SexyFighters.com

[DesertWolf]

Guess who I found:

NAME: Li Meng Long (Meng Long Li in the West)

Translation: Black Fierce Dragon

Temple Name:Shi Xiao Hu

Translation:Venerable Little Tiger

Species: Arctic Wolf

Fur: soft white save for his forehead in which part of his summer coat left 6 jieba or “dots” that are placed on monks’ foreheads.

Build: Years of training, exercise, and diet have left Meng Long with a body frame similar to Li Jun Fan (known better as Bruce Lee)

Eyes: Jade Green

Hair: light blue

Hair style: braided that goes down to his tail

Height: 6'1

Weight: 165 lbs.(74.84 kg.)


Age: Born in the Year of the Yang Earth Dragon during the Hour of the Dragon(27)

Birthplace: Zhengzhou City in the Henan Province of Dengfeng near Song Shan

Occupation: Former bodyguard and Wuseng(lit. warrior monk),Su Jia Di Zi,martial arts instructor,and personal trainer

Clothing: Meng Long wears clothing and jewelry to honor his masters. From his native China, he wears various robes/uniforms from the Shaolin Temple,Tang Zhuang,even cheongsams. Underneath the robes or for casual wear he’ll wear barongs from the Philippines. On his right index finger is an akik from Indonesia. And a hair ribbon from Japan.

Personality: Meng Long is a very quiet and humble man.

Skills:Meng Long is a skilled martial artist learning various wushu styles from the Shaolin Temple,Kali/Escrima from the Philippines,and pencak silat from Indonesia.Meng Long tends to flow from one style to another as seamlessly as a stream flows through a mountain. As a teacher he is very hands on which is evident by his extremely soft touch during training.

Sexuality:Hetero,but is a virgin due to the vow of celibacy taken as a monk.(but there have been cases of monks finding enlightenment by following the Left Hand Path. )

Clothing:

Robes: http://www.chinesekungfuhustle.com/index.php?cPath=176&name=Shaolin+Costumes+|
+Warrior+Monk%27s+Uniforms+|+Sengfu



Barongs: http://www.barongsrus.com/barong/MEN-New-Arrivals/c22_76/index.html?osCsid=481291a49d0b1ce5e6c336102b54ffdc




Akik: http://www.novica.com/commonDSP/dsp_popup_largepic.cfm?pic=http://pics.novica.com/pictures/10/p135059_2.jpg

Buddha Beads:


Body Type:

A pic of Li Jun Fan: http://martialartstips.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/bruce-lee-sm1.jpg

School:Meng Long is the owner and Head Master of the Unchained Tiger Self-Defense Academy which is located near the top of the mountains, provides a serene mountainous and forest landscape with the natural beauty that people has described as picturesque. The academy is one hour’s carriage ride east of the Castle. The Academy is ideally situated away from the distractions of the big city, and its beautiful surroundings support the martial arts training spirit. The air is clean and the environment is relaxed and tranquil. It is a perfect location for a serious study of martial arts and exercise.Much like the Temple,the school also provides a place to stay for the homeless who are taken care of and provided jobs within the stores run by the girls.The homeless are also given an education if need be.The school is also a home for orphans who go to educational schools on the grounds(the schools exceed all academic standards set by the town authority.)Martial arts are not only taught by Meng Long but from masters from Asia,Europe,and America as well.The school is divided into different sub-groups:Demo,Traditional,Police/Military,Elderly,Exercise,and The Relentless Beast.The Demo or Demonstration group is the largest and most well known group of the school.The students are taught a mixture of martial arts that's mixed with more acrobatics/gymnastics,weapons,and iron techniques combined with precision and timing that have been entertaining various people ranging from foreign dignitaries/heads of state down to the people of BonBon including the members of the Castle.
The Traditional school is focused on teaching martial arts from the traditional point(forms,weapons,applications etc.)students may take any number of styles that are taught and they are not limited in any way.The Police/Military is just that:members of the police force and military are taught a variety of joint locks,pressure points,take downs,holds,knife,sword,cane/stick use and defense.The elderly are taught Tai Chi,Chi Kung,light exercises,and cane use for self-defense.The exercise group are individuals who don't want to learn martial arts but want to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.The combination of Western gyms and equipment and martial arts use of naked weights and exercises has also become popular in the town.The Relentless Beast is the most selective group and smallest as well for good measure.It uses a non-traditional format(no forms)and is focused on the practitioner to survive by any means necessary.
_________________
“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

– Bruce Lee

[BloodRaven]

Just some errata for the personal trainer bit.

http://lostcentury.com/1895-1896-exercise-for-girls.html

http://lostcentury.com/1896-girls-gymnasium.html
_________________
The way of the Ninja is the way of enduring, surviving, and prevailing over all that would destroy one. More than merely delivering strikes and slashes, and deeper in significance than the simple out-witting of an enemy; Ninjutsu is the way off attaining that which we need while making the world a better place.

- Toshitsugu Takamatsu

[DesertWolf]

Background: Meng Long is the 7th child of 9 to be born to a poor family in the city of Zhengzhou. The family was homeless often begging for food by going door to door. The father would try to let his children sleep on a board that was underneath a small wood burning stove or by making a hole in wheat stacks during the harsh winters. Unfortunately the harsh life would be too much as 3 older brothers and 2 older sisters succumbed to starvation prior to Meng Long’s birth. Despite the fact that Meng Long had been born at an auspicious time and year, he was also born during the Ghost Month and it showed. Unlike his other siblings who were born with brown fur, Meng Long was born with white fur which his parents feared for good reason. By the age of 2 Meng Long had nearly died from an unknown illness. Fearing the worst, Meng Long’s parents scrapped together whatever money they could get from begging and selling a rare red jade pendant in the shape of the “Double Happiness” characters and took their child to see a doctor. The doctor however, simply gave up on trying helping the boy. The apathy paid for itself when Meng Long had turned 3. Meng Long’s jade green eyes didn’t open, his heart stopped beating, his lungs no longer filling themselves with ch’i. Meng Long’s family gathered tattered rags and dirty torn up blankets wrapping the child within them and sobbing uncontrollably. Nearly ready to toss the cursed child away, the parents were stopped by an acupuncturist who used a combination of acupuncture and pressure point massage and within seconds the child had begun to draw breath again and his brown fur had begun to make small dots on his forehead. His parents believing that a Bodhisattva of GuanYin had saved their child’s life mixed with a fear of Meng Long’s health prompted Meng Long’s parents to traverse the mountains and brought their child to the Temple where Meng Long was warmly accepted by the monks.When he first came the little boy had an almost determined look about his face and when seen by the Head Abbot, he remarked “Such a strong tiger inside a small frame.” It would be this remark as well as the meaning behind it that would give Meng Long not only his temple name but the physical, mental, and spiritual strength to endure the years of arduous training. His training would begin at the Hour of the Tiger and ending during the Hour of the Dog (4:30 a.m.—9:00p.m) it didn’t matter if he had to run up stairs that went up a 1000m in 20min. or drove his fingers into giant bowls of dry beans to deaden the nerves Meng Long did these things without question and without fail. He took to his training as naturally as fish can swim in the water. By the time he was 7, Meng Long was a highly ranked disciple in Wing Chun, Xiangxing Quan to include tiger, dragon, leopard, mantis, crane, snake, monkey, eagle, and duck. He also learned Chen Tai Chi, Wudang Tai Chi staff and sword, Tongzigong (Virgin Boy Training), and began his training in the Iron techniques (head, neck, throat, crotch, body, and palm). By 10 he was ranked in Zui Quan (Drunken Fist), and the Iron techniques. By 12 Meng Long was asked to accompany some of the other monks as bodyguards for a silk merchant on his travels to Japan.By 12 Meng Long was asked to accompany some of the other monks as bodyguards for a silk merchant on his travels to Japan. It would be a fateful day in August that Meng Long would encounter his first teacher overseas. During the late afternoon, as the sun was setting transforming the landscape in shades of darkened oranges and purplish hues a miscalculated bridge from a training session had Meng Long getting a good view of “the land down under”. Mistiming or not, it didn’t take away the shock and embarrassment from neither Meng Long nor from the green haired female cat wearing a dark purple furisode (lit. swinging sleeves) with chrysanthemums emblazoned on the long sleeved robe. Meng Long wouldn’t have enough time to get out of the situation let alone explain his side before he heard her say “Teme-konorayou! (Lit. You dog! Better translated as You son of a bitch!) and watched as the heel of her right foot came crashing down on his right eye. Meng Long would finally be spared when her father came rushing over. Having to explain to his daughter that she just struck a monk it gave Meng Long time to come up with two lessons from this current “master”. First, don’t make women angry. They’re liable to kick your ass should such a thing happen. Secondly, be more aware of your surroundings. Meng Long wouldn’t have too much time to think about it as Sakura now having realized what she had done (striking a monk is not good for one’s karma) came rushing over deeply bowing and apologizing profusely “Gomen nasai! Daijoubou Deska?” To which Meng Long replied “Mochiron”. From there the two quickly became friends so much so that Meng Long taught her basic forms from Shaolin Magic Staff as well as TanTui (lit. springing legs). Unfortunately, the summer sun would soon be replaced by the falling Japanese maple leaves and then snow. Meng Long’s pure white head would soon develop light blue hair that by the spring ushered in with the blooms of his friend’s namesake had grown and flowed down like river to his shoulders. It would be at this point in time that Meng Long would say sayonara to both the Land of the Rising Sun and his friend who could do nothing except slowly remove her deep sky blue ribbon that was holding the sea of green hair back only to have it flow down. With tears in her eyes, Sakura had taken the ribbon and tied it around the wolf’s hair in the back and then embraced her friend tightly while letting the tears drop onto his shoulder. In what would seem like an eternity was only a few minutes before Meng Long had broken the embrace and with a heavy heart and a deep bow Meng Long boarded the ship bound for the Philippines where his world would soon shatter. The Philippines with its clear blue water, luscious and vibrant rain forests would only be the proverbial “beautiful forest hides fierce tiger.”Although it appeared calm, the harbor was anything but. The hustle and movement from merchants and soldiers from Europe most were from Spain, merchants from China, and of course the native Filipino wearing strange and at the same time beautifully designed shirts called barongs. As Meng Long went about in the swarm of movement, he’d had noticed from afar a fairly tall lizard that was a bright yellow with black stripes going across both eyes and across his body had moved like a bolt of lightning and then dove into the nearby water all the while 3 Spanish soldiers just dropped to the ground. The shock of being deeply cut and having major arteries being severed was simply too much there was no hope of treating them but Meng Long wouldn’t have known that until it would be too late. Rushing over Meng Long had knelt down to help one of the soldiers up a bull who’s size made Meng Long think “This guy could’ve easily snapped the lizard like a twig. So how did the lizard do all of this?” Meng Long wouldn’t get the chance to have his question answered as more soldiers surrounded the wolf and being a foreigner in a land controlled by the Spanish and covered in the blood and having the dead bodies of their fellow countrymen made Meng Long the prime suspect in their murders. Meng Long didn’t see the butt of the rifle hit him in the back of the skull and as the world suddenly grew black Meng Long lay there while the soldiers shackled his hands and feet and put his body on a boat bound for one of the worst places imaginable Carcel y Presidio Correccional or known as Bilibid Prison. Meng Long had groggily come to not knowing where he was at until the ringing in his head stopped and finally saw the small cell he was confined to. The thick humid tropical air was stifling and filled with the sounds and the scent of blood of men meeting their final fate. The worst part about it, having to witness their demise everyday to show you exactly would was going to happen to you at some point. Again being the foreigner in a place run by the Spaniards and housing mostly native Filipino with some Spanish soldiers meant Meng Long was royally fucked from the get go. Walking by the execution yard, Meng Long and the rest of the prisoners were forced to stop and witness the hanging of 5 men. They didn’t get the benefit of having their necks snapped or any last words to say. The nooses were wrapped tightly around each of them and with the push of a lever the bottom dropped out leaving the 5 men to dangle like some twisted form of a bleak future that left the normally compassionate monk to finally come to a realization that the world suffers much, and sheds tears that could fill all the oceans, seas, rivers, and streams while he sat outside in the courtyard. It was one of the only freedoms allowed save for when they walked you to the gallows to be executed. But as he contemplated on this new profound lesson a dark storm was getting ready to come in different forms. One was the dark clouds marked with the booms of thunder and arcs of flash from lightning. The second came in the form of one of the inmates. The Cloud Rat was not to keen on having to share his prison with another foreigner. It was bad enough he had to be there with the enemy and now another foreigner thinks he was some badass because he killed 3 people? Meng Long didn’t see the fist coming but he felt the impact as it knocked him down and jarred his head and jaw. But the rat wasn’t done yet, he went over tried to strike the downed wolf but this time Meng Long was prepared. Knocking the attacking arm and the defending left arms away, Meng Long stepped forward and placed his right foot down on top of the rat’s right foot to trap him. From there Meng Long unleashed a flurry of punches that connected dead on the chest. Unable to keep his balance the rat wanted to fall but couldn’t until Meng Long took his foot off and continued his punches while the rat lie there and covered himself with his arms. Believing the fight over, Meng Long decided to go back and sit under some of the palm trees while the skies turned dark and began to rain. Unfortunately the rat had other ideas and proceeded to get up rush over to Meng Long and thrown a punch that landed right where the soldiers had hit him with the butt of the gun just a day ago. Reeling from the pain, Meng Long had come to the conclusion that these guys just don’t stop until either you’re dead or they’re dead. As the rain continued to come down in heavier droves covering all things under the Heavens, Meng Long prepared himself to launch an onslaught himself but needed to prepare first. With punch after punch connecting and mixing with the rain, Meng Long could feel the anger and hatred well up inside his chest. As the rat’s right fist came down, Meng Long’s right hand went up to block the oncoming attack. And just like an eagle snatching a fish from a lake, Meng Long had seized the fist while his left hand shot out like a rattle snake striking his prey and connected with the rats’ rib cage. The sound of bones breaking was the swan song that Meng Long hoped for. As the rat fell to the ground, Meng Long flattened his fists so his fingers were pointed straight out and like a nest of serpents Meng Long’s Biu Jee (Thrusting Fingers) kept on hitting soft spots on the rat’s body until his final strike landed on the trachea crushing it. The rat was desperately gasping for air, his eyes wide open reaching out for any of the other prisoners or guards to help him only to realize that the guards didn’t care so long as nobody was practicing martial arts or teaching them and using your skills to kill other inmates was one less they had to worry about on execution day. And the other prisoners were made up of mostly roosters and askals (mixed-breed dogs) and they didn’t want any part of that. Meng Long finally realized that it’s easy to say you can kill a man but it’s the most difficult things any person can go through with. Having that thought frozen in his head, Meng Long began to dry heave at the death of another person by his own hands. The fight did get one person’s attention and that person was Miguel Tortal. Miguel was a mix between a Spanish Mastiff and a Great Pyrenees with a very light fawn brown fur. Being 6 foot tall and maybe 150lbs. Miguel wasn’t the biggest person there but he had an aura about him that seemed to say “I rule this prison. And I’ll kill you if you don’t do as I say!” Meng Long was just too out of it to really pay attention to the askal making his way over. Meng Long’s muscles in his arms and hands were trembling and weakening, breathing was sharp inhalations with deep exhalations, eyes wide open and focused on the earth below until finally Meng Long’s knees could no support himself anymore and gave out. Kneeling and still trembling and shaking the one thing that Meng Long had not done was cry over the dead body. He didn’t need to. The sky had provided the necessary items for him. The rains were the tears, the thunder and lightning the fury and anger, and the wind would be the breath of torment. Miguel’s hand touched Meng Long’s right shoulder in a reassuring manner. Still shocked over what happened Meng Long still didn’t notice the hand nor did he move. Miguel not wanting the spectacle to continue picked the arctic wolf up like a piece of paper and lead him off back to the cells. The cell provided little comfort as Meng Long laid across the stone ground letting himself to try and sleep off the events of the day and before dinner arrived. During dinner, Meng Long listened to Miguel tell the story of Chief Lapu-Lapu who had met the Spaniards in 1521. The Chief was completely opposed to being ruled by the foreigners and with a group of men attacked the superior Spanish. In the battle Lapu-Lapu had killed the leader of the Spanish, Ferdinand Magellan. But the Spaniards came back and just like the Black Fleet of America forcing Japan to open up, so to did the Spanish with their Armies and Armadas. In fact, the Spaniards were so frightened by the locals fighting style that they banned the practice of martial arts and anyone practicing or teaching were considered a threat to the Spanish government and murders and needed to be executed without fail. By Meng Long’s thoughts the natives just didn’t want the Spaniards here and did what anyone else would do. They weren’t murders they are defenders. They weren’t threats, they are scapegoats. They weren’t people to be feared, they are survivors who should be admired and respected and yet here they are being destroyed. After dinner Miguel had told Meng Long that he would have to learn the Filipino way of fighting if he was going to survive in prison. It wasn’t an insult to Meng Long’s abilities, more so at the fact that he needed to develop and be able to engage his own kill switch. The undertaking would dangerous and could result in immediate executions of both men if caught plus other inmates may not like a foreigner learning their art but these warnings would not deter the arctic wolf in learning how to survive in this forsaken place. It was pre-dawn when Meng Long woke to the sounds of chains softly rattling and heavy breathing coming from the cell across from his own. Inside Miguel was moving strangely, it looked as though he was practicing what the Westerners had called “Boxing” and Wing Chun mixed with Shuai Chiao (Chinese Wrestling) and the Western variations. After getting to his feet, Meng Long proceeded to copy the movements of the askal mirroring each punch, grab, elbow, low kick, and foot trap. But it wouldn’t be enough not without getting hands on and not without pushing the body beyond its breaking point. In order to really learn, Meng Long was going to learn in the most discreet of ways: a prison fight. After being lead past the execution area as was mandatory, the prisoners were let loose inside the courtyard. Sure as the sun was in the cloudless blue sky mixed with a tropical breeze from the ocean, Miguel struck the arctic wolf with a fierce right punch which was followed by his left and soon everything Miguel showed in the cell was applied in a very direct manner. Just like a Great White shark knocking a seal out of the water to disorient his prey so to did Miguel attack Meng Long. Shortly after catching an elbow just below his throat Meng Long landed on the ground with a heavy thud. Dazed and with blood coming from his mouth and nose the wolf tried to register what had happened but to no avail and soon the world went black. This torture would go on for days but each time Meng Long got better at panantukan or as it’s translated “dirty boxing” as Miguel would explain it was developed to use whatever was necessary to survive in a fight often times leaving your opponents laying on the ground dead. It wasn’t long until Meng Long had a fairly good grasp of the fighting style but started to gain the attention once again from other inmates who didn’t take to kindly to the foreigner. The roosters knew a style known as Maharlika Kuntaw which when translated means “Way of the Royal Fist” which was based on fighting styles from different regions such as India, Indonesia, and China. And it would be the latter that would be the undoing of the roosters. Thinking they had the advantage and technically they did three roosters slowly started to approach Meng Long. The wolf had already spotted their movements and had a plan of attack waiting for them when they got close enough. Once in range, Meng Long shot like a bullet attacking the rooster trying to flank him from the left. First heel stomping the rooster’s foot which pinned the rooster in place but also the loud crunch of broken bones could be heard, as the rooster had grimaced in pain he didn’t see the elbow strike his temple knocking him out. With one down Meng Long’s attention focused on the other two. The next rooster went for a punch while his partner went to move behind Meng Long in hopes of catching him in a double team. Unfortunately Meng Long predicted the attack and came up with a counter. Meng Long had trapped the oncoming fist and arm and turned his body to use his shoulder to jar the rooster then slipped behind him using the trapped arm to come across his neck. Pinning the rooster’s arm with his right arm, Meng Long quickly shot his left arm underneath the rooster’s free arm Meng Long had locked his fingers together creating a highly effective chokehold. The rooster that was trying to attack him from behind stopped and had a look of fear on his face not from the fact that the arctic wolf had them in a checkmate but rather that the wolf didn’t let go of the hold and watched as his friend had the life squeezed out of him with his own hand. If Miguel was considered the Great White Meng Long was slowly turning into a Megalodon. Unlike Japan or China, there was no way for Meng Long to determine how long he had been in prison since the weather didn’t change much. There was no snow, no falling leaves of various colors, and no ice. It really didn’t matter though; Meng Long’s life was all the same at this point. Learning hand and foot techniques, different angles of attack, walking past the dead and damned, fighting for survival, and having blood and sweat mix with the salty air. It was morning as the sun was trying to rise up and sliver of gold had cut across the black star and moon filled sky. In the distance a wild wind had begun to blow heralding an upcoming storm of which the foreigners had never known or seen before. Inside the prison two cell doors opened and their contents grabbed like old rag dolls and dragged to a courtroom. It was the day any person would fear, the judge decided your fate and while he didn’t directly execute you he signed off on the warrant. Both Meng Long and Miguel looked at the Spanish Bulldog the arctic wolf had begun to tremble and shake, his manacles rattling from the combination of fear, nervousness, and anticipation. Miguel wanted to say something comforting but he was experiencing the same emotions. The bulldog had opened a parchment and began reading aloud. Miguel could barely make out what the canine was saying but understood the part of being released. It had been 5 years since his incarceration for stealing allegedly but that all went away as words were spoken. Now it would be Meng Long’s turn and it wasn’t looking good. Triple homicide meant a quicker route to the hangman’s noose and that meant Meng Long had to look forward to being placed upon samsara. As the judge took another parchment Meng Long’s began to quiver even more so than usual his breath was shallow and shaking as well. The bulldog opened the parchment and began to read it aloud as well. Meng Long had no idea what was being said in fact he had resigned himself to a fate of death until Miguel had translated roughly that Meng Long was a free man as well. It turned out not only did the people from the docks continuously testify that the arctic wolf wasn’t responsible but that the true culprit had been caught samsara and karma be damned. On their journey to Miguel’s house, Meng Long had stopped, shut his jade green eyes, and raised his muzzle into the now blackened sky. Violent winds whipped around the two canines bodies blowing both fur and hairs as well as the torn ragged clothing each were wearing. The loud near deafening roars of thunder and chaotic flashes of lightning which continually came from the Heavens touching the Earth down below like 2 long lost lovers trying desperately to become one and all the while the arctic wolf was coming face to face with his namesake. The curtains of cooling rain falling down were yet again tears for Meng Long but not for any type of anger, hatred, sadness, or sorrow. Instead they were tears of joy and happiness at the shear thought of freedom. But Meng Long wouldn’t get a chance to really revel in his newly gained freedom as Miguel snapped him back to reality. It wasn’t that Miguel didn’t care but if they were going to make it up the mountains to Miguel’s house soon they’d be washed out by the torrential downpour. Following the askal Meng Long found out the dog wasn’t lying. Miguel’s house was literally up past the jungle forest at the base of Mount Malindang. As the two canines approached the house the front door swung open to reveal a Mestizo de Español female. Like Miguel, she was a mixed breed of canine combining an Ibizan hound with a Galgo Español her hair as black as a midnight sky without the moon and stars. Eyes that matched the teal color of the ocean, fur a deep chestnut brown. It was a welcome sight considering the Hell the two men went through but it would only be the beginning for Meng Long’s torment. As the evening went on Meng Long would learn that the woman’s name is Sampaguita and she was named after the beautiful flower that in Meng Long’s country was used to make jasmine tea. The dark joke between Miguel and his wife was they hoped they wouldn’t end up like the figures in the legend behind her namesake but that would told some other time according to Miguel. It would time for some much needed sleep and by Miguel’s tone it was going to be necessary for Meng Long to get as much as he could because things were about to get worse. Just before the dawn as many creatures slept from the onslaught brought about from the storm and waited for the slivers of orange and gold to cross the sky before stirring awake, Meng Long felt a hand grasp the nape of his neck making the wolf spring up in surprise ready to attack. Dropping his fight stance after learning that it was Miguel who woke him, Meng Long and Miguel had left the house and began to run up the dark jungle and up the mountain each feeling the effects of the thinning air. Panting and breathing heavily, the two men reached a part of the mountain that nobody but Miguel had known about and transformed the beautiful surroundings into his own personal training center. The torture was just beginning for Meng Long when he was forced to crawl through mud first on his belly then on his back 10 times, walk across wooden posts going across the stream while bags filled with sand and hanging on ropes swung back and forth knocking the wolf into the water making Meng Long start all over until he got to the other side. Once Meng Long got across he to swing from a rope back to the side where he would repeat crossing over first on the posts then by rope another 10 times not including the times of starting over for falling into the water. After that Meng Long had to do 100 push-ups, sit-ups, 20 duck walks, lifting, carrying, and running with a log, and finally having to climb a tree. Meng Long’s body was bruised, broken, and bloody. His mind spent and exhausted. His soul and spirit crushed and shattered into millions of pieces and this was just the beginning of Day 1. Meng Long had been lying on the soft green grass of the jungle flies and mosquitoes biting and draining the white wolf of blood and energy mercilessly. Meng Long’s body was numb from the pain and exhausted from being pushed beyond its breaking point. Meng Long just wanted to rest but Miguel was standing over the fallen wolf yelling at him to get up. Every bone, muscle, tendon, and sinew was absolutely sore and made Meng Long feel like a lead weight. His lungs were screaming in agonizing pain with each breath. Gritting his milky white teeth, Meng Long had managed to slowly rise against the mind numbing pain emanating from within his body. As soon as the wolf rose to his feet the askal had grabbed Meng Long’s right hand and placed a rattan stick about that was about 24” (61cm) into the opened hand. Weakly grasping the light stick in his hand, Meng Long was going for his next lesson: How to transition from hand-hand to weapons. The first thing to learn was the angles of striking. Miguel described the differences of angles stemming from the different forms of Kali practiced. Most styles used various forms of 12 angles while some used 8 and others 5. Miguel had created 2 of his own 12 angles believing them to be the most effective against opponents but more so when used interchangeably. Meng Long’s body let alone his hands were extremely uncooperative as the wolf’s muscles were trembling and shaking his body wanting to drop to the green jungle carpet beneath his feet and his jade green eyes and mind wanted to close and rest. But that wouldn’t be the case today; instead Meng Long forced himself past the weariness and tormenting his body only to aggravate his pain even more. Meng Long wouldn’t just learn one angle at a time he was going to learn all 24 and with each hand. Miguel began showing the wolf the strikes against a tree slowly at first but blindingly fast at the end. The arctic wolf had managed to complete the first 12 angles by striking a Kamagong(a type of ironwood)tree going in this order:

1. Forehand Horizontal to ear
2. Backhand Horizontal to ear
3. Forehand Horizontal strike to ribs or elbows.
4. Backhand Horizontal to ribs or elbow
5. Low line thrust to the groin or prostate gland
6. Backhand Diagonal clavicle to opposite foot
7. Forehand Horizontal strike to knee
8. Backhand thrust to solar plexus
9. Forehand thrust to heart
10. Two handed downward slash from top of head to either foot
11. Two-handed grip thrust driving 45 degrees downward into the bridge of the nose
12. Single hand thrust driving 45 degrees into the bridge of nose with simultaneous palm strike to groin with live hand.

Striking the tree was not doing the wolf any favors as each hit was sapping more strength from his already weakened body and causing the muscles and nerves to fire up in pain which he wanted to rid himself of and be done but again it was not to be as the next set of angles was about to be taught. Miguel once again slowly showed Meng Long the strikes slowly at first but gradually sped up until Miguel’s rattan stick became a blur. With the demo done Meng Long stood before the mighty tree and began striking the tree. Through perseverance Meng Long had managed to complete the second set of angles going in this order:



1. Diagonal forehand slash to neck or collarbone
2. Diagonal backhand slash to neck or collarbone
3. Horizontal forehand slash to the waist, hips, or elbows.
4. Horizontal backhand slash to the waist hips or elbows
5. Thrust to lower right quadrant – palm down
6. Thrust to lower left quadrant – palm up
7. Upward forehand diagonal slash to knee or hip
8. Upward backhand diagonal slash to knee or hip
9. Thrust to upper right quadrant – palm down
10. Thrust to upper left quadrant – palm up
11. Vertical slash downward to the crown of head
12. High palm-down thrust to temple or eye


Finally the combination of heat, humidity, pain, exhaustion, the stinging sweat and bugs had taken their toll on Meng Long’s body. Meng Long had collapsed and fell to the earth below where he would finally rest and alleviate the pain and fatigue at least for now as tomorrow would be different. The night couldn’t last forever and the dawn was coming. Meng Long’s body was still sore almost to the point of making the wolf into a lead weight. Meng Long struggled to get himself up as his body continued its protest in wanting to rest longer but eventually it would fail. The animals and insects of the jungle were beginning to rise from their blissful slumber or go into one for those that preferred to stalk around at night. Meng Long started to run event though his legs were pretty much shot at this point as each one was numb from yesterday’s trek through the first of many unbearable Hells that he would have to endure. When Meng Long had reached the training grounds he was in for a few more surprises; the first having to run through a rice paddy while slashing his baston through the 24 angles then having to wrestle with a kalabaw or carabao (a subspecies of water buffalo) and finally basic twirling exercises with the stick. Again Meng Long’s body was racked with more numbing pain by the end of the day; it was just as much hard work trying to keep him self up as it was trying to learn Kali and once he got home Meng Long’s eyes closed while his body embraced the oncoming slumber. As the days turned to weeks, and weeks to months, months to years Meng Long had progressed considerably. He was proficient using either solo or doble (single or double) baston, kris, Maguindanao kris, panabas, pira cotabato, kampilan bolo, kampilan, balasiong, bangkon, banyal, gayang, lahot, laring, susuwat, utak, borang, ginunting, pinute, talibong, garab sword, Visayan binagon, Dahon palay, Visayan barong, Panay tenegre, golok, war golok, itak tagalog, katipunan, bicuco, espada y daga, sankuko y daga, Filipino cane sword, sansibar, Garab knife, balisong, gunong, hagibis, Filipino karambit, pakal knife, punyal, 4 and 5 ft. staves, and latigo as well as using his shirt as a weapon. But for his accomplishments, Miguel believed Meng Long lacked motivation, he had nobody to protect or defend save for Miguel and his family but that type of motivation only goes so far particularly since Meng Long wasn’t kin but Miguel had a plan for that. As the orange and yellow beams began to slice through the darkened sky, Meng Long had awakened from his blissful slumber. The now 18 year old arctic wolf began his daily regimen of practice not knowing what his friend and fate had in store for him. Meng Long had begun to use the doble baston (double sticks) in sinawali (lit. weaving) motion, in a sayaw (lit. to dance) moving the sticks as easily as a person can breathe with each stick either moving or being chambered under his arm or over his shoulder. The practice was to differentiate between the three agos (lit. energy) being fluid, broken, and circular. The blades and sticks had become nothing more blurs of whirling destruction cutting through the bamboo posts like they were air. Although still in the troughs of his practice, Meng Long’s sense of smell caught the scent of his friend Miguel mixed with the scent of jasmine. His ears perked up at the sound of the oncoming footsteps which under normal circumstances wouldn’t stop Meng Long from his practice but since Meng Long could only hear one set rather than 2 along with the sore, tired, weakened muscles and drenched in sweat was enough to convince Meng Long to stop. Standing before Meng Long was another female askal. A combination of a Basque shepherd dog and a Podenco Canario, with light golden yellow fur, eyes blue enough to rival the heavens themselves, and long flowing deep chestnut hair and the only thing holding her beauty back was an abaniko (lit. fan). Meng Long’s breath was as visible in the jungle heat as it would have been in the harshest and coldest winters atop Song Shan (Mount Song), his eyes had become heavy with weariness and sleep from the day’s heat, humidity, and the intense training. Although physically and mentally exhausted, Meng Long had managed to carry the beautiful female down the mountain back to Miguel’s hut where the dog was waiting with his wife. It would be during dinner that Meng Long would learn that the female’s name was Chesa and it apparently it fit because she seemed to brighten any place she was in. During the evening’s conversion Chesa is Miguel’s cousin and was sent to marry Meng Long who now was known as Mabagsik as a way to get him focused and motivated in another direction so Meng Long’s training wouldn’t be for naught. The prospect shocked Meng Long. He wasn’t used to these things and as a monk he definitely wasn’t prepared for any type of consummation involved. Meng Long had finally placed a decision in his mind that he had to leave. Not because the female was horrible, or evil, in fact her smile and radiant beauty could make the harshest, bloodiest battles seem like distant memories and with that in mind Meng Long had figured that he was preparing for a bloody war that he just couldn’t get himself to stomach. Its one thing to kill for survival it’s another to do so for any other reason. As the night pressed on and the others were sleeping soundly, Meng Long quietly escaped through one of the open windows and crept low making his way back to the docks where he spotted a ship that was prepared to set sail in the morning. Meng Long made his way onto the ship moving silently making sure that each step would match the creaking of the wood finally resting himself inside the cargo hold where he hid himself and his mind began to wander off wondering if he had made the right decision but what he didn’t know was he traded one Hell for another. Meng Long didn’t know if it was days, weeks, or even months when the ship dropped anchor.
_________________
“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

– Bruce Lee

[DesertWolf]

Just examples of the school and its students:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwk6pkjiAB0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuEIBBJ80uE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BGJcd8Mv_o

http://video.sina.com.cn/v/b/56252414-1802152322.html

http://video.sina.com.cn/v/b/56252414-1802152322.html#56253860

http://video.sina.com.cn/v/b/56252414-1802152322.html#56253988

http://video.sina.com.cn/v/b/56252414-1802152322.html#29296580
_________________
“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

– Bruce Lee

[DesertWolf]

Academy Daily Schedule


5:30 to 7:30 a.m. - exercises and training
7:30 to 8:30 a.m. - breakfast
8:30 to 10:00 a.m. - training
10:00 to 10:30 a.m. - rest period
10:30 to 11:30 a.m. - training
11:30 to 12:00 noon - lunch
1:30 to 3:30 p.m. - training.
3:30 to 5:00 p.m. - rest period
5:00 to 5:30 p.m. dinner
5:30 to 6:30 p.m. - free time
6:30 to 7:30 p.m. - training
7:30 to 9:30 p.m. - free time
9:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. - bedtime (lights out)
_________________
“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

– Bruce Lee

[BloodRaven]

Cultural and Historical notes:

Temple Name--Some of you may have noticed that I put up a Temple Name for my fursona.Monks entering the Temple are often "baptized" and drop their birth name and given a new one.In a child's case, such as Meng Long's they are given something similar to a nickname until they are old enough to be given a more traditional Temple name which consists of the character Shi which is shortened from the word "Shijiamouni" the translated word from the Sanskrit word Shakyamuni which means "venerable" or more or less "monk".The second part to the traditional name is a generational one used to denote the generation of the monks' lineage to the Temple.And finally,the monks' first sifu or master gives them a name to a testament of their strength and endurance.

Last name: In the Chinese culture as well as many Asian cultures, the last name is used first as it is the legacy of the name regardless of who has it.Think of this way:"When a elephant dies it leaves its tusks.When a tiger dies it leaves its stripes.When a man dies he leaves his name."


Jieba: Jieba are "dots" that are seen on some monks' forehead.The actual process was pretty much gone at this point as monks didn't want to become victims of the oppressive government in 1895.The process begins when a monk is selected to receive them(approx. 1 out of 100 monks will get them).The receiving monk usually goes through a process of meditation while 2 other monks set a room up for the process to begin.When ready,the receiving monk is lead into the room and must place himself into a meditative state and must either be silent or can chant prayers quietly while one monk places a honey glue to the forehead and the other places incense on to the glue and begins to burn the sticks.Without moving,or saying anything,the receiving monk waits patiently for the incense ashes to fall onto the glue.When finished the other two monks use their fingers to wipe away excess and form the dots on the forehead.


Samsara:In Buddhism and Hinduism it's the Wheel of Reincarnation.When a person dies they are placed upon the wheel and based on their actions from their previous life,determines what they will come back as.A person who has attained Enlightenment is no longer subjected to being placed on the Wheel as they are immortal.

Karma:It's used in Buddhism and Hinduism it's akin to universal actions.Whenever a person says,thinks,or performs an action,Karma records it and stores it away until a person dies and their actions are then used to determine what they might come back as. In Buddhism,any wrongful thought,action,or sentence may be erased by performing righteous deeds.

Su Jia Di Zi: There's no accurate translation it refers to a monk who no longer stays at the Temple or to an individual who has trained at the Temple or whose Sifu came from the Temple.These people are allowed to have hair,wear normal clothes,and of course have sex.The only requirement they truly have is to defend the Temple's honor from any offenders.


The Shaolin view on killing:

The monks are Buddhists and view that all life is sacred.However,history and people have proven time and again that not everyone is a kind soul.So what does a monk do when there's a devil in the ranks?He kills it.That's right,I said it.It was sometimes necessary to kill people before they could do any(or in most cases more)harm.It was simply the choice of lesser of two evils and if the monk did nothing,he was just as responsible for the evil actions as much as the person committing them.So what about severely wounded,or sick people?Well as good as monks were in treating illnesses and wounds,they were by no means "Avalokiteśvara" or in Chinese "Guanshi'yin".The people were simply suffering too much for the monks to help so they killed them.Why? It is often better to kill the suffering so they may be placed on Samsara and be reincarnated to live out a more peaceful life than allow them to curse themselves to an unending Hell.

It should be noted that decisions like this are difficult but ask yourself these questions:Was killing a man whose only purpose is to kill others without thought better than letting him live to continue his bloodshed and terror and hope somebody catches him? Was killing the wounded soldier better than hearing his agonizing screams and writhing in unbearable pain?


Emasculation and Sex:

Monks were supposed to have a pure body as well as a pure mind so in order to achieve this monks often became emasculated or in laymen terms had his balls cut off after taking their vows.This was done to keep monks from breaking one of the 5 lesser rules of Shaolin:Monks cannot engage in intimate relations.Because of this,many monks often adopted a fatherly disposition when teaching other people as these students were like children for the monk since he couldn't have any.As far as Meng Long is concerned,I chose to keep his "boys"attached out of my own beliefs as well as imagining the expression on his face in a place like BonBon.

Belts:

Many people have seen Shaolin monks wear different colored sashes(most often black)and probably wondered if that was an indication of their rank in martial arts.The answer to this can be summed up by a monk himself when he was asked the question on belt rankings.His reply "How else do we keep our pants up?"That's right,the colored sashes have no bearing on rank at all.In China your rank is determined by the number of years spent training not by a belt.

Japan:

The furisode or swinging sleeves is kimono whose sleeves are about 39-42 inches in length.It's mostly worn by unmarried women and by girls going through Seijin no Hi or Coming of Age Day in which women and men that are 20 years old are recognized as adults.However the holiday was created in 1948 so I went with the older tradition of mogi in which girls were considered adults between the ages of 11-14.The furisode is also worn by Maiko (lit.Dance child) and by Hangyoku (lit. Half-jewel because they earn half the money that a full fledged Geisha would normally earn.)

Malay archipelago:

Askals--Comes from the Tagalog(a Filipino dialect) contraction of asong kalye which literally means street dog.The Philippines do not have a pure breed of dog native to the islands so the population of dogs is primarily made up of mixed breeds.The irony in this is that in Cebuano(another Filipino dialect spoken in the south) is that the dogs are called irong Bisaya which literally means native dog.

Cock fighting is legal in the Philippines in fact it's often referred to as "the national sport of the Philippines." It's sorta the reason I placed roosters in the jail.

*Just to clarify,I oppose animal fighting of any sort and used the roosters as a cultural reference.

Datu(Chief) Lapu-Lapu was the Muslim chief of Mactan island which is located a few kilometers off of Cebu.Lapu-Lapu's rival,Rajah Humabon who had been converted to Christianity earlier, convinced the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan to try and convert Lapu-Lapu as well.The attempt failed and on the morning of April 27 1521,Lapu-Lapu and his men attacked Magellan and his men killing him.

Mestizo de Español:During the Spanish Colonial Period of the Philippines(1565-1898) the Spanish had a caste system to determine limpieza de sangre or "cleanliness of blood".This would be used to sort out who were legitimate Spanish and who were of mixed descent.In this case a Metizo de Español is a person who is a mix between a Spaniard and an Indio or indigenous person.


sampaguita:Is a jasmine flower found in South East Asia often used to make perfumes because of the fragrant smell and also used to make jasmine tea in China. The word sampaguita comes from the Filipino words Sumpa kita meaning "I pledge you" comes from the story of 2 lovers Lakambini and Lakam Galing.Each spoke the words Sumpa kita before Lakam Galing went off to battle as a testament of their undying love for one another.Unfortunately,Lakam Galing was killed in battle and when Lakambini heard the news, died of grief.At her grave site,a vine with fragrant white flowers bloomed.A symbol of her purity and untainted love.

Abaniko:Comes from the Spanish abanico which means fan.An abaniko is a Filipino hand held fan often with baro't saya,was considered ladies attire.The open fan can convey different meanings when held in certain ways such as an open fan covering the chest means modesty or by rapidly moving the fan could mean displeasure.

As a side note abaniko is move in kali/escrima which is slashing blow that resembles the fanning motion.

Baro't saya:Info can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baro%27t_saya

Mabagsik:is a unique word,it's a Filipino word to describe, strength, alertness, quickness of action, superbly evasive, vicious and deadly.
_________________
The way of the Ninja is the way of enduring, surviving, and prevailing over all that would destroy one. More than merely delivering strikes and slashes, and deeper in significance than the simple out-witting of an enemy; Ninjutsu is the way off attaining that which we need while making the world a better place.

- Toshitsugu Takamatsu

[Katmir]

Niiice..!

YO, Dorian! Check this out!
_________________
"In Excelsis Neo."
Katmir's fursona collection: http://forums.pleasurebonbon.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10161

[DesertWolf]

[DesertWolf]

Training notes:

I should explain this part though most of the styles described and coming can be found on my martial arts thread.As for training, I took some leeway with it by combining my knowledge of the Temple now and guessing what it would be like back then. The only difference is that monks probably studied 7 days a week instead of the 6 currently as well as not having as many holidays.


Wing Chun in the North?
Yep. Wing Chun was originally developed by the Head Nun Ng Mui who was from the Shaolin Temple in Fukien Province of Southern China. It was common for the monks and nuns of both to travel not just to the other temples but throughout China itself and the monks would often bring back other styles to be taught.

Taoists in a Buddhist monastery?

As above.Many people believe the completely untrue stories that Taoists hated the Buddhists and vice-versa.In fact,Wudang often cross-trained with Shaolin and vice versa.

Philippines:

I went in reverse order for the training methods as Filipino styles usually start with a weapon first then progresses to unarmed techniques.Unofficially I also brought about JHR.




Europe:

Has various Wooden Dummies that are automated to simulate the different sizes of opponents in various combat scenarios.
_________________
“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

– Bruce Lee

[DesertWolf]

Character influences:

Name:The surname of Li that I used is an honor of my late sifu who was also my first teacher.The name of Meng Long was just something that sounded cool.

Body:Li Jun Fan(Bruce Lee) was not that muscular.In fact, he only gained about 20lbs. of muscle mass.But Lee was a very strong person he was able to kick a 200lbs. bag of rice and make it hit the ceiling.


species:Again I use my late sifu as a reference.His nickname for me was Xue Lang(snow wolf) which was used for 2 reasons:1)I had near white hair as a child.2)And because I had to practice outside no matter what the weather was like and no matter how much pain I had to endure to learn martial arts. Just like the wolves trying to survive in the harsh arctic environment.

Miguel Tortal:He's made up of 2 influences as well.1)Miguel comes from San Miguel(Saint Michael) which is a style of escrima that was named after the archangel.2)The Tortal family will be famous in a few years(in 1897 to be exact)when Norberto Tortal would start the family down the path of escrima.It won't be until 1930-36 that the family would refine their martial art and call it Pekiti-Tirsia which literally means "To cut into pieces at close range."
_________________
“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

– Bruce Lee

[DesertWolf]

Physical Feats:

Li's striking speed from three feet with his hands down by his side reached five hundredths of a second.The slowest was at 800ths of a second.

Li can take in one arm a 75 lb barbell from a standing position with the barbell held flush against his chest and slowly stick his arms out locking them, holding the barbell there for several seconds.

In a speed demonstration, Li could snatch a Florian off a person's open palm before they could close it, and leave a penny behind.

Li performs one-hand push-ups using only the thumb and index finger with a 250 lbs. person on his back.

Li performs 50 reps of one-arm chin-ups.

Li can cause a 300-lb (136.08 kg) bag to fly towards and thump the ceiling with a sidekick.

Can stand on top of eggs and not break them.

Li often keeps a feather and even flowers afloat in the air while doing forms.

Would often keep eggs in his hands and punch people full force without breaking the eggs.

Can crack coconuts with his teeth and by smacking them with his palms.

Can drive his fingers through steel.

Once caved in a protective headgear made from heavy steel rods, rods that had previously withstood several blows from a sledgehammer.

Is able to explode 100lb training bags with a simple sidekick.

Throws grains of rice up into the air and then catch them in mid-flight using chopsticks.

Could take a 125lb barbell and hold it straight out.

Li would take hold of a 70lb dumbbell with one arm and raise it to a lateral position, level to his shoulder and then he'd hold the contraction for a few seconds.

Can generate so much power he could send individuals (Some of whom outweigh him by over 100lbs) flying through the air where they'd crash to the ground 15 feet away.

Li has devised a particularly difficult exercise that he called "The Iron Flag". While lying on a bench, he would grasp the uprights attached to the bench with both hands and raise himself off the bench, supported only by his shoulders. Then with his knees locked straight and his lower back raised off the bench, he'd perform leg raises. He was able to keep himself perfectly horizontal in midair.

His various Wooden Dummies are reinforced with steel and other alloys to reduce the abuse caused from his speed and strength.

Can do one finger zen and tail zen.
_________________
“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

– Bruce Lee

[DesertWolf]

rearraging
_________________
“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

– Bruce Lee

[DesertWolf]

rearranging
_________________
“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

– Bruce Lee

[DesertWolf]

rearranging
_________________
“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

– Bruce Lee

[DesertWolf]

rearranging
_________________
“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

– Bruce Lee

[DesertWolf]

rearranging
_________________
“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

– Bruce Lee

[DesertWolf]

rearranging
_________________
“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

– Bruce Lee

[DesertWolf]

rearranging
_________________
“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

– Bruce Lee

[Caroline]

((Hey Desert,

I rarely post to these character descriptions, as I find most of them... repetitive. And... I tend to be on the harsh side of my critiques, which isn't what most posters want.

Anyway, while I can see the depth and breadth of knowledge in your post... I'm on the minimalist side when it comes to detail. There is such a thing as 'Too much information'. And, to me, that's the trap you've fallen into. By going into such detail, to include things like local slang, descriptions of religious mantras, definition of terminology and the like, you've lost your audience. To me, instead of having a fully, fleshed, out character... you come off as a very, elitest, character-snob. You probably could have abridged your seventeen posts to just one or two. The first would be a background on how you became a monk, and the second might describe his decision to travel the globe and learn about himself kinda thing. You don't have to mention every last combat art he knows, all the moves, how the moves actually work, and all that jazz. I got it. He's a warrior-monk.

And... I just summed up your entire set of posts in five words.

Also, by being a bit more on the... minimalist side, you let your audience fill in some of the details too, allowing them to attach themselves to your creation, and be able to empathize with it more.

Anyway, I hope that helps some. And, if nothing else, I did read what you posted. So... take that for what it's worth.))

[DesertWolf]

I truly appreciate the fact you've read my story thus far and if anything I respect and admire your honesty but if may defend myself for a moment.

I've been a minimalist before and people wanted a breakdown on everything so to split the hairs I'm just going to say I can't win for losing.I don't think I should feel bad or guilty about using the skills and knowledge of things I've learned to my own advantage or sharing them for that matter.It used to be great to share such things before so why not now?I'm not trying to win any type of popularity contest here.If people like it,great.If not,I'm sorry I don't meet your standards.Finally,I only have a few years left so can I at least enjoy something I've created before I die?
_________________
“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

– Bruce Lee

[Caroline]

((DesertWolf,

Consider yourself blessed today, as more rational heads than mine told me I shouldn't be upset by your reply to my comments. I was seriously considering giving you a writen scolding. Anyway, others, who tend to just let stuff die on the vine, asked me not to get upset with what you said.

However, I would like to point out two things about my post.

First: I did warn you that you probably would not care for my comments. It's the largest reason I often don't comment on art or stories. I'm... critical of most of them.

And... Second, I never said you couldn't enjoy your work. I was explaining why I found little that I liked about your work. In the end, it's yours. Do with it as you want. If you prefer to flex your detail muscles, then do so. I just gave my opinion of it. And, according to internet value, my opinion and seventy-five cents might get you a cup of coffee.

So... yeah. There you have it.))

[BloodRaven]

A note from DesertWolf:I found this pic and thought of how Meng Long would look like in his late teens to early 20's


http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=6090860
_________________
The way of the Ninja is the way of enduring, surviving, and prevailing over all that would destroy one. More than merely delivering strikes and slashes, and deeper in significance than the simple out-witting of an enemy; Ninjutsu is the way off attaining that which we need while making the world a better place.

- Toshitsugu Takamatsu

[BloodRaven]

A note from DesertWolf:"I initially wanted to showcase the martial arts featured in my fursona's background but I've decided to leave my old Martial Arts thread here instead of making a new thread.If people want to discuss anything here ask BloodRaven and I'm sure he'll create a thread to answer any questions you may have.With that being said I would like thank the members of this site for their support.To BloodRaven and the rest of my friends for their help and support.To my masters who've taught so much,given me wisdom, and provided a family for me.And finally to the ancestors who not only created the styles but passed them along and endured much hardship,bloodshed,oppression,hatred,and ignorance."


To win 100 victories in 100 battles (A martial arts guide)


Chinese Martial Arts:

Wing Chun--One of my favorite styles, Wing Chun, also known as Ving Tsun, is one of the famous styles of wushu created by Shaolin Nun Ng Mui during the 1700s. She combined the best techniques of traditional Shaolin wushu into a simple and effective style. She later taught the style to Wing Chun, whom she named the art after.

There are only three empty-hand forms in Wing Chun, Siu Lim Tao, Chum Kiu, and Biu Gee. Each form trains the student from beginner to advance respectively. Wing Chun practitioners also practice Chi Sau and Wooden Dummy training to develop faster reflexes. Linear strikes and pressure point attacks makes Wing Chun a very effective style of wushu.

Because of its simplicity and easy to learn forms, Wing Chun is a very popular style of wushu not only in China but in the western countries as well. It was made known to the west by Bruce Lee in the late 1960s in what was the single most influential introduction of Chinese wushu outside of China. Bruce Lee's association with Wing Chun was a major factor in its continued success over the years.

Seasoned Martial Artists appreciate the streamlined and highly simplified combat material offered in Wing Chun. It emphasizes defeating an enemy with method rather than strength, adopting a skillful method that suited a particular occasion and opponent, so that you can defeat them with skill and wit. Wing Chun uses efficient chi breathing, versatile hand techniques, flexible stances, and footwork that are free and fast moving.


http://www.youtube.com/user/lancswingchun#p/u/5/0YnEm1zaUyE


Zui Quan--literally Drunken Fist the practitioner will stumble,fall,roll,and sway to mimic the the movements of an intoxicated person.The stylist will have one hand in a "Drunkard holds cup" and the other in "Drunkard holds gourd" position.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFnHRs308kQ

Xiangxing quan--literally animal mimicking fist and one of the most famous styles of all time it uses the movements of various animals which include tiger,snake,crane,monkey,duck,leopard,dragon,mantis and eagle.

Hu Quan--Is the Tiger Fist,the practitioner will often use a palm/raking motion using his "Tiger's Claw" which is the fingers spread out as far apart as they can and bending the fingers to create the image.The stylist will hit with the palm first with the fingers digging into the skin and with one motion tears off the skin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRS1xiB7WhE


She Quan--The Snake Fist uses the ever popular "Dim Mak"or "strikes to the arteries" which are the channels that carry Chi throughout the body.The stylist will flatten the fingers and place the thumb just below to mimic a "snake's head" when unleashed the stylist will use whipping and snapping and coiling motions to mimic the strikes and movements of snakes.To perform the Dim Mak, the person will place his index and middle fingers together while placing the thumb across the tips of the ring and pinky fingers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfBmZldaTgU


Bai He Quan--Literally White Crane Fist,the most famous aspects of this graceful and elegant style are the "Crane's Beak" which the stylist creates by placing his/her finger tips together in this fashion(bring index and ring fingers together then place the middle finger over the top then bring the thumb and little fingers at the bottom)this is used to strike vital areas of the body.The next famous aspect is the "Crane Stands on One Leg" in which the stylist will bring one foot up with the toes pointing down and place next to the knee of the other leg which then is used to deliver powerful kicks.And finally is the "Crane's Wings" which out stretch the arms and the fingers are kept flat and placed together.With a windmill like motion the "wings"block attacks to set up a devastating counter-attack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVnuWZqatfA

Ya Quan--Duck Fist is an extremely rare form wushu found outside of China.Its creator,Taoist master Liu Ya lived during the Tang Dynasty.He owned a pond with ducks in it and by careful observation created a very effective martial art.Instead of walking the stylist will waddle to conceal powerful high kicks as well as devastating sweeps the hand techniques are similar to the Crane.The style incorporates symmetrical movements(everything done on the right must be done on the left,and from front as well as the back).The forms are graceful,fluid, and beautiful to watch.The style was so effective many fighters and bodyguards during the end of the Qing Dynasty(around the time of PBB)used this style.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMe26jeL-80

Bao Quan--Leopard Fist is often taught after learning Tiger but before Crane since it incorporates teachings from both.Leopard stylists will often create the Leopard's Paw which looks like a half closed fist(bring your four fingers down to make the first finger joints stick out then press your thumb against the side of the hand).The paw is designed to strike against structural weak points but most notably against the temples and rib cage.Since leopards are known for climbing it should be no shocker that stylists will often run up and across walls,trees, and other surfaces only to jump off and "pounce" on their enemies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3blvv0qdQTE&list=PL8F75C68BF1246C2B&index=90

Ying Jow Pai--Eagle Claw was developed by general Gnok Fei who observed eagles defending their nests and hunting food.The famous aspects of this martial art are its "108 Locking Hands"which combines blocks and punches with joint locks and pressure point strikes.And the "eagle's claw"which is formed by slightly bending the thumb and index finger and bending the other fingers down but not touching the hand.The style itself is very stunning to watch and difficult to learn as it uses split kicks,jump kicks,and flips to show case the movements of an eagle.Students are taught to be as tough as a mountain and as yielding as blade of grass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9tC3dBYPnk

Hou Quan--Means Monkey Fist and is often attributed to a monk named Wang Lang(who also founded Northern Praying Mantis).It is believed that Wang Lang observed the emotions and movements of monkeys coming out of caves,picking fruit,moving about,fighting,happy,caught by surprise,and going back into caves.It involves leaping,scratching,biting,and the noises(screaming in particular).The upper body techniques are used to block,protect,and create counter-attacks using the lower body.Because of this,it is important to develop good coordination between the hands,legs,and feet.It also involves low stances and incredible fluid motions to deliver quick strikes.Although it was developed as a fighting style Wang Lang being a monk set rules as to where to strike and not to since his belief was that a martial art should value high morals and life while encompassing excellent fighting techniques.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r8EU99GSQ0

Long Quan--Dragon's Fist.Is an internal style(focuses on developing your Chi)that was created by a monk named Tai Yut who taught the style to a man named Lim Yiu Kwai.Lim Yiu Kwai began spreading style throughout China.The style itself is supposed to resemble the spirit if not the actual appearance of the Chinese dragon.Training will resemble more of a hard style as opposed to a softer style of snake.Students learn this style by striking hard,blocking hard,and stomping hard into each position,with the idea of being in the right position when the move is complete.Later the strengthened body will retain the transmission of power so the student can make transitions in very quick and fluid manner. Breathing is also important in this style.You inhale silently and exhale in a deliberate,tense,and controlled manner.Techniques used in the dragon are high-speed punches,grabs,joint locks,arm blocks,elbows,and palm strikes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf4LuQotwbs


Tanglang Chuan--Northern Praying Mantis style was created by monk Wang Lang.Wang Lang being proficient in Monkey style feared that people would catch on to his style and beat him.While walking through the woods,Wang Lang noticed a mantis fighting a cicada.Wang Lang believed that the cicada would win since it was much larger.However,no matter how hard the cicada tried it simply could not escape the mantis's grasp.Wang Lang picked the mantis up and took back to the temple where he copied the mantis's movements.But as he soon realized,the mantis does not move a lot and so Wang Lang combined his monkey foot work with his mantis fist to make a great fighting style.

There are multiple mantis styles and I only studied a few of them so I'll post what I know.

Qixing--7 star praying mantis gained its name from the 7 stars of Chinese astrology,it avoids a direct attack and uses its foot work based on the 7 stars to move around his opponents. It will then grab the arm,leg,or hand to break the bones or it will strike nerve clusters in those areas to numb and paralyze them.

Mei Hua--literally Plum Blossom Mantis was a shortened version of the mantis style and focused on the basic hand and foot work.It is often considered an entrance into the mantis form.

LiuHe--literally 6 Harmonies Mantis the basic idea is to have the body's six functions:hands,eyes,chi,body,spirit,and soul interact in perfect harmony with one an other.Practitioners will avoid or absorb hits in soft manner then counter with very direct and excessive force.Masters will stick to his opponent often feeling the next attack.

Spotless
Spotless Praying Mantis relies more on hand techniques than the other Northern Praying Mantis style. The practitioner's wrists are kept bent and hands open in order to generate a whipping power over short distances. The Northern Stylists of Praying Mantis refer to this style as the Southern Style.

Mantis Stance Secret Door
Secret Door Praying Mantis uses low stances and a lot of elbow strikes. Its movements are more complicated than the other styles of the Northern Praying Mantis. It is a close-range fighting style that uses feints to get into the preferred position.

Jade Ring
Jade Ring Praying Mantis is one of the most secretive styles of wushu. Its footwork are complicated and hard to follow. This technique allows the Jade Ring Praying Mantis fighter to strike his bewildered opponent in the least expected situation.

Dragging Hand
Dragging Hand Praying Mantis uses grappling and grabbing techniques. The most common strike of this art is the back fist. A Dragging Hand Praying Mantis practitioner prefers breaking techniques like Chin Na rather than striking.

Eight Step
Eight Step Praying Mantis focuses on moving footwork expanded from the traditional Northern Praying Mantis stances. There is little evasion employed, and the emphasis is on sticking hands leading an opponent to a point of vulnerability. It also uses a complete system of joint locks and throwing techniques.


Wah Lum Praying Mantis is the combination of Tan Tui and Jut Sow Praying Mantis. It is noted for its long fist forms, its spear and pole techniques, and its whirling broadsword skills. Practitioners of Wah Lum Praying Mantis are taught to kick low and fast delivered in a snapping motion.

Tai Chi
Tai Chi Praying Mantis delivers all strikes with great internal power, using a penetrating strike rather than sub-surface impact. Parries are favored to blocks, and power generates from the ground to the waist to technique. A Tai Chi Praying Mantis practitioner toughens the arms, legs, and body by hitting hard objects constantly in training.

Northern Praying Mantis is studied for health, spiritual development, and self-defense. Techniques learned should be practiced with the up most of responsibility and safety in mind. Northern Praying Mantis continues to be one of the most effective and popular styles of wushu in the world today.


Shaolin Quan, or Shaolin Boxing, was created from the manifestation of the wisdom of the Monks of the temple, secular Wushu Masters and Generals and Soldiers. It develops the body, mind, and raises the spirit. The moves and tricks of this style are short, simple, and brief as well as versatile.

Crouching Monk Practitioners of Shaolin Quan would advance and retreat straight forward when fighting. Not a lot of space is needed to execute the techniques of Shaolin Quan. Strikes snaps like whip and twist as the Shaolin Boxer attacks and withdraws.

Shaolin Quan is powerful and speedy with rhythmic rising and falling body movements. It stresses hardness of actions and blows but it also advocates softness in support of hardness. When jabbing, arm is required to be neither bent nor straight, in an attempt to blend external and internal forces.

When a Shaolin Boxer faces an enemy he observes all parts of the enemy's body. According to Shaolin Quan manual, enemies' eyes telegraph his intentions, his shoulders moves first before executing a hand attack, kicks are telegraphed by movements of the hips, shrinking of body reveals an elbow strike, and gnashing of teeth means head strike. Shaolin Quan is one of the most complex styles of wushu, but the dedicated student of this art gains the mastery of martial arts itself.


Chin Na or Qinna--The art of seizing is one of the oldest forms of Chinese martial arts.Many believe the art was developed by the Shaolin monks around 960AD on their belief toward non-violence and a compassionate way of stopping an attacker.There are no forms in Chin Na instead the practitioner learns how the human body works and applies that knowledge to various locks,traps,holds,and nerve strikes.The style itself incorporates 4 major techniques:

1)Fen Jin or Zhua Jin(grabbing/seizing the muscle/tendon)these techniques are designed to grasp the muscles and tendons(usually the bicep/tricep)muscles to disarm or give enough pain to immobilize an attacker.If the threat is to serious or the attacker struggles too much the muscles can be ripped of the bone and without immediate medical attention the attacker will lose the ability to use the arms.

2)Cuo Gu(misplacing the bones)These techniques are joint locks and like the above technique can be used to dislocate bones and disable the use of the extremities.

3)Bi Qi(sealing the the breath)These techniques were designed to impair a person from breathing.Unlike strangulation or choking,these techniques focused on the muscles surrounding the lungs to shock the system and prevent the lungs from expanding.

4)Dian Mai or Dian Xue(sealing the vein or accupoint)Similar to its more well known cousin the "Dim Mak"these techniques were designed to strike blood vessels and chi points to bring down opponents.Unlike the Dim Mak,these strikes were used to incapacitate an opponent rather than kill him.


Tantui:Literally Spring Legs is a Northern style that was created by the Chinese Muslims in the 1700's.It was and is considered one of the most popular and versatile styles created so much so it's been adopted to alot of wushu styles most notably Northern Shaolin.Tantui teaches basic kicking fundamentals as well as balance,strength, and focus.Tantui concentrates on leg and foot work with fist techniques for support and have been used as basic training tools for centuries.Tantui's movements are not complicated to learn and symmetry is formed by placing the feet one by one taking wide steps from a crouched position.The kicks begin low and hard but progress to higher more acrobatic kicks later on.



Pek Sil Lum, or Northern Shaolin, is one of the oldest and complete systems of Wushu. Pek Sil Lum’s earliest roots are generally associated with Tamo, the Indian Buddhidharma master, who came to China in the 6th Century and taught healthful exercise as well as Buddhist theory. Since then, the Shaolin system have evolved into many styles.

Pek Sil Lum stresses balance of large, fast-flowing hand strikes and kicks. It was developed as a long-range fighting style emphasizing kicks over hand techniques. This style of Wushu stresses full extension of the limbs so that kicks and punches are extended as far as possible without losing balance or power.

Practitioners of Pek Sil Lum generates power from a combination of great speed and large, flowing movements. They control their bodies so that they stay relaxed and fluid as they move yet able to deliver powerful blows by conditioning and focusing their movements. A Pek Sil Lum fighter pictures his hands and feet as strong and compact as stones while his arms and legs are ropes.

A Pek Sil Lum practitioner is known for acrobatic but devastating kicks. Pek Sil Lum’s kicking techniques covers everything from a basic front toe kick to a jumping back kick, from a low sweep to a tornado kick. This style of Wushu is suited for the student who is agile and flexible, who has good endurance and speed, or who wishes to develop such traits.



Ditang Quan, also known as Ground Tumbling Boxing, originated in Shandong Province during the Song Dynasty around 1129-1279. There is no historical background as to who is the founder of this art. Some of Ditang Quan’s techniques such as tumbles, falls, and aerial acrobatics are similar to those of Drunkard Boxing and Monkey Style Wushu.
Attacking blows, hidden movements of tumbling, and falling are a major feature of this style. Ditang Quan experts can jump high and perform extremely difficult tricks. Tumbles and falls are usually used to confuse and mislead an opponent into a trap. Aside from the acrobatic techniques, a Ditang Quan practitioner also have a variety of kicking techniques such as high kicks, hook kicks, and sweep kicks.

Ground fighting is also a distinctive characteristic of this art. Dangerous moves and precise execution of a technique makes this style pleasing to watch. In fact, after the founding of People’s Republic of China, it was quickly added in the Modern Wushu Competition Programs.

Although Ditang Quan has an artistic display, it is also an excellent form of health preserving exercise. Consistent practice of this style can strengthen the functions of human bones, ligaments, muscles, and internal organs.



Tongzigong--Means "Virgin Boy Exercises" and these are the flexibility and stretching exercises that are the foundation to all Shaolin martial arts.The monks believe that the more flexible you are,the more pain you can take since their training goes beyond anything you find in the west.Some of the things possible using Tongzigong are turning your feet 180 degrees,and placing your legs behind your head while lying flat on the ground.




Xing Yi or Hsing I--Is one of the oldest and one of the 3 internal Chinese styles(Tai Chi and Bagua are the other 2).It often translates into either Form and Mind or Form and Will Fist.The name implies the strong emphasis placed on the motion of the body being controlled by the conscious mind.It was created by Ji Jike of the Shanxi province in the 1600's.




Shanxi Style--Is the oldest and rarest of the 3 Xing Yi styles.It's known for its vigorous and powerful movements as well as its abundant release of Fa Jing(explosive power).This style is tight in its frame and keeping a well guarded movement structure,which is quick and powerful.Today the style is very rare even in China.

Hebei Style--Has much larger frames and slower in its movements compared to Shanxi.It has wider stances and less usage of Fa Jing.Its 5 elements(earth,water,fire,metal,wood)and 12 animal(monkey,rooster,tiger,dragon,hawk,phoenix,horse,snake,bear,tortoise, Qilin,Goshawk)are much simpler than Shanxi and is the most practiced form of Xing Yi today.


Hung Ga or Hung Gar--Means Hung family style and was developed in the 1700's by Hung Hei Goon who learned the Black Tiger fist in the Shaolin Temple and combined it with his wife's White Crane.The movements of this style are simple,feasible,and practical in self-defense.Blocks hand counters have the striking power of a sledgehammer and punches are like iron poles.It's also known for its deep and rooted stance work and thus considered very important.It develops precision,accuracy,and dedication since it takes long hours and years of practice to master this art.It's an all around fighting style that incorporates close quarter and long range movements.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VQW55fdJxA


Hop Gar--Was originally known as Lama Fist and was developed by the monks living in Tibet.It would later spread throughout southern China where it was known as Lion's Roar but had its name changed by Ng Yim Ming at the request of Wong Yin Lam.The techniques resemble the power of a Monkey style and the speed of a Crane,It teaches long range,short range,empty-hand,and weapons.Foot work and balance are key to this style and it often uses Plum Flower posts of varying heights for practice.Various punches and other hand techniques and Chin Na (art of seizing and grabbing) are added later to the foot work.

Hung Fut--Was developed by a monk named Wu Lei who was a student of Hung Hei Goon.Wu Lei combined his knowledge of Hung Gar with his mastery of the softer and more fluid style of Fut Gar that he learned in the Shaolin Temple.Hung Fut has the low,strong stances and the fierce hand techniques from Hung Gar as well as the relaxed,fluid movements from Fut Gar.The Hung Fut style is unique in that it incorporates circular,linear,and angular techniques that are powerful,explosive,precise,flowing,and without the stiffness associated with southern styles.Hung Fut uses 10 animals,25 weapons,8 drunken Immortals,4 cripple forms,and left-handed punches to catch opponents off guard.


Choy Gar--Choy Family style is one of the 5 family styles famous in Southern China.It was created by Choy Gau Yi and was further developed by his students and by the end of the Ming Dynasty(around 1800)became the style it is today.Choy Gar uses low stances and swift footwork to resemble the rat and its hand and body work resemble the swift strikes of a snake.The low stances help develop inner strength,and effective movements,abilities,and actions of the body.


Fut Gar--Buddha Family style was developed in the mid-1800's by a monk named Leong Sil Jong who created the style in the monastery but decided to teach it outside its walls.His first student,Hue Long Gong is responsible for spreading the style throughout Southern China.Fut Gar is both a hard and soft style in which the practitioners start with very rigid forms and progress to very soft and fluid forms.Fut Gar also teaches to bring power up from the ground,through the feet and legs,up to the waist and then mixes with the chi that sits in the Tan Tien(3 in. below the naval),and combined with either hammer fists or wide,circular hook punches to hit with tremendous power.



Lau Gar--Lau Family Fist is based on the defensive movements of the 5 animal system.Lau Sam Ngan or "3-eyed Lau"is credited with creating this style.Lau Gar is southern art that focuses on short-range fighting techniques.

There are very few forms in Lau Gar because Lau Sam Ngan believed in sparring rather than forms to develop effective fighting techniques.Lau Gar contains Fist,Palm,and Weapon forms which are incorporated in the Hung Gar system.Stances are very low and very fierce.Hand techniques involve various punches,palm strikes,and the phoenix eye fist(thumb rests on the knuckle of the index finger which is pointing out to strike vital points on the body.Also,the palm should be facing outward rather than downward.)Leg techniques involve swinging kicks and thrusting front kicks.It's almost impossible to find a teacher who teaches this style separately.Its most famous practitioners are Lau Kar Leung and his adopted brother Gordon Liu who used this style in many martial arts movies from the 70's and 80's.

Mei Hua Quan--Plum Flower Fist originated in Northern China centuries ago but didn't become more widespread until the founders of the Boxer Rebellion(you know the guys by their more infamous name,Triads)began to use and teach this style.Mei Hua is characterized by 5 static positions intermixed with dynamic motion comprised of light rapid footwork and large flowing movements.Simple expansive stature and poise helps release and strengthen the flow of energy while it frees the mind.The forms of Mei Hua are simple and strong yet relaxed and highly adaptable to multiple situations.Mei Hua also includes 18 weapons and also provides better health,resistance to illnesses,good mental abilities,and a relaxed fluid body and mind.



Mi Zong Quan--Lost Track Fist goes back to the end of the Song Dynasty to a man named Yan Qing.Yan Qing learned the art from a monk named Lu Junyi and after learning decided to spread the style throughout Northern China.After Yan Qing passed away his students named the style Yan Qing Quan after their master only to have it renamed later Mi Zong because of its usage of confusing movements.The style focuses on odd,inconsistent,unpredictable,and almost illogical movements.The movements serve to confuse opponents to set up an attack.The style focuses on internal energy,hand and foot coordination,and acrobatics.Techniques are short and circular.Upper body techniques are slapping,palm strikes,tossing,rolling,and grappling.Lower body uses leaps,cutting turns,hanging legs and entanglements.Its most famous practitioner was the legendary fighter Huo YuanJia(Chin Woo)a fictional portrayal of this art and Chin Woo can be found in the 2006 film Fearless.


Mian Quan--Means "Continuous Fist" but goes by a more ironic nickname:Cotton Fist.It's an important and feared style in Shanghai and its force generation techniques make it difficult to place it as hard or soft style.The basic principal in generating force is to use the spine to create a torque of spiraling energy and direct it to any point of the body like a wave.Once force is generated,the practitioner makes the energy ripple through the body uninterrupted and the practitioner also doesn't "amplify" the energy by tensing the muscles as other styles teach.This gives the the practitioner 2 advantages:he/she does not give tell-tale signs of an oncoming strike and when they hit they can hit with as much force as a person that is 3 times their size or for better example a 180lbs./81kg. person has the punching power of someone who is 450lbs./204kg. of solid muscle.

Shuai Jiao or Shuai Chiao is Chinese wrestling.It is perhaps one of the oldest Asian martial arts since it's well over 2,000 years old.The focus of the art is to disable opponents with the shock of impact by throwing the enemy(ies) and making sure they land on the back of the head,neck,or back.Techniques also taught are punches,kicks,and sweeps as well as joint locks for more real world self-defense.The ideal is that a smaller person can take out larger ones without losing their own balance in the process.

Mok Gar:Mok Gar or Mok Family style is one the famous five family styles in Southern China.It was developed by a Shaolin Monk named Mok Da Si and later taught the art to his family in Kwantung(Canton),a Southern province in China.The art was renamed from its original name of Shaolin Chuen to Mok Gar by the third generation Master Mok Ching Gill.Responsible for spreading Mok Gar,Mok Ching Gill was famous for defeating over 500 fighters with different fighting styles in his hometown of Kwantung.Mok Gar is mostly known for its kicks but it also uses short-hand techniques as well as weapons.Training in this style develops a great amount of stamina,power and flexibility in the legs,and the ability to withstand kicks.Unlike some other styles,Mok Gar has passed on faithfully from generation to generation without any modification.

Baji Quan:Means "Eight Infinite Fist" or more literally "Eight Extremes Fist" was created in Cang County in the Hebei prefecture of Northern China.It was developed by a man named Wu Zhong who had learned an older styleknown as Bazi Quan or literally "Rake Fist" because when the hands weren't used to strike,they were held in a loose and slightly open position resembling a rake as well as having a lot of downward strikes that resembled a rake's movement.Wu Zhou would change the name to "Baji" after meeting two Taoist monks named Lai and Pi who had taught him the philosophies of the I Ching or "Book of Changes" which indicates "an extension of all directions" or to be more specific "the universe". Some notable teachers other than Wu Zhong are Wu Xiu Feng,Li Shu Wen who was a Wu Shen or "Male Warrior" from the Peking Opera(where famous Hong Kong actors such as Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung would later train).Li Shu Wen was at always foremost in basic martial arts training but his most noted ability was with a spear.His skill with the spear earned him the nickname "God of Spear Li" and after mastering Baji he became famous for his quote on fighting(see sig at the bottom of my posts). Li Shen Wu would go on to train other famous practitioners such as Huo Dian Ge who was the bodyguard to Pu Yi the last Emperor of China,Li Chenwu the bodyguard to Mao Zedong, and Liu Yun Qiao who was a secret agent for the nationalist Kuomintang as well as the head instructor to Chiang Kai Shek.Because of these associations,Baji Quan is often referred to as "the Bodyguard style".Baji Quan also shares its roots with Piguazhang(Axe-Hanging Palm)which Wu Zhong learned and combined the styles which complimented each other.In fact the styles worked so well together that an old Chinese martial arts proverb states "When pigua is added to Baji,gods and demons will all be terrified.When Baji is added to pigua,heroes will sigh knowing they are no match against it."Training in Baji is difficult and almost unbearable as students must spend a lot of time in low stances to develop internal energy as well as training the eight body parts to strike with devastating power.The eight parts are:fists,elbows,knees,head,shoulders,butt,and hips.


Tongbei Quan--Meaning "Through the back Fist" Tongbei is one of the most famous styles in Northern China.It was created in the early part of the 10th Century and spread quickly throughout Northern China.In fact it boasts a number of offshoots such as wuxing(5 elements), wuhou(5-monkey),Liuhe(six-Harmonies or Combinations).Although they have different names and methods they originated from the same fighting style that began as an exercise.When learning the practitioner learns to generate energy from his back,send up to the shoulders,then out to the arms and fists.

Nán pài tángláng(Southern Praying Mantis):Southern praying mantis is unrelated to its Northern counterpart as its movements don't mimic the animal in question.Like most Southern styles,Southern mantis relies on quick,short-range punches that utilize "shock power" similar to the one-inch punch found in Wing Chun.Accordsing to legend,Chow Ah Naam the founder of Chow Gar developed this technique after watching a mantis defend itself against a blackbird by using quick strikes.

There are 4 styles that are practiced which are:

Chow Gar(Chow Family)

Chu Gar(Chu Family)

Kwong Sai Jook Lum(Bamboo Forest)

Iron Ox


Chow Gar(Chow Family):Chow Gar was developed by Chow Ah Naam who lived in the 1800's who spent many years in the Southern Shaolin Temple under Abbot Sim See Yan.Ah Naam created his mantis style after watching a mantis defend itself against a blackbird.Ah Naam taught the style to many people in the region including lay person Wong Fook Go.Wong Fook Go was a lay person(i.e. farmer),who became a traveling monk who traveled throughout Southern China.One of the places he visited was Wai Yearn village in the Tung Kung(East River) region.Wai Yearn was home to Lau Soei who was a proficient martial artist already and challenged Wong Fook Go to a match.The monk easily defeated Lau who proceeded to learn Chow Gar from the monk as well as Chu Gar.His skills in each earned him the title "Number One of the three tigers of Dong Jian."


Chu Gar:Chu Gar was created by Chu Fook To who was a member of the Ming Royal family who took refuge in the Henan Shaolin Temple shortly after the Manchus took over.When the Northern Temple was burned down,Chu hid in the Southern Temple in Fujian.During his stay at the temple,Chu created and taught his Southern mantis to people opposed to the Manchu government.



Kwong Sai Jook Lum:Literally Bamboo Forest was created by monk Som Dot(lit.Red Eyebrow)some time in the 18th Century in Jook Lum Gee(Bamboo Forest Temple)which is located on Mt.Longhu in the Wu Tai Shan(Wu Tai Mountains) in Shanxi province near the Jiangxi province.Som Dot taught his new style to Lee Kun Ching who would later be known as Lee Siem See(trans.Zen master Lee)and Wong Do Leng(trans.Taoist Wong).Lee would travel throughout Southern China teaching this style amongst the people of the region.In Guangdong,Lee's student Cheung Yiu Chung would travel back to the temple with Lee to complete his training.

(I'll end the history part on Bamboo Forest here as the rest of its history goes well into the 20th Century which goes against my cardinal rule.)


Iron Ox:Iron Ox was created by Iron Ox Choi who was known for his strength as well as his ability to withstand his opponent's attacks.As such students would train in the "Iron Techniques"(palm,body,etc.)to condition muscles,bones,and skin to withstand blows.Focus on stance,body posture,circular footwork,and internal training had become essential.

Yi Quan, also known as Dacheng Quan, was created by Wang Xiangzhai in the late 1800s. Wang Xiangzhai combined the concept of Xing Yi Quan, the suppleness of Taiji Quan, and the agility of Bagua Zhang to create the style known as Yi Quan. Yi Quan centers on standing stances and uses the mind to guide the movements and actions in order to achieve the coordination and cooperation between the mind, the body, and the external world.
The Yi Quan practitioner believes that looseness and tightness form the basic contradiction of the movements of the human body. The physical qualities such as power, speed, agility, coordination, and endurance are all conditioned by the looseness and tightness of the muscles. Yi Quan, therefore, is intended to achieve the questions of how to correctly control and use looseness and tightness through practice.

The major features of Yi Quan lie in the fact that it does not have fixed forms and that it stresses mental function. It requires relaxation, concentration, and calmness. Its movements are like running water, while its standstills are like floating air.

Yi Quan is effective both as an art of combat and a system of health cultivation. It is a very subtle and refined art, but at the same time quite simple. Yi Quan can be practiced by everybody, regardless of sex, physical fitness or health.

Lanshou Men, or Blocking-Hand Boxing, was developed by Zheng Tianxing at the turn of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is a popular style of Wushu especially in the areas along both sides of the Yangtze River. Zheng Tianxing was a famous Kung Fu master that is renowned through his skills and was responsible for spreading the style Lanshou Men.

Practitioners of Lanshou Men rely on power to beat and to stimulate speed. Lanshou Men have techniques that stress pushing, turning, shaking, and drawing. Kicking techniques are focus on hitting the abdomen and the groin area of the opponent.

Lanshou Men focuses on blocking the hands of the opponent. By doing this it benefits from the forces of the opponent while using power to beat quick and fast techniques. Lanshou Men is characterized by its simplicity and practicability in combat.

Lohan Quan, or Louhan Quan, is one of the famous styles of Wushu that originated in Shaolin Temple. According to Martial Arts’ experts, Lohan Quan is the basis of Shaolin Quan and many other styles of Kung Fu and other Martial Arts from Asia. It was a Shaolin Monk named Choy Fook who is responsible for the spread of this art.

Considered by many as one of the best styles of Wushu, Lohan Quan practitioners not only benefits from its self-defense training, but also from its good physical fitness exercises. The stance training alone promotes self-discipline within oneself. Lohan Quan also promotes well being and good health within each of its students.

Lohan Quan’s techniques are executed fast and are straightforward. Fighters of Lohan Quan do not waste time counter-attacking and attack towards them. Techniques of Lohan Quan requires speed and accuracy to be effective.

Chuo Jiao, also known as Feet Poking, is one of the oldest styles of Wushu that originates in Northern China. It is known for its clever footwork and kicking. According to legend, a man named Deng Liang created the style and passed it to Zhou Tong. It was Zhou Tong who taught the famous General Yueh Fei, who made the style famous.
Chuo Jiao is famous for its leg-attacking techniques. Some of the basic leg techniques include stomping, heel kicking, pointing, entangling, juggling, treading, and grinding. In practice, each step is followed by a foot kick, with alternating hand and foot movements.

There are a number of forms and methods to be practiced in Chuo Jiao. One of its famous leg-technique is the back kick, which flips the toe rearward while arching the back. Hands and feet changes rapidly in Chuo Jiao, and many of its stances resemble Xing Yi Quan’s, which are quick and deceiving.Chuo Jiao follows the saying “Northern Feet, Southern Hands.” With its unique and variety of deadly foot skills combined with the fast hand technique, Chuo Jiao is considered lethal as well as beautiful style of Wushu.

Duan Quan, or Short-Range Boxing, is one of the oldest styles of Wushu that is very popular and practiced in Hebei Province in China. It is a short-range style of Kung Fu that is created specifically for combat. The founder of this art is unknown except that it evolved more than four hundred years ago.

Duan Quan is the opposite of Chang Quan or Long Fist Boxing. It differs a great deal in combat skills, generation of power, movements, and routines. Movements are well connected and fist techniques follow in quick succession often with sudden changes. Unlike the Long Fist Boxers, practitioners of Duan Quan rarely jump or leap. The Duan Quan fighter moves around to avoid the attack from the opponent only to appear close to him with multiple counter-attacks.

Low stances and small but quick movements are major features of this style of Wushu. The arms and legs are bent slightly. They also use simple and sudden moves and the techniques are executed smartly wasting no energy. By practicing Duan Quan, one can improve his physique as well as sharpen his instincts and skills in close-range combats.

Fong Ngan, also known as Phoenix Eye Fist, is a style of Wushu that originated in Hopu Province in China. Kew Soong has said to develop the style. It is named for the slightly protruding finger, which resembles the eye of the legendary Phoenix.
In this style, the basic blow is delivered with the fore knuckle, palm fist, finger poke, ridge hand, and knife hand techniques. Fong Ngan’s only kick is the front snap kick, delivered low to the groin area. The Phoenix Eye Fist is used for pressure point strikes.

Fong Ngan incorporates hand techniques and has no formal stances. Instead, the student of Fong Ngan learns to crowd an opponent, forcing him to make a wrong move. A Fong Ngan fighter never retreats from an attack, but moves into it or sometimes jumps to the side of the opponent while counter attacking.

Other techniques used in Fong Ngan are tripping and leg-hook throws, which are always followed up by a “killing” strike. It also employs the use of elbow, which is used to break the opponent’s arms and to strike vital points in extreme cases of close range fighting. Fong Ngan training includes the practice of forms, proper breathing, and speed training.


Bak Mei, or White Eyebrow, was created by the Taoist Monk Bak Mei during the Ching Dynasty in China. It combines both Shaolin and Taoist Martial Art techniques into a single fighting style. Bake Mei is considered an internal and external style of Wushu.

Forms in Bak Mei are either practiced in full power at top speed, or with little power emphasizing relaxed and fluid movements. Techniques are executed between short and mid-range distances. When attacking, hand movements are fast and powerful giving the opponent little or no time to react.

Bak Mei’s movements are based upon the characteristics of the tiger. Many experts consider Bak Mei as a short-armed Southern Wushu style with low deep stances. It is a rare style of Wushu that offers students a lifetime of pursuit, promoting overall fitness and longevity.

Techniques in Bak Mei are not based upon brute strength, but rather accurate attacks to sensitive pressure points. It contains a variety of kicks, such as front, side, and jumping. Practitioners of this style have deep respect for its traditional roots and heritage.

Wudang Quan originated from the Wudang Mountain region of the Hubei province in China. Wudang Quan is known for its internal style of fighting. A Wudang Quan practitioner does not force against force, but rather redirects the opponent’s attacks.

Pressure points and weak spots of the human anatomy are the major striking areas of a Wudang Quan fighter. Most hand techniques used are finger strikes, palm strikes, and breaking techniques like Chin Na. Most of the techniques of Wudang Quan are based on short-range fighting tactics.

The straight sword forms of Wudang Quan are considered to be the best of all Chinese Wushu styles. It is based on the belief that constant change is the rule of nature and should also be guideline of sword play. Like the Wudang Quan empty-hand forms, the sword forms is well-known for its constant changes in footwork.

The footwork in Wudang Quan is light and agile and the body movement is soft and flexible. Wudang Quan requires peace, quiet, and calmness. It emphasizes more on achieving greater longevity, improving health, and strengthening the body rather than fighting as its primary focus.

San Soo is a southern style of Wushu that originated in Kwan Yin Monastery in Guandong Province in China during the 1700s. It is a pure fighting style. San Soo techniques are based on a combination of punches, kicks, strikes, and blocks done in perfect rhythm and directed to vital points of the body.

A San Soo student develops agility, balance, confidence in one’s self, self-discipline, and strong respect for others. Practitioners of San Soo do not rely on muscle strength. Instead, the student learns how to use their complete and total body weight to offset their attacker’s balance.

San Soo utilizes the hard and soft, linear and circular, internal and external, mental and physical. Techniques learned in San Soo can be changed instantly to suit the situation and do not necessarily follow a set pattern. A student of San Soo also learns how the organs, organic systems, nerves and skeletal frame are situated in the human body to make various strike points easier.

Practice of San Soo does not limit oneself by specializing in one concept. It is a well balance style in all aspect of combat. San Soo is not a sport and must be used only in life threatening situation.

Liu He Ba Fa Quan, also known as Water Boxing, is referred to as the fourth internal system of Chinese Wushu. The creation of this style was credited to a Taoist Monk named Chen Tuan. He created the art during the tenth century based on the Taoist understanding of the nature of water.

Chen Tuan never taught the style with anyone else but kept written records of his creation. Soon after he died, Lee Dong Feng spread the art after discovering Chen Tuan’s works. The original name “Water Boxing” soon was replaced by the name “Liu He Ba Fa Quan” or “Six Harmonies and Eight Methods Boxing.”

Forms of Liu He Ba Fa Quan include contracting movements that gather energy that are followed by expansive movements, which release the energy. The release movements clear internal blockage, both physical and emotional. The movements in the forms of Liu He Ba Fa Quan have a likeness in water flowing down a mountain effortlessly around obstacles, slowing down to the stillness of a pool, and possessing the powerful force of a waterfall.

Practice of Liu He Ba Fa Quan’s form creates a sense of inner calm that is combined with a great deal of energy. It is beneficial for health as well as an excellent system of self-defense.

Fanzi Quan, or Tumbling Boxing, is a style of Wushu that stresses the combination of external and internal strengths and energies. It is also known as Bashanfan, or Eight-Palm Boxing, because of its eight major flashing movements that are executed as fast as lightning. The movements in Fanzi Quan are varied and continuous.

The forms practiced in Fanzi Quan are short and brief. Its movements are agile and quick and arranged in compact patterns. Various techniques and moves are like whirlwinds and the entire forms are completed as if in one breath. Fanzi Quan stresses crisp, fast, hard and resilient movements.

Some people believe that Yueh Fei created Fanzi Quan, but no historical records have verified this. It was during the Song Dynasty that Fanzi Quan was believed to be created, but it was during the Ching Dynasty that Fanzi Quan got popular.

Fanzi Quan fighters prefer to fight in a straightforward way. They change freely from hardness to softness, and softness to hardness. Their fist never hits out aimlessly nor does the hand retreat without trying to attack on its way back. A Fanzi Quan fighter takes root in their legs while emphasizing hand tricks and movements.

Sanhuang Paochui, or Three-Emperor Cannon Boxing, was developed in the Shaolin Temple by a Shaolin Monk named Puzhao during the 1600s. It’s a style of Wushu known for its rapid and powerful fist blows, which are likened to firing cannon balls. Sanhuang Paochui is based on the theories of the positive and negative energies.

This style of Wushu uses suppleness as its core and hardness as its applications. It requires its practitioners to be consistent in both attack and defense, and follow the theories of yin and yang energies at all times. Sanhuang Paochui strategy in fighting is to make an attack a defense and an advance as a retreat and vice versa.

Cross-hand fist blows are the foundation of the skills and rounded squatting stance is the basic stance. Sanhuang Paochui practitioners require organic combination of eyes, hand, and body movements, footwork, spirit, mind, breathing, and generation of force. Practicing Sanhuang Paochui requires concentration and a still and calm mind.

Building power in Sanhuang Paochui is like pulling a bow while releasing power is like discharging an arrow. Because of its effectiveness in combat, Sanhuang Paochui is a very respected style of Wushu in China. It is very popular in Beijing and other northern provinces in China.

Emei Quan, or Omei Quan, is a comprehensive system that includes empty-hand and weapon forms. It also utilizes martial arts strategy, spacing, and blending to achieve maximum combat effectiveness and proper self-defense. It provides both external training for the body, and internal training to cultivate the individual’s life energy.

Although Emei Quan is not as popular as Shaolin Quan outside Asia, it is one of the major systems known in China. The five major systems are Shaolin, Wutang, Emei, Henan, and Fukien. Just like these other systems, a wide range of Kung Fu styles have descended from Emei Quan.

Emei Quan is famous for its animal styles, most particularly monkey style and its unique southern styles. Low stable stances with little hopping are characteristic of this style. Jumps are executed very lightly and quickly and its movements are very diverse.

Many of Emei Quan’s deadly techniques are derived from the use of the wrist. Emei Quan is a system designed to train your body, develop your mind, cultivate good spirit, and refine your character through persistent training and practice.

Liuhe Quan, or Six-Combination Boxing, has its roots on the style Shaolin Quan. The person that is responsible for spreading this style of Wushu was an old boxer named Cao from Hebei Province. It was in the middle 1800s that Liuhe Quan became known due to its effectiveness in fighting.

Moves of Liuhe Quan expert looks comfortable, compact, and dynamic. They are powerful with clear-cut difference between substantial and empty moves. The moves of Liuhe Quan imitate those of the dragon, tiger, crane, rabbit, and monkey.

Liuhe Quan features strong, yet graceful stances. Resourcefulness and dexterity are demanded in executing the moves of evading, extending, jumping, and moving either fast or slow, heavily or lightly. Practitioners of Liuhe Quan rove in accordance with the Chinese Eight Diagrams.

Although not a lot of people know of this style, it’s been known for a long time in China as an effective combat oriented system. Many experts consider Liuhe Quan as one of the most powerful and fighting-oriented styles among other Chinese Wushu.

Bagua Zhang, also known as Pakua Chang, is one of the primary internal systems of the Chinese Martial Arts. It is best known for its “circle walking” training. Bagua Zhang is also known for its highly evasive footwork, powerful palm strikes, and lightning-fast combinations. The creation of the original or traditional Bagua Zhang is credited to Dong Hai Chuan. He created his new style of Martial Art by combining the circle walking mechanics of a Taoist Sect he joined with the Chinese Wushu he had mastered in his youth.

Some of Dong Hai Chuan’s students created their own various styles of Bagua Zhang. The “Eight Great Disciples” of Dong Hai Chuan were Yin Fu, Chen Ting Hua, Ma Gui, Ma Wei Chi, Song Changrong, Liu Dekuan, Liu Fengchu, and Zhang Zhaodong.

Different Styles of Bagua Zhang:
Yin Fu Style
This style of Bagua Zhang includes the practice of Crescent Moon Knives, the Wind and Fire Wheel, the Deer Horn Knives, and the Yin-Yang Brush Pens. Traditional Bagua Zhang forms and transitional forms, a mixture of Shaolin and Bagua, are also taught in this style of Bagua Zhang. Yin Fu, the oldest and longest student of Dong Hai Chuan, is credited to the creation of this style.

Dragon Style
Cheng Ting Hua created this style by combining the Bagua Zhang techniques he learned from Dong Hai Chuan with various Chinese Boxing techniques, specifically Shuai Chiao. This style of Bagua Zhang is known as Dragon Style because of its extensive throwing and joint-locking movements.

Liu Style
Liu Style Bagua Zhang is practiced in a straight line unlike other styles of Bagua Zhang, which are practiced by walking the circle. Liu Dekuan created a new form that included sixty-four fighting techniques from traditional Bagua Zhang practiced in a straight line. He decided to create this form after realizing that most people have difficulty developing fighting skills and internal components while they walk the circle. Today Liu Style is practiced in combination with other Bagua Zhang styles.

Today it is very difficult to name all the different styles of Bagua Zhang. In fact, according to a Bagua Zhang research facility in China, there are over a hundred styles of Bagua Zhang in existence today. Although different styles of Bagua Zhang exist today, their purpose remains the same, for good health and self-defense.

Yao Quan is a rare style of Wushu that was created during the Tang Dynasty hundreds of years ago. The Yao minority of Guanxi province attributes the origins of this style to an ancient supreme being of their culture, known as Pan Wang. The style Yao Quan was used to be called Mao Yao Quan, or Barbarian Yao Fist.

Because the Yao are mountain people, the style itself focuses on the use of strong legs and powerful grips that were developed from climbing mountains. Aside from the empty-hand forms, Yao Quan also practices weapon forms. Some of the weapons that are taught in this style are Large Broadsword, Ax, Staff, and Guandao.

Yao Quan also includes Lion and Tiger dancing in their training curriculum. This gives the practitioner of this style a wide array of various footwork that is learned from the Tiger and Lion Dance. The most recent noteworthy modifications to Yao Quan occurred in the early 1800s, when Lei Zei Ji organized a meeting between top teachers and practitioners with the goal of further refining this powerful style of Wushu.


Zhuang Quan is a rare style of Chinese Wushu created in the late 700s. This style of Wushu was created by the Zhuang tribe in order to protect themselves from invaders. Paintings inside the caves of Guanxi Province proves and describes the life of Zhuang Quan fighters, who protected their land against invasion.

The Zhuang tribes fighting style was known as Nan Man Quan, or Southern Barbarian Fist, before it was renamed to Zhuang Quan during the Song Dynasty. This style of Wushu includes a wide array of weapon forms. Broadsword, straight sword, spear, bow, and throwing darts are just some of the weapons that are taught to the students of this style.

Zhuang Quan is a very powerful, hard, and external style of Wushu. It is a close range combat style that focuses only on methods of killing the opponent. Shouts used to channel chi are spoken using Zhuang language.

Tai Shing Pek Kwar.The style itself means "Great Saint Axe Fist".Tai Shing was first developed a man named Kau Sze who was imprisoned during the later part of the Qing Dynasty(around the time of PBB).During his 8 year ordeal Kau Sze observed the movements and behavior of the monkeys outside of his cell.Upon his release Kau Sze taught his style to a son of friend who mastered his father's Piqua Quan(Pek Kwar in Cantonese.)Pi means to strike downward with arm,hand,or fist.qua means to strike upwards with arm,hand, or fist.Combining the two styles named the style in honor of his father and his friend.Tai Shing has 5 distinct monkey movements.


Zui Hou Quan--Drunken Monkey Fist begins differently than other drunken styles in that it comes in the middle of the routine rather than the beginning it involves using false steps lots of rolling and tumbling as well as lying prone until the enemy is close enough to attack.This variation uses strikes against the throat,eyes,knees,and groin.

Shi Tou Hou Quan--Stone Monkey develops a hard body to go blow for blow against his opponents.The common tactic is to leave a part of the body exposed to be hit and when hit launch a counter attack.

Mi Lu De Hou Quan--Lost Monkey uses lots of feints and false steps as well as appear to be looking around nervously.

Gao Hou Quan--Standing or Tall Monkey involves more upright techniques to help people who are too tall to perform the movements from a squatting or semi-squatting position.


Mu Hou Quan--Wood Monkey is a very direct system of attack as opposed to the general acrobatics and playfulness seen in previous styles it's main form of attack is to bring enemies down and begins jumping up and down on the ribs and chest while punching,slapping, and scratching at the face and throat.


Choy Li Fut, or Choy Lay Fut, is a wushu style that combines the agile footwork, kicking and leg maneuver of Northern Style Kung Fu with the intricate Southern Style Kung Fu hand techniques. It is considered one of the most complete and effective styles of wushu for both health and self-defense. Chan Heung is the founder of Choy Li Fut.It was in the early 1800s that Chan Heung decided to combine the knowledge he had learned from his three masters into one effective system. He called it Choy Li Fut to commemorate his teachers, Chan Yuen Wu, Li Yau Shan, and Choy Fook, and the Buddhist origin of the art.

Choy Li Fut contains a wide range of techniques, including long and short range punches, devastating kicks, deadly sweeps and takedowns, lethal pressure point attacks, joint locks, and grappling. Its forms are circular, powerful and as beautiful to watch, as they are effective in combat. Every movement in the forms has a practical application in self-defense.

Weapon forms are also taught in Choy Li Fut. Like it’s empty-hand forms, weapon forms are circular and powerful as well as beautiful and effective in combat. Choy Li Fut also includes internal training such as meditation and breathing exercises. Today, Choy Li Fut is one of the fastest growing martial arts in the world.


Black Crane is an open, flowing style of wushu. It’s a style of wushu that seeks to frustrate its opponent by evading and redirecting its attacks, which will ultimately leads to his defeat. Techniques that are used in this art do not usually cause permanent damage to the body of the opponent, unless the opponent gives the Black Crane stylist no choice.
Roots of Black Crane traces back to the time of Dr. Hua To during the Han Dynasty. Dr. Hua To developed a series of exercises for better health improvement by imitating animal motions. One of the animal motions he developed is the crane. Others believe that the style was created when an old man witnessed a crane defeating a much larger ape. He meditated daily to the conflict he witnessed and one day defeated a number of bandits using the movements of the crane, thus creating the new system.


One of the main techniques used in Black Crane is Chin Na. It uses wrist locking and redirecting. But its most popular technique is the use of Crane’s Beak. This hand technique is usually used for distraction or blocking an opponent. It can also be used for striking vital points of the body.

Black Crane requires great flexibility for its attacking and evading techniques. Most of its stances use only one leg. Practitioners of this style are known for their excellent balance and swift movements.


Lai Tung Pai, or Circle Fist, is a style of wushu created by the Shaolin Monk named Chi Sen around 1640. It was originally called Poon Kuen, but was renamed in honor of the town Lai Tung, which did so much for the monks that take refuge in the town. Many believe that Lai Tung Pai may have a connection to the early days of Wing Chun, another style of wushu.

Although Lai Tung has many similarities to Wing Chun, it contains techniques that use long fist as well as short fist unlike its counterpart. Lai Tung Pai uses various forms to teach students to blend from short to long fist applications. It also teaches the original weapons of wushu.

Other training exercises used in Lai Tung Pai are Chi Sau, Mok Jong, and Chi Kung. It also teaches the student Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chi building exercises. Although not as popular as Wing Chun, Lai Tung Pai is as effective and continually practiced throughout the world.


Góuquán or Dishuquan—Literally Dog Fist is a style of wushu that originated in the Fujian Province of Southern China that utilizes Iron Body, Iron Palm, and ground fighting techniques. It was developed by the nuns at the White Lotus Temple to help them defend against bandits and wild animals particularly since many of the nuns were victims of foot binding which made any standing physical exertion extremely difficult at best and impossible worst especially during the Qing Dynasty which was famous for temple destruction and oppression on martial artists in general.
_________________
The way of the Ninja is the way of enduring, surviving, and prevailing over all that would destroy one. More than merely delivering strikes and slashes, and deeper in significance than the simple out-witting of an enemy; Ninjutsu is the way off attaining that which we need while making the world a better place.

- Toshitsugu Takamatsu

[BloodRaven]

Malay Archipelago:
Eskrima/Arnis/Kali--Eskrima comes from the spanish word esgrima which
means fencing.Arnis comes from the spanish words arnis de mano or harness of the hand and Kali which is difficult to translate as there are multiple sources from which the word comes from(the only sources I'm familiar with are kalis which is a knife that was carried by commoners for self-defense the other from the Cebuano words kamot/kamay meaning hand or body and lihok which means motion.)Like silat,eskrimas origins are nearly impossible to trace since it was practiced by laymen who had no formal education and passed the art on through stories.However many of today's styles can trace their lineage to Mactan tribal chief Lapu Lapu who in 1521 killed Ferdinand Magellan in the Battle of Mactan(though the Spanish claim he was killed by an arrow and the Filipino claim he ws killed by either a stick or knife.)Eskrima itself is considered a simple martial art since it uses easy mechanics that can be transferred to from one thing to another or to put it better everything you can do with empty hands can also be used using weapons.

http://www.youtube.com/user/kalisong1#p/u/21/Pc3uVss_NAc

http://www.youtube.com/user/kalisong1#p/u/25/020LZ6NU8Yk


Pangamut or Pangamot--Is a Filipino term used in martial arts that refers to a person's skill in combat arts but more specifically in Filipino martial arts in respects to his skill in panantukan(hand techniques), dumog/buno(wrestling/grappling), pananjakman(kicking and sweeping techniques), kaukit(foot trapping),and kino mutai(biting and gouging).

Kaukit--Are a sub-class of pananjakman.The idea behind them is to trap your opponent(s) feet often by smashing down on top of the foot breaking and dislocating the ankle,toes,and shin bone or at the very least getting them off balance.


Panantukan--Literally means "dirty boxing" and it's the empty hand fighting techniques found in Filipino martial arts.Many of the techniques were derived from escrima/kali as the philosophy is that whatever you do with a stick,you can do with a blade and with out a weapon.It contains upper-body punches,elbows,head-butts,shoulder strikes,groin punches,limb destruction,body manipulation,angles and switching leads,speed,flow,and rhythm.Common striking areas include biceps,triceps,eyes,nose,jaw,temples,back of the neck,spine,ribs,and the "soft tissue" areas of the body.The art focuses on parries and deflections over blocks due to the fact the practitioner would not know if his opponent(s) have bladed weapons.With this ideal in mind,emphasis is placed on minimizing contact form opponents(the practitioner does not absorb blows that a western boxer would).Since it was developed for street survival there are no competition or sport variations.

*Just a quick note.Panantukan is the fighting style used in the Bourne Trilogy.


Dumog/Buno--Folk wrestling from the Philippines.Techniques include standing throws,control locks,joint locks and manipulation,take-downs,strikes,ground fighting,and weapons which include knives,bows and arrows,spears,and the lubid a 4-foot rope.Training is highly unorthodox and many schools will use mud training(crawling and running through rice patties),canoe training(being able to keep your balance as well as operate a canoe),tamaraw training(wrestling with a Filipino water buffalo),log training(lifting logs and running with them),and tree climbing(self-explanatory).


*Another note.The word "buno" is the Tagalog word meaning "to kill" or "to throw".It's used by Filipino to describe people killing each other.


Pananjakman--Is the low-line kicks found in Escrima.It's usually taught in the West as a separate style from panantukan but in the Philippines,pananjakman is often included in the panantukan training.The best way to describe it would be an art focused on the muscles,tendons,bones,and joints of the legs and feet and how the work and how to destroy them or inflict as much pain as you can.Target areas include the thighs,feet,toes,shins,knees,groin,and ankles.Because it focuses on the lower body for striking,the style uses the upper body for defensive purposes only.


Maharlika Kuntaw--Means "Way of the Royal Fist" and is a fighting style in the Philippines that borrowed techniques from other styles that were brought over by traders such as Pencak Silat, Shaolin wushu, and Indian fighting, as well as native arts like dumog(wrestling),sikaran(kicking),and bugtongan(stick fighting).It was developed primarily as a defensive art but can become offensive when the need arises.It uses empty handed techniques such as punching,kicking,knee and elbow strikes, as well as knives,swords,and sticks.The movements are quick and light to not only evade but also set up a counter back the opponent.Basically the movements don't stop an attack but rather it is redirected back at the opponent thus the practitioner gains control of the attacker in a similar way Aikido does.

*Couple of notes.1)This was the style used by Chief Lapu-Lapu and his men when they fought Ferdinand Magellan in 1521.2)Maharlikas was the original name of the Philippines before Magellan renamed them in honor of King Philip of Spain.


Silat--Means lightning in Indonesian and it's applied to the 800 styles found throughout Indonesia and Malaysia.Since the styles vary from village to village and it's practiced by mostly laymen it's impossible to trace its origins.
Although impossible to trace some of the styles have incorporated Chinese martial arts(KunTao)and Filipino Eskrima from the traders,bodyguards,and monks.Some styles of silat mimic animals like tiger(harimau),snake(ular),monkey(monyet),crane(blekok),and dragon(raja naga).

video of monyet silat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0bYrNHe-FM

variation of harimau silat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-OckbTj_18
_________________
The way of the Ninja is the way of enduring, surviving, and prevailing over all that would destroy one. More than merely delivering strikes and slashes, and deeper in significance than the simple out-witting of an enemy; Ninjutsu is the way off attaining that which we need while making the world a better place.

- Toshitsugu Takamatsu

[BloodRaven]

Japanese Martial Arts:
When talking about most Japanese martial arts they either end in Do or jutsu. The term Do means "the way" and comes from the Chinese word Tao(Dao) which also means "the Way".Martial arts ending in Do focus in bringing the mind,body,and soul into harmony.Those that end in jutsu which means "the art"focuses on usage in actual combat.After the Meiji Restoration many martial arts went from using jutsu to Do.


Ninjtusu--means the art of stealth,endurance,secretness,and perseverance. It encompasses 18 skills to make the ninja an army of his own.


The 18 skills are:

Seisshin-Teki Kyoko--The ninjas practiced various meditation techniques to bring mind, body, and soul together.The philosophy is that a clear mind is able to focus on the tasks it is given and able to adapt to any situation.

Taijutsu--is the art of the body and is a catch all term for any of the numerous Japanese martial arts.

Kenjutsu--is the art of using the sword and is the precursor to kendo.A master of this style can cut through a wet tatami mat(=human neck)with ease.

Bojutsu--I covered this already.

Shurikenjutsu--The art of the throwing star.The shuriken were used to slow down people chasing the ninja instead of killing them.


Sojutsu--The art of the spear.The ninja learned to defend against and use a spear.

Naginatajutsu--the art of the naginata.The naginata looks like a katana blade affixed to a staff.It was primarily used to keep mounted soldiers and their horses at bay and later used by women who used the weapon to defend their homes while their husbands were gone.

Kusarigamajutsu--the art of using a kusarigama.The kusarigama is made up of 2 parts:a kama(gama)which is a wooden sickle-like weapon and kusari which is a chain with a weight at the end. The weapon is swung in wide arcs to confuse the enemy,then uses the chain to trap and entangle hands,arms and weapons then it is followed by the kama to finish the attack(ers).

Kayakyujutsu--the art of using pyrotechnics and explosives. Ninjas often used various smoke bombs to create various effects the most common was to throw one down,explode,and while the enemy(ies)are distracted disappear.

Hensojutsu--the art of disguise and impersonation.Allowed the ninja to blend in with the people of a village or impersonate high ranking officials.

Shinobi-iri--the art of stealth movement and entering.Allowed the ninja to move quickly and quietly and also taught them how to enter buildings and houses in the same manner.

Bajutsu--Is the art of horsemanship.

Sui-ren--water training.Allowed the ninja to move through water and use sword sheaths and bamboo reeds as make shift snorkels.

Boryaku--tactics and how to apply them.

Intonjutsu--is the art of concealment and escape.It allowed the ninja to hide various tools and weapons in his clothes as well as on his body to escape from prisons and handcuffs as well as teach them various knot tying and rope binds and how to escape from them.

Tenmon--meteorology.Ninjas spent a great deal of time outside and learned to tell the weather.

Chi-mon--is geography.As stated above ninjas spent a great deal of time out doors and learned ways moving through the environment in different conditions(in the rain,snow,etc.).

Kunoichi--Comes from either how the brush strokes would create the word for a woman(onna)or from a break down "9 talents in one".Kunoichi were female ninjas who taught differently from the men.Men focused primarily on the fighting techniques while the women focused on using poisons,disguise,and their wiles to lure their targets into a false sense of security.Kunoichi often disguised themselves as geisha,prostitutes,fortunetellers,and maids as well a anything else to get close enough to their targets.Although they trained in hand-hand and weapon skills,they were only allowed to use them if their cover was blown and there were no other options.


I also forgot to add this tidbit.Ninjas were focused solely on the mission.The media portrayal of them killing everyone in sight is simply false.The ninja tried to avoid as much conflict as he could,usually reserving killing people for either assassinations or if there were no other escape options.

Daito-ryu-aiki-jutsu--I did not train in this style but I can tell you that its philosophies and techniques are the foundation of aikido which I did train in.Its creator,Takeda Sokaku had studied other forms of Japanese martial arts but found that the main styles of jujutsu were simply too harsh.Thus he used an underlying philosophy of aiki or "universal harmony" in which the student did not engage an attacker head on.Instead he would move away from the attacker and by using joint locks,atemi(pressure point strikes),and throws he could subdue an enemy without the serious harm that many jujutsu students were often taught.



Judo--The Gentle Way was developed around 1880 by Kano Jigoro.Jigoro was a small child being 5'2 and 90 pounds at the age of 14,Kano had wished he was stronger.During a visit home,Kano ran into a friend who told the boy to seek out jujutsu teachers and learn martial arts.Kano began his search by visiting the seifukushi or bonesetters because he believed that the doctors would have injured dtundents from the different schools.As luck or fate would have it,Kano ran into Yagi Teinosuke who was a student of the Tenjin Shin'yo-ryu school of jujutsu.Yagi sent Kano to a bonesetter who was a master of this school and Kano began to train shortly after that.The school was small and had no thick matting to protect Kano from his daily landings from being thrown by the sensei or his senior student.The constant throws allowed Kano to observe the mechanics of how each technique worked but Kano had trouble defeating the senior student,so he tried to use techniques from sumo to no avail.Then after reading a book on western wrestling techniques used a fireman's carry to defeat the senior student and thus kataguruma or shoulder wheel became a staple move in Judo.But his journey was still going and in 1879 at a prominent businessman's house Kano along with other prominent jujutsu masters gave a demonstration to former president Ulysses S. Grant while he was visiting Japan.Kano would learn from master Ino Masatomo who while being only 5' tall was noted as having a strong physique and his atemi techniques.Iso was impressed with Kano's firm and solid stance work and thus Kano began incorporating Masatomo's teachings to create a very unorthodox style in the early 1880's.

Judo uses mostly throwing techniques but some schools teach joint locks and choke holds as well. It's such a popular martial art it became the first one to be accepted as an Olympic sport

Kobudo--Means "old martial way" and it refers to the classical Okinawan weapons most notably the bo staff,sai,nunchaku,tekko(knuckledusters),kama(sickle)tinbe-rochin(shield and spear)and the surujin(weighted chain)other weapons that may be taught are the tambo(short staff)and the eku(traditional Okinawan boat oar).

Jodo:Means "way of the Jo or short staff" is reputed to have been invented around 400 years ago by Muso Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi.According to the legend Gonnosuke challenged the famous ronin Miyamoto Musashi.Gonnosuke had been a master of the Bo and nearly defeated Musashi's Niten- Ichi or "two heavens as one" sword technique until Musashi used an X block to capture the staff and deliver a counter-attack.After the duel Muso Gonnosuke went to a Shinto shrine and during one of his meditations had a vision of a way to defeat Musashi.The vision was to shorten the length of a Bo staff from 6 feet to 4 feet.The shorter staff would be combined using the techniques from the staff,spear,and sword to allow for a greater array of options against different opponents.Gonnosuke challenged Musashi one more time and again Musashi attempted to use the X block however Gonnosuke countered by wheeling the staff back around to the other side and forced Musashi into a position in which he had to admit defeat.Gonnosuke returned Musashi's gift of sparing his life from the first duel by sparing Musashi's.Since then Gonnosuke went on to form his own school called Shinto Muso-ryu somewhere around 1602-1614.

Battojutsu:Means "the art of drawing the sword" but unlike Iaijutsu in which the practitioner draws the sword,cuts,and returns the sword back to its saya(scabbard/sheath)the Battojutsu practitioner learns to cut while the sword is drawn.To put it more precisely Battojutsu focuses on drawing the sword then engaging the enemy(ies),finally returning the sword back into its sheath.

Sojutsu:Literally "the art of the spear(yari)" has been around for centuries in fact it's part of Japanese mythology(according to legend the Japanese islands were formed from a drop of salt water that came off the tip of a spear.)However the weapon itself didn't make a mark in Japan until other asian countries brought spears with them.The Japanese didn't like these spears and when they learned how to forge steel created their own spears.The spear was popular among all warrior classes of Japan from ashigaru or foot soldiers to the Samurai who could wield them from horseback.

Iaijutsu:Roughly translated as "the art of mental presence and immediate reaction" is another Japanese martial art focused on drawing the sword.Unlike Battojutsu which was focused on samurai being on the battlefield,Iaijutsu focuses on drawing the sword, cutting the enemy, wiping the blood off the blade, and placing the blade back into its saya.It also focuses on the samurai in everyday life.Many of the techniques are performed from the seiza or "proper sitting",iai-goshi,and tate-hiza as well as the tachi-ai or standing positions.The sword during these times are is placed through an obi or sash or belt worn around the waist with the "edge up''.

Kenjutsu:Means "art of the sword"and is often used with the Japanese sword arts before the Meiji Restoration.Kenjutsu had been around for centuries but it would not be until the Heian Period(794-1185) when the sword known as the katana would be created.No school from the Heian survived and many schools often trace their lineage through one of the 3 schools from the Muromachi Period(1336-1573) which are Aisukage Ryu, Itto Ryu, and the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu.During the Edo or Tokugawa Period(1603-1868) more than 500 schools were in existence giving rise to shinai(bamboo swords) as well as bogu(protective armor).Prior to this live blades and bokken were used.In 1868 the Meiji Restoration dissolved the samurai and thus the art was nearly wiped out until 1886 when the Japanese police force took kata or forms from different schools and formed a standardized set for training purposes.This set was used until 1895 when the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai which governed all Japanese martial arts set out with the help of various schools to develop a curriculum.In 1912 the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai released its edict on Kenjutsu and said that there was a lack of unity in teaching and introduced a core teaching curriculum to which individual schools could add their own techniques.It would be this core curriculum along with the 10 kata that would formally end kenjutsu and modernize it into kendo.


Kyujutsu:Means "the art of the bow" was not formally introduced until the end of the first millennium in which the rising military the samurai created a requirement for learning the bow.This led Henmi Kiyomitsi to open the first Kyudo-ryuha(style) known a Henmi-ryu in the 12th century. His descendants would form their own schools namely the Takeda-Ryu and the Osagawara-Ryu which became popular during the Genpei War(1180-1185)because the Osagawara school focused on yabusame or mounted archery.In the latter half of the 15th quickly. The bow would remain the best weapon until 1542 when the Europeans introduced the arquebus.Although the bow was still in use because it better overall it would be Oda Nobunaga who used primarily farmers that the gun eventually would replace the bow(farmers equipped with the gun killed an archery cavalry in a single battle in 1575).During the Edo Period(1603-1868) the samurai began turning archery as "voluntary" art rather than a requirement and was only used for ceremonial or demonstrative purposes. Archery itself was also popular amongst the people outside the Palace and the samurai liked the mind focusing and straight forward philosophies of Zen-Buddhism and thus many monks began teaching archery with this in mind and created the beginnings of Kyudo.


Cultural Note:Although the samurai were famous for their swordsmanship they prized archery as the best way to win battles particularly during the Kamakura-Muromachi periods(1185-1568).The bow and its use were the symbols of a warrior and during these times the life of a warrior was known as Kyuba no michi or "the way of the horse and bow".

Juttejutsu:Means "the art of the jutte or jitte".The jutte or jitte as it's sometimes called literally means "10 hands" and was a weapon used during the Edo Period(1603-1868)by the police force.The jutte is about 45cm(18in)long with no cutting edge and a one prong tine that's about 5cm(1.97in).The popular misconception is that the tine was used to capture an oncoming sword blade however because of the tine's location near the hand it's more likely that the tine was used to strike small vital points,the wrists,locking joints,capturing clothes,striking the eyes,or shoving it into nose,or arresting the blade after its been swung.The large blunt part could be used in the same way a baton can be used such as striking large muscles and joint aid in joint manipulation.

Bojutsu--Comes from the words meaning "staff" and "technique" involve striking, thrusting, and swinging to match the empty hand techniques of the Okinawan empty-hand forms thus the style itself does not use spinning or twirling techniques that were originally brought over by Chinese traders and monks but does retain the core striking areas such as the joints,groin,and eyes to make this a very dangerous and effective martial art since many people had access to a staff in one form or another.
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The way of the Ninja is the way of enduring, surviving, and prevailing over all that would destroy one. More than merely delivering strikes and slashes, and deeper in significance than the simple out-witting of an enemy; Ninjutsu is the way off attaining that which we need while making the world a better place.

- Toshitsugu Takamatsu

[BloodRaven]

SEA(South East Asia)Martial Arts:
Cambodia

Bokator/Boxkator:Means "to fight like a lion" and it was developed over 2,000 years ago.In fact there's a relief on the wall of Ankor Wat depicting the martial art.According to legend,a village was terrorized by a lion.The village sent its most skilled warrior to find and defeat the lion.The warrior found the lion in a nearby cave and began fighting the lion.During the battle the lion knocked the warrior down and standing on top of him was about to deliver the killing blow when the warrior kicked the lion in the groin killing it.The warrior returned with the dead lion where the village happily declared him as "Labokator". Bokator is one of the most complex fighting styles known as it has over 341 animal styles,8-10,000 unarmed techniques,weapons,and only a handful of masters left to teach(around 6).

Pradal Serey: Literally “free fighting/boxing” is a Khmer martial art that was once used for warfare but has become a national sport in Cambodia. Unlike other styles there is no core system, or footwork system to learn. Like other kickboxing styles of the Southeast Asia, it utilizes punches, kicks (which are delivered from hip rotation rather than snapping the legs), knees, and elbows (which are used more often in Cambodian styles). Pradal Serey began as a fighting style called Yuthakun khmer khom (lit.”Ancient Khmer fighting”) as depicted on the bas-reliefs found in Angkor and other cities dating as far back as the 9th century. It’s believed that the Khmer used Yuthakun khmer khom and other organized unarmed and weapon fighting styles to defeat the armies of other countries most notably Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos. However it would be the colonization of the French that would change this martial art. Many practitioners often fought with little to no rules in dirt pits with their hands wrapped in rope or hemp and their knuckles wrapped with seashells to deliver devastating blows and this upset the French who believed the martial art to be highly uncivilized and extremely brutal. The French introduced elements from European boxing such as timed bouts, a ring, gloves, and rules that forced the Khmer to change and even drop techniques to form Pradal Serey.


Kbachkun Boran: Literally “Khmer Ancient fighting” was developed from the bas-reliefs found in Angkor and uses weapons such as the dha(curved sword), dambong veng(long staff), and dambong bogato(twin sticks). Techniques from using the weapons are combined with Pradal Serey and Khmer wrestling to form the martial art.


Khmer traditional wrestling: Although it’s practiced as a sport today and used mainly during the Cambodian New Year and other festivals, Khmer wrestling was used on the battlefield and to determine tribal and regional leaders going as far back as the Angkor period based on bas-reliefs found on various temples. The matches have three rounds and only two rules: force your opponent on his back. And the first person to win two rounds is the victor.


Thailand:

Muay Boran: Literally “ancient boxing” is the unarmed fighting styles from Thailand prior to the 1920’s. Since the Burmese burned many historical documents many scholars believe that muay boran evolved from muay pahuyuth which possibly came from muay chaiyuth prior to the Sukhothai Kingdom (1238-1583). While it was practiced for warfare, many boxers began wrapping their hands, feet, and elbows in hemp which were sometimes dipped in water and other liquid substances to tighten the hemp causing nasty wounds on opponents. During the reign of King Rama V, muay boran was used as a form of exercise, self-defense, recreation, and personal advancement within the military. It was also at this time that 4 distinct regional styles were formed.

1) Muay Thasao from the north
2) Muay Khorat from the east
3) Muay Lopburi from the central area
4) Muay Chaiya from the south

Each region was known for different characteristic as evidenced by the phrase “"punch Khorat, wit Lopburi, posture Chaiya, faster Thasao". It is also from this period that King Rama V would begin to introduce westernized concepts such as a ring to fight in, rules, timed bouts, gloves, and other safety mechanisms to help reduce the high injury and death rate that Muay Boran was known for. It would also be the foundation for Muay Thai.


Krabi Krabong: Named after 2 weapons the saber/single-edge sword (krabi) and the staff (krabong) is the weapon fighting style of Thailand. When unarmed, the fighter will use kicks, knee strikes, joint locks, throws, holds, and muay boran to take down opponents. Developed by the ancient Siamese from Chinese, Indian, and even Japanese weapon based martial arts and used both standing and from riding elephants, Krabi Krabong was used against the Burmese, Cambodians, Laotians, and Vietnamese. Even though it’s named after 2 weapons, Krabi Krabong utilizes other weapons such as the Daab Song Mue (2 swords), Lo (shield/buckler), Phlong (short staff/stick), Ngao (bladed staff/halberd), Mai sok san (clubs worn on the forearms), kris (dagger), hawk (spear), trisun (trident), daab (straight sword), and the vajra.
_________________
The way of the Ninja is the way of enduring, surviving, and prevailing over all that would destroy one. More than merely delivering strikes and slashes, and deeper in significance than the simple out-witting of an enemy; Ninjutsu is the way off attaining that which we need while making the world a better place.

- Toshitsugu Takamatsu

[BloodRaven]

Korean Martial Arts:
Taekkyon:Taekkyon is a traditional Korean bare-handed martial art and is considered the first martial art system in Korea itself.Before the 6th century,only the ruling class practiced Taekkyon.From the 9th to the 12th century,Taekkyon was so popular it was practiced by everyone including commoners.In fact according to theKoryusa(a Korean history book written in the 15th century)The king and farmers were encouraged to practice.The trend lasted until the early Choson Dynasty(1392-1910)when the king not only learned that people gambled their houses and wives away but also adopted a Neo-Confucianism ideal in which scholarly pursuits were encouraged rather than military ones.The trend also dwindled during the Japanese occupation in which traditional martial arts were banned in favor of the Japanese ones.It would not be until a man named Song Duk-Ki(1893-1987)started to teach Taekkyon to the public bringing it back to life.Taekkyon was designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Asset #76 by the Korean government.
_________________
The way of the Ninja is the way of enduring, surviving, and prevailing over all that would destroy one. More than merely delivering strikes and slashes, and deeper in significance than the simple out-witting of an enemy; Ninjutsu is the way off attaining that which we need while making the world a better place.

- Toshitsugu Takamatsu

[BloodRaven]

The Americas:

Capoeira:

Components of Capoeira

The history of Capoeira does have its begin somewhere in the second half of the 16th century. The Portuguese, having an urge for cheap and reliable work-force, start importing African slaves to their South American colonies. They tried to use indigenous people first, but those were either running away, hiding deep in the jungles of the Amazonas, or were dying away like flies, because they were not resistant against “Old World” diseases. Africans were immune to them, and ripped away from their homes several thousand miles across the ocean, they seemed to be more feasible work-force.

In less than 300 years, 3 million Africans were “imported” to Brazil. This being the number which survived the long and inhuman trip. The number of Africans which died during the trip is not known. These people were of different descent, you had Ashanti, Yoruba, Igbo among other tribes. Bantus and Sudanese tribes. Tribes with different development, different rituals, languages and cultures. But with these all the components of Capoeira were brought together. Different African martial arts, mating rituals like the N’Golo (the Zebra dance, one of the believed direct ancestors of Capoeira), rhythms and music. Even musical instruments, or at least their concepts, came together with the slaves. It is unavoidable that some kind of creole culture started to develop, in different places, some ritual dances more dangerous than others. But none of them was Capoeira, yet.

Quilombos and Resistance

Slavery and Oppression will always lead to resistance. And slaves did try to resist. First they just fled. One by one or in small groups slaves tried to run into the woods and survive in an unknown environment. Some did, and started settlements. And once having settlements, they started to grow. With growth comes strength and at a certain time former slaves started acting with self-confidence, fighting and trading with slave-owners. Those settlements were called Quilombos, the most prominent and biggest example being the Quilombo of Palmares, existing for about 100 years until it was destroyed by Portuguese troops in 1694. The people living in the quilombos established guerrilla tactics to deceive and defend themselves against those who did want to extinguish them. Quilombos did exist till the 20th century and there are still some cities which have been Quilombos originally. But the important times were the times of the Quilombo dos Palmares. Traditional Capoeiristas see themselves as true heirs of the legendary heroes Ganga Zumba and Zumbi (the leaders of the Quilombo dos Palmares), although nobody does know if they did do something similar to Capoeira. But their will to resist against a seemingly too powerful enemy and their will to live their way – those elements are still remaining in today´s Capoeira.

The birth of Capoeira

When did they mention Capoeira the first time? The problem here is that a lot of official documents were burnt after the abolition of slavery in 1888. First mentions date back to the 18th century. There is a famous work by Rugendas ‘Capoeira-or the Dance of War’ showing two opponents being watched by several people. It was made 1825. The opponents on this picture are in a kind of fighting position. The presence of drums tells us that this is not only a very interesting fight, but part of a ritual, involving music, fight and more.




Though it is not clear what people meant with Capoeiras. Nobody really bothered to distinguish between all the different expressions of African culture in Brazil. So Capoeira eventually became a word with a rather broad meaning, including everything which is African, does have dance-like properties or include some rituals. Later Capoeira became synonymous with ‘criminals’ . But at some time Capoeira did become rather close to today´s forms.

After the abolition 1888 the status of the former slaves did not change much. A lot gained official freedom, but if they wanted work they had the choice to submit themselves into slave-like work, be unemployed and starve to death or find a way for themselves. A lot of former slaves went into the cities where they found work at the docks. In there past-time they did practice Capoeira. But those days Capoeira was much more diverse than today´s, and much more violent. This and the fact that people did not like poor Blacks to become competent fighter led to Capoeira being outlawed by Constitution in 1890. Even before people did not like their slaves to practice a martial art. After 1890 police did heavily cut down on Capoeiristas. Especially the more violent forms of Capoeira in Rio de Janeiro and Recife were heavily persecuted. Even those practicing a more dance-like form of Capoeira in Bahia did have problems with the police. But they had, seemingly, the least problems with the police, because by 1930 there were not many Capoeiristas left, and those that were were mostly in Salvador, Bahia.
_________________
The way of the Ninja is the way of enduring, surviving, and prevailing over all that would destroy one. More than merely delivering strikes and slashes, and deeper in significance than the simple out-witting of an enemy; Ninjutsu is the way off attaining that which we need while making the world a better place.

- Toshitsugu Takamatsu

[BloodRaven]

I'm hoping to have the 1st part of the next story arc up by the weekend.
_________________
The way of the Ninja is the way of enduring, surviving, and prevailing over all that would destroy one. More than merely delivering strikes and slashes, and deeper in significance than the simple out-witting of an enemy; Ninjutsu is the way off attaining that which we need while making the world a better place.

- Toshitsugu Takamatsu

[DesertWolf]

I seriously need to finish the background but I guess art truly imitates life in my case.I also need to continue my MA thread as well.
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“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

– Bruce Lee