Sweeping the Tomb, of Two Great Mantis Masters.

[Tainan Mantis]

The tribute page for Master Wei has set in motion a series of events culminating in my being invited to visit Master Wei's tomb and participate in sweeping the tomb.

It all started when 8 Step master John Chang's student saw the tribute page.

Master Chang enjoyed it and since he was in Taipei( on vacation from LA) for a short while went to tell his old kung fu brothers.
He called me up on the telephone and invited me to the ceremony for sweeping Master Wei's tomb.

On arrival we went to the country side where the geomancers and feng shuai experts had determined many years ago where Master Wei and his long time friend master Zhang Hsiangsan should be burried.

Master Zhang is the number 1 Six Harmony PM master in Taiwan.
He was good friends with Master Wei and they bought their plots together.
So when we swept Master Wei's tomb we also swept Master Zhang's tomb.

The people I met had studied with master Wei since the 60's and early 70's.
Zuo Hsienfu, on being introduced, said, "Nimen zuo de wang zhan how piao liang(the web site you made is exceedingly beautiful)."

We spent about 2 hours at the tomb and the old timers were kind enough to allow me the use of my tape recorder so that later the history from their mouths could be properly recorded.

These people also studied with Master Wang Songting, Liu Yunchiao, Gao daosheng as well as masters of other style I hadn't heard of.

Hopefully their stories will be interesting enough to warrant an article in Gene's magazine.

On asking about the training method it is obviuos that GM Wei put a strong emphasis on fighting.
Class consisted of doing the basic exercises, forms and free fighting method.

This style of PM stresses sticking your body to your opponents body and throwing him to the ground.
Not a strong emphasis was placed on forms. Master Wei had 10 core forms give or take, but as the years went by less emphasis was placed on them and more on two people stuff.

The students would often mingle with the students of other schools. Those who fought well gained the respect and became friends.

[B.Tunks]

and here I am over here chasing Kangaroos off the side of the road in my honda civic...

[RAF]

Tainan Mantis:

As you are probably aware, Zhang Xiang-san, 6 Harmony Master, was the person directly responsible for getting Liu Yun Qiao to teach martial arts. Liu had retired from the military and never taught martial arts (at least publicly). Zhang Xiang-san was Liu's senior kungfu brother in the 6 Harmony lineage and Liu sent all students to Master Zhang for instruction in 6 harmony rather than teach it himself.

I never knew of the relationship between Wei Xiao-tang and Zhang Xiang-san. Is Gao Dao-sheng still alive?

Thank you for posting this information.

[mantis108]

You da man! Thanks for sharing the up-lifting post. I just totally love stories like that. Hope to hear more of the insight that transpire later. :) All I have to said is that good deed no matter big or small brings good Karma. I hope the example that is set by you, michael and others who are involved in the Babu site project, will inspire many more to follow. :)

Warmest regards,

Mantis108

[Tainan Mantis]

The following is my attempt to write down the stories I heard and taped while visiting Master Wei's tomb.

Vincent Chen Guochin and John Chang were reminiscing about the time they and other students first met Master Wei whom they referred to as Wei Laoshr.

Vincent had started his training with Master Wei in the 60's, earlier than any of the other students present," The first time I went to Wei Laoshr's class he fought me," he stated matter of factly.

John added," Even Su Kunming was fought by Wei Laoshr."
Su Kunming is how the older generation refers to the famous master Su Yuzhang.

Vincent continued," People like me had to fight Wei Laoshr because we were already experienced at fighting when we went to learn from him.

"Wei Laoshr would say,' You studied before? Yeah? Come on let's go!'

"Then he would fight you to the ground. He wouldn't hit your fatal point, just hit you in the chest and throw you down."

Thinking back to my kung fu uncle Su Yuzhang, who, before meeting Master Wei, had already studied with mantis master Wang Songting, Mimen Mantis master Zhang Dekuei as well as Plum Flower Mantis master Li Kunshan,
I wondered how he had fared the first time he had met master Wei.

John told me more about his kung fu elder Su Yuzhang," When Su Kunming came in with his attack Wei Laoshr just blocked the strikes and threw his shoulder and Su Kunming was thrown to the ground."

I asked," Why didn't Su Laoshr use his other mantis techniques to protect himself?"

Vincent answered," It was useless even if you were quick. Usually speed is just in punching and kicking the empty air. Wei Laoshr had gung li/strength," Vincent clenched his fists tightly.

"He would go slow, it didn't matter on the opponents speed. Wei Laoshr only had to use bi ji shou/evade the attacking hand method and change his position.
He only needed to use his one bi ji shou to fight your twenty techniques.
Wei Laoshr didn't even care what fighting technique you used, he only needed to find a good position to use bi ji shou.
Within three techniques he would take you down..."

[mantis108]

Man, that's facinating! Thanks for sharing.

Warmest regards

Mantis108

[Tainan Mantis]

And there's more...

Vincent continued,"The most important thing is your gong li/strength and your shou fa/method of applying hand techniques.
If your shou fa is quick it won't necessarily work as well as being in a good position.

"A lot of teachers teach the techniques, but not the stepping method.
Standing in the right position is like playing wei chi/Chinese chess, when you occupy the right position no matter how much hand movement your opponent does you only have to make...

...one dodge, one turn and immediately leap and shift/
yi shan yi zhuan teng nuo yi hsia."

Some people have asked before about dodging, turning, leaping and shifting.
They are important concepts incorporated into most styles of mantis.

In 8 Step Mantis these four characters are part of it's 12 keyword formula.
From Vincent's description of Master Wei's style of fighting it would seem that they are key concepts indeed!

[Tainan Mantis]

Dodge, turn, leap and shift/ shan, zhua, teng, nuo can also be found in
The Shaolin Book Of Pugilism/Chuen Jing.

Shaolin Book of Pugilism is the oldest genuine book of empty hand fighting from Shaolin Temple.
The section on questions and answers also goes into this same concept of movement.
Only one character differs though the meaning is about the same.

Here they talk about this concept as a way for the weak to defeat the strong to which I wholeheartedly agree.

A rough translation of the original text...

"How can the weak defeat the strong?

It all lies in turning to the side, dodging, leaping and shifting/pien, shan, teng, nuo.

If you turn in then even though your opponent has mountain pulling force it will be wasted in vain.

By leaping and shifting you can break into your opponents opening and take advantage of him.

It is best to seemingly give way while not really giving way.

First break through then turn and come back, why should you remain motionless?"

[Tainan Mantis]

For a well thought out critique of my translation from Chuen Jing please look at Mantis 108's forum.

More on footsteps from th 4th question and answer.

"Why do you move diagonally when using the dodging footsteps?

It is in order to avoid that which comes straight towards you and to evade that which charges at you.

Avoid his charge and fly diagonally when his force is difficult to stop.

How can you defend yourself from a straight attack without dodging?

Go sideways and then immediately go straight.

Occupy his space so he'll be injured by a fall."

[Tainan Mantis]

Above is an ancient explanation for Vincent's remarks on,
"One dodge, one turn and immediately leap and shift!"

Vincent also said," Wei Laoshr was a very experienced fighter. If you were quick it was prety useless as he could guess what you would do and where."