How many have heard of this?

[The Black Dragon]

Hey everyone
I posted this in the main board but not many people knew an answer, so I was advised to post here too.
I've been practising Judo in the UK for about 8 years now and I really enjoy it. However, i wanted something that was spiritually deeper, more physically scrutinising, (is that how you spell it?), and something that I could combine with Judo if ever the need for a major ass-kicking was required. I heard that a local kung fu club was starting up (very local, like 5 minutes away), and 2 of my mates went there as well. The teachers are black belts in 3 martial arts: karate, kung fu and ju-jitsu, so they're pretty good. We practise a kung fu style called Fu Jow Pai Kung Fu, and it either means "Black tiger claw system" or "Tiger claw system", (i've read differently from different sources). What i want to know is has anyone heard of this type of kung fu, and if you have, could you post some information on the board? I've been to a few web sites on it, but if anyone has any interesting facts please let me know. Thanks

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-"Have the strength of a tiger yet the wisdom of an old man"

Chinese Proverb

[Kung Lek]

Hi-
I practice and study southern sil lum black tiger (Hak fu Pai)of the Toisan (hoysun)district of Canton.
for info on the style visit http://www.escape.ca/~sillum/Index.htm

look in the articles section.

Fu jow Pai is Wai Hong's Black tiger style.
There is also Shantung black tiger (northern but shaolin) and there is Hark Fu Moon which is what fu jow pai was built out of (according to their history).
There are still yet other black tiger systems, some of them could be considered "village styles" derived from systems and styles that proliferated southern china over an extended period of time leading up to the state the arts are in now. varied and plentiful!

peace

Kung Lek

[Ben Gash]

Where abouts in England do you live? I've never heard of Fu Jow Pai here before.

"Weapons are the embodiments of fear,
the wise use them only when they have no choice"
Lao Tzu

[MarkS]

Ben:I've never heard of Fu Jow Pai here before.

Ben, you'd be surprised what's out there! I've known a couple of people who taught Fu Jow, although both different from each other. I know two Fu Jow sets (village/family system so god knows where it comes from originally), and one Shantung Black Tiger set. Both are surprisingly similar in motion.
Anyway.

[The Black Dragon]

OK, thanks a lot for the information you all provided me with. Actually, my Fu Jow Pai club is in a small village called Garstang, near the city of Lancaster.

Thanks

The Black Dragon

[Ben Gash]

Mark, where the hell did you manage to learn Shantung tiger here? You've really got my interest now!

"Weapons are the embodiments of fear,
the wise use them only when they have no choice"
Lao Tzu

[MarkS]

Ben, my first Sifu travelled around an awful lot, he was taught two Shantung sets when he was in, of all places, Korea! He used to travel up and down the UK a lot training as well. He knew a lot of the clubs that were about then (10 - 15 years ago). He lost touch with a lot of people as he has been 'on holiday' at HM's pleasure for the last 8 years.
So your right to be surprised at finding Shantung in the UK (what little I know)!
What do you study/teach and where?

Mark

[Ben Gash]

I train mainly in CLF, Changquan, Baji and Taiji, but I also do bits and bobs of eagle, mantis and wing chun. It says in the margin where I'm from.

"Weapons are the embodiments of fear,
the wise use them only when they have no choice"
Lao Tzu