Boulder Internal Arts - Awareness Through Marital Movement : August 2020

Sunday, August 30, 2020

Shaolin Legacy - Part One - Kungfu Explained #02

Friday, August 28, 2020

7 Star: Qixing Fundamentals - Marcus Brinkman

My teacher Marcus Brinkman - Learn Xingyi Quan & Bagua Zhang at Boulder Internal Martial Arts

"various clips which refer to the 7 Star Step, concept, and usage in accordance with Xingyiquan and Baguazhang"

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Chinese Swords - Miáodāo (苗刀)

"Miáodāo - a long saber? In today's martial arts circles the word is exclusively associated with a large two-handed saber, and only the top example in the above picture would be recognized as a miáodāo. Understandibly so, because the single handed narrow saber, also known as the liǔyèdāo (柳葉刀), gradually fell out of use not long after the fall of the Qing. It got replaced by the iconic niúwěidāo (牛尾刀) that is seen in the hands of every martial artist from the 1930s, and so the only narrow saber that remained in use was the long variety." - Peter Dekker

Read the rest HERE

Monday, August 24, 2020

Xingyi Five Element Pao (Cannon) Fire Fist - Marcus Brinkman

My teacher Marcus Brinkman - Learn Xingyi Quan at Boulder Internal Martial Arts

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Chen Taiji Quan - Chen Zhonghua's Practical Method

Thursday, August 20, 2020

Xinyi Liuhe Quan - Ma Deyun explains applications of Danba in Luoyang branch

"Ma Deyun is one of the leading masters of the less known system of Xinyi Liuhe Quan practised in Luoyang. While the more popular branch from Lushan/Zhoukou has received more attention due to the efforts of the disciples of Yuan Fengyi, especially Lu Songgao, who taught in Shanghai, the Luoyang system has remained relatively obscure and has been taught within the muslim communities of the city only. It comes from Ma Xing, student and relative of Ma Xueli, who was not only a skilful martial artist, but also a well educated military official. While Luoyang system differs from the Lushan/Zhoukou branch, their theory and principles remain the same. On this video Ma Deyun, the disciple of famous Jin Heiyan demonstrates and explains the applications of the key basic method of the system - Dan Ba (Single Seize).

What makes the video really interesting are the principles of the system behind these simple applications: importance of footwork (old Xinyi Liuhe Quan boxing manual speaks of "defeating all under heaven with the old rooster shape" - Rooster Shape focuses on developing footwork), following the movements of the opponent and adjusting ones stance accordingly (against common idea of xinyi/xingyi as systems with "going through the wall" mindset), fighting in close distance and using the body rather than just hands.

Great attention is paid to the correct position of the feet, especially the front foot, which "seizes the ground", while the rear one is the engine behind the movement and its applications. It shows how direct yet at the same time sophisticated the system is, and how various skills - coordination, footwork, using body - must be developed first to make its techniques effective." by Jarek Szymanski

For more information about traditional martial arts of China please visit:http://www.chinafrominside.com/

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Chinese Swords and Swordsmanship: the Qing Wodao #chinese sword

"The Qing imperial regulations, the Huangchiao Liqi Tushi, lists no less than 7 types of Chinese two-handed sabers with long grips issued during the dynasty. In this episode, Scott M. Rodell looks at a rare variant, the Qing period Wōdāo (窩刀). This dao was issued to the Lùyíng (綠營), the Green Braves.

The Lùyíng were the ethnically Han Army. Manchus, Mongols and some Chinese who joined the Qing cause early on formed the Eight Banners. With the majority of Han people being drafted into the Lùyíng or Green Braves. The Wō character used here is a homonym for the Wō in Wōkòu (倭寇). In that case it means Dwarf Bandit a derogatory term for the Japanese. Here is has the meaning of a small place, or a place where animals live, or a place where a group of bad people gather. So this sword is the Qing take on the Katana. The regulations stipulate that the blade be curved like a Lùyíng Piāndāo (綠營㓲刀), the slicing saber which is depicted in the regulations with an accelerating curvature, as see on this example.

Some have mistaken the Wōdāo, this Chinese version of a katana, with the Miáodāo (苗刀). There are however two important differences, the blade and hilt lengths. The Wōdāo has a 31” blade that is balance by the long grip such that it is easy to wield with one hand. The Miáodāo is a true two-handed saber with on average a 35” long blade . While they make look the same in a photo, any practitioner will notice the difference straight away. They are indeed two very different weapons" Scott Rodell.

Sunday, August 16, 2020

Early Yang style Taijiquan demonstrated by Niu Chunming

"The footage from 1960, the first documentary promoting Taijiquan and focusing on one person: Niu Chunming, one of four earliest disciples of Yang Chengfu. Niu followed Yang Chengfu and Yang Jianhou, Chengfu's father, for 17 years. Niu Chunming (1881-1961) of Manchu nationality, was born in Beijing, first studied the art of gardening and osteopathy, but his interest in martial arts lead him to study Yang Family Taijiquan. 

Although he became the disciple of Yang Chengfu in 1902 it was Yang's father, Yang Jianhou, who taught Niu. The relation became very close in 1907 when Niu took the post of the doctor for the Capital Fire Brigade, which Yang Jianhou was the honorary coach of martial arts at.  In 1914 Niu became the assistant instructor at the Yang family martial arts school in Beijing, also supporting Yang Chengfu when he taught in Hangzhou in 1928. When Yang Chengfu moved further to teach in Shanghai and Guangzhou, Niu continued to teach in Hangzhou, and soon became famous for his skill in pushing hands. In 1956 Niu took part in all-China Wushu Competition, and called by the young athletes who crossed hands with him "Niu the Strongman". According to his disciples Niu's power came from daily practice of dou dagan - shaking the long pole - which he learnt from Yangs. Another skill Niu learnt from Yang Jianhou was point striking - apparently Niu's fingers were so hard he could open a steel can with them. Niu was also a successful TCM doctor, although would often proudly say that he preferred to recommend Taijiquan to cure diseases instead of medicine. 

In 1960 Chen Yun, then vice-chairman of the CPC and one of the most powerful people in the country (in the 1980s and 1990s second only to Deng Xiaoping), as well as Teng Daiyuan, the head of the Ministry of Railways, were recuperating in Hangzhou and asked Niu to teach them Taijiquan. Soon Chen arranged a set of still photos of Niu to be taken, and not longer later a documentary featuring Niu and called "Forever Young" was shot in Hangzhou. Only 9 minutes of the documentary have survived relatively intact to these days - this is the video presented here." by Jarek Szymanski

For more information about traditional martial arts of China please visit: www.ChinaFromInside.com 
 
Source：https://v.qq.com/x/page/a03102gkble.html

BIA Note - Bagua and Xingyi Master Wu Meng Xia was also a student of Niu Chunming. Wu was also a student of Bagua master Gao Yi Xiang. It has been suggested that the Tian Gun exercises in Wu's branch of bagua came from Niu Chunming and the Yang style of Taiji and were modified for use in his bagua.

Friday, August 14, 2020

Xingyi Quan - Pi Quan [內家小哥的形意拳與八卦掌世界] - 形意拳基本慨念第一集劈拳

Monday, August 10, 2020

The Northern Praying Mantis Style- Brendan Lai 黎達沖 Forms and Applications

The Northern Praying Mantis Style - Brendan Lai 黎達沖 Forms and Applications

Saturday, August 8, 2020

Sun Style Taijiquan in 1978 - Madame Sun Jianyun

"Madame Sun Jianyun (1914-2003) was the daughter and main inheritor of Sun Lutang's martial art system, and specialized in its core methods of "three barehand styles three straight swords": empty hand and sword methods of Xingyi, Bagua and Taiji. Sun Lutang, arguably the most influencial martial artist of the internal family, learnt Wu Yuxiang style Taijiquan from Hao Weizhen after being an accomplished master of both Xingyi and Bagua; later in his life Sun created own style of Taijiquan; he incorporated key elements of all three systems he had studied into the body of Taijiquan. Sun style Taijiquan contains the quintessence of his life-long pursuit for perfection on the path of martial arts - which is described by the concept of Zhonghe - Central Harmony, permeating all its methods. This rare video was taken in 1978, when Madame Sun was 64, and is her earliest known complete demonstration of Sun Style Taijiquan. For more information about traditional martial arts of China please visit: www.ChinaFromInside.com" by Jarek Szymanski

Thursday, August 6, 2020

Wudang Martial Arts Daoist Master Guo Gaoyi

"A very rare video of taoist master Guo Gaoyi demonstrating part of Wudang Taiyi Xuanmen (Taoist) Sword. Guo Gaoyi (1924-1996) was the first head coach of martial arts in Zixiao Palace, one of the main taoist temples in Wudang mountains, between 1983 and 1989.

Born in Shangqiu in Henan province, Guo studied Shaolin styles since childhood. During the anti-Japanese war in 1930 he traveled to north-eastern China where he learnt sword and Taijiquan from Yang Kuishan, a disciple of general Li Jinglin. After his batalion was defeated Guo retreated to the temples in Lüshan in Liaoning province, where he was initiated as a taoist monk. This is where he learnt Wudang Sanfeng martial arts from master Yang Mingzhen. Not much is known about Guo's whereabouts until early 1980s - only that during the Cultural Revolution is was forced to become a layman and return to his hometown - and could "return to Tao" only in 1981. He became a monk again, living in the temples on the White Could Mountain in Biyang County in Henan, where he studied martial arts from Tang Chongliang. Tang studied martial arts Wudang Mountains from Wang Xintang, a taoist master of the Eight Immortals Temple, but also received guidance from famous Wudang abbot Xu Benshan.

When his master passed away in 1983 Guo left White Cloud Mountain and moved to Wudang. In 1984 he became the head coach of the taoist martial arts academy at Zixiao Palace. In 1989 Guo left Wudang and in 1990 retreated to Shennongjia to practice meditation. In 1993 he moved to Nine Palaces Mountain, where he passed away in 1996. Guo was one of my taoist inspirations - the photos of him demonstrating swordplay featured in "Pictorial China" in mid-1980s were one of the reasons that set me on the path and travel to China. Unfortunately when I entered the gate of Zixiao temple in July 1991, Guo was already Shennongjia, in the area the foreigners were not allowed to enter. This part of my China dream has never become a reality and I never managed to meet him." - Jarek Szymanski

For more information about traditional martial arts of China please visit: www.ChinaFromInside.com