BSL's Broadsword Set

[taichi4eva]

I bought the video "Willow Leaf Broadsword" from martialartsmart.com some time ago, and the floor pattern for the form was in a kinda zigzag pattern. Is the one practiced in BSL (more specifically, Sifu Wing Lam's lineage) practiced in a straight line or in a zigzag pattern also?

[NorthernShaolin]

taichi4eva,

BSL has many saber sets and Sifu Lam's video is the basic one. Basic sets are usually straight line path. Higher order of weapon sets of the same order usually do not follow suit but are more less straight.

However, it does bring to question as to why it appears that BSL sets gives the appearance of "being on stage" while perform the set if you know what I mean.

I asked my sifu this question as to why the majority of the moves seem to be facing one direction. His answer seems to be why the straight line appearance.

Now one has to assume that everyone practices in the early morning hours as our forefathers did: As one perform the set, he should face North so that the sun does not strike the eyes as one practices. The Elders would also add that it was to watch the Barbarians (Manchus) from the North from invading the Mother country. Hence as one practices, he should also be watching the North from the threat of invasion.

BUT.... I also heard that the sets originally were not so straight line and that it is really a product of confined space in Hong Kong and that the sifus had to modify the directions in order for the set to stay within the limitations of the room or roof tops.

So where do you find the answer. One must compare the same sets of the same lineage from HK with that from the mainland China. But since China has since Wu-shuize many of the traditional sets, it will be difficult to do.

Kai men, who recently had one of his student return from China and who sucessfully met one of KYC's disciple could perhaps answer this question.

[taichi4eva]

good post...thank you

[GeneChing]

We discussed the comparison between the Pek Kwar versions and the BSL versions back on this thread (http://forum.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=10638). As for travelling in a straight line, this is a basic characteristic of all traditional Songshan Shaolin sets. In fact, it's an easy (although far from foolproof) method to tell the modern forms from the traditional at Shaolin Temple. In BSL, #1 and #6 follow this pattern. In fact, I've demonstrated BSL#6 for the monks, and they recognize it as being a classical form in character (although they cannot find a parallel in the curriculum).

[ngokfei]

northernshaolin.

your so right about the alteringof forms. ex: The Chin Woo Bagua Do was originally I believe a multi directional set. But due to space limitations it fell into the straight line version.

Gene:

Yes the easiest way to tell modern shaolin from Old origin shaolin is the use of the straight line.

But have seen some of the sets performed with side steps and leadingoff the straight line. Don't know why but perhaps space was also a reason, especially during the restrictions placed on MA by Mao's regime.

We've all heard the story of the kwando peformer jumping back 3 times and when asked why it was because the school ofthe teacher forced them to jump back in order to finish the set.

eric

[NorthernShaolin]

ngokfei,

You are also correct about CHin Woo (Jing Mo) Bagua Do in that it was multidirectional. Many old Jing Mo Schools still teach it in the original formate which is 8 directions. Each direction represents one of the trigrams in the Bagua symbol. But I do not know which direction represent which trigram.