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Crossroads at Four Gates: 2016 Edition

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  • Crossroads at Four Gates: 2016 Edition

    I've been having a lot of fun going through the videos of the Crossroads at Four Gates set from the 2007 UK Summer Camp (http://www.shaolin.org/video-clips-4.../overview.html) as well as its treatment in The Complete Book of Shaolin in preparation for Sifu's Crossroads at Four Gates course he will be teaching in St Pete this November. I find it particularly interesting to see how Sifu innovated the combination set between the book and the UK Summer Camp.

    As I prepare to teach a preparatory course to get local students ready for Sifu's course, I find that I've changed my mind from "I'll just teach the book version so that everyone will be able to use the book as a reference," to "But I really like these variations." And when I asked Sifu about the differences, and what they mean for the St Pete course, he said, "There may be variations in the arts I teach, because the arts are alive."

    I wonder what potential further variations might be in store for us in St Pete?

    Also, for those of you who were lucky enough to attend the Four Gates course at the UK Summer Camp, I wonder if you might reflect on the course these 9 years later? I'm especially curious given that Four Gates was the fundamental set taught at the southern Shaolin Temple, used as the foundation upon which the martial monks built their further kung fu attainment. Have you noticed ways that Four Gates has served as your own foundation for further attainment?

    I'll leave you with perhaps my current favorite Four Gates at the UK Summer Camp video: http://www.shaolin.org/video-clips-4...r-gates10.html
    Chris Didyk
    Shaolin Wahnam USA


    Thank You.

  • #2
    Originally posted by Grimlock View Post
    Also, for those of you who were lucky enough to attend the Four Gates course at the UK Summer Camp, I wonder if you might reflect on the course these 9 years later? I'm especially curious given that Four Gates was the fundamental set taught at the southern Shaolin Temple, used as the foundation upon which the martial monks built their further kung fu attainment. Have you noticed ways that Four Gates has served as your own foundation for further attainment?
    Glad to Chris. I was at a Cross Roads At Four Gates course in 2008 which I think is probably the same one you mean. Some very fortuitous circumstances led to me attending this course even though I hadn't planned to. Things that I remember particularly well:

    1. When practising the set after the course, which I carried on doing for a couple of years, I felt a lot of internal force both when doing it and afterwards as a result.

    2. I remember Sifu taking a break in the course to show me some more applications of patterns in a public set from my other school. I remember him being very complimentary, saying the patterns were beautiful, saying me and my other Master were smart, not smart alecs, we just practised as we had been taught, we didn't need to add or take anything away as the past Masters had thought of everything for us. He then demonstrated how the patterns could be used to counter kicks, punches, continuous attacks etc.

    3. I remember Sifu asking a question to the class, I wish I could remember the question and answer more accurately. It was something like "Which will give us the most (health?) benefits, practising standard chi kung patterns, or practising a kungfu set such as cross roads at four gates?" Mark (Appleford) Siheng answered "Practising Four Gates, because kungfu is the best chi kung." And Sifu said yes, that was correct.

    The 3 points I have made are linked by a common thread I believe, which is that a kungfu set such as Cross Roads At Four Gates can be used:
    - as chi kung, for health and other benefits;
    - to build internal force;
    - to counter any attack.

    So it is possible to attend a course such as this, and come away with a pretty comprehensive toolset.

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    • #3
      Thanks, drunken boxer, those are some interesting points! I especially like the one about kung fu being the best chi kung. Every set has its own flavor, and Four Gates definitely has its, but I can't yet really put it into words. I'm also struck by how well the combination set complements the solo set.

      Does anyone else care to answer? I saw a few familiar faces in the UK Summer Camp videos
      Chris Didyk
      Shaolin Wahnam USA


      Thank You.

      Comment

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