Wuxingquan

[Fu Fighter]

Hi all,

Does anyone here practice wuxingquan? Where? With whom?

[Fu Fighter]

Nobody?

[apoweyn]

Never heard of it. Sorry.

More details?

[count]

Do you mean from Hsing-I or another system? Where are you learning this?

[Brad]

A friend of mine in New Zealand said she practiced Wu Xing, but she never got very far in the system. Never really knew much about it.

[joedoe]

There was a poster around a little while back called WuXing who practiced Wu Xing Quan.

[freedom76]

Is this like Xing Qi, seven star boxing?

[Brad]

Wu Xing would be five elements boxing. I think the Wu Xing guy who posted here did a branch of White Ape (Tongbeiquan) that also goes by the name Wu Xing Quan.

[Fu Fighter]

Sorry, I should have been clearer. Wuxingquan can refer to the Xingyiquan practice of five elements, but I am referring to Shaolin Five Animals. These are often confused since they share the same Chinese name. I should have said "Five Animals".

I began learning it years ago in the military from a couple of H2H instructors there, been practicing on my own since then. Hard to find anyone that teaches it as its own style/system.

[carly]

Southern Five Animals Shaolin is one of the most widely-known kung fu systems there is.

[Fu Fighter]

Originally posted by carly
Southern Five Animals Shaolin is one of the most widely-known kung fu systems there is.
I wished this was true but it hasn't been what I have found. Almost everybody knows ABOUT it, but I haven't found too many people that actually practice it except as bits and pieces of another style. When I was in China it was pretty easy to find but not here. I have only found two instructors and I have no idea where they are any more. If it was well-known I should be able to find at least a few people here that study it, no?

Carly, is that what you study?

[carly]

I guess it depends on where "here" is for you. What part of the world are you in? Is there no Hung Gar school near you?

[carly]

You should at least be able to find lots of books and tapes to keep you busy until you can find a sifu again.

[count]

Sorry, I thought you meant Hsing-I, Five Elements fist and Five Elements Chi Kung.

Ummm, as far as Southern Five Animals, you might try here in Los Angeles where Ark Wong taught for about 40 years. I know his Grandson teaches and I know of a few others that spent more than 10 years with Ark himself as well as a Southern Mantis school where they start with Southern Five Animals. I'd say it's pretty common here. Where do you study it?

[Fu Fighter]

I've seen a few books and videos but they have all been pretty crappy and/or full of stuff I already know. I'm just practicing what I already know at this point and just really need to find someone who is better than me to help me push myself ****her. I feel like I'm about as good I'm going to get until I find a good instructor. I've been doing a lot of sparring with other MAists and have been doing well but I don't feel like I'm really getting any better at my style specifically.

I could go to LA but would rather not. I'm pretty much just free-wheeling it right now. I can go where ever. Thats why I'm asking.

[GOLDEN ARMOR]

Isn't Wu Xing Quan: 5 Ancestor boxing? I'm probably wrong. I agree with Carly if u want 5 animals, find a good Hung gar teacher. Or train with one of Ark-Yueh Wong's students as Count suggested. Check out www.dokungfu.com it's Master Wong's students site.

[GeneChing]

Wu xing probably translates into five forms (hard to tell just by the pinyin.) This typically refers to five animal forms, but there are many. The oldest would be the qigong form of Hua Tuo, but that one isn't martial. The most common would be Hung Gar's Five Animal, which is often followed by five elements and goes by Sup Ying (cantonese - in mandarin it would be hong jia and shi xing - meaning ten forms.) Also there is the Xingyi five elements. But given the precedence of Hua Tuo (we're talking 220 CE here) and the common five animals in martial arts, there are many other versions of five animals. Songshan Shaolin has a five animal version too, but it's a very short form.

[freedom76]

Gene,
Is that the one that is about 28 movements long, starts with tiger? ("wah, wah" sounds for tiger) Is it also called five animal sixteen form?

[Mutant]

Fu Fighter,

I know exactly the style youre talking about. I studied WuXingQuan (also pinyined as WuHsingChuan) from '94-'98 in St.Louis under sifu Larry Adams, who learned the art from Arc Wong (sp?), Master Hu, and some other sifus. In fact i was just back there visiting the school last week to say hi to my old sifu.

From what i recall, it translates as 'five form fist' or 'five pattern fist' but is commonly refered to as '5-animals'. Its a fairly old Shaolin style that a lot of more modern Shaolin styles evolved/were derived from.

There arent many schools in the US that teach authentic WuXingChuan. You can find elements of it in HungGa and ChoyLiFut as well as other shaolin based systems.

I understand your interest in this shaolin style, it is a blast...but if you want to continue to progress in kung fu, you should focus instead on finding a really good sifu in your area, no matter what style. It seems most of the core techniques and basics are virtually similar in CMA, even if they don't appear so when watching a particular form or flashy techniques. I would recommend finding a good HungGa or ChoyLiFut school if you want similar forms, or even a good WingChun school, as it is very much derived from snake & crane. After moving to Boston I studied WingChun for a few years and found it to be very similar and a good transition (although the 'hard' tiger and leopard elements arent apperent, but snake, crane and even dragon elements can be found), although it should be noted that i studied 'tuning style' GouLuo villiage style wing chun from Luong Jan, not the Yip Man derived style, so other wing chun peeps experience may be a bit different.

Where are you located?
I thing theres a guy in NYC or New Jersey that teaches WuXingQuan. Doc Fi Wong teaches a 5-animal form along with his Choy Li Fut curriculum, i think you may be able to find it on video, i have a book he publised on this form. He teaches out of the Bay area in Cali i believe. And again, Sifu Adams in St. Louis teaches this style. I'm sure there are others out there too.
Good luck and have fun with it!

[GeneChing]

Usually the "wah wah" sound I associate with the Hung school, also a "tik" sound. I can't remember if there were sounds in the Songshan form, I don't think so.

[GeneChing]

Usually the "wah wah" sound I associate with the Hung school, also a "tik" sound. I can't remember if there were sounds in the Songshan form, I don't think so. I never learned that set - partially out of deference to the Hung form. But now I'm thinking I should. I've been getting into animals lately, and the Songshan form is pretty tight and short. I've forgotten the Hung form - it was so long. If I learned the Songshan, I might even practice it. ;)

[joedoe]

Originally posted by GOLDEN ARMOR
Isn't Wu Xing Quan: 5 Ancestor boxing? I'm probably wrong. I agree with Carly if u want 5 animals, find a good Hung gar teacher. Or train with one of Ark-Yueh Wong's students as Count suggested. Check out www.dokungfu.com it's Master Wong's students site.

5 Ancestors is Wu Chu Chuan/Wuzuquan :)