for the sheer profusion and diversity of fighting arts that I am uncovering almost every other day.
The immigrant Chinese, indigenous Malay, Iban, Kenyah, Bidahyu… each with their distinct cultures and arts of fighting.
Add Carlsberg to that list, I should be here for a very long time.
Warmest regards (on a wet wet wet day)
Eric
Hi Eric, what style of White crane do you do?
Hi Yat_chum,
I do Fuzhou Ancestral and Whoopng Crane; both very badly I must add…..
What you see in the clip comes from Ancestral Crane. The form is our version of “3 Battles Sanchin”.
Just like most other Fuzhou Cranes, Ancestral Crane teaches “whipping” energies reflected in most movements of this style.
I was peeping into the other thread; the one talking about White Crane fathering Wing Chun. Personally, I think considering an orally transmitted history is anything but accurate.
IMHO, examining underlying principles is more informative.
I don’t really know Wing Chun but almost all Fuzhou Cranes are exemplified by “whipping”.
This and the concept of 5 elements are the 2 most common distinguishing features prescribing how techniques and movements are then designed.
My Ancestral Crane salutation sequence comes in 5 movements denoting our version of 5 elements play.
I got Master Chen Shaolin White Crane clip pending.
Maybe it just here in Asia but youtube upload is really sluggish these last few days…..
Warmest Regards.
Eric
Hi Brother Hendrik,
Thank you.
Personally, I see it as very important to record and store traditional arts for future generations.
Just like the magazines and books published during our times, my website hopes to do the same in term of archiving….
The plus point now is of course we can view the arts in motion in video forms.
Okay the Shaolin White Crane clip I spoke about http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4503543241224588087&hl=en
Lousy day for shooting really with all that rain but I will be visiting Master Chen again very soon.
Better clips of Master Chen next time, I promise.
Warmest Regards.
Eric
Hi everybody,
Got a clip here that I shot a while back – Master Kong doing some basics from Hakka Suppressing Tiger style. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jlr_adP_3nM
Master Kong lives in the countryside (around here we call them “Kumpung”) not far from where I stay; about 20 minutes drive away.
He is retired but still active in his Kung Fu. Visited him at a wrong time though; he was nursing a nastily infected leg. You’ll see this stiff leg movement in the clip.
Still love his style; all that whipping…..
The one gripe that I’ve got about videos is how you can never feel the “wind” when a Master whips.
And when these Masters whip, it can get really “windy”…..
I will be seeing Master Kong soon about doing more videos.
Warmest Regards.
Eric
Hi everybody,
Now this is what kung fu should be all about – touching hands and sharing….
In the clip, you first see me doing a couple of Whooping Crane basic moves on Sifu Yap of GM Chee Kim Thong’s Wuzu. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZASjKEQloKk
Next you’ll find Sifu Yap’s brilliant demo and explanation of his “Crane Jin” and Wuzu’s distinct manner of “sticking hands” drill.
Folks, I was there and Sifu Yap is really that relaxed and powerful at the same time.
The old gentleman standing in the back is Sifu Lam who later did a very interesting form – “White Crane Washing Body” for the camera.
Will be posting extract from that and other forms of this exceptional style.
Warmest Regards.
Eric
Aha …
youtube is not loading properly, so I was told.
The “Touching Hands” clip again http://video.google.com/videouploadfinished?docid=-8698997985947291922&cid=f01c2d6b3479880d
wow. great clip. Thanks Eric. Looks so much like the stuff I learnt in wingchun from Sifu Ku in singapore
It definately tells a tale of wingchun and white crane being relatives. Excellent touching hands, man I wouldnt want to chi sao with you. Heh heh.
Chu ga has butterfly knives too? Maybe wingchun has a history with them too.
Happy new year to you and familu.
Hi Shadow_warrior8,
You can chi sao me anything time you want and you’ve got absolutely nothing to worry about.
Now after a few Carlsberg, you might want to rethink…hahahaha
As far as Wing Chun/White Crane connection is concerned, my stand is still, look at essential principles. If there is a connection, it should show up in there.
Ask Master Ku about the discussion we had in a book store down in Bras Brasah Complex; we never spoke of histories but rather training and fighting methodologies. Master Ku described Whooping Crane concepts that could only have come from someone from within that system and yet he obtained them from his Wing Chun…
Your comments on butterfly knives reminds me of a discussion I had recently with an old Master; why are these knives known as “butterfly”, “bat chum”, “mother-son” and even “bao chung” or “covering elbow” by different folks?
Could it be the ways they are applied?
In White Crane, they are known as “White Crane Double Short Knives”. In this case, the knives are not as broad as the ones you usually see…
Got another clip here:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em3MvHJdf3w
Front portion shows Master Xiong doing forms from GM Kan Teck Guan’s Wuzu. For those of you looking for co-relation between Karate and CKF, this is one style to look into.
The extracts in the clip are from a on-going project that I mentioned earlier record as much of this system as possible and make them available for those keen in studying this system.
Next we have Sifu Edmund Wong doing his Hakka Praying Mantis Fan Zhuang Quan.
A very enthusiastic young teacher, Edmund is now picking up some White Crane from me; with the permission of his father, his first Kung Fu teacher.
In Edmund, I see the future of traditional Kung Fu in my part of the world. Hardworking and constantly striving to improve his knowledge, I hope to spend more time with this young man.
Warmest Regards.
Eric
Hi everybody,
You don’t live in a place like Malaysia and don’t come into contact with Silat, one way or another.
Got here a clip with footages taken at a Pencak Silat event held in Sarawak last year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSfsR1Qmelg
To say that Sarawak is a treasure trove of Silats is so accurate.
And with Kalimantan Indonesian next door, this region represents the most important starting point for many styles of Silats.
For me, with my limited knowledge of Silats, this is gong to be another exciting discovery journey in the searching of traditional fighting arts
Warmest Regards.
Eric