Dragon Kung Fu

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Chinese dragons
Chinese dragons

The movements of the Dragon style (traditional Chinese: 龍形摩橋; Yale Cantonese: long4 ying4 mo1 kiu4; literally "dragon shape rubbing bridges") of Chinese martial arts are based on the mythical Chinese dragon.

Long before Saint George encountered his legendary beast, the Dragon played an influential and beneficial role in Chinese culture. An amalgam of several creatures, including monitor lizards, pythons and the Chinese alligator, the polymorphic dragon was a water spirit, responsible for bringing the rains and thus insuring the survival of crops. The dragon was symbolic guardian to the gods, and was the source of true wisdom. This latter feature most likely resulted from the observation of the living reptilian counterparts which, usually at rest, seem to be in a near constant state of contemplation.

The dragon represented two of the ancient elements, Earth and Water, endowing the creature with powers of elusion and power. A Yang symbol, the Taoists saw the dragon as a personification of the Tao itself--"the Dragon reveals himself only to vanish." Shaolin Buddhists saw him as a vision of enlightened truth, to be felt, but never to be held. Certain very old men were called dragons, these being well versed in the life-supporting skills of herbal medicine, agriculture, and kung fu. In early China, these skills were surely a matter of life or death, and those so educated were held in high esteem.

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[edit] History

The original stretching and twisting movements associated with Dragon (Lung Ying Ch'uan) were part of Bodhidharma's exercises which he taught after founding Shaolin temple in Honan around 570 A.D. The true emergence of a martial discipline can be traced to about 1565 A.D., but the originators are uncertain. Two legends seem noteworthy. One states that the Shaolin nun Wu Mui created the style by using moves of deception and melding with an opponent. The other credits a monk, Mui Fa San Yang with contemplating his kung fu training and daydreaming about countermoves, when he became inspired by the twisting movements of the dragon. The style was called Yow Kueng Moon, and was advanced by Yang's abbot, Tai Yuk Sim See. Both these stories place the origin at Honan Shaolin Temple. Since then, Dragon Kung Fu has evolved into two distinct styles, Southern (1565) and Northern (1680). Each consists of non-temple variations, in essence units of instruction taken, incompletely, from Shaolin, and molded into family styles. A new synthesis to organize the Shaolin styles and systematize a combined approach was begun in 1972. Of historical note, the style considered southern was the original form brought south from Honan, while northern evolved in the north after the burning of the temple in 1570 A.D. and is one of the five animal forms found in Bak Sil Lum Gung Fu, having much more footwork and deadly kicking techniques, while the hand techniques were mixed with the Fung Ying Ch'uan or "Phoenix Eye Fist," because of its quick straight forward hand techniques made to destroy the opponent.

The history of Dragon style has historically been transmitted orally rather than by text, so its origins will probably never be known in their entirety. Modern Dragon style's history can be reliably traced back to the monk Tai Yuk Sim See who was the abbot of Wa Sau Toi (White Hair) temple on Mount Luofu. No reliable records of the style's origin prior to that exist, though there is much speculation regarding the subject.

Dragon style has roots in Hakka Kuen, a combination of the local styles of the Hakka heartland in inland eastern Guangdong with the style that the monk Gee Sim Sim See taught in Guangdong and the neighboring province of Fujian in the 1700s.[1]

North of the Dongjiang in the northwest of Bóluó (博羅) County in the prefecture of Huizhou in Guangdong Province is the sacred mountain Luófúshān. Luófúshān is the site of many temples, including Wa Sau Toi where, c. 1900, a Chan (Zen) master named Tai Yuk taught Dragon style to Lam Yiu-Kwai, who in turn passed the art on to the many students of his schools in Guangzhou.

Lam Yiu-Kwai and Cheung Lai-Chuen were good friends from their youth in the Dongjiang region of Huizhou, longtime training partners and later cousins by marriage. Lam and Cheung would open several schools together, and Dragon style and Cheung's style of Bak Mei share many similarities.

A variation of the Dragon style is taught by the Long Choo Kung Fu Society based in Penang, Malaysia and with branches in Australia. Founded by Li Ah Yu and his father near the turn of the century, this association claims it is teaching a Soft / Hard Dragon style originating from Fukkien province.[2]

[edit] Methods and Philosophy

Dragon kung fu is essentially an internal, ch'i cultivating method, but initial training is far more similar to a hard, external style than a delicate, reptilian approach. In learning the moves, the student will strike hard, block hard and stomp into each position, with the idea of learning the proper place to be once each movement is complete. Eventually, the method of transmitting power is retained, and the physically strengthened body is able to make transitions in the proper, fluid manner. In turn, this reptilian smoothness helps disguise the attack, making it extremely difficult for an adversary to effectively counter.

Once a purely physical semblance to flow has been mastered, the disciple incorporates the deep hissing sounds to train ch'i flow. Inhaling is silent, but exhalation is deliberate, tense and controlled. Inhaling lightens the body for aerial maneuvers, while exhaling drives power into each technique. Blocking is dispensed with, and parries or simple strikes substituted. At this point, novice and advanced student show very little in common.

On the highest level, an opponent is allowed to tire himself out, evasion becoming the Dragon's key defense. Ch'i control is highly developed, and the degree to which the body must be moved to redirect or avoid impact is under greater control.

The forms that comprise this system are divided by complexity into three categories, and are enumerated below:

  • Basic
    • 16 Hole
    • Passing Bridge Three Times
    • Fierce Tiger Leaping Over Wall
    • Rescue Master From Single Side
    • Single Sword and Mount
    • Press and Hit from Four Sides
    • Eagle Claw
    • Bridge Smashing
  • Intermediate
    • Touch Bridge (introduces sticking hands)
    • Venomous Snake Moves Tongue
    • Hua King's Fist
    • Standing Five-Form
    • Cross Standing Five-Form
    • Turn to Hook and Hit
    • Five Horses Returning to Stable Palm
  • Advanced
    • Plum Flower Punch
    • Seven Ways of Plum Flower Punch

In each form, one is taught to "ride the wind", a phrase which in large part means follow rather than lead. Provide no opening without first letting your opponent open. Unlike Crane, which also relies heavily upon evasion as a tactic, the Dragon evades primarily by rotation of upper or lower torso with little or no stance movements, while the Crane stylist hops frequently to reposition the entire body. Both styles employ pinpoint strikes to vulnerable meridian targets, but dragon also heavily uses tiger-like punches and clawing techniques, snake-like stance shifts, and leopard-like hit and run strikes to weaken a physically superior adversary. Dragon kung fu also regularly employs low sweeping techniques, but these are not unique; most senior stylists of any kung fu system use these on a weakened adversary.

[edit] Rank by Title and Connecting Dragon Elements

  • White- Begining, Dragon of the West, Metal, also known as Jian Bing
  • Yellow- Dragon of the Center, Earth, also known as Huanglong the Imperial Dragon
  • Green- Dragon of the South, Fire, also known as Ling Guang
  • Blue- Dragon of the East, Wood, also known as Mang Zhang
  • Red- Feilong, Dragon of Air
  • Black- Advanced, Dragon of the North, Water, also known as Zhi Ming
  • Jade- Jiaolong, Panlong, Dragons of Myth
  • Ruby- Fucanglong, the Treasure Dragon
  • Emerald- Dilong, The Earth Dragon
  • Sapphire- Yinglong, The Responding Dragon
  • Silver- Shenlong, The Spirit Dragon, Beginning T'ien Lung Ch'uan (external) and T'ien Lung Tao (internal)
  • Gold- Tianlong, Heaven Dragon, "Jeet Li" or Dragon Grandmaster, Completion of T'ien Lung Ch'uan (external) and T'ien Lung Tao (internal)

[edit] Techniques

[edit] Overview

The dragon stylist relies on a variety of fighting techniques that can be employed for a wide range of needs. The style uses techniques that can cripple or kill an opponent if the need arises or it can be used simply to control a minor street fighting situation.

Like most southern style kung fu, it has limited kicks and jumps and consisted mainly of fist, palm and clawing techniques. Power generated from the waist using soft hard jin.

[edit] Basics

The Dragon Kung Fu practitioner typically attacks with winding low yang; that is, powerful and quick movements. For example, when striking with the fist, more power can be exerted when the movement originates from the feet, is guided by the waist, flows through the body, and exits through the fist.

[edit] Foot work

In Southern Dragon style, leg work is characterized by a zig-zag motion that mimics the imagined movement of the mythical Chinese dragon. This also allows one to use floating and sinking movements which are very important in generating power and stability, making your body calm and relaxed.

[edit] Southern Dragon style motto

"Control yourself, let others do what they will.
This does not mean you are weak.
Control your heart, obey the principles of life.
This does not mean others are stronger."

[edit] Codes of Southern Dragon style

  • The seeds were first planted from Haufeng; the essence was gained later at Haushou
  • Restrain one's self and yield to others not because one is weak, but to uphold the ethical Tao and let the others have their claim.

[edit] Four rules & two principles

  1. Focus to train and condition the body. One must not have any act of laziness.
  2. Be righteous and uphold your honor. One must not have any act of hypocrisy.
  3. Respect your parents, honor your teacher. One must not have any act of defiance.
  4. Treat others with honesty, treat your friends with loyalty. One must not have any act of arrogance.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Steve Martin. History of Southern Dragon Style Kung Fu. Retrieved on 2007-07-15.
  2. ^ Loong Choo Kung Fu Society. A Brief Historical Background of Loong Choo Kung Fu Society. Retrieved on 2007-11-20.

the dragon kung fu is precise, it is unpredictable and accurated. it focuses on exhaling and unleashing the fist(kentos)

[edit] Dragon style in popular culture

These are all examples of Northern Dragon Style - rather than the aforementioned Southern Dragon (Lung Ying).

Jackie Chan uses the Dragon Style in his movie "Dragon Fist".

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  • Chow, David; & Spangler, Richard (1982). Kung Fu: History, Philosophy and Technique. Burbank, CA: Unique Publications. ISBN 0-86568-011-6. 
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