Seven Star stepping pattern

[kung fu fighter]

Hi,

Can someone discribe what the formation of Seven Star stepping/Footwork is, as well as what's the purpose of training it ?

Thanks
KFF

[Asmo]

You might want to be more specific to what style you want the information for. You will find many references to 7 stars in many Chinese styles as they played a major role in ancient military combat.

The seven stars refer to Ursa Major (Big Dipper) which was used by taoists to predict the outcome of battles.

There are whole styles where the 7 stars are used for (sevenstar praying mantis, but I know very little about it to make solid claims), other styles have a section in a form that include a 7 star pattern (often referring to the place feet are placed at), and more esoteric reasons.

Hope this helped a bit,

Asmo

[kung fu fighter]

Thanks Asmo,

Is this footwork used at close range or long range, and is it used to cut angles?

what is the concept or principle behind it?

Is it the same footwork seen in Jackie Chan's movie Drunken master where he is stepping on top of a bunch of jars?

[Asmo]

Is this footwork used at close range or long range, and is it used to cut angles?
what is the concept or principle behind it?

What I hoped to bring across is there is not necessarily any fixed meaning to "7 stars". It can have a different meaning to each and every style that incorporated it in any way into their system.

It is the same with elements. The elements have the same menaing all over China, but if you look at how they are implemented into kungfu systems they are totally different. The element metal (gold) is done different in Hung Gar, and Hsing Yi for example, but it has the same principal behind it.

Personally, I know just 1 "seven star" pattern. It is in a 5 element form which is unique to our lineage (South Paw might be able to provide more information about it) and has elemental techniques for all steps, and as such differ in distance and purpose. The "7 stars" in this section refer to the 7 steps we make to execute all 5 elements in that section of the form.


Is it the same footwork seen in Jackie Chan's movie Drunken master where he is stepping on top of a bunch of jars?

Movies are movies, just look at them in such way ;)