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  • #46
    Competition recap

    Hello all,


    Since all the hints needed to crack the competition have now been posted, let's do a recap. Below are all the hints in the order of posting.

    Remember, you have about a month to post your answers - the competition ends on May 13th, and the results will be announced on May 15th!






    Best wishes,
    Markus Kahila
    Shaolin Nordic Finland

    www.shaolin-nordic.com

    Comment


    • #47
      Originally posted by Karol View Post
      ...based on rumours heard from Sipak Markus ("your jaw will drop down hearing about winter camp courses")...
      There is only one course that would make my jaw drop down - the opportunity to learn Dragon Strength again. So my Kung Fu course guess is an abridged and modified version of Dragon Strength that is suitable for a regional course.

      My Chi Kung guess is The Art of Nei Gong.

      As for my Zen course guess ... if I had to come up with an alternative title for the Intensive Zen course in Ireland last year that summarised the benefits I derived from the course I would call it The Essence of the Buddhist and Christian tradition. So while it is probably not a great guess, my guess for the Zen course in Finland is: Attaining the Essence of the Buddhist and Christian tradition with Zen.

      Looking forward to the announcement Markus!
      Last edited by Kevin_B; 18 April 2017, 11:04 PM.

      Comment


      • #48
        Going Deep

        Great thread, Uncle Markus! I've had a great time trying to figure out the hints and doing some research about Sigung's kung fu history as I don't know very much about that. Here's what I've come up with:

        Legacy of Wong Kiew Kit - The Scholar-Warrior-Monk Ideal

        Chi Kung

        Perhaps either Bone Marrow Cleansing or Sinew Metamorphosis to honor Bodhidharma and Cosmic Breathing.

        Kung Fu

        As has been mentioned in past comments, it looks like specialties of Sigung's teachers will be emphasized, as part of the Legacy of Wong Kiew Kit idea. I'm not sure what specifically will be in the course, but I see these in the hints:

        - Tiger crane
        - Monkey style
        - Dragon set
        - Xingyiquan
        - Wing choon

        As Yue Fei was a great Marshall, kung fu master and scholar, perhaps the scholarly aspect will be looked at in one part of the course.

        Zen

        The painting of Bodhidharma with Hui Ke, who understood the "highest" teaching of Bodhidharma, and the final hint, which reminds me of the Buddha's "Flower Sermon," lead me to think Sigung will be imparting a very special Zen transmission. One could call this the "Essence of Zen" course or "Heart of the Bodhisattva" course.

        Bonus Course

        But wait, there's more! No proper "Legacy" event would be complete without the course: "Sweetening the Heart - 57 Shaolin Techniques for Enjoying 57 Ice Cream Flavors".
        Love, and do what you will.

        - St. Augustine

        Comment


        • #49
          Great stuff, everyone - keep it up!


          Best wishes,
          Markus Kahila
          Shaolin Nordic Finland

          www.shaolin-nordic.com

          Comment


          • #50
            Originally posted by Kevin_B View Post
            There is only one course that would make my jaw drop down - the opportunity to learn Dragon Strength again. So my Kung Fu course guess is an abridged and modified version of Dragon Strength that is suitable for a regional course.
            I'm not much use at guessing games but I hope Kevin is right.

            Comment


            • #51
              Dear Markus Sisookgung (?),

              now I also couldn't resist trying a guess:
               
              Chi Gung
              'Fire in Ice'
              The art of warming up like burning fire in winter conditions melting ice with 'body-warmth' as Chi Gung.
               
              Kung-Fu:
              'Sun-ny style Wudang Kung-Fu'
              Enlightening the dark 'arctic' winter in Northern Finland.
               
              Zen:
              'An Evening with a Zen Master in Complete Silence'
              As Bodhidarma's Disciple Huike attained his bone-morrow in keeping silence Sitaigung and the participants will sit the whole evening in silence. Everybody can uncover later on what has been transmitted for himself/herself. The end will be marked and the silence broken by Sitaigung unrolling a chocolate paper.
               
              (Did not read the other guesses all again, hope didn't repeat something, sorry if so).
               
              Thank you for organizing the courses,
              With Shaolin Salute,
              Michael

              Comment


              • #52
                Dear Markus Sisookgung (?),

                thank you for this thread. Here another guess, 'did I really get the hints'...:-)
                 
                Chi Gung
                'Every Day Winter Activities as Chi Gung'
                In this course it's all about turning every-day winter activities into Chi Gung. Instead of typical Chi Gung Exercises participants will be making and carrying fire-wood, shovel snow, de-frost car windows etc. as Chi Gung.
                 
                Kung Fu
                'Don't hide the Lotus flower in your sleeves - Set'
                As it's said that learing is so much about unlearning this is the 'Inverse Cross Roads at Four Gates Set'. It's performed from end to start all in backward motion and all patterns side-reversed. When participants practise this set for at least one month after the course they are ready to start from scratch again.
                 
                Zen
                ' '
                This course's title is empty. This is because this course is about emptiness and participant's should not have any expectations about the course. It's about 'giving up' one's ambition to reach something somwhere sometime so that they can sit and be just in the here and now the way Shakyamuni Buddha reached enlightenment when he just did sit down under a tree, aiming for nothing including not aiming for enlightenment.
                 
                With Shaolin Salute,
                Michael
                Last edited by MichaelS; 21 April 2017, 09:04 AM. Reason: format

                Comment


                • #53
                  I would pay good money to attend a Sun-ny Style Wudang Kungfu course


                  Best wishes,
                  Markus Kahila
                  Shaolin Nordic Finland

                  www.shaolin-nordic.com

                  Comment


                  • #54
                    Guesses arise, prizes materialize...

                    Thank you for this thread, the responses have been fun and educational!

                    Since Michael S pretty much emptied the bank on fun department and defeat is not an option, I shall give my best on the serious guess department

                    Chi kung:
                    Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung
                    Full Cosmos Chi Kung, all levels, all the way up to Big Universe. Would probably blow us straight into the Aurora Borealis.

                    Zen:
                    Art of Wisdom
                    As described in Sigungs book Art of Chi Kung. Because who doesn’t need a deeper reality check in this crazy world.

                    Kungfu:
                    I will submit two here, because both intrigue me… so here it goes:

                    Tiger-Crane Double Form Set (Fu Hok Seong Ying Khuen) of Choe family. 72 patterns of Ng Mui magic!
                    OR
                    Shaolin Dragon Form Set (Siu Lam Loong Ying Khuen) that Sigung learned from his kungfu brothers in Sifu Ho Fatt Nam lineage. There’s always room for more dragon arts!
                    ~ yaaah ~

                    Comment


                    • #55
                      My guesses

                      Dear Family!

                      Originally posted by Markus Kahila
                      - None of these courses have been taught by Grandmaster Wong before.


                      Alright, neat! This should be easy! Let me-

                      Originally posted by Markus Kahila
                      - Some of the content may have been taught at other Shaolin Wahnam courses in the past, and some has never been taught before publicly in our school.


                      Wait, what? Waaaait a minute. The sheer amount of material that becomes a valid guess after this new contest info is almost beyond comprehension (thank you Markus Sisook. No, seriously.), but I shall try anyway!
                      So after waiting for all the clues to be posted (yay for the 36 strategies!), I finally had a go at it!


                      My general guesses can be summed up thus: LET’S GO NORTH!!

                      ...

                      Because Finland is clearly in the North, ka-CHING! What, you need better arguments than that?

                      ...

                      Welp, I got nothing. Sorry.


                      ANYWAY *clears throat*... First off, it has been said that this compilation of courses will be mind-blowing. While this is something that has very often been claimed (and very often been true, woohoo) for past courses,
                      I truly wanted to go all out with the crazy guesses this time around! And CRAZY THEY ARE!


                      Also, the clues and hints only drove me bananas, because they made no immediate sense to me, no matter how hard I stared at them, so I ended up going with my first guesses and THEN looked to see what clues would fit, hahaha!

                      SO, let me present a series of Arts that are related to the North, such as the original Zen meditation of Shaolin, a specialized Art that enhances Northern Kung Fu styles and an advanced Northern Kung Fu style itself.
                      Let’s move on to the actual guesses and the reasons as to why they were picked.


                      CHI KUNG
                      Art of Lightness
                      (affiliated to Northern Styles like Seven Stars and Tantui)

                      REASONING TIMETM:
                      The first thing I’d like to mention: Even though Sigung has mentioned in his book that he might not teach the Art of Lightness because of not being able to fully demonstrate it at a course,
                      the same reasoning applied to Cotton Palm in the past, but it will now (very fortunately!!) be taught in the UK in the coming months. Hence why my hopes to learn this Art have flared back up.


                      Hint #5: The picture shows Sun Lutang, who has been associated with the Art of Lightness. Supposedly he could keep up with a trotting horse, and he was also able to leap away from falling bookshelves.
                      His own Sigung Dong Hai Chuan, the first patriarch of Baguazhang, was also known himself for Light Body skills, though he only passed them onto a few selected disciples, including Song Rangchong (also known as “Flying Legs Song”),
                      who could leap through windows, run up walls, and perform his Baguazhang along a tight-rope, if the stories are to be believed.

                      (Source: Frederick freaking Chu. The guy knows a lot. A LOT.)

                      Hint #8: The Monkey King was known for a variety of supernatural powers related to his magical skills, kung fu, and qigong. One of these was the ability of flight.
                      He was said to be able to stride clouds with a single leap as well as somersault through the air. While most humans cannot accomplish these feats, Sitaigung Ho’s Northern Shaolin master demonstrated the Art of Light Body by
                      leaping into the air with a somersault (see where I’m going with this?) and demonstrating White Crane Spreads Wings (similar to the pattern Single Leg Hungry Crane demonstrated in Hint #13) and landing atop a wall.


                      Hint #13: See above.


                      ZEN
                      Sitting Meditation
                      (Lotus Position)

                      REASONING TIMETM:
                      Hint #1: The picture gives a large hint as to the character of these courses. It shows a pivotal moment in Shaolin history: the establishment of Zen, where Hui Ke begs Bodhidharma for the highest teachings.
                      While the Northern Shaolin tradition may have begun with the teachings of Batuo in the third or fourth century, it saw its fullest maturation with the Zen of Bodhidharma.


                      Hint #7: The photograph refers to the highest level of Shaolin teachings, where Sigung is training Wuji, the stance without form.
                      At its most fundamental level, Zen is simple, direct, and effective, and if practiced correctly, will lead to mental clarity, mind expansion, and spiritual fulfilment.


                      Hint #14: This clue shows an upturned palm holding a floating lotus blossom, which can be said to demonstrate an understanding of enlightenment or the true nature of the Cosmos.
                      There’s also a poem that Sigung wrote about in The Complete Book of Shaolin, which he said encapsulated an experience that William Blake had during meditation:


                      To see a World in a Grain of Sand
                      And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
                      Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
                      And Eternity in an hour

                      Truly, Infinity and the Great Void and Enlightenment can be held in the palm of the picture’s hand, which points to Zen.
                      (Source: Frederick Chu, again. This guy remembers the ENTIRE book, just like that. Like whaaat.)


                      KUNG FU
                      Shaolin Monkey Set

                      Let me first say that I secretly think that haltia’s guess for Tiger-Crane is VERY interesting, especially because of hint #13.
                      But my own guess is Sitaigung Ho’s Shaolin Monkey Set, and here’s why!

                      REASONING TIMETM:
                      People might think that this is a guess based on hint #8, but hear me out! The picture depicts the Monkey God stealing peaches, which immediately made me go “eh, probably just there to throw us off”.
                      I eventually picked the Monkey Set because of the Northern theme of all of my guesses and because it has never officially been taught as a stand-alone course.
                      As with the other picks, the hints suddenly started to make sense on their own, as well as fit together in the theme of Northern Shaolin.
                      More thoughts supporting this theory have started pouring in once I was set on my “choice”.


                      Hint #2: This picture shows Sitaigung Ho demonstrating a pattern with the Flowing Water Staff. Of all weapons, implements, and tools of the Shaolin tradition, the martial monks of Shaolin were known for their staff first and foremost.
                      Hence, it is a fitting symbol that points to the treasures of the Shaolin temple.


                      Hint #8: If you were to choose the Shaolin Monkey set as the main kung fu style being taught, then this harkens back not only to Sitaigung Ho who was taught Monkey style kung fu by the Venerable and Handsome Monkey God himself,
                      it also calls to the Monkey God’s favored weapon, the Thousand Ton Staff which could change shape and weight at its wielder’s will.


                      Hint #10: The picture shows a statue of Yue Fei, a famous general trained in martial arts by Northern Shaolin Master Zhou Tong.
                      (Source: Yeaaah. That guy. We skype a LOT, okay?!)

                      Hint #11: This photograph depicts Sigung demonstrating Swimming Dragon Plays With Water, a pattern that demands a high level of decisiveness, mental clarity, and internal force.
                      These qualities are best attained through Zen meditation, an art which entered China through the Northern Shaolin temple at Song Mountain, founded by Venerable Batuo, but matured through Bodhidharma’s teaching.
                      This relates back to the arguments written further up (see “Sitting Meditation”)


                      Hint #13: This clue shows Sigung demonstrating Single Leg Hungry Crane, a pattern that requires much balance, accuracy, and agility, which are hallmarks especially of Northern Shaolin Kung Fu
                      They exist in Southern Shaolin, of course, but the North is apparently more well known for these qualities. Thanks, internet! The Monkey style itself is known for its agile and deceptive footwork,
                      besides performing techniques from the ground, from standing, or even on top of a very unfortunate opponent.

                      (Source: I remember Sifu saying that. Thanks Sifu !)


                      Whew, I think that covers all of it. As I want to keep my guesses to a minimum, I tried to be as thorough as possible on my first try ! Putting this together was a lot of fun, regardless of whether or not my guesses are even remotely close to the truth!

                      I’d like to thank my obsessed- I MEAN well informed Kung Fu elf that helped put some of this together. Thanks Freeeed !

                      Really looking forward to further entries and, of course, the DAY OF RECKONING!
                      So curious to see what the crazy Finns have cooked up next!

                      Warmest greetings,
                      Fabienne



                      Comment


                      • #56
                        There are some great quesses (and also useful material for upcoming courses ) so just keep the guesses coming!

                        There is still two weeks before the dead line!


                        Best wishes,

                        Nessa
                        Nessa Kahila
                        Shaolin Nordic Finland
                        Instructor
                        nessa@shaolin-nordic.com

                        www.shaolin-nordic.com

                        Comment


                        • #57
                          Dear Nessa,


                          Dear Markus,


                          - both Sipakgung or Sisookgung-


                          thank you very much for organizing the courses and this thread.


                          As 'all good things come in threes' here another and third guesswork:




                          Chi Gung


                          'Expaning into the Void'


                          We do 'Expanding into the Cosmos' and 'Merging with the Cosmos'. Now, how do you 'translate this to yourself'? Does Cosmos mean the 'Great Ultimate' or 'Tai Chi' excluding the great void or including? Never mind, here 'it's in'.




                          Kung Fu


                          choice of


                          a) 'Really Drunken Kung Fu' Course


                          Here you will learn this marvellous techniques and get a 'near-life-experience'. You will learn that Kung Fu really isn't puritan at all. 'Drunken people never hurt themselves' is old wisdom, which gives an ideal foundation for sparring application.


                          b) 'Really Delivering Your Coup de Grace' Course


                          Where Kung Fu was a real life task in a real environment it has became a trainig hall activity. If you think that 'Delivering a coup de grace' is trying to 'kick somebody's balls' in an in-door training session wearing sneakers, you may have only gotten part of it yet. And what's the real life application of it? Quick reality check, in real life this is called a 'coup' (and I can see some grace in it):


                          - picture left out -


                          Specifically, this is 'Coup Denmark'.


                          - picture left out -


                          Specifically, this is 'Coup C'.


                          This course will open your eyes to new levels and ranges of real life application, something our school is leading in.


                          c) 'The Marvellous Dragon Slaining Set' Course *)


                          Is 'Dragon Strength' the 'end of the row'? The wisdom from Sichangung Ho Fatt Nam as passed down by Sitaigung is: 'There is a counter to everything'. The way how to deal with dragons in quite many traditions is to kill them, and it was performed throughout history by people considered sages. So, if you have missed the 'Dragon Strength course' this may be an interesting option for you.


                          *) April 23 was 'St. Georg Day', so happy St. George Day, belatedly.




                          Zen


                          'Initiation into Maytrea Buddha's Age'


                          At the core of what's called 'Buddhism' is, as Sitaigung pointed out many times, that everybody is already 'Buddha'. It's that what you can never achieve, never develop, never reach, not in aeons in this world or another one, because it's that what you already are. Maybe in disguise, but in Zen 'Enlightenment is instant'. So, what's needed? Maytrea's age is the age of laughter, also according to Sitaigung. So all that's needed is laughter. This course comes with a 'no refund policy' as you will learn that you cannot blame it on others if you took things to seriously or didn't laugh.


                          With Shaolin Salute,


                          Michael
                          Last edited by MichaelS; 29 April 2017, 08:26 PM. Reason: typo

                          Comment


                          • #58
                            Fabienne.... your guesses are the ones that came to my instinctively when the competition was announced Perfect bucket list combo either way!
                            ~ yaaah ~

                            Comment


                            • #59
                              . . . . . . . .

                              Another Day another Guess....

                              Zen :
                              How to rise from the Phenomenal World to attain Purification of the Spirit and the Mind for inner Peace and Harmony.



                              James
                              Aaahhhhh!

                              Comment


                              • #60
                                Looks to be certain the Dragon theme, so an updated Kung Fu guess;

                                Kung Fu:
                                A Tribute set to the 5 Legendary Elders applying Dragon essence, form and philosophy from each of the Treasure Sets from those Great Masters.

                                O\
                                Aaahhhhh!

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