CLF Lineage/Branches

[Diu Sao]

Could anybody tell me the difference between the three major CLF branches (assuming 3 is the number). I believe I am part of the Hung-Sing branch. I am very new to the style and I apologize in advance for sounding stupid. My sifu told me the names before but his english isn't so great and neither is my Cantonese. He said somthing about the applications being different and a few other nuances. Thanks in advance

Diu Sao

[dutch]

Diu Sao,

Who is your teacher if you don't mind me asking. Your profile says you are from Los Angeles, and my teacher is from there, but he is not Hung Sing branch. Just wondering...

As far as the differences in the branches...some say there is a lot, but some say there is very little. There might be subtle differences in the way one branch does a Sow Chui compared to another, but it's still a Sow Chui. One branch does not put as much importance to "forms" training as opposed to "fighting" than another branch, but they still both fight Choy Lee Fut. I think it is better to concentrate on the similarities between the branches rather than the differences (my opinion). My Sifu once said I do not see "Hung Sing", "Buk Sing" or "Chan Family"...I only see "Choy Lee Fut." I think he is right when it comes to judging one or the other.

Just my opinions...

Dutch

[Diu Sao]

I agree completely on the seeing the similarities. When I was a mantis practicioner there was constant rivalry between the many mantis systems, even within a single style. I found it frustrating that so many people with so much in common choose to spot the differences instead of similarities. I study under Sifu Ng Fu Hang at Choy Lee Fut Martial Arts Federation. I must say that it is humbling starting a new system but I have no regrets choosing CLF. Thanks for the insight.


Diu Sao

[JAZA]

Then Dutch is your Sihing, I think.

[Ego_Extrodinaire]

CLF is a humble style pacticed by humble farmers. The difference between the 3 is because of different mistakes they make. It would have been a complement to say that CLF is one big mistake but as it turned out there are 3.

Southern practitioners tend to bicker about minnor issues and lion dance. Anyone who signs up to a southern school and loves it is obviosly fond of the b1tchy culture that is being promoted. I personally feel sorry for these types.

[Spaceghost]

Well, hell yeah! I'm a southern practitioner. In between my kung-fu training I like working on the farm. I also spend many hours working on my beard. Its hard to look like a well respected peasant these days. Modern technology, you know how it is, makes me look like those city folk who do all that fancy northern stuff. Not really my thing all that northern stuff, a bit too girly for me. Get one of those boys working on a farm under the hot sun for a few days and believe me they won't be jumping around like a bunch of fairies as they do in the city. I also like a good b1tch you know? Gets the blood rushing to the head and gives a better training session, you should try it sometime, gives a better sparring session too. Well I guess I've gotta go, Daisy's calling from the barn and when she needs a feeding, she needs a feeding. You know how temperamental cows can be. Don't feed 'em when they want and they don't produce milk the next morning.

ego maximus? More like caudex maximus if you ask me.

Fulcifer!


Spaceghost

[dutch]

Diu Sao,

JAZA is correct...I am a long time student of Master Ng Fu Hang, so that makes you my Sidai (younger brother), and I am your Sihing (older brother). I live in Fresno, Ca., but travel on the weekends to see him whenever I can. Obviously we have not met yet. How long have you been studying with Sifu? It's good to see Sifu get new students. Welcome to the family.

Dutch

[Diu Sao]

I started in January but then I had a stomach cancer operation and had to post pone my training until july. I have only ben going for less than a month. Much respect, Si-hing.


Diu Sao

[Diu Sao]

I have alot of fore arm tattoos and I have a shaved head. Easy to spot, especially the mantis tat on my right forearm.


Diu Sao

[Sow Choy]

Diu Sao & Dutch,

I am Joe Keit from the Lee Koon Hung Choy Lay Fut Kung Fu school in Florida. I just spent the weekend in Texas hanging out with Master Ng Fu Hang, what a cool guy. Please send our regards to him and tell him we hope to see him again soon.

He is extremely humble and doesn't see 3 branches with differences only 1 Choy Lay Fut family. We do have more in common than different, each sifu chosses to teach the way they like, that is the teacher not the style, right?

Take care guys,

Joe

[RAIN]

joe you are right like ever , but the unification of choy lay fut looks like is a hard fight , maybe more than ever .
but this is a lot humble people there like you or phil ng that inspire a authentic brotherhood -.

keep ever that hard and patience work , you'll see the prize in the future .

[dutch]

Hello Joe,

Thank you for your post, it was very kind words about Sifu. You are right when you say it's more the teacher than the art. We are all Choy Lee Fut, but the way we perform our art is different in small ways due to the way it was passed down teacher to student, and so on.

Much respect to you and your school, and I will pass on your kind words to Sifu.

Thank you,

Dutch

[Diu Sao]

I do have to say that I really enjoy Sifu Ng's teaching style. At the mantis school I trained at it was pretty militaristic, but at that time in my life I think that's what I needed. But now with Sifu Ng it's so relaxed and completely one on one. I feel like I get a weeks worth of training in a day because of the relaxed non-group class structure. I appreciate the insight and kind words.


Thanks everyone,


Diu Sao

[Ego_Extrodinaire]

Spaceghost,

It's best that farmers not prence around like faries. It just won't be politically correct to havce bearded manly fairies trying to do classical ballet.

Why is it virtuous to be a humble vclf student. Martial arts should be one of ego and attitude.

[anton]

Originally posted by Ego_Extrodinaire
Spaceghost,

It's best that farmers not prence around like faries. It just won't be politically correct to havce bearded manly fairies trying to do classical ballet.
Yeah, we simple suthern folk never figured out how classical ballet is supposed to beat people up - guess we just aint bright enuff.


Why is it virtuous to be a humble vclf student. Martial arts should be one of ego and attitude.
Where did your ego get you... Alone in front of a computer screen, jerking off, feeling unbelievably sorry for yourself. Sending virtual, impotent outbursts of sexual frustration thinly veiled as messages to no one in particular about an artform you know nothing about.....so is this your image of the ideal martial artist?
All talk, no action?
All over-inflated ego with nothing to show for it?

[Ego_Extrodinaire]

Anton

Ballet is an art form. It makes no pretence about its purpose. Southern Kung fu is not an art form and neither is it useful for self defence. However, it pretends to be both.

Put it this way, you can beat up people with southern kung fu as you can't beat people up with ballet. At least ballet is much more technical and looks more asthethically pleasing. It is soldiers who beat farmers up, not the other way round.

[Shaolin Punk]

Ego,
What is your intent?

Are you trying to get people to stop practicing southern chinese kung-fu, by telling them how inferior it is? I think that is fine, but I'd like to know what you propose as an alternative.

Offer a better style, if you're going to negate one.

The analogies of farmers and soldiers seems very abstract. I'd like to know your concrete points of why, if I am sitting on a fence trying to decide if I should take Wing Chun or Xing-Yi (or Choy Lee Fut or Baguazhang), why I should go the northern way. And let's say I live in a bad hood and am tired of getting mugged every friday, and also I have poor health that I need to overcome, b/c I don't have health insurance.

Thanks.

[Ming Fai]

EGO is right.

Throughout Chinese history soldiers always used to beat up peasants. This was a sign of the decline of discipline in the military, the corrupted soldiers slowly neglect their training, while the angry farmers would train in the fighting arts in secret... forming rebel organisations.

In the end, the farmers SLAUGHTERED the soldiers.

From now on, I will try to ignore Ego-Ordinary. I suggest others to do the same.

[Fu-Pow]

He's already on my ignore list.

[Ego_Extrodinaire]

Shaolin Punk

I don't think much of southern kung fu and at the same time its very hard to find a northern style - like Xing I that is taught properly. What I mean by that is the combat applications and not some chi meditation class that many schools have become. Quite fankly, I don't consider these schools be northern kung fu.

So where does this leave slef defence. This may seem basic and obvious but it is just that. learn to punch, kick, move and grapple. You might like to learn Kick Boxing and mix in BJJ in your training.
Together, they pretty much cover the stuff found in northern kung fu. You'll get lots of combat experience in these classes.

[Tao-Yin-Lee]

Ego is your friend. He makes you reflect on your systems and practices. The fact that for the most part your replies are rational rather than emotive shows how effective his strategy is. He is helping the cause of Southern Kung-Fu (howsoever defined) because he gives attention to many good systems and prompts strong helpful responses from their representatives. He should be encouraged not shunned. If he gave 'attention' to Northern Kung-Fu in the same way, he would help them too - allow the practitioners to show their knowledge and skill as well as good martial arts manners. He is your good friend... don't ignore him.

Tao.

[Ming Fai]

To Tao-Yin-Lee:

You've got a point there...

I hereby apologise to Ego.