Lei tai

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The Lèi tái (Traditional: 擂臺 Simplified: 擂台 – “Beat (a drum) Platform”) is a raised fighting platform, without railings, where often fatal weapons and bare-knuckle martial arts tournaments were once held. "Sanctioned" matches were presided over by a referee on the platform and judges on the sides. Fighters would lose if they surrendered, were incapacitated, were thrown or otherwise forced from the stage. The winner would remain on the stage (as its "owner") unless ousted by a stronger opponent. If there were no more challengers, they would become the champion. Private duels on the stage had no rules and were sometimes fought to the death.

In its present form, the lei tai first appeared in China during the Song Dynasty.^[1] However, ancient variations of it can be traced back to at least the Qin Dynasty.^[2] Today it is used in Sanshou and Kuoshu competitions throughout the world.

Contents 1 Etymology 2 Dimensions 3 History (prior to 1928) 4 Modern day (1928 to present) 4.1 National Boxing Competitions 4.2 Kuoshu (Lei Tai Full Contact Fighting) 4.3 Sanshou 4.4 Water lei tai 4.5 Strategy 4.6 Sparring benefits 5 Media 5.1 Film 5.2 Video games 5.3 Television 5.4 Literature 5.5 Music 6 See also 7 Notes and References 8 External links

[edit] Etymology

According to Kung Fu Magazine, the Chinese character for Lèi (擂) combines the word for "thunder" (léi 雷) with the radical for "hand" (shǒu 手). It can mean, "to give an open challenge."^[3] But taken literally, it means to “beat (a drum)". Tái means "stage" or "platform." It is also commonly referred to as a Dǎ lèi tái (Traditional: 打擂臺 Simplified: 打擂台 - "Fight Beat (a drum) Platform").^[4] The character for Dǎ combines the word for “robust or vigorous” (dīng 丁) with the radical for "hand" (shǒu 手). This can mean, "to strike, hit, beat, or fight". In Cantonese, using the Wade-Giles superscript number system, Lei tai is pronounced Leui4 Toi4. A common English rendering of this is "Lui Toi or Loey Toy".^[5] Da lei tai is pronounced Da1 leui4 toi4 or Da2 leui4 toi4.

It is important to note the Chinese military once used a Zhong Jun Lei Gu Tai (中军擂鼓台 – “Central Military Drum Beating Platform”) to drum out commands on the battlefield and to tell time in the capital city.^[6][7] (see Gulou and Zhonglou) Three kingdoms general Zhang Fei used a “drum beating platform” to teach his soldiers troop movments.^[8] It is possible that the lei tai received its name from this platform, since a superior fighter might "beat" his opponent like a drum.

[edit] Dimensions

The fighting area is square, but its exact size varies from source to source.

• The Swiss Open Kusohu Tournament states the classical lei tai fights took place on a stage at least 2.5 meters high and had a four-sided area of 100 x 100 meters.^[9]

• The Tien Shan Pai Association states it was either 24 x 24 feet or 30 x 30 feet and 2 - 4 feet high.^[10]

• The International Wushu Federation and Chinese Wushu Association commissions a lei tai which is 24 x 24 feet and 2 feet high. The surrounding mats are 6 feet long and 1 foot thick. It is called the "Nine Suns Mountain Sanda Lei tai". It was used in the 8th World Wushu Championships held in Vietnam in December 2005.^[11][12]

• The International Chinese Kuoshu Federation uses a stage 24 x 24 feet and 16 inches high.^[13]

• According to the book Chinese Fast Wrestling for Fighting: The Art of San Shou Kuai Jiao Throws, Takedowns, & Ground-Fighting, it was 24 x 24 feet and 5 feet high.^[14]

[edit] History (prior to 1928)

The lei tai first appeared during the Song Dynasty when it was used for boxing and Shuai Jiao exhibition matches and private duels.^[1] According to the Chinese Kuoshu Institute (UK), an ancestor of the lei tai was used during the Qin Dynasty to hold Jiao Li wrestling competitions between imperial soldiers. The winner would be chosen to act as a bodyguard to the emperor or a martial arts instructor for the Imperial Military.^[2]

According to Cung Le, a famous full-contact fighter, “In the old days, if you wanted to announce yourself as a boxer in a new village, you built a lei tai, stood on it, and invited all comers to try and knock you off.”^[15] Some fighters issued their challenge in the form of a hand written letter to the person they wished to face.^[9] The book Ultimate Sparring: Principles & Practices comments, "martial artists conducted ‘Challenge matches’ [on the lei tai] to test each others skills, because of a personal dispute, or to prove one martial system’s superiority over another system."^[16] Either fighter lost the match and his credibility if he fell, was forced off or was knocked to the floor of the stage. As a result, no one would want to learn boxing from him. The winner of the bout became the "owner of the platform" and remained on stage unless he was forced off himself.^[17] If there were no more challengers, he became the champion and or established the dominance of his style in that area. Another way was to defeat an already established master on the lei tai and then take over his school.^[18]

All weapons and boxing matches were conducted without protective gear and continued until either boxer was thrown from or knocked to the floor of the stage, conceded defeat, was severally injured and could no longer fight, or was killed.^[9] However, the railess architecture of the lei tai allowed a fighter to escape serious injury if they faced a more powerful opponent. All they had to do was leap down from the stage. This constituted a loss, but the boxer lived to fight another day.^[3] Despite this option, the Nationalist government banned the old traditions of private duels on the lei tai in 1928 because too many people were dying.^[19][3]

[edit] Modern day (1928 to present)

[edit] National Boxing Competitions

In order to screen the best practitioners for teaching positions at the newly founded Central Kuoshu Institute (中南國術館), and in the provincial schools, Generals Zhang Zhi Jiang (张之江) (1882-1966), Li Lie Jun (李烈鈞) (1882-1946) and Li Jing Lin (李景林) (1884-1931) held the first modern full contact, national competition in October 1928. Many traditional masters did not compete because they believed their skills could only be proven in serious duels and not "sporting" contests. However, the event attracted hundreds of the best Chinese martial artists who participated in boxing, weapons and wrestling in a lei tai ring format. But after the first several days, the fighting competitions had to be halted because two masters were killed and many more seriously injured. The final 12 contestants were not permitted to continue for fear of killing off some of the greatest masters of the time. The overall winner was voted on by a jury of his peers. Many of the "Top 15" finishers (some being Xingyi boxers) went on to teach at the institute.

In 1929, the governor of Guangdong Province invited some of the institutes's masters (including some of those that had competed in the 1928 lei tai) to come south to establish a "Southern Kuoshu Institute". General Li Jinglin chose five masters to represent northern China. These men were known as the Wu hu xia jiangnan (五虎下江南 - "Five tigers heading south of Jiangnan"):

• Gu Ru Zhang (顾汝章) (1893-1952) of Iron Palm style. He was famously known as "Iron Palm Gu Ruzhang". He placed in the "Top 15" of the 1928 lei tai;^[20]
• Wan Lai Sheng (1903-1995) of Xingyi style;
• Fu Zhen Song (傅振嵩) (1881-1953) of Baguazhang style;
• Wang Shao Zhou (王绍周) of Chaquan style and
• Li Xian Wu of Tan Tui style

In 1933, the institute again hosted the national competition. The rules said, "...if death occurs as a result of boxing injuries and fights, the coffin with a body of the deceased will be sent home."^[21] Some of the top winners of this contest include:

• Chang Tung Sheng (1908-1986) of Shuai Jiao style. He won the heavy weight division and earned the martial nickname “Flying Butterfly”;^[22]
• Wang Yu Shan (王玉山) (1892-1976) of Taichi Praying Mantis style and
• Li Kun Shan (1894-1976) of Plum Blossom Praying Mantis style.^[23][19]

[edit] Kuoshu (Lei Tai Full Contact Fighting)

Differing mainly in regulations, such as Kuoshu's allowing competitors to strike the same place twice, kuoshu and sanshou are examples of how popular the overall concept of full-contact kung fu has become. Though a few see a stringent dividing line between the sports, some such as Anthony Goh, president of the United States of America Wushu-Kung Fu Federation, see less contrast. "The rules will always be slightly different," says Goh, but "the various names all mean the same thing."

Others see the distinction as primarily historical. Huang Chien Liang, president of the United States Kuoshu Federation and The World Kuoshu Federation, notes that "Kuoshu has another meaning as 'national art.' In 1928, the Central Kuoshu Academy was formed, and they sponsored a full-contact tournament, but when the Communists took over China, the original Chinese government moved to Taiwan, where, in 1955, they held a full-contact tournament, calling it lei tai. At that time, they used the original rules; no protection, and no weight class - whatever number you picked up, you fought together. In 1975, Taiwan sponsored the first World Kuoshu Championship Tournament, and started to have weight class division. So by 1992, Taiwan had already sponsored seven kuoshu lei tai fighting events," he says.

Meanwhile in China, "kuoshu had been oppressed during the Cultural Revolution," notes president Huang, "and martial arts was then allowed only for performance until 1979, when wushu was allowed to include self-defense, so practitioners began writing the rules for the sanshou wushu tournaments, and the Communist government held a tournament called sanshou."

Confirming the common direction of Kuoshu and Sanshou toward safety, however, president Huang approves of the rules changes in full-contact kung fu. "In 1986, at the fifth world tournament in Taiwan, they had a separate weight class, but still no protection. So many people suffered a broken nose and other injuries." As a result, the International Kuoshu Federation decided to change the rules. "So since 1988, the new rules apply."^[24]

[edit] Sanshou

As previously stated, martial arts were only allowed for performance purposes until 1979. But in March of that year, the Zhejiang Provincial Sports Training Center, Beijing Physical Education University (former Beijing Physical Education Institute), and Wuhan Physical Education College were convened by the government-appointed China National Sport Committee (CNSC) to transform Sanshou into a competitive sport. By October, the first three Sanshou teams were created from fighters chosen from the aforementioned wushu colleges. Even more teams were gathered in May 1980.

The first official Sanshou rules were drafted in January of 1982 when the CNSC convened the National Sanshou Competition Rules Conference in Beijing. Six teams consisting of the Shandong, Hebei and Guangdong provincial teams, the Beijing Physical Education University and City teams and the Wuhan Physical Education College team were summoned to the conference to help formulate the regulations and points system of the sport. Ten months later, the very first Sanshou competition was held on November 1982. The original fighting area was a nine meter diameter open circle, but it was later changed to a traditional square lei tai.^[25]

According to Shuai Jiao Grandmaster Liang Shou Yu, “In the past, San Shou competition was held on the Lei Tai, a 24 x 24 foot platform 5 feet high. Victory was decided when an opponent was thrown off the Lei Tai or knocked to the floor. Therefore, Shuai Mao is an important part of San Shou fighting. A martial artist without any Shuai Jiao skills would not easily survive a San Shou match.” ^[14]

Kung Fu Magazine states just throwing someone off the lei tai in a Sanshou match is 3 points, which is “the [points] equivalent of a spinning hook kick to the head, or a perfect foot sweep.” ^[15]

(For Kuoshu and Sanshou competition rules, see "Rule Books" in External links below.)

[edit] Water lei tai

The city of Taizhou, Zhejiang hosted the first "On Water Contest of the 'Liqun Cup' International Traditional Wushu and Unique Feats Tournament" from May 22-26, 1999. It was here that 24 countries and 28 Chinese national teams, over a thousand competitors in all, gathered to test their skills against each other.

The water lei tai was held on the afternoon of the second day of competition (May 23). There were five divisions and it was the most attended event of the tournament. The event was made more difficult when it rained just prior to the matches, making the fighting surface very slippery. Also fighters were restricted to minimal safety equipment, only gloves and shorts. The defeated, who fell or was forced off the stage, landed in water. To improve safety, the lei tai was a meter shorter than a standard one, which lessened the impact and allowed assistants to quickly jump in the pool to rescue any fighter who might have been unconscious. No serious injuries were recorded during this event.^[3]

There have been more water lei tai's held since this event. In March 2004, the 9th International Chinese Kuoshu Federation (ICKF) World Championship hosted the 3rd water lei tai. The tournament venue was Aquatic Training Centre, Tainan Canal, Tainan, Republic of China Taiwan. This was the first International event hosted by the ICKF to be held entirely on water.^[26]

[edit] Strategy

Kung Fu Magazine states the lei tai’s railess architecture does not allow a fighter to trap an opponent in the turnbuckle, so the fighting strategy shifts away from power boxing to more evasive "circling" maneuvers. Nor can a fighter just rush their advisory. A quick redirection will send a charging opponent off the stage. And falling off can hurt, so fighters must deal with an added psychological factor when they approach the edge. Like Japanese Sumo, a fighter must stand their ground. Falling out-of-bounds constitutes a loss.^[3]

According to Steven Cotter, the 1995 and 1996 United States National Kuoshu Champion, “Part of the strategy is that you try to knock your opponent off of the [lei tai], and hope that they fall and possibly get injured, which gets you points.”^[27]

[edit] Sparring benefits

According to the Swiss Open Kusohu Tournament, lei tai permits the kung fu student to show their understanding of the techniques, moves, rooting, breathing and control of character (i.e. anger). Kung Fu together with lei tai trains the instincts and timing. It cultivates concentration and relaxation at the same time. It teaches practical combat applications of the disconnected moves learned from sets or Taolu ("Forms"). With lei tai a student receives personal feedback on their strengths and weaknesses.^[9]

[edit] Media

[edit] Film

• Fearless (2006). This film was loosely based on the life of Huo Yuanjia, a legendary Chinese martial artist who challenged foreign fighters in highly publicised events. The first part of the film evolves around Huo Yuanjia's ego-driven challenges on the lei tai.

• Extreme Kung Fu Qigong (1999). Kung Fu Magazine produced this 40 minute film from the Liqun Cup. (See Water lei tai) It shows various clips from the water bouts.^[28]

• Shy Spirit (羞羞鬼) (1988). This movie starred Lam Ching Ying as the “One Eyebrow Priest”. It has a long lei tai competition scene between rival kung fu schools.^[29][30]

• Da Lei Tai (a.k.a. “Da Lui Toi, Future Flash Kung Fu, Digital Master, Health Warning”) (1983). A dystopian sci-fi kung fu film set in the future.^[31] It was nominated for best picture in the 3rd Hong Kong Film Awards.^[32]

• Lei Tai (1972). This Hong Kong Cinema movie (also known under the English titles "Blood on the Sun" or "The Big Fight") involves a Lei Tai competition held by the occupying Japanese in World War II in order to cripple the local martial arts fighters to prevent them from joining the resistance. ^[33][34]

• Huang Fei-hong lei tai zheng ba zhan (1960) ("Huang Fei-hong's Combat in the Boxing Ring"). This Hong Kong Cinema movie was apart of a long series starring Kwan Tak Hing as Hung Gar Master Wong Fei Hong.

• Huang Fei-hong lei tai dou san hu (1958) ("Huang Fei-hong's Battle with the Bullies in the Boxing Ring"). It starred Kwan Tak Hing.

• Huang Fei-hong lei tai bi wu (1956) ("Huang Fei-hong at a Boxing Match"). It starred Kwan Tak Hing.^[35]

• Ge Chang Fang Shi-Yu Da Lei Tai (歌唱方世玉打擂台 – “Fong Sai-Yuk Challenges the Boxing-stage Champion") (1952). This was a black and white cantonese film about Shaolin Master Fong Sai-Yuk and his fight with a lei tai champion.^[36]

• Leitai Yingxiong (A.k.a. “Hero of the Ring, Hu Huiqian Da Leitai, Hu Huiqian Takes Up The Challenge”) (1930). It was directed by Xu Zhong Xia and starred Gao Qian Pin and Ren Chao Jun.^[37]

• Fang Shiyu Da Leitai (“Fang Shiyu Takes Up The Challenge”) (1928). It was directed by Ren Peng Qian and starred Ding De Gui, Ren Chao Jun and Wang Yang Qiao.^[38] This is another film about Shaolin Master Fong Sai-Yuk.

"刀剑 Online" lei tai.

“吞食天地 ONLINE” lei tai

[edit] Video games

• A computer role-playing game better known as "刀剑 Online" (Daojian Online) features a series of lei tai matches between characters. The game was developed by souhu.com. The large Chinese character in the middle of the platform is Wu (武 – “Martial”).^[39]

• Another game with a lei tai is “吞食天地 ONLINE” (Swallow Heaven and Earth Online). The original arcade version was better known as Dynasty Wars.^[40] The chinese character on the large backdrop is also Wu (武).

[edit] Television

• In “The Blind Bandit” episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Aang’s quest for an Earthbending teacher finds him watching “Earth Rumble VI”, a competition (and parody of Professional wrestling) between various earthbenders vying for the Championship belt. Instead of a ring, the competition is fought on a very large stone lei tai. Prior to the first round, the announcer, Xin Fu, explains the rules to the fighters, “The rules are simple. Just knock the other guy out of the ring and you win.” Aang wins the competition by knocking the “Blind Bandit” (Toph, a blind 12 year old girl), the current champion, off of the lei tai with a huge gust of wind.^[41]

[edit] Literature

• According to the book Nei Jia Quan: Internal Martial Arts Teachers of Tai Ji Quan, Xing Yi Quan, and Ba Gua Zhang, “real push hands” (including punches and body throws) are practiced upon the lei tai in Chen Village.^[42]

• Chapter 9 of the book Ultimate Sparring: Principles & Practices briefly describes “San Shou Kickboxing” and “Kusohu Sparring” and gives a detailed history of the lei tai's association with Kuoshu. It also summarizes the rules currently used in lei tai bouts by the United States Chinese Kuoshu Federation.^[16]

• The description of the book Chinese Wushu Lei Tai Sanda Free Fighting (中国武术擂台散打) says “The popular form of free fighting often performed on a [lei tai] platform. This book has clear tracing style illustrations showing the major strikes and grapples, kicks and takedowns of the art. Also weight divisions, rules and other aspects of this sport are given."^[43]

• Toshio Nobe produced a 22 volume boxing manga series called Lei Tai Yi Pian Tian (擂台一片天 – “Challenge Days”).^[44][45]

• According to Kung Fu Magazine, the Wudang Taoist Association held the first annual lei tai open tournament in 1987. Now Wudang Chief Priest Grandmaster Zhong Yun Long took part in the event when he was 22 years old.^[46]

[edit] Music

• According to the “Regional Attachments and Dialects in Chinese Music” chapter in the book Global Pop, Local Language, “[During] the Riyue Mountain Hua’er festival [in 1995]…Singers for outdoor staged concerts were selected by auditions, invitations, and/or a simple registration process. Most sang solo songs, but several concerts included a performance form called the 'Challenge arena' (leitai); this form resembles the dialogue singing of spontaneous events but with precomposed, rather than improvised, lyrics.”^[47]

[edit] See also

• List of famous lei tai fighters

[edit] Notes and References

[edit] External links

Rule Books

• Official TWKSF Kuoshu Competition Rules (PDF only) - See Chapter 3

• Rules for International Wushu Sanshou Competition - "Lei tai" is never written. However, Chapter 8 describes the fighting area as a raised wooden platform without railings, which is a lei tai.

Training

• KUOSHU WINNING SECRETS