What do the five leafes mean?

[WaDo]

In Mei Hua Tanglang we have the plum blossom with its 5 leafes,
who of you knows the meaning? I think that I know the meaning
of the 7* and the 6 harmonies but I don't know the meaning of the name of the style that I train. Painful!
O.k. it means the 5 elements but where can I find them? What does it mean?

[mantis108]

The five patels mean different things to different traditions. They could mean:

The five elements
The five faculties of actions (five methods)
The five major punches
The five possible counters/variations to a move
The five ranges (not conventional)

BTW, Meihwa is the Chinese national flower/symbol also. So you will have to check with your Sifu which one or all of it that the petals represent your school because there is tradition involved.

Mantis108

PS there is also one other meaning but I am not sure if it fits into your lineage so I won't mention it for now.

[Oso]

......mantis108, c'mon tell us, please !!!

matt

[mantis108]

It's not a cliffhanger ;) that I wanted to give you. But there are things to work throught and some difficult questions to ask which might put certian lineages history (oral teachings) in a difficult spot. I certainly don't want to be seen as "rocking the boat". But if you have an open mind and have read the article of PM history by Sifu Profatilov, then I will provide you with the following link

Discussion on Origin Name of PM (http://forums.delphiforums.com/Taijimantis/messages/?msg=329.1)

Hope it will help you.

BTW, much of the rare and useful material (especially for myself) will not be available if not for the generocity, open mind and support of Sifu Profatilov and Tainan Mantis. They gave selfishlessly to the mantis community at large. I personally would like to take this oppotunity to sincerely thank them.

Regards

Mantis108

[PaulLin]

Originally posted by mantis108

BTW, Meihwa is the Chinese national flower/symbol also.

Ps.........not the Communist China, the China in Taiwan has that flower national symbol.

[mantis108]

Paul,

LOL... I hear you big time! :D

I guess we honestly can't expect a bunch of barelly colleage level indealists (re: teenage mentality) and bearucrates recuiting mostly illiterate peasants to from a government that would have a clue what a beautiful thing plum blossom really is and what significance it has to the Chinese culture. Can we? :) They wanted Communist country with communist people not Chinese people with Chinese culture. That's why the purges. China (the land) unfortunately happens to be its playing field. Too bad the "General/President" has to retreat to Taiwan. But that's Karma. *sigh*

Mantis108

[PaulLin]

Communists in China is a big mistake. I don't see much future with it. Let's just hope the near future generation in China would expire the Communism.

Chinese has metioned 4 representing plants: Mei, Lan, Jue, Chu. And the Mei--plum flower, is the first place. It represents the purity and the strengh against deadly winter. That is what I like about in TCMA too, purity and stood on its own direction against the odds.

ShiaoLin has posts in 5 called mei hua zhong, consisted of one post in the center and 4 in each direction--N.S.E.W. ShiaoLin used that as stance and steps foundation training. It also related to plum flower.