BSL Lyrics: Lifting-up block, crossing-down block spear

[GeneChing]

I've always hated the translation of this title, way too clunky. I think that's one of the biggest problems with translating Chinese, they have a lot more words for movements than we do in English and those words are very difficult to translate succintly.

TAI LANG CHIEN: LIFTING-UP BLOCK, CROSSING-DOWN BLOCK SPEAR
1. Holding the flag pole.
2. Holding the spear, stand straight.
3. Hunchback walking.
4. Chinese character "one" side block.
5. Spinning flower, sit in horse stance.
6. Circular snap technique.
7. Stand straight, counter strike.
8. Dripping water pose.
9. Sit in horse, circular snap technique.
10. Center strike.
11. Tai Kung fishing.
12. Big, open plum flower.
13. Turn around, snap the spear.
14. Circular snap, center strike.
15. White ape drags the knife.
16. Push away the clouds and view the sun.
17. Spinning flower under the armpit.
18. Riding on the dragon and shooting the tiger.
19. Mt. Tai crushes the head.
20. Snowflakes cover the head.
21. Chun See Wong (1st emperor) carries the sword.
22. Big, open plum flower.
23. Turn around, hold the spear.
24. Circular snap, center strike.
25. Holding the spear, stand straight.
26. Push away the clouds and view the sun.
27. Chun See Wong (1st emperor) carries the sword.
28. Swimming dragon plays with the pearl.
29. Whirling flower, turn around, hold the spear.
30. Circular snap, center strike.
31. Reverse bow, dripping water technique.
32. Fui Sing (god of scholars) holds the pen.
33. Second son carries the mountain.
34. Flying spear behind the back.
35. Green dragon gives the claws.
36. Back step, fighting the tiger.
37. Tornado kick.
38. Circular snap, center strike.
39. Catching the spear.
40. Left, right under the armpit strike.
41. Horse turns around, repeating horse strike.
42. Circular snap, center strike.
43. Turn around, big open plum flower.
44. Chun See Wong (1st emperor) carries the sword.
45. Single arm rolling flower.
46. Hugging the spear.
47. Stand straight, bow to the buddha.
48. Spin around, hold the spear, finish form.

[NorthernShaolin]

Gene,

We call this set Raise Blocking Spear to make it a simple translation.

I know that we perform this set the same way that your school does. I have some older lyrics that I've been working on and your lyrics will help me figure it out. So I need to study your lyrics in more detail before I can comment on the overall lyrics.

However it is interesting that this set is always associated with KYC even though he taught other spear sets such as Five Tiger Spear, Liu Ho Spear and 24 Iron Spear. I once asked my sifu why this set was always associated with KYC and he told me that many people beieved the set was his creation because his other nickname besides Iron Palm Kuo, was KYC, God of Spear. But the real reason was that he always demonstrated this set and thus people in the southern China thought he created it. One can tell that the set is an old set because the moves are so fluid and the set flows so smooth from one movement into the next.

[NorthernShaolin]

Gene,

Okay here what I was able to figure out. Remember I know that we both do this set almost exactly the same but some of the lyrics that I use are older.

We do not have numbers 24 or 30 (Circular Snap, Center Strike). We just flow from 23 (Turn Around, Hold Spear) to 25 (Holding the Spear Straight Up) and 29 (Whirling Flower, Turn Around, Hold Spear) to 31 (Reverse Bow, Dripping Water).

In 23 and 29 we call it Dashing Through the Swan Gate and in 31 we call it Humble Tiger which is similar move to Dripping Water.

For 13 ( Turn Around , Snap Spear) we call it Four Barbarians Yielding.

In 15 ( White Ape Drags the Knife) we divided the moves into several names: Dragon Whips it Tail, Pass over the Sword, White Ape Drags the Blade.

For 16 (Push away the Clouds and view the Sun) we call it Novics Challenges the Sifu and for 17 (Spinning flower under the armpit) we call it Falcon Strikes the Quail.

In 24 and 30 (Circular Snap, Center Strike), we divided the moves into Imperial Court towards Heaven, Iron Ox Plough the Ground, Humble Tiger Pose, Duke Hooks a Fish.

Do not do 26 (Push away the Clouds, View the Sun) is but we do 27 (Chun See Wong Carries the Sword) twice with a Tornado Kick between it, then we do 28 (Swimming Dragon Plays with the pearl).

[GeneChing]

It's interesting tha KYC demoed this one a lot. It reminds me of the traditional spear sets at Songshan now, particularly the way it walks a line. Perhaps this is the same sentiment as when you say it has an older feel.
I was never happy with the translation Wing Lam and I did with this one. Not sure why, it just never felt right.