Mei Hua Shou "Plum Blossom Hand"

[Three Harmonies]

With the help of my friend, I am now on the web in video format :o
This is a clip of (what I know it as) Mei Hua Shou or Plum Blossom Hand. It seems to be a mystery as to the origin, and was wondering if you guys could help out. I have posted about this previously, but until now have not had the luxury of video. I am hoping Tainan and Mantis108 will recognize this set. Martello Laoshi claims it has many similarities to Tanglang Shou, an older system of Mantis, but other pointers seem to indicate that is may be a Zhaiyao set most definetly from Meihua. Biggie laoshi has never seen it before, but says it looks very mainlandish.
So let me know if this looks familiar, as I would really like to have the history of this wonderful set. And by all means please also critique away at any other things worth mentioning. I am never satisfied with myself on tape, so all of it looks disappointing to me. Let me know what you guys think. This is played at about 80% full speed.

http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=tanglangshou

Cheers
Jake :D

[mantisben]

Biggie laoshi has never seen it before, but says it looks very mainlandish.
So let me know if this looks familiar, as I would really like to have the history of this wonderful set.
...


It looks like it is played with the Mei Hua PM type of execution. However, I read in another post that of the 3 Mei Hua forms in WHF 7* PM (Mei Hua Hand/Fist/Falling), only Mei Hua Lu (Falling) exists in Mainland 7* PM. So, this form may not have roots in Mainland 7* PM.

To me, the sequence of techniques is recognizable as the Mei Hua Shou of the WHF lineage, but some of the techniques are executed differently.

Thanks for posting the video! I enjoyed the demo!

[Paul T England]

Hi Jake,

Thanks for posting the clip, very nice.

It is very different from the version I practice within the Lee Kam Wing lineage. If anyone is interested in the plum blossom sets, Lee Kam Wing has a nice book available on them.

Paul

[mantisben]

Hi Jake,

Thanks for posting the clip, very nice.

It is very different from the version I practice within the Lee Kam Wing lineage. If anyone is interested in the plum blossom sets, Lee Kam Wing has a nice book available on them.

Paul
Are these books available in the USA?

[Three Harmonies]

Mr. England,
Thank you for the comments. Yes I have LKW book on the Meihua sets, and this is quite different indeed.
Mantisben
I agree that many moves look simlar to the Qi Xing version, but their are certain moves that are certainly Meihua. Thanks for the compliments.

Cheers
Jake :D

[BaldMonk]

Yo Jake,

You're being modest you look good. I like that form but haven't seen it before. Keep it up.

Peace
BaldMonk

[Paul T England]

You can probably get the book from Sifu John Cheng in California or Sifu Raul Ortiz in NY.

If you can't get them in the US, I can ship from UK.

Paul

[YuanZhideDiZhen]

i have experience with a form called "Little Plum Flower". it is a very old form with Bagua -?- as its origin. the form you displayed has some basic pattern elements that are similar, so much so that i was able to anticipate where you'd move!

Generally, all the Plum Flower named forms are from Wu Dang lineage. but many systems have adopted and modified them.

mine starts with a huge sweep followed by a combination eagle claw-tiger claw lunge. anyone familiar with this open?

[lamakwoklee]

Thank you for pointing the camera at yourself, and showing something a bit different.

[Three Harmonies]

Thanks. Have you seen this set before?
Jake :D

[woliveri]

Nice. About mid-way through the form there is a retreat with a horizontal mantis hand.

What is the application for this? Blocking?

Thanks,

[Three Harmonies]

If I am thinking of the same move as you, this can be construed as a block, but most likely it would not block ****. I always play it as if I overshot my punch, or my hand ends up by their face, use the hook to strike the side of the head and what not.
Jake :D

[YuanZhideDiZhen]

how far from the roundhouse into the half X strike are you referring? to the quik straight sequence immediately following?

[Three Harmonies]

Not sure I am following you? Calrify please! :D

[ron evans]

The clip looks great, it is different than the Plum Flower Hand that I have from the WHF family.

[Three Harmonies]

Thank you Mr Evans. This is turning into quite a venture trying to gather the origins of this wonderful set.

Cheers
Jake :D

[ron evans]

Looks like a good set, and you look good doing it. There are some moves that are very close. Please just call me Ron.

[YuanZhideDiZhen]

i've been looking around at plum flower sets available in the states:

plumpub.com has four and doc fei wong has three or four. methinks they overlap a bit, or rather, cover the similar materials.

does anyone have the dfw forms in streaming view?

[YuanZhideDiZhen]

3H:
not being a mantis person i have difficulty explaining what i'm missing. :)

okay, following the tape leader at the bottom of the screen there's a mid point for the actual form as opposed to the whole stream. near that mid point there are the techniques i refferenced. on iether end of those there are several obviously crane/mantis stylised techniques in rapid succession. which is the "mantis head"? is it the broad semi-cupped fist, fingers pointed down?

in another description:
after your first reversal of direction when you're heading towards your point of origin there are about 10 mantis techniques then a roundhouse followed by what my style would call an X-strike (over the head whipping fists done three or four times, two from one side followed by one or two from the other to give the appearance of an X ). partrial x strike is followed by 8 mantis techniques. both sets of hand techniques have a broad faced open-palmed 'fist' (as opposed to a smaller striking surface).

[sean_stonehart]

i've been looking around at plum flower sets available in the states:

plumpub.com has four and doc fei wong has three or four. methinks they overlap a bit, or rather, cover the similar materials.

does anyone have the dfw forms in streaming view?

Doc Fai Wong's Moi Fa series is not even related to the Mei Hua Jake performed. CLF uses the Moi Fa (Mei Hua) to describe patterns of movements & stepping motions like the Plum Flower... 5 directions.


Two different animals (or flowers if you prefer) altogether...

[YuanZhideDiZhen]

Doc Fai Wong's Moi Fa series is not even related to the Mei Hua Jake performed. CLF uses the Moi Fa (Mei Hua) to describe patterns of movements & stepping motions like the Plum Flower... 5 directions.


Two different animals (or flowers if you prefer) altogether...

i noticed in his (dfw) list there was a 'little plum flower' a 'plum flower' a 'plum blossom' and a 'small plum blossom'. which of these do you perform or have known in the past and can you discuss the differnces between the sets?

does the dfw plum flower series use only the tight circle plum flower, sometimes called 'four corners' or 'five corners dancing'? or is it forms based on the plum flower footwork?...but i gues you kinda answered that with five directions...?

i'm only being picky because the plum i practice i cannot find an analog for or origin form from which it was derived....

the form i perform has three ba or roads it travels (similar in spacing to Jake's form) before it begins a dragon type box pattern which is interjected on one corner with a dragon leopard routine just before its completion. are you familiar with this concept of moi fa?