FIRE HAWK
05-15-2001, 04:51 AM
I accidently came across this forum and noticed your remark and question on the Hakka styles. As far as I understand Hakka literally means Northern-Guest denoting an ethnic Chinese race from the Northern parts of China. it is said that during the early Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644) the Royal family were literally overthrown by the Manchus forming the Ching Dynasty (A.D. 1644-1911). During this time the decendants of the Ming Emperor were forced to scape to the Wu Dang Monastery for safety, but unfortunately it did not last, then having to move to the Southern borders where for the last 356 years or so the Hakkanist have made their homes. When they migrated they took with them their own fighting methods mainly based on Praying Mantis and other style. It is said that what is termed today as Southern Praying Mantis or to be more precise Nam Gar Tong Long Pai is actually Hakka Preying Mantis mainly because the art was created and developed by Hakkanist and has always being taught mainly to Hakkanist people. many styles that have been created around the Wai Yung area in South China and other local places were they are predominantly Hakkanist leaving it is believed to be a form of Hakka Style. Some Key feature of such styles are the rounded back, arms in front of chest, close in fighting and the stepping method unique to each style, mainly sheep step, rat step, and the character two stance. Such style are the Southern Tiger Styles, the Praying Mantis styles such as: Chu Gar Tong long, Kwan Sai Jook Lum Tong Long, Chaw Gar Tong Long and Dit Ngau Tong Long.
I am a practitioner of Dit Ngau Tong Long Pai a Hakkanist style of Praying Mantis technically a southern style, but with its roots in Northern China. The Founder of our style was Choy Dit Ngau, nicked named as Iron-Ox Choy, of Hakka origin.
Like Dit Ngau Tong long or Iron-Ox Praying Mantis it shears similar principles to Pak Mei, Dragon Boxing, because whiles the Hakka style of Praying Mantis was being deviced, both the founders of the above styles trained and lived in the same temple, hence, Pak Mei and Long Kune had the same birth place, so each master sheared their knowledge to some extend, but each specialising in their own technique.
If you would like to read more about our style of Praying Mantis (Iron-Ox, Dit Ngau, Dit Ngau Hakka Tong Long Pai) please visit our web site at http://www.ironoxprayingmantis.co.uk/
!!!Dit Ngau Tong long Pai or Iron-Ox Praying mantis does not come from Jook Lum Nor does it come from what today is term Chu Gar Gao, this is simply because circa 1912-1924, there were a few miss understanding between the phonetic pronounciation between cantonese and the hakanist dialect where the word Chu and chow although writing in the same manner they sound differently when pronounced in these corresponding dialects. But the true origings of all Southern praying mantis is from the Hakka people that migrated to various provinces in the South in order to seek refuge from the Ching Goverment. The original settlers were descendants from the Royal Ming Court and their supporters. During the time at the Southern Shaolin the style of hakka praying mantis as it was then commonly known went through a phase of improvement and development. The first generations descendants were responsible for the various changes in techniques and forms, originally there was only one large form, that was further broken down into different sections, by the turn of the century this sequences came down to four main forms. Today there are many more forms, some Southern styles teach upto twenty forms including their versions of the first four forms. As a matter of fact it is my firm believe that Sam Bo Ging should not be the first form but at least form number three. This is based on my personal experience of the style that I was taught, and the sequences in our style. You must appreciate that our branch of praying mantis is from mainland china and not from Hong Kong, so there are some differences in any case. As a matter of fact Dit Ngau tong long has also been known as Gee Gar Har Tong Long. Secondly Gee Gar Har Tong Long is not kwan Sai Jook Lum Pai. The evidence for this rest on the boxing forms themselves. Foundamentally, the boxing forms may have similar names to any of the other three Southern mantis, but the concepts, sequence applications are different. You may or may not know that in the United Kingdom there is large following of Jook Lam Pai and when comparing the boxing sequences they are definitly different to some extent.Also no single Southern praying mantis style teaches the same form sequences or methods but they all have at least one or two form which act as their fundamental forms or core forms from where everything can be found. examples of this are Sam Bo Gin; every Southern style must use at least a form that contains the fundamental concepts necessary to the style and in Southern praying mantis this form holds that place. Mainly because of short power development, 1 inch power 3 inch power, 36 main pressure points, including the 6 main points (lok yee-yue), the seeds of the style are found within this form ie. includes both soft energy techniques and hard striking techniques, including: phoenix eye fist, finger thrusting fist, soft wrist jerking/dissolving/ tiger claw/ forearm striking/ outer and inner arm dissolving/ phoenix upper cut/ palming single and double/, tearing, pushing, dissolving, controlling and redirecting, pressing, etc. In our style these are the key points to Sam Bo Ging and contrary to some peoples believe we tend to prefer soft energy or absorbing rather that mere external power. We have no fighting guards or ready stance/positions, evrything is done from the normal walking stance.
I am a practitioner of Dit Ngau Tong Long Pai a Hakkanist style of Praying Mantis technically a southern style, but with its roots in Northern China. The Founder of our style was Choy Dit Ngau, nicked named as Iron-Ox Choy, of Hakka origin.
Like Dit Ngau Tong long or Iron-Ox Praying Mantis it shears similar principles to Pak Mei, Dragon Boxing, because whiles the Hakka style of Praying Mantis was being deviced, both the founders of the above styles trained and lived in the same temple, hence, Pak Mei and Long Kune had the same birth place, so each master sheared their knowledge to some extend, but each specialising in their own technique.
If you would like to read more about our style of Praying Mantis (Iron-Ox, Dit Ngau, Dit Ngau Hakka Tong Long Pai) please visit our web site at http://www.ironoxprayingmantis.co.uk/
!!!Dit Ngau Tong long Pai or Iron-Ox Praying mantis does not come from Jook Lum Nor does it come from what today is term Chu Gar Gao, this is simply because circa 1912-1924, there were a few miss understanding between the phonetic pronounciation between cantonese and the hakanist dialect where the word Chu and chow although writing in the same manner they sound differently when pronounced in these corresponding dialects. But the true origings of all Southern praying mantis is from the Hakka people that migrated to various provinces in the South in order to seek refuge from the Ching Goverment. The original settlers were descendants from the Royal Ming Court and their supporters. During the time at the Southern Shaolin the style of hakka praying mantis as it was then commonly known went through a phase of improvement and development. The first generations descendants were responsible for the various changes in techniques and forms, originally there was only one large form, that was further broken down into different sections, by the turn of the century this sequences came down to four main forms. Today there are many more forms, some Southern styles teach upto twenty forms including their versions of the first four forms. As a matter of fact it is my firm believe that Sam Bo Ging should not be the first form but at least form number three. This is based on my personal experience of the style that I was taught, and the sequences in our style. You must appreciate that our branch of praying mantis is from mainland china and not from Hong Kong, so there are some differences in any case. As a matter of fact Dit Ngau tong long has also been known as Gee Gar Har Tong Long. Secondly Gee Gar Har Tong Long is not kwan Sai Jook Lum Pai. The evidence for this rest on the boxing forms themselves. Foundamentally, the boxing forms may have similar names to any of the other three Southern mantis, but the concepts, sequence applications are different. You may or may not know that in the United Kingdom there is large following of Jook Lam Pai and when comparing the boxing sequences they are definitly different to some extent.Also no single Southern praying mantis style teaches the same form sequences or methods but they all have at least one or two form which act as their fundamental forms or core forms from where everything can be found. examples of this are Sam Bo Gin; every Southern style must use at least a form that contains the fundamental concepts necessary to the style and in Southern praying mantis this form holds that place. Mainly because of short power development, 1 inch power 3 inch power, 36 main pressure points, including the 6 main points (lok yee-yue), the seeds of the style are found within this form ie. includes both soft energy techniques and hard striking techniques, including: phoenix eye fist, finger thrusting fist, soft wrist jerking/dissolving/ tiger claw/ forearm striking/ outer and inner arm dissolving/ phoenix upper cut/ palming single and double/, tearing, pushing, dissolving, controlling and redirecting, pressing, etc. In our style these are the key points to Sam Bo Ging and contrary to some peoples believe we tend to prefer soft energy or absorbing rather that mere external power. We have no fighting guards or ready stance/positions, evrything is done from the normal walking stance.