Legacy of Wong Fei Hung Q+A Series by Sifu

[Mark A]

Dear Family,
I feel safe in speaking for all of us when I say that we have all appreciated the past Q+A series that Sifu has kindly answered. It allow's us to truly appreciate the breath and depth of Sifu's knowledge, skill, experience and insight into the many topics he has answered.


This latest Q+A about the Legacy of Wong Fei Hung is something that I am personally excited about and anticipate some truly amazing answers. The course will include some of Sifu's most innovative material and specialised Kung Fu Skills such as the Iron Wire Set, and his famous Tiger Claw
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The course itself will include the Taming Tiger Set, Lam Sai Wings 108 Tiger Crane Set, 5th Octagon Staff Set, No Shadow Kicks skills training, Iron Wire all put through Sifu's 60+ years experience.

We have all experienced dinner's with Sifu, when you ask a question and he drops divine answers that go way beyond the scope of what you asked

Sifu may never have a chance to share his knowledge about Wong Fei Hung or this material again so this is your chance to ask Sifu questions and gain rare jewels of answers and insights

Peace

Mark

[PM]

Dear Sifu,

How are you? Thank you for this wonderful opportunity. I have so many questions, but I had to choose one, so here it is:

Number 112 of Grand Master Lam Sai Wing's classical "Tiger and Crane" manual summarizes various techniques of the set:

• Tiger Form: Seung Fu Jaau, Daan Fu Jaau, Wui Tau Fu, Jak Min Fu, Che Ma Fu, Cheut Saan Fu, Ha Saan Fu, Hoi San Fu
• Crane Form: Baau Hok, Ngo Hok, Duk Geuk Fei Hok, Hok Chi, Hok Ding, Hok Jeui, Hok Jaau
• Hung Ga Saam Jin Sau
• Fat Ga Lo Hon Kyun

Would you be please so kind and explain some details regarding these techniques, their meaning, principles and application?

Thank you Sifu, thank you Mark.

With respect

[David Langford]

Dear Sigung,

I am very curious about the nature of the 12 bridges of Iron Wire in application when using techniques and strategies found within the Tiger-Crane 108, and Taming the Tiger. Could you please give us some examples of how they are used?

Many thanks!

David

[Leo Shaolin]

Thank you Mark Siheng for starting this thread!


Dear Sifu,

Thank you for once more giving us the opportunity to ask questions and taking part at another epic Q&A series.

What are the characteristics of the predominant animals in Wong Fei Hoong’s Hoong Ka Kung Fu, the tiger and the crane (and of the other Shaolin animals), in combat application and especially in daily life?

For people with what kind of character and body type is Hoong Ka best suitable and therefore recommended to specialize in?

I’m so looking forward to the course at the UK Summer Camp!

Best wishes,
o\

Leo

[Andy]

Thanks Sihing for enabling this series!

Dear Sifu,

Wong Fei Hung is one of the great folk heroes of China, and nowadays is known throughout the world. Unfortunately, comparatively few people today practice the arts that he transmitted and systematised.

Supposing a young person was inspired by the films and stories to learn the Southern Shaolin of Wong Fei Hung;

• Can you outline the general aims, path and benefits of the Art?
  
• Can you also talk about the martial and holistic benefits of the particular sets to be taught at the upcoming U.K. Summer Camp?

Thanks in advance,

[Guest]

Dear Sifu,

Grandmaster Lam Sai Weng practiced Iron Wire, yet he also practiced everyday for hours the "Technique of Wave Breaking Hands".

My question's are:

Would it be beneficial to our practice if we also incorporated the Technique of Wave Breaking Hands into our training?

Would he have practiced other external methods? (like our methods of Tiger Claw training).

Why do you think he practiced Wave Breaking Hands? (when Iron Wire is already very powerful). Is it because the standard was exceptionally high back in those days?

Thank you in advance,

Sham.

[JasD]

Dear Sifu,

1. Since we have the advantage of chi flow and being able to develop internal force from the first day, how long and what manner of practice would enable a shaolin wahnam student
to reach the level of internal force of Wong Fei Hung?

2. In Grandmaster Lam's Iron wire book it says that it is possible to become 9 times your strength by practicing iron wire. What does this mean and how long and often do you think he practised iron wire to attain that result?

3. What is your favourite story about Wong Fei Hung?

Thank you

Jas

[Mark A]

Great Questions

Dear Family,
These are great questions. So keep them coming

Peace

Mark

[Luo Lang]

Dear Sifu,

So far I could enjoy many different force training methods which you generously taught on various courses.

One result of the Iron Wire set training which was outstanding was the tremendous mental clarity I could experience. Why do you think is that so?

You told me that the Iron Wire was evolved out from the Triple Stretch. The Triple stretch method on the other hand evolved from the Sinew Metamorphosis if I remember correctly. Could you please elaborate how the different exercises and skills interact with eachother and how do you think the whole evolution process was taking place?

[Leo Shaolin]

Hmmmm… When there’s an opening, move in swiftly!


As there are still some questions left, I’m going to post another one that came up recently when planning my daily training sessions including the sets for the upcoming Legacy of Wong Fei Hoong course.

When I learned One Finger Shooting Zen at the Intensive Shaolin Kung Fu course in 2012, I decided to practice it every single day for the rest of this life and haven’t missed practice since then.

Now, in Hoong Ka Kung Fu there are many patterns using the One Finger Zen hand form and therefore supplement wonderfully to my One Finger Zen training.


Sifu, would you please elaborate on the similarities, varieties and differences between the One Finger Zen techniques in Hoong Ka Kung Fu:
- Triple Stretching of Pearl Bridge
- One-Finger Stabilizes Empire (in 2 character stance using the triple stretch method and in sideways horse stance)
- Double Dragon Emerges from Sea (here with One Finger Zen hand form)
- Circulating Soft Bridge
- Bow Arrow Threads Bridge
- Finger Fist Double Shine (in Iron Wire)
and compare it to One Finger Shooting Zen?

Based on this comparison, is it necessary / recommended to keep training One Finger Shooting Zen separately too?


Thank you so much again for offering this amazing Q&A series!

Best wishes,

Leo

[Mark A]

7 Question so Far

Dear Family Members,
We have had seven questions so far . Many with different parts to them the tradition has evolved for there to be 10 questions for Sifu. So keep them coming

Peace

Mark

[Mark A]

Question 1 Part A

Hey Folks,
Here is Part of Question 1

Question 1

Grand Master Lam Sai Wing's classical "Tiger and Crane" manual summarizes various techniques of the set:

Tiger Form: Seung Fu Jaau, Daan Fu Jaau, Wui Tau Fu, Jak Min Fu, Che Ma Fu, Cheut Saan Fu, Ha Saan Fu, Hoi San Fu

Crane Form: Baau Hok, Ngo Hok, Duk Geuk Fei Hok, Hok Chi, Hok Ding, Hok Jeui, Hok Jaau

Hung Ga Saam Jin Sau

Fat Ga Lo Hon Kyun

Would you be please so kind and explain some details regarding these techniques, their meaning, principles and application?

Pavel Macek Sifu


Answer

Grandmaster Lam Sai Weng’s classic, “Tiger-Crane”, is a great contribution to kungfu. I have benefitted very much from it.

I bought the classic when I was learning Shaolin Kungfu from Uncle Righteousness in the 1950s. I did not understand its depth then, I was only interested in the external forms of the set. It was much later when I had a better understanding of kungfu philosophy that I could derive more benefits.

The meaning, principle and application of the techniques are as follows.

“Seong Fu Jaau” means double tiger-claws. This technique is found in the pattern “Hungry Tiger Catches Goat” (Pattern 61). The principle is to control an opponent with one tiger-claw and simultaneously attack him with the other.

It was recorded that “Hungry Tiger Catches Goat” was a favorite of Wong Fei Hoong. It is also one my favorites in all kungfu, not only in Tiger-Crane. I used this pattern often in my younger days of sparring and actual fighting.

The pattern can be used to counter any attack – be it striking, kicking, felling or gripping! If an opponent executes a punch or a kick, for example, I sink back to avoid it, immediately sweep away the attach and “tame” or control the opponent, and simultaneously counter attack his face, gripping his eyes or vital points.

If an opponent attempts to fell me, I move back my back leg to neutralize his leverage advantage, cover him with one tiger-claw preventing him from further strikes, move in my front leg into his stance, and attack his face with my other tiger claw. If he grip my one hand or two hands, I circulate my one or two hands to release the grip, rotating my waist for better momentum, cover him adequately, and counter-attack with my other tiger-claw.

There is a poetic couplet reminding practitioners the finer points of this pattern which sounds as follows in Cantonese:

Tzi ng seong fu ma tan yew
Di mei fok si mut hai kew

It means that when applying double tiger-claws one should slant forward his body in Bow-Arrow stance, and must not be negligent to tame the opponent adequately.

This explains why in the pattern the exponent’s body is slanting forward, and one arm is horizontally in front.

“Daan Fu Jaau” means ingle tiger claw. It is found in “Single Tiger Emerges from Cave” (pattern 62(. Its principle is “lean” or “thap” in Cantonese, i.e. you “lean” your technique on an opponent’s attack, not block it as some students wrongly think.

There is no need to block an opponent’s attack because the defence is in the footwork. By move back your front leg to a False-Leg Stance, or shifting to a Seven-Star Stance in the Tiger-Crane Set, you have avoided the attack.

At an advanced stage, you do not just “lean’ your arm on the attacker’s arm, but also your tiger-claw on the attacker’s face from outside in, implementing the principle “kiew lei kiew seong ko”, which means “when there is a bridge, go over the bridge”.

[Dominic Roche]

Dear Mark Sisook,

Thank you for facilitating this wonderful thread.

Dear Sigung,

Thank you for giving us another wonderful opportunity to ask you questions and learn so much from you.

My Question: Could you please tell me how Wong Fei Hung lived his life, trained and became so well known throughout the world?

Shaolin salute,
Dominic.

[Zhang Wuji]

I am going to be greedy and ask three (3) !!! questions. I am so excited about attending the course that I can't help it!

In my experience sparring with other martial artists, I have come across several exponents who are very fast and powerful, with near-instant reflexes and adaptability. Apart from the fact that they are naturally gifted with such athletic abilities, they tell me that their speed and power are developed through what we would call external training methods. As Sifu has mentioned before, someone learning a more complex art like Taijiquan or high level Shaolinquan would take longer to reach a high level of combat efficiency compared to an art with less techniques. The same principle seems to apply to the training of force as well – a martial artist using external methods can attain quite a high level of power, even if he may be overtaken in the long run by someone training internal force methods.

Following from the paragraph above, I have two questions, related to each other:

(1) For a Shaolin exponent who primarily trains using internal training methods, how substantial should his internal force have to be before it is comparable to that of a competent and diligent external martial artist?

(2) An external martial artist who seeks to increase his strength and power would use progressions such as using heavier and heavier weights, spending more time or repetitions, or training more frequently.

How would an internal martial artist like Wong Fei Hong progress if he wants to increase his internal force or be able to apply his internal force in more ways, such as improving his speed and reflexes?

[Zhang Wuji]

And my third and last question:

In Hong Kong movies, Wong Feihong is often portrayed as being able to handle multiple armed assailants, and seems to have eyes at the back of his head. A lot of this may be due to exciting choreography by the martial arts director but I have wondered to what extent a real-life Shaolinquan practitioner would be able to do the same.

Sifu, you have described in your books and Q&A that you have had experiences when a fight seemed to be in slow-motion and you had the time to select appropriate counters. This phenomenon (Tachypsychia) is well-documented in scientific journals as well as the accounts of the experiences of world-class athletes, soldier-warriors, policemen and firemen, although scientists attribute this to rapid chemical (hormonal) changes in the body in response to stressful situations.

It seems to me that these abilities – all-round awareness and slowing down real-time events in the mind – would be pivotal to victory not only in life and death combat, but also friendly sparring. Are such abilities only possessed by a select few, such as those well-trained elite athletes and soldiers, or can these abilities be cultivated as part of our current training methods?