got time for a short read?

[Kung Lek]

Hello all, I have just finished writing a couple of short articles on my site.

give em a read if ya like :)

address is http://members.home.net/kunglek
the articles are located in the new section called "ponderings".

peace

Kung Lek

Martial Arts Links (http://members.home.net/kunglek)

[toddbringewatt]

Nice articles. Well written and I particularly enjoyed the piece on Ch'an. Great data! Interesting history. :) I love learning more about religion, especially the Asian religions.

Thanks, Kung Lek.

"Bruce Leroy. That's who!"

[prana]

Great site, nice work !

http://dharmatours.com/hbmc/Prwhbl1.gif

[HopGar]

nice articles.

Zvika

"He's not dead, 'es resting! Well if 'e's resting, I'll wake him up! 'Ello Mr. Polly Parrot...." -Monty Python, Dead Parrot Sketch

[kwokfist]

cool articles... you use flash dreamweaver to build this site?

[old jong]

Well done! I have to give you 99.9999948% because of the Bruce Lee pics! :D ;)

Les paroles s'envolent.
Les écrits restent!...

[Martial Joe]

I have to say I am impressed...
That is one nice site...

http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/lolup.gif IXIJoe KaveyIXIhttp://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/lolup.gif
I am Sharky's main man...

[Zhin]

Hey Kung,

I can't be sure, but if you are hosting your site on something related to excite@home (like you have a cable modem), you might want to back it up PDQ, due to the bankruptcy.

[Tvebak]

Very good articles, thanks for sharing.

I just checked the rest of your homepage out in the picture section in the picture "Tiger crouching" it seems like you have the thumb on the outside of the fist, is that true? and is there a reason for this?
Uberkool homepage BTW.

[HuangKaiVun]

You should spend more time MODERATING, Kung Lek.

Where's Renegade_Monk when we need him?

[Taoist Disciple]

Huang,

I see you a a professional violinist. What do you like playing, and where?

"Seek naturalness. Act without forcing".

[Kung Lek]

Hello-
Thanks for the feedback. And to answer a few of the questions and comments.

Yes, I build sites with macromedia products such as Dreamweaver and Flash.

I use Rogers at Home, so I'm not to worried, besides my entire site is also local to my machine.

Yes, I use my thumb resting on top of my index finger or wrapped, depending on the use of the fist. Neither way is incorrect and it's a matter of the individuals preference.

What do you need moderated Huang? I thought that I was being fairly moderate lately. no porn, easy on the flames, etc, other than that, many have asked that this board be more of a neighbourhood meeting place. It's not my board, it is the users for the most part, and for the most part many posts are relevant to the practice of Kung Fu.

peace

Kung Lek

Martial Arts Links (http://members.home.net/kunglek)

[Taoist Disciple]

Chill Kung Lek.

You're doing a good job. :D

"Seek naturalness. Act without forcing".

[DrunkenMonkey]

HuangKaiVun, chill. He's doing a great job so shut the hell up you little *****.

"****ed be the day that befalls us in a most hostile manner that shall compromise our Country, and ****ed be the great lengths at which are required of to stir our Patriotism." - Anonymous

[shaolinboxer]

Good beginner's reading.

"She ain't got no muscles in her teeth."
- Cat

[HuangKaiVun]

Drunkenmonkey, you like Ralek's posts. You idolize the guy and even have learned to imitate his flaming.

Your asinine "Orgy" post was something that should've been stricken from this board INSTANTLY. It took this forum 39 responses for the moderators to catch on.

So YOU shut the hell up, you little **** of Ralek's ****.


Kung Lek, we have disagreed REPEATEDLY over the moderation issue - though I really respect your "moderate" intent.

You know where I'm coming from, and I know where you're coming from. As you are the moderator, I will abide by YOUR rules.

[Kung Lek]

Haung-

i didn't even see an orgy thread :O
I must've not been looking at the threads that day.

Anyway, I do what I can to give this place as much attention as I can. And I do my best to ensure that the content in these threads are acceptable to anyone who comes here.

Having said that, the major concensus of the users here is that they do like to use it a little outside the framework of just Kung fu posts and for the most part I am ok with that.

When it gets out of hand, I do my best to get rid of the extraneous and keep the worthwhile stuff.

But, I'm just one guy, as is renegade monk. The folks at KFQG magazine entrust us to keep this board a worthwhile place to come.

You do have the option of e-mailing me personally with any concerns or issues you have about the content of the threads here, and I urge you to do so. Everything you need to contact me is in my profile and I will deal with issues as fairly as I possibly can.

And Drunken Monkey, I really do think that sometimes you are "drunk" when you post. :)

peace

Kung Lek

Martial Arts Links (http://members.home.net/kunglek)

[Tvebak]

Hey Kung...it was not meant as an attack.
If you have time to explain some of the applications of that hand position i would very much like to read it.

[Arioch7]

Hell, I am always drunk when I post here! ;)

Nice site, Kung Lek. The moderator thing is a dead issue. I agree with HUang but if we have to have one, I could not think of a better person to do it.

Now, having read things by Huang and Kung for a long period of time, I can honestly say that I trust thier opinions when they post answers to my questions.

I have also befriended some of the "flamer" types on this forum and I have to say that the quality of the flames has reached a new low, the real guys know what I am talking about. Debate is good, adolescent ****ing contests are not.

I am heartened that a few core people are here. I dont mind obnoxious people. Obnoxious STUPID people that do not know what they are talking about irritates me.

Back to your site... cool new stuff Kung lek! I like the article on Zen. You have the facts straight my man, and I think it is a great article for people that do not know what Ch'an is. I especially like the Homer Simpson reference. :D

Now, do you know what the Japanese call Bodhidarmha? LOL, I couldn't resist.

[Kung Lek]

arioch 7, just in case you aren't kidding... :D

Bodidharma was known to the Japanese as "Daruma".

Tvebak, as time permits I will be writing more pieces for the site. I intend to keep them short and concise and to try not to get overly mystical with the content.

As far as hand forms are concerned, you may well know that there are a great variety of hand forms used in chinese martial arts, with the larger percentage being open hand forms or hand forms that are designed for small area strikes.

To use a fist is uncommon at more advanced levels of application of strikes, but still, fists are effective if used properly and to the correct striking areas and using the correct striking areas.

There is much to the martial arts that I have come to consider to be very "cut and dried".
Ochams razor so to speak, or the simplest answer is generally the one that will work most reliably and effectively.

It is not wrong to wrap the thumb or to let it sit atop the index finger. When the thumb sits atop the index, their are some small advantages to doing so, the foremost being the reduction of the possibility of bending the thumb inwards when striking a large area and perhaps glancing.

Of course, to wrap the thumb under the finger is incorrect although this fist form is used in some chi kung exercises. the thumb under the fingers handform is known as "Tiger immitates Crane" and this fist is not used to strike but rather when th punch reaches it's terminus, the fingers gently squeeze the fist and the sinew and tendon of the thumb is worked and at the same time the muscle is worked and there is an acupressure aspect to it.

Another hand form of the fist is the sun fist, where the thumb is under the wrapped fingers and supports the fingers. This hand form can be used in snapping figure eight punches.

Anyway, I will be sure to write a couple of pieces about what I understand of body mechanics, angles of attack and other things as I grow to understand them with more depth through the practice of them.


peace

Kung Lek

Martial Arts Links (http://members.home.net/kunglek)

[This message was edited by Kung Lek on 10-15-01 at 05:31 PM.]

[Arioch7]

LOL! I knew you knew it but I like trivia.

Lets play Martial Arts Jeapordy for 200, Alex! :D

[HuangKaiVun]

Taoist Disciple, I'm a Juilliard trained classical violinist - studied with Aaron Rosand and Margaret Pardee.

My playing is completely unlike that of any other violinist today, though I have a style and sound very similar to that of the bass player Edgar Meyer. Thus I have even more enemies in the hoity toity modern violin world than I do HERE!

I also play jazz with anyone, being a jazz guitarist as well. On violin, I can do everything that Grappelli does and then some.

Last May, I performed all 24 Paganini Caprices on stage from memory.

[Grappling-Insanity]

Kung Lek does more than great job moderating. Dont listen to the haters!

[KC Elbows]

Good stuff, Kung Lek. You played a very moderate song on the issue of modern wushu, which was the right thing to do. No point in drowning the reader in the whole wushu debate, especially since its only a debate for the wushu practitioners and kung fu fighters. All around good job.

As far as moderation, I don't think this thread was about that, I don't think it should be about that, and I think the only reason it was brought up is that a moderator started the post. Just one more reason that I would never make a good moderator-I just can't stand the whining. :p

[Taoist Disciple]

The reputation of the Juillard school is excellent, of course. Congratualations on your performance of Paganini's Caprices. Naturally, being Paganini, they are exceptionally difficult.

I am also a musician, but not of your prowess. I am a music scholar at my College in the UK, and play the trumpet (classical and jazz) as well as the piano (classical). I also play the electric guitar in my spare time, as well as singing.

What other composers do you like? Bruch? Mendelssohn?

And, what is your opinion of Maxim Vengerov? :D

Seek naturalness. Act without forcing.

[Stumblefist]

If you all are going to go off topic, i'll take orgies over violins.
---------------------------------------------
Well, i do feel some stomach trouble reading "What is Kung Fu?", Kung Lek.If i wrote the same subject, I think i might not even mention The National Wushu Federation and all the rest beyond one sentence.
....
"The actual correct term for Chinese Martial Arts is "Wu Shu""
To take a worm from the can do you have proof of this from literature or writings from before 1949 for popular usage in all regions? 1900? 1800? I understand this was the CCP organ's decision.

I think as well that real kung fu basics are actually basics to develop all physical skills and sports.
..............
I like your Chan page. Rather than go into the 18 this's and 24 that's, you presented the real point of Chan: enlightenment not intellectualism.

"Seated meditation with the goal of no mind was the pinacle of Ch'an practice. It still is. The enlightenment that is achieved through this vehicle is different for everyone but at the same time common to all."

"This is the end
My only friend, the end
It hurts to set you free
But you'll never follow me"

[Taoist Disciple]

...excuse my off topic naughtiness ;)

(The trumpet is extremely effective in close range combat, as it closely resembles a club). :D

Seek naturalness. Act without forcing.

[HuangKaiVun]

Maxim Vengerov has about 70% of my talent level and about 20% of my repertoire.

He is utterly incapable of playing the more difficult classical repertoire, specifically Paganini Caprices and Bach Solo Sonatas and Partitas.

This is because of his flawed training via Zakhar Bron, who also trained that other hacksaw scraper Vadim Repin.

If I were to face BOTH these guys at once, I'd utterly wipe them out by starting at Paganini Caprice #1 and mowing all the way through to 24 BY MEMORY. They'd have to tag-team to keep up with me, for their modern-style external method is no match for my Auer-style internal training.

[Kung Lek]

stumblefist-
The term Wu Shu is the Chinese Verbiage for martial arts.
To the Chinese, Kung Fu applies to everyone who is very skilled at anything.

In terms of the codified systems and teachings that were brought out of the Shaolin Temple, I suppose I could've alluded towards the term "Chuan Fa" (Fist Law), but I wasn't going to get too specific.

I don't think that the PRC "made up" the words Wu Shu. They have been written that way for a very long time from what I understand.

peace

Kung Lek

Martial Arts Links (http://members.home.net/kunglek)

[Stumblefist]

Kung Lek.
I didn't say the CCP-directed government organizations made it up. I said they took this term and decided it was going to mean "All Chinese Martial Arts". Now, it does in mainland china (mostly) because all the CCP and its organs have total control over media and publications in the mainland. I think the southern peoples always used the tem "gong fu" to mean "chinese martial arts" or another term. Perhaps in the north it was "Quan Fa".
So i ask where is the proof in writing referring to popular chinese literature or texts pre chinese communist government control, of what term people in china used to refer to "chinese martial arts" pre-1949, circa 1900, cira 1800. And of course there are many different areas.

The political wars (against guomindang) and cultural domination wars (like domination of southern or western chinese peoples) extend into language.
My southern master emigrated from China pre 1949, never said that word "wushu" always "gong fu".

It looks like they are using this word to mean their invented practice of "wushu" and then saying all others are part of their invented practice.

"This is the end
My only friend, the end
It hurts to set you free
But you'll never follow me"

[Taoist Disciple]

I dont doubt your ability, but understand that I feel you are making a very big claim as far as the Vengerov issue is concerned. The reputation of the Juillard school is impeccable, especially as far as violinists are concerned.

Have you released any recordings of your playing? If not, why not?

What are you playing at the moment apart from Paganini's caprices? And what make is your violin? It is very interesting for me to know as there is a constant debate about the best violins here at college, and I was wondering what you played.

Seek naturalness. Act without forcing.

[Stumblefist]

"The actual correct term for Chinese Martial Arts is "Wu Shu"
About this statement: I may be off, but something seems not right here, with wushu also being the word for the developed PRC government kungfu. I put it in a topic-starter and pass it by the membership wen i get time. See if everybody is in agreement.
....
"In terms of the codified systems and teachings that were brought out of the Shaolin Temple, I suppose I could've alluded towards the term "Chuan Fa" (Fist Law), but I wasn't going to get too specific.

Hmmm, you wouldn'tbe propagating that myth that all kungfu comes from shaolin, would you?"

"This is the end
My only friend, the end
It hurts to set you free
But you'll never follow me"

[honorisc]

4th paragrah first line; Lankavatarasutra" should be two words?


9th paragraph, first line,"aboandoned"; mispelled (only one "a"); also "enligtenment" same line.

11th paragraph, second line (near Japan), "asia " the first "a" in "asia" might should be majescule.


I don't have a problem with believing that HuandKaiVun is as excellent as HuangKaiVun indicates.

Very some such, perhaps might have been, likely say some, some not.

[honorisc]

Third paragraph, first line; "Su" (of Wu Su) perhaps should have an "h"

Very some such, perhaps might have been, likely say some, some not.

[KC Elbows]

To my understanding, wushu is the correct term. The PRC did not make up the word, they just made it the standard usage and so the term became associated with the compulsory forms they put forward. Otherwise terms like "modern wushu" and "contemporary wushu" would be redundancies, which they are not.