Gene - Eagle Claw 108 articles

[Falcor]

Gene,

I remember once upon a time you guys published Sifu Lily Lau demonstrating all 108 Chin-Na techniques of Eagle Claw in a series of 2 or 3 part articles. I never got them when they came out, but would like to buy those back issues. Could you tell me what issues they were and how I can get them? Thanks.

[GeneChing]

We did that as a three-parter, part one was in Sep 2000 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=124), two in Oct 2000 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=126), three in Nov 2000 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=128). FWIW, that article was so popular that we also did a video version (although the video was an annotated 72 routine). That's available in two parts, click here (http://store.yahoo.com/martialartsmart/tcll010.html).

[Meat Shake]

How similar are the 108 eagle claw locks to the 132 chin na techniques?

[Falcor]

Thanks Gene.

How was the video annotated to 72 from 108? What was left out?

[Meat Shake]

If Im correct the eagle claw techniques are seperated into groups by what joint they lock, the last 3 sets being spine, neck, and death locks. Those were most likely left out.

[GeneChing]

If memory serves, it was basically the same form, just the longer one had more moves. You could make up the difference by looking at the magazine articles. I think you only need the last article installment to figure it out and I also think it was some sort of repeated sequence or variation. Honestly, that was a long time ago, and I can't remember for sure. I worked on the project, but I work on so many projects. If I remembered all the stuff I've been exposed to through my job, I'd be some kind of martial god, but I can barely remember my basic forms nowadays. Maybe all of this other stuff jams it up. Maybe I'm just too lazy. But still, that Chin Na set was a cool one though. I'd recommend using the video if you really wanted to learn it, then supplementing it with the magazine articles if you wanted more depth or a slightly different take on the whole thing.

[ngokfei]

Have the Lilly Lau tapes and there good. Its actually demonstrating a partner set which was called the 108. This version demonstrates 72.

There exist 2 108 sets in the Eagle Claw STyle. One is done as a continiously moving lock and counter partner form while the other is more of a self defense technique based routine between 2 people.

The separation into which joint is attacked is from the Shum Leung branch as his teacher (ng wai nung) structured them in this order so teaching and memory of all 108 individual technqiues was easier. A good intro to 30 of these is in Shum Leung's new book published by Tuttle.

Lau Fat Mang published a bood on the 108 but is not demonstrative of all 108 technqiues and there is not catagories for the different locks or targets. Its been republished and can be found in any chinatown bookstore (have seen it in NY and San Fran)

The phrase 108 is really not intended to mean only 108 technqieus exist. In many circles it philosophically means infinite. As I've stated before in another thread, have learned many more than 108 techniques and there is no way to know which were the "original" from the founder.

[GeneChing]

As a side note, GM Lau's set was featured on a tourist Shaolin shirt, which we mentioned in the article. The shirt was circulating around the time we did the article (I haven't seen it since) and it had what I would call modern adaptations - line drawn figures - of fighting monks. But it is unquestionably the same set. GM Lau and her people were pretty excited - they were trying to track down the source of the shirt to see where they got the form, hoping it would connect them to traditional Shaolin somehow. My guess, given the artwork style, is that it was published in some contemporary Chinese book, then 'borrowed' to make the shirt. They were beautiful drawings.