The Mysterious Transmission of Zhao's Martial Art

[Tainan Mantis]

I have noticed several references to Zhao Kuangying having transmitted martial arts on this forum.

Besides oraltransmission what other documentation exists showing or stating that the first Song emperor trained empty hand (or weapon) fighting or passed it down?

From a Chinese historian, Ma Mingda, I read that the first reference:
"Zhao Taizu Longfist" and "Zhao Taizu Longfist often uses legs"

First appearing in Wu Bian (Martial Classification) by Tang Xunzhi (1507-1560)
I have not come across the publication date of this book but from the death of Zhao Kuangying (976) to the birth of Tang Xunzhi (1507) is a span of 531 years!!!

It seems like an unusually long time to transmit a martial art without change in a country living through almost perpetual turmoil and upheavel.

[Tainan Mantis]

Wu Bian ( Martial Classification)
Was published in the Jia Qing period of the Ming Dynasty which puts it somewhere between 1523 and 1566.

BTW, the martial art book from the period of Song Taizu published around 960 is called Jiao Li Ji(Book of Wrestling)
It is about what we presently call shuai jiao. I have not seen this book, only going by references, in this case Zhong Guo Wu Shu Li Shi (History of Chinse Wushu) by Song Tian Long Zhi.

[Sal Canzonieri]

Both an ancient Song era book titled “Feng Chen Quan Shu Mi Lu” – ‘Dust in the Wind Boxing Method Secret Record’ (風塵拳朮秘錄) and Shaolin’s oral history handed down through the generations say that Zhao created the original Shaolin Hong Quan sets, and left them his martial art manuals and notes. Zhao stopped in Shaolin for a short period when he was traveling and exchanged martial art knowledge with the monks; while there he was taught Rou Quan (Soft Boxing) and he gave the monks a gift of a set of Hong Quan movements that he developed. According to the “Feng Chen Quan Shu Mi Lu” , after Zhao left Shaolin, he went into the military, became emperor, and later unified China into one empire, saying he “attacked Guandong to create (or wound) Guanxi” – “Da Guandong, Chuang Guanxi” (打关东,创关西). Both this book and also the Shaolin Hong Quan song formulas for these sets mention this same saying. The Shaolin song formula calls the full name of the three-section Da Hong Quan set as the “Taizu Guandong Da Hong Quan”.

Being that Song Emperor Zhao Kuangyin grew up in a military family that was originally from the Luoyang and Kaifeng areas, it is possible that the Da Hong quan (大鸿拳 - Big Swan or Vast Fist) style influenced the military arts of Zhao’s region. The Dengfeng village Lao Hong Quan sets attributed to him feature a “Shoot the Big Swan Gate” posture, used as closing salute (it looks like someone about to shoot an arrow with a large bow).This posture is the main movement found in the Big Swan or Vast Fist style. Zhao’s father, grandfather, and uncles were all military leaders. His grandfather was a general; later Zhao was made commander of the palace guard, the elite fighting core of the Zhou army, before he became a Zhou army and navy general. The Imperial guard was considered the best fighting force of the Zhou military. As a famed military commander and later as the first Song Emperor, it can be seen why his name would have been attached to Hong Quan.

While in the military for so many years, Zhao must have learned what was prevalent there at the time, since he lived in the Kaifeng and Luoyang areas of Henan. Besides the Kaifeng area ‘Hong Quan’ and ‘Bai Chui’ fighting techniques prevalent in the military of his time, he also most likely practiced a type of whipping movement that was called Bian (whip) at the time (done with double or single sword or knife and also empty handed), which is the classic signature movement seen today in Piqua and Tongbei long fist. Short range joint-locking techniques also were used, both of which were effective against foot soldiers dressed in armor. Also, Shuai Jiao like grappling takedowns were always popular amongst the military, both as a sport and for defense.

[uki]

It seems like an unusually long time to transmit a martial art without change in a country living through almost perpetual turmoil and upheavel.energy is like a driven wedge. :)

[Sal Canzonieri]

How much has Shuai Jiao changed in the thousands of years of its existence?
Not Much.
Same for the thousands of years of Sword routines, not much.
Same for various family styles here and there in China, they haven't changed much in many hundreds of years.

It's all based on necessity, some styles are more generalized and they can go with the flow, the ones that were more specialized where the styles that most changed and adapted as they went from one area of China to another.

[Tainan Mantis]

Both an ancient Song era book titled “Feng Chen Quan Shu Mi Lu” – ‘Dust in the Wind Boxing Method Secret Record’ (風塵拳朮秘錄)

I don't recall coming across this book.
I have several lists of MA books of past dynasties, but don't recall this one.

Can you provide more information about it?

Kevin

[Sal Canzonieri]

I don't recall coming across this book.
I have several lists of MA books of past dynasties, but don't recall this one.

Can you provide more information about it?

Kevin

A few articles in Chinese about Taizu Quan origins and relationship to other styles mentioned this book.
I've been looking all over for any more information about this book.

[Tainan Mantis]

... Shaolin’s oral history handed down through the generations say that Zhao created the original Shaolin Hong Quan sets,


To my knowledge the first known mention of Song Taizu having been to Shaolin is the following quote (see attachment for Chinese text).


"Fist method is originally from Shaolin Temple. Ever since Song Taizu studied it there it has been famous all under heaven."

The story goes on to mention other styles there at the time.


"Afterwards came the Wen Family's 72 Moving Fist, 36 Connected Locks, 24 Qi Pat on Horse. The Eight Dodging Turns has 12 Short Strikes, Lu Hong has the 8 Hard, Shandong has Li Ban Tian's kicks, There is the Eagle Claw Kings grasping and Zhang Jin Bo's strikes.

Reknown within the seas each one is profound. None of them are perfect, but they all can be used to defeat the enemy."

This book, Quan Jing, shows up in the Qing Dynasty. The above portion is mostly a repeat of what Qi Jiguang wrote in his chapter, also called Quan jing (1584) with the main difference being that he does not have the quote,

"Fist method is originally from Shaolin Temple. Ever since Song Taizu studied it there it has been famous all under heaven."

Instead, when Qi mentions Shaolin he only mentions that they are known for their stick fighting.

That leaves us with the first mention of Zhao's longfist during the mid 1500's and the first mention of him at Shaolin between 100 to 200 years later.

I don't have the ability to pour through the totality of 1000 years of books to seek out the answer so instead I am mostly relying on the research already made available by modern Chinese historians such as Ma Mingda.

Sal,
As for the book ‘Dust in the Wind Boxing Method Secret Record’ (風塵拳朮秘錄)

If it has not been mentioned by the scores of historians since Tang Hao then how reliable a source can it be?

[Sal Canzonieri]

Journal of the Chen Style Taijiquan Research Association Of Hawaii, Vol. 4, No. 2, 1996
Author of Lost Ming Boxing Treatise Identified
By
Stanley E. Henning

As an important element of Chinese popular culture from earliest times, the martial arts comprise an exciting field for scholarly research. The most exciting aspect of such research is the discovery of new or previously overlooked information, which can help us gain a better understanding of the history and nature of these arts. One such piece of information is the named of the actual author of a lost ming boxing treatise titled Baida Yaopu (白打要譜) or Essential Manual on Boxing by a heretofore unknown author named Wang Boyan.
While researching the origins and evolution of Chinese boxing, I ran across the following short entry on the Essential Manual on Boxing (6 chapters), under “Military Writings” in Dushu Minqiu Ji or Reader’s Handy Selection Guide (c. 1795)

[1]: “Today’s widespread Song Taizu 32 Form Changquan [Long Boxing named after the first Song Emperor]; 24 Qitanma [throws and grapples]; 8 Shanfan [rapid turning moves; 12 Duan [close hitting]; and Soft Zhang’s Duanda [close hitting]; all have their strong points and are well known. Yangchuan [place in Anhui Province] Wang Boyan [author] has recorded the movements of each style and composed essential formulae for them in the same manner as Shaolin Staff and Yang Family Spear.”

The styles listed in this concise entry are among those mentioned in General Qi Jiguang’s New Book of Effective Discipline (1561). General Qi used techniques from these styles to develop his own 32 form set to train his troops in Yiwu, Zhejiang. This 32 form set appears to be the foundation for Chen style Taijiquan. In other words, if this manual were ever to resurface it could provide us with valuable insight into the most prominent Ming styles as well as well as the origins of Taijiquan. The significance of this information further piqued my curiosity. Who was this Wang Boyan from Yingchuan, Anhui – who was so knowledgeable in
the techniques of boxing? Early in 1995, I was pursuing Professor Ma Mingda’s introduction to the People’s Physical Culture Press edition of Qi Jiguang’s New Book of Effective Discipline, wherein I noticed that a prominent official and compatriot of Qi’s, Wang Daokun (汪道昆), played a major role in getting Qi’s training manual published.

[2] Noting that Wang Daokun’s surname (汪) was the same as the unknown Wang Boyan’s, I decided to check out Wang Daokun’s biography. My effort was made easier by his importance as a “Jinshi” or holder of the highest degree in the Chinese bureaucratic examination system. I was excited to find that Wang Daokun was also from Anhui (Shexian) and that his literary style name, Boyu (伯玉) was strikingly close to Wang Boyan’s given name, Boyan (伯言). Furthermore, Wang Daokun was indeed responsible for training citizen soldiers of Yiwu, Zhejiang (令義烏教民講武) to participate in General Qi Jiguang’s anti-pirate operations.

[3] Based on the striking coincidences associated with the names and places of origin of Wang Daokun and Wang Boyan, plus Wang Daokun’s close association with Qi Jiguang’s troop training program and publication of Qi’s New Book of Effective Discipline with its chapter on boxing, I concluded that the actual aouthor of Essential Manual on Boxing must in fact be none other than Wang Daokun.
During a visit to Chengdu in February 1996, I was able to compare notes on this subject with one of China’s top physical education historians, Professor Kuang Wennan of the Sichuan (Chengdu) Physical Education Institute, who confirmed my belief that Wang Daokun was likely the real Wang Boyan.

[4] While it seems almost certain that Wang Daokun was the real Wang Boyan, this conclusion is admittedly tentative, based as it is upon circumstantial evidence. Did Wang Daokun publish Essential Manual on Boxing under the alias “Wang Boyan”, or was this a printer’s error which should have read “Wang Boyu”? Another question is, did one of Wang’s staff publish the manual with the biographical information altered? We may never know the answers to these questions, but the intellectual exercise involved in trying to trace such information can provide us further insight into the history of the Chinese martial arts.

Notes
Qian Zeng 錢曾 (c. 1795), 讀書敏求記 (Reader’s Handy Selection Guide), 書目文獻出版社, 1984, p. 88.

Qi Jiguang (戚繼光), 紀效新書 (New Book of Effective Discipline), 馬明達點校 annotated by Ma Mingda, Beijing: People’s Physical Culture Press, 1988.

中國人名大辭典 (Big Dictionary of Chinese Names), 鄭州﹕中州古籍出版社, 1993, 481.
Discussions between the author and Professor Kuang Wennan, Sichuan (Chengdu) Physical Education Institute (Chengdu, PRC), 25 February 1996.

Professor Kuang is on the editorial committee of the Physical Culture Section, China Grand Encyclopedia 中華大典體育分典 and was the lead author for Outline of Chinese Martial Arts Culture 中國武術文化概論, Sichuan Jiaoyu Press, 1990. He has also written numerous articles for Physical Education Literature and History 體育文史 and other publications.

[Sal Canzonieri]

Ji xiao xin shu 紀效新書 by Qi Jiguang 慼繼光 (1528 - 1588) -
• "Song Taizu had 32-posture long boxing 三十二勢長拳. There is also Six-step boxing 六步拳, Monkey boxing 猴拳, and Decoy boxing (E Quan) 囮拳. Although they have different names, they are mostly similar."
• "Nowadays, there is Wen family's (溫家) 72 moving boxing 七十二行拳, 36 Lockings 三十六合鎖, 24 Runaway Scout Horse 二十四棄探馬, 8 Dodging Tumbles 八閃番, and 12 Short 十二短; these are also the best of the best."
• "Lu Hong's 8 Moves are hard 呂紅八下雖剛"
• Cotton Zhang's Short Strikes 綿張短打
• "Shandong Li Bantian's Kicks 山東李半天之腿
• Eagle Claw Wang's Seizing 鷹爪王之拿
• Thousand-Falls Zhang's Throwing千跌張之跌
• Zhang Bojing's Strikes 張伯敬之打.


Wu bian 武編 by Tang Shunzhi 唐順之 (1507 - 1560) –
• "Zhao Taizu's long boxing 趙太祖長拳 uses many leg techniques.... Zhao Taizu's long boxing is especially practiced in Shandong; it is also commonly practiced in the Jiangnan [Southern] region.
• "Wen family's 72 long strikes 温家长大七十二着, 24 Seeking Legs 二十四尋腿, 36 Lockings...
• "Lu's six roads of short strikes 呂短打六套"
• "There are six sets of Zhang's Short Strikes, which use hand techniques and low kicks."
• "Shanxi Liu's Short Strikes 山西劉短打 has six sets; they use the head and the elbow."

Zhen ji 陣紀 by He Liangchen 何良臣 (1506 - 1600) -
• "... Song Taizu's thirty-six posture long boxing, Six-step boxing, Monkey boxing, and Decoy boxing -- although their names are different, they use the same method to achieve victory."
• "There is Wen family's (溫家) 72 moving boxing 七十二行拳, 36 Lockings 三十六合鎖, 24 Runaway Scout Horse 二十四棄探馬, 8 Dodging Tumbles 八閃番, and 12 Short 十二短; these are also the best of the best."
• "Lu Hong's 8 Moves 呂紅之八下"
• Cotton Zhang's Short Strikes 綿張短打
• Li Bantian's Kicks 李半天之腿"
• Deaf Cao's Kicks 曹聾子之腿
• Wang's Eagle Claw... Seizing 王鷹爪...之拿
• Thousand-Falls Zhang's Throwing千跌張之跌
• Zhang Bojing's Elbows 張伯敬之肘
• Tang Yanghao's Seizing 唐養浩之拿


Wubei yaolue 武備要略 by Cheng Ziyi 程子頤 (late 16th - 17th C.) –
• "Song Taizu's short-range boxing 宋太祖短拳“.
• "Lu Hong's 8 Moves 呂紅之八下"
• Cotton Zhang's Short Strikes 綿張短打
• Eagle Claw Wang's Seizing 鷹爪王之拿
• Thousand-Falls Zhang's Throwing千跌張之跌

Shaolin gunfa chanzong 少林棍法闡宗 by Cheng Zongyou 程宗猷 (published c. 1621)
• "Taizu's long boxing" 太祖長拳
• Wen family's long boxing 溫家長拳
• Cotton Zhang's Short Strikes 綿張短打
• "Ren Family's Short Strikes 任家短打"

Tongbi quanpu 通臂拳譜 by Zhou Quan 周全 (written ca. 1629). –
• "Taizu Guandong [East of the pass] Walking Boxing (Xing Quan) 太祖關東行拳 and Southern Tang 24 Leg Throwing Methods 南唐二十四腿跌打之法... 24 Legs Short Strikes 二十四腿短打之法... Song Taizu rarely traveled West of the pass, and often traveled East of the pass. In his middle years he went down to Southern Tang...“
• Wen family's fighting moves 溫家架勢.
• Cotton Zhang's Short Strikes 綿張短打
• "Liu Zhong's Short Strikes 劉眾短打"
• Ye Family Cannon Boxing 葉家砲[炮]拳
• Zhou Family Slanted Kicks 周家斜腿
• Sha Family Crafty Boxing 沙家猾拳

[Sal Canzonieri]

Sal,
As for the book ‘Dust in the Wind Boxing Method Secret Record’ (風塵拳朮秘錄)

If it has not been mentioned by the scores of historians since Tang Hao then how reliable a source can it be?

Here's an original Chinese article source that mentions this book:

略论少林寺洪拳

武术在当前已逐步走向世界，对武术进行研究是一重要任务，本文试图对少林寺大小洪拳作一粗略探讨，以作抛砖 引玉。望武林界师友教正为幸。

一、名称
善于少林洪拳之名称，流传有不同的解释，相传此拳为宋核祖赵匡胤所传。其一，赵在少林寺学艺三年，后偷跑出 少林，打关东，创关西，被后代称为艺祖，留太祖长拳和小洪拳。（见风尘拳术秘录）其二是宋太祖传下大洪拳， 二祖赵光义传下二洪拳。（现在沛县流传有二洪拳）。其三是宋太祖传下大洪拳，后演变为大小洪拳门。（现黄河 流域有大小洪拳门）其四是洪拳源于初祖达摩大师，其行惠可传下的洪拳称为二洪拳（见老游残记）其五据少林寺 现任名誉方丈德禅大师报说，少林洪拳源于明太祖朱元璋，是洪武年间传下的拳，故称洪拳。其六是宋太祖赵匡小 时的拳为小洪拳，成年后所练之拳为大洪拳，年老后所练之拳为老洪拳（现登封地区流传有老洪拳）。从套路结构 分析，小洪拳难度较小，大洪拳难度较大，老洪拳难度罗大洪拳略小，似为小洪拳适合入门少年练，大拳适合功力 深厚之青年练，二洪拳老洪拳则难度适中，介于大小洪拳之间也。

二、源流
现武术界流传有多种内容不贩大小洪拳，问其源流则皆承府源出少林门派。大致分为四类：1、核祖门洪拳，2、 黄河两岸分为大小洪拳门的洪拳，3、沛县二洪拳，4、登封地区的老洪拳。
少林寺和洪拳门的一些拳谱中，有宋太祖传下大洪拳的记载：例如少林寺古拳谱中云“太祖弘拳实难招，拉开四平 着眼瞧……老祖一扫占中间，背稍打，左颠还。抽身回到金鸾殿，若问此拳名和姓，太祖关东大洪拳 。” 关于小洪拳，则有“作脚跑、抹眉拳、抽身回在金鸾殿，问此拳和姓，太宗留下小洪拳。”为什么说是宋太祖有不 是明太祖呢？笔者认为和宋太祖打关东闯关西打拳卖艺的传说有关，例如少林古谱中有关东拳谱：“太祖横拳到管 （关）东，邪行跃步称英雄……打罢管东回来路，打下港山定太平。” 由此可知，大小洪拳关东拳和太祖有关，而且是打天下时势练，而后来又“打下江山定太平。” 在上打关东创关西是宋太祖赵匡胤，所以笔者认为太祖是指宋祖赵匡胤。有关太祖之传说，风尘拳术秘录中论之甚 详： “……神手洪拳赵太祖，创荡江湖有大名，洪拳九九八十一，传在人间定太平。” （拳术历代源流歌）又云“太祖拳拉四平，斜行跃步拉七星，对面踏下刀出鞘，东山路上赌输赢…… ” 论其艺祖之名时则云“赵太祖亦称艺祖，精擅拳术，湖超创荡，擅使龙形棍，所习亦属少林派。因久演练，化出手 势甚多，相传江湖上之大小洪拳即其所演。故至今卖解家祖述之云”（风尘拳术秘录）。上上述论述可知所谓太祖 即是指宋太祖赵匡胤，由此而知，关东拳大小拳皆是太祖赵匡胤势抟也。为什么说洪拳源于少林呢？相传宋太祖学 艺少林，可作此论之旁证是洪拳谱中把洪写为横的，如“起手横拳实难招”，又如邪形，四平，部分少林其它拳系 中用此名之招甚多，可知原为一源，由历代横拳演变为“洪”拳或“弘”拳。开封周围亦有称之为红拳者，以区别 子路所传之“白锤”。
有关洪拳是明代拳之传说，见于拳谱记载的不多见，少林僧德禅大师所说是明朝拳之根据，可能是师承相传，究其 原因是明太祖朱元璋年号洪武，港拳于明朝大盛则是事实。港武年号之由来是事和洪拳武技帮他打天下有关亦不易 考，明代少林僧众殿宇大发展之事实则证明少林寺僧甚得明皇敬重，明之洪武之后小山方丈又挂过元帅印，很多武 僧在征战和抗倭中被封僧官，当可证当时之兴盛也。由此可知洪拳在明代是很发展的，大小洪拳源流可知为太祖现 传。关于二洪拳之二洪拳之源流，一云为赵光义所传，是为二洪拳（沛县此拳流传甚广）或云是视野宗二祖惠可所 传，已不可考矣。关于老洪拳之说，是否太祖老时所创，也不易考证，登封磨沟等处有善此拳者，亦 少林宗派也。
洪拳不仅有大小老等套路，而且发展成大洪拳门和小洪拳门派，其派以大或小洪拳为门派名，又有其它拳棍刀枪对 练等，黄河流域封丘滑县等处此拳甚多，和太祖门等皆为太祖传下之拳形成之门派。此亦可见太祖洪拳影响之大， 流传之广也。

三、内容
现武术界流传的大小洪拳大部分和少林寺大小洪拳皆大不相同，在套路中有个别动作和少林寺洪拳相似。究其原因 ，可能是少林传出后，各代拳师以自己爱好，添头去尾，迎合表演完善各自发展变化不同，故原貌皆 非。
少林寺内目前流传有小洪拳和大洪拳，小洪拳一路五十余动作大洪拳三路，一百多个动作。有人认为小洪拳是少林 十八趟拳之“母拳”，大拳为诸拳之“使”拳，所谓母拳，十八拳由之而生者也。所谓使拳令发号，兼有军中差役 之劳亦旁助于主拳更好发挥资效能之为也。（见少林寺内外功真传及少林拳秘传二书）笔者认为小洪拳为筑基之拳 ，大洪拳为盘练身体各部提高功力之拳。立基之后进而提高，行功积力进入上乘也。其“弘”者能使功力弘大之意 也。
据笔者多年研究体察，少林寺小洪拳风格古朴、系偏重步法身法之基本训练，属少林僧入门奠基之拳。其如书法之 永字八法。其高、低、斜、正、束、放、转、侧等身法皆重复出现，一笔一划皆正楷功力。拳、掌、肘、膝等用法 皆在套路中重复安排，且皆左右对称，多资重复，使初学者无形中增长各项技能；其套路编排可谓独具匠心，既浅 显易学易练，又深奥含难测之拳理，使练习者随日久深有拳之体察见解，玩味无，尽毕生之精力也难尽得其奥妙。 比少林寺洪拳之又一珍奥处也！
大洪拳难度较大，进退纵跳势法多变；后大殿有明代练拳留下的脚窝，笔者练大洪拳时双眼脚皆正在脚窝处，可为 脚窝，笔者练大洪拳时双恨脚皆正在脚窝处，可为脚窝之形成提一拳之根据。由此当知明朝此拳之大盛，创此拳当 在明以前之宋代。此与《江湖风尘秘录》中所说之宋太祖传大小洪拳之论相符合。但宋术祖学艺少林，三年后逃出 少林创江湖，当不可能是自创自编之拳，此拳原系少林古传当可证明也。太祖贵为天子，后代尊爷，沿袭为太祖洪 拳和太祖长拳。少林古拳谱云： “太祖洪拳步幅宽，拧身拗步下单鞭”皆此拳源之一斑也。
洪拳创于何时，因古代少林拳大部分已为石友三之大火焚毁，已不易考证，但根据唐李世民御碑载之十三和尚救唐 王之事，则可知少林武术隋唐时已声名大振，亦可能为唐以来少林古传套路之一，至宋代为宋太祖阐所，盛于明代 洪武年，称为洪拳。
此论之另一佐证是：小洪拳每势发力皆用内劲，和少林绝技心意把有诸多相同之处。由此可知，此拳之为少林十八 趟拳之母拳，实为少林开山拳之一也。以上为笔者多年潜修之一点雏议，求教于海内外大德之斧正为 幸也。

四、特点：
1、小洪拳和大洪拳结构之特点不同。少林寺小洪拳和大港拳之特点既有少林寺武术的相同处，又各有其不同处， 浅论之为：
（一）小洪拳各势束而身小。大洪拳各势疏而身大。例如动作相同的束身七星：小洪拳之七星，束身皆要束下，束 如伏猫；而大洪拳中之束身，七星则势高而疏，有显著之不同。
（二）小港拳只一路，套路中无跳跃，束身，斜形，劈腿，盘肘，皆左右对称之双势。单鞭在小洪拳为马步。亦可 显出大洪拳势大。小洪拳套路短，难度小，重在身法高低，步之进退及掌肘膝之基本用法之训练，为初学入门奠基 之拳。大洪拳套路长，难度大，着重功力及身体各部之盘练。难度较大，一次连练三路需较高之功力。为提高功力 的有效方法之一。

（三）小洪拳恨脚少，皆是单恨脚，大港拳不仅恨脚多。而且 都是双恨脚，此不是二拳不同之处，同时是大洪拳特点之一也。
（四）小洪拳步步为营稳扎稳打，步幅小，连继上步返身顾后，平掌倒退皆严谨法度，着重实用。大洪拳则窜蹦跳 跃，进退腾挪，扫腿旋风，二起飞脚变化复杂，奇招妙出也。
（五）大小洪拳起式或收势不同，套路结构不同。小洪拳起式为怀中抱月，大洪拳三段起式依次为白云盖顶，2、 三砍手，3、三轰手。小洪关收势为坐山架，大洪拳为拉弓式；小洪拳套中每趟往返距离不同，三段连在一起练时 有的路趟两边扩展，打前顾后，变换方向多。与小洪拳有显著之不同。
（六）小洪拳每势一招即接下势，大洪拳则连击，此为用法特点之显著不同，例如小洪拳之抢手，为单抡手，大洪 拳则为三抡手，三砍掌，三打拳，双绝手三摇身。既一势之中连三招，较小港拳又进一层，着重势法变化招术相连 也。
（七）小洪拳着重培根，大洪拳用法多变。例如大洪拳里有抓地撒、迎面撒、背后撒。皆用土撒敌之奇招，小洪拳 中无也；又如一些手法如挽手、双绝、三出锤等皆比小洪拳这用法深一层也。
（八）小洪拳发力柔中含刚，出手皆带身法，较紧密，如书法之小楷娟秀雄厚皆有之；大洪拳则纵横往来如书法之 行草，较豪放也。此风格上之差别也。

2、共同之特点：
（一）皆有少林拳曲而不曲直而不直之风格，在出拳及套路结构上此特点大小洪拳一云致。
（二）朴实无华，攻防明显，技击方法突出，勇猛雄厚，起落动静鲜明，套路风格基本相同。
（三）练大小洪拳时三节、四稍、五行、六合要求相同，发劲要求相同，三性调养相同，出拳法诀拳诀语（要求） 相同。
（四）内外相合，以气催力，出手发声，气随手出气随手入，呼吸动静之配合相。
（五）手不离胸，肘不离肋，打前顾后变换方向转身多，一手连三手多。如小洪拳转身扳手接上步劈心，捧腿接彩 脚邪行，恨脚海底炮接阴阳锤。大洪拳之进步三打拳。退步三冲天炮，挽手，扳手，回身三抢手，一拳两抢单风贯 耳、回身燕子钻林分心腿，摆莲腿绝手等。大小洪拳结构皆有连击，大洪拳连击之程度较高，但皆有 连击之特点。
（六）恨脚聚劲相同。小洪拳是单恨脚，大洪拳是双恨脚，但套路恨脚多，以恨脚聚力之特点相同，尤其是大洪拳 之双恨脚，又名双聚脚，是通过恨脚以聚全身之力也。经等者多年考查，少林锤窝系集体练大港拳时所形成，足见 恨脚力量之大。此为少林寺洪拳特点之一。

3、练习之特点
（一）皆以“拳把十法要诀”之要求准则。
（二）大洪拳在小港拳练有一定功力之基础上才可练习。如文之重视八法。重视武之八势，体察内外相合呼吸动静 之要求，练出内劲，由刚返柔至刚柔相济。
（三）练大浪花要三路一段段慢慢往上增加，即先练第一段，反复练，练至不汗不喘有余力时把第三段加上，至又 练至不汗不喘有余劲时再加上第三段一次连续练三段。并要受段提高，反复颠倒顺序练，即连练第三段或第二段， 然后再练第一段，总要练至每段皆达到势正招园，能一次打完三段而不沔不喘者，功力已较一般人强许多也。一般 瓣套五六十个动作。但大洪拳三段一百多个动作，而且后段跳跃多，故能一气练完功力必深厚也。
以上为对洪拳特点之粗略探讨，其它如用法特点，风格诸特点限于篇幅就不一一详论了。

五、结论
1、少林寺大小洪拳之名称源流和宋太祖有关，源出少林，是明代以前之拳法。
2、洪拳流派甚多，各不相同，但皆源于少林宗派，其小洪二洪大洪是否是以练拳年龄而分之，有待进 一步研究。

3、少林寺洪拳结构科学，用法奇妙，有诸多特点。
4、少林寺大小洪拳有相同处又有不同处，总风格大致相同，套路结构，难度、势法又有诸多不同。

5、少林寺锤窝形成之拳提法，是集体练大洪拳所形成。
6、洪拳是少林寺武术中的重要拳路，是培基础，盘身体，练功力的有效套路（方法）。
7、少林拳有诸风格、结构、练习、技击上之特点，其发声配合，呼吸动静配合。双恨脚等皆是其显著 特点。
以上是对洪拳肤浅讲座，可能有诸多谬误，求教于国内外师友教正为幸也。
（1991年崆峒山全国武术理论研讨会获奖论文）

附录
1、被记，从打渔杀家考证洪拳历史，教师爷拳架有老虎大张嘴、张嘴大老虎、单鞭、扁担，皆小洪 拳名称，为借鉴变化之例也。

2、少林小洪拳
怀中抱月、白云盖顶、上步一掌、猿猴缩身、劈心掌、转面扳手、上步一掌、转身捧腿、外摆莲、邪行、压手束身 、上步批腿、邪行、撂手、老虎大张嘴、双云顶、七星拳、马步单鞭、抱手束身、上步抡手、旋风脚、挽手冲天炮 、蝎子尾、狮子大张口、抬步一掌、平掌倒退两步、转身捧腿、单踩脚、盘肘虎抱头、上步一掌、转身捧腿、单踩 脚、盘肘虎抱头，压手束身、批腿、盘肘虎抱头、蹲桩掠手、老虎大张嘴。云顶跳步七星势、马步单鞭、抱手束身 、跟步枪手、单彩脚、劈心掌，回身掌、翻身掌、跳步海底捞月、恨脚海底炮、出阳锤、摘耳炮、满肚痛、滚手束 身、弓步劈心掌、云央恨脚海底炮。左批山、右批山、坐山架。

大洪拳
第一节，双抱拳，白云盖顶，跃步撂手、盘肘、双聚脚、大七星、顺步单鞭、怀中抱月、恨脚挽手退步三打冲天炮 、上步三打拳、双绝、云顶七星、单鞭、怀中抱月、上步扳手、转脸一拳、两枪、回头望月、三扒步、双恨脚、小 跨虎、提手炮、跳步单叉、起身盘肘、迎面撒、左盘肘、右盘肘、提手炮、一拳一枪、十字彩脚、二起脚、金刚捣 臼、提手炮、起身金鸡独立、扎地撅、三出手、鹞子翻身、夯地锤、双恨脚、上步一拳、两枪手、单风贯耳、抱肘 、倒步鹞子钻木、起身单踢、双摆脚、双绝、倒步云顶、大跨虎、踢手炮、跳步单叉、二起彩脚、五 花坐山。
第二节：三砍手、三打拳、云顶七星、跳步单叉、提手炮、厂起彩脚、坐山架、前跳两步、单叉、冲天炮、双恨脚 、跳步冲天炮、云顶、坐山架、提手炮、扫堂腿、二起彩脚坐山架、旋风脚、猛虎甩尾、提手炮、一拳、一枪拉弓 式。
第三节：三轰手、云顶、七星、单鞭、怀中抱月、三摇身（肘）、翻身打、海底炮、冲天炮、五子登科、三轰手、 迎面撒、左边果、右边果、提手炮、一拳、一枪、拉弓式。

大拳歌诀
太祖弘拳实难招，拉开四平前后稍。左表龙、右探马，剪子股，下擒拿。望眉攒，加反背，如虎山起火炮。鹞子钻 林只一躲，招阳起手乱丢砖，左边丢下骑马势，左边拉开探马拳。两脚打出双飞燕，孤树盘根在中间。十字彩脚往 上打，上步就打朝阳拳。邪行虎、下单鞭，老祖一扫占中间，，背稍打，左颠还，退步回，到金鸾，问此拳名和姓 ，嵩山古刹少林传。

洪拳歌谱：
招军起手探马拳，抽足趁步单鞭，上步丢下斜跨虎，跳步又打七星拳。踢一步跟步就踩，落下来珍珠倒卷帘。左翻 身乌龙倒叉，右翻身抓虎抓挡，撩眼拳疾进急打，倒打鞭认人敢跟，上趟锤打的扒山猛虎，下趟锤打的人人惊慌， 望北斗扎下五虎群羊，打盘肘紧紧踏下七星。

小洪拳歌诀
小弘势拳直难，招阳起势探马拳。起身就使横锤打，提炮往后沙一拳，左右探头转，步步挑把下单鞭。右边定下罗 罗势，左边又打太祖拳。偷步四平往前转，二起棍子打盖拳，挑把滚身鬼捣臼，身定势白虎拳。转身进步左探马， 偷脚偷步底四拳。二起一对双飞燕，盘龙金鸡猛虎反。夜叉探海回头转，仙人指路能灭山。稳稳不动靠山势，威震 乾坤横势转。左右四平金刚势，降龙伏虎移泰山。仙人提路往前进，偷步偷脚站中间。金龙盘爪拦井势，探马猿猴 把镇观。

洪拳七式歌诀
太祖洪拳拉四平，斜行跃步踏七星，对面踏下刀出鞘，东山路上赌输赢，通臂锤儿往里打，伏虎势儿打拦马，上打 凤凰单展翅，下打叶底双插花。
江湖拳话之赵太祖洪拳歌
神手洪拳赵太祖 ，创荡江湖有大名，留下洪拳三百手，传在人间定太平，少年学就拳脚艺，老师面前用过功，巧打洪 拳显手段 ，自古少年出英雄，二手双足，变化无穷。八仙过海 ，各显神通。

小横拳歌
小横拳势真难，观招阳，起手探马拳，赶身就使横捶打，提炮往后沙一拳，左右探马分头转，步步桃把下单鞭，右 边定下罗罗势，左边又打太祖拳，偷步四平往前转，二起根子打盖拳，跳把滚身鬼捣臼，抽身定势臼孤虎拳，移身 进步左探马，偷脚挪步低四平，二起一对双飞燕。盘龙势金鸡独立，大吊势猛虎翻身，剪一步夜义探海，回头势仙 人指路，灭山势文王访贤，靠山势威震乾坤，邪行跃步横势转，左右死平也当先，金刚势把抓虎尾，伏虎势推倒泰 山，仙人居顶往前行，偷脚偷步鬼，中间定下香炉势，坐山势金龙盘爪，井栏势探马当先，倒刹势跃步当先，莫秋 势猿猴看花。

管东拳歌
太祖横拳到管东，邪行跃步称英雄，迎门打进刀出鞘，倒剪一步不容情，上打高探马，下打底水笼，，二起踩脚往 上打，背后飞剑斩黄龙，三捶打得知风响，打下江山定太平。

小洪拳歌
太祖洪拳实难招，拉开四平着眼瞧，左丘刘、右探马，剪子股下擒拿，望眉尖，加上反腿如搜山，鹞子钻林只一躲 ，召阳起鼓乱丢砖，骑马势、探马拳，偷脚捻步下单鞭，起去又打双飞脚，脑后批心一脚蹬，就地鸽子大挟胸，作 脚炮抹眉拳，抽身回在金銮殿，若问此拳名和姓，太祖留下小洪拳。

大洪拳
太子洪拳实难招，拉开四平着眼瞧，左擒牛、右探马，剪子股下擒拿。批脸攒，加上反炮如搜山，鹞子钻林只一躲 ，昭阳起手乱丢砖，左边丢下骑马势，右边拉开探马拳，两脚打出双飞，钣树盘根在中间，十字脚望上打，上步就 打朝阳拳，邪行虎下单鞭，老祖一扫占中间，背稍打，左颠还，抽身回到金銮殿，问此拳名和姓，太祖关东大洪拳 。
参考书目

[Tainan Mantis]

Thanks for posting that Sal.
The top shows books and approximate dates of publication that name Song Taizu's Longfist.

The 2nd post with the Chinese article is a little hard on the eyes (my jian ti zi is not too good).

But it is an article that doesn't itself quote a source for the Zhao was at Shaolin idea as far as I can see.

Under its section 2 it does mention something that I find very interesting.

洪拳九九八十一，传在人间定太平.

Are you familiar with 9981?

This is a big deal within old Mantis, but I haven't found anyone who knows it.

The closest I have found is that the 6 Essentials of Zhai Yao come from it. Don't know if that is true.

I have two versions of these manuscripts with techniques. What makes it interesting are the descriptions of the applications.

[Sal Canzonieri]

Under its section 2 it does mention something that I find very interesting.

洪拳九九八十一，传在人间定太平.

Are you familiar with 9981? This is a big deal within old Mantis, but I haven't found anyone who knows it. The closest I have found is that the 6 Essentials of Zhai Yao come from it. Don't know if that is true. I have two versions of these manuscripts with techniques. What makes it interesting are the descriptions of the applications.

I am familiar with the Hong Quan 9981, but just from reading, like you.
I haven't ever seen it either.

If I can ask a favor from you, here's some notes I have from an article I am putting together about Taizu related style, it has a section of Tanglang Quan, please correct it as necessary, maybe there is something of value for you in it? Please let me know, thanks! I'm very happy to share information with you, if that is cool with you. I'm sure that our research is going to overlap in some points.

[Sal Canzonieri]

Please comment:

Tanglang Quan (Mantis Boxing) was one of the most famous martial arts to come out of Shandong province during the 1700s. Interestingly, both the Tang Lang Quan style ( the most widely known martial art from Shandong) and Ba Fan Quan (which originally was developed in Shandong) use a distinct advancing hooked stance (Seven Star or Sitting Tiger Stance) that is known to be their classic signature leg technique, which is also seen in Henan Xinyi Liuhe Quan. All three styles have the same description for the stance: ‘Back leg bent front leg straight, lift the front foot up and turn it in.’ One of the sets of Tang Lang Quan is called “Hooked Step Jade Ring Hands”; the Jade Ring is one of the most famous weapons used in Ba Fan Quan style. Many important arm techniques from Ba Fan Quan can also be found in Tang Lang Quan, such as chopping with the hands and forearms using the movements of Beng (collapsing-the back fist) and Pi (cleaving).

The skills of Ba Fan Quan are considered to be one of the eighteen roots of the Northern Preying Mantis martial arts. Starting with two foundational materials called ‘Taizu Chang Quan’ and General ‘Han Tang’s Tongbi’ (Through the arm boxing), 16 masters and their inspirational skills are listed; they appear to be from the Song dynasty era and many were from Shandong. Also some are known from various fictional novels of martial arts heroes, though they may have historical counterparts. One person listed, Gao Huaide, was an actual famous Northern Song general and also the brother-in-law of Emperor Zhao Kuangyin. Another person listed, Zheng En, is mentioned in the History of the Song as being a regional commander that died in the 4th year of the Jianyan Reign (1130 AD) at the beginning of the Southern Song dynasty. The fictional Zheng En is described as a general living during the beginning of the Song Dynasty (around 960). Even a Wen Yuan and his Duan Quan (Short fist) is listed, alluding to the Song era Wen Family, from whence Ba Shan Fan and Chuojiao are said to come from and of which Duan Quan is part of their system (and are mentioned in General Qi Jiguang’s Ming era book).

The famous and real Southern Song era teacher of Yue Fei, Zhou Tong, is considered the Chuojiao teacher of two of the people listed: Lin Chong and Lu Chunyi (plus his famous legendary student Yan Qing is also listed). Many people think that the Lu Chunyi and Yang Qing mentioned on this list are from the fictional “Water Margin” Ming era novel. But, according to family records of the Lu family that practices Yan Qing Boxing, these two people were actually from the Song dynasty and were actual people, whose lives do not fit what the characters in the Water Margin book did. Perhaps the Water Margin novel based its characters on them, it is not known.

Interestingly, Ba Shan Fan has a Qi Bu Quan (seven steps fist) set, otherwise known as Yan Qing Fan, and a series of sets called Yan Qing Fanzi. In Emei, the Zhao Men system (named after Song emperor Zhao Kuangyin) also has a Yan Qing Quan set. Written records from the Ming dynasty show that a Zhou Jia Tui (Zhou Family Kicks) style was practiced in Henan, Gansu, and Shaanxi provinces, which eventually reached Shaolin as well. This Zhou family was known for their special Chuojiao style kicks.

[Sal Canzonieri]

This material is considered to have come from the efforts of Shaolin martial monk Abbot Fu Ju (福居), as written in the Luohan Xing Gong Duanda (罗汉行功短打) Tuo Pu (Arhat Exercising Merit Short Strike Illustrated Manuscripts). The book states that Shaolin martial monk abbot Fu Ju invited various martial arts masters three times for three years each (3x3=9), to help improve Shaolin’s martial arts, been received by a Wang Lang from the Shaolin area of Henan province sometime between the Song and Ming dynasties. Someone nicknamed “Wang Lang” had picked up their skills along with some Shaolin Quan, first developed a Praying Mantis style that eventually spread through Shandong province. A later variation of this book was called the Shaolin Robe and Bowl Authentic Transmission and it attributed to someone called Sheng Xiao Dao Ren; two versions may exist from 1762 and 1794.

Some say that various sources independent from Praying Mantis Boxing traditional history collaborate with this information. Two books that survived the fire when Shaolin monastery was burned down in 1928 are: the "Records of Shaolin Monastery" (Shaolin Si Zhi) - written by Ye Feng, who lived from 1623-1687, and the "The Record of Shaolin Boxing". Both books have the same information about these same events from the beginning of Song Dynasty. One of the Shaolin monastery books provides almost the same list (with names in a different order) and ends it with the concluding passage, "All these were gathered and brought together by Chan (Zen) Master Fu Ju from Shaolin monastery." (Ilya Profatilov, History of Praying Mantis Kungfu article).
The book Manuscript of Shaolin Boxing said that the Great Song Emperor visited the Shaolin Temple and sent famous generals to Shaolin to teach monks about the art of war and at the same time learn from Shaolin’s Martial Arts. The Shaolin Annals of Martial Arts Monks records “The Great Emperor of Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin, as a grandmaster of Kung Fu. He supported the head abbot of the Shaolin Temple and helped organize three National Competitions of Martial Arts for monks, his generals, and folk martial experts.” This represents the first time in history that a national level tournament combined the talents of Shaolin, the military and civilian martial expertise. In total, 16 formal systems came together and competed, with 13 different people staying for three years each to advise them (according to the Shaolin Records book). This makes sense since after subtracting Taizu and Han Tong leaves 16 people, then subtracting the three inspirational people of Lin Chong, Yan Qing, and Liu Xing, leaves 13 people.
The names of the 18 methods from the Shaolin source are:

1. Taizu Chang Quan Qi Shou (Ancestral Long Fist Rising Hands)
2. Han Tong’s Tong Bi Wei You (Through Arm Serves Excellently)
3. Zheng En’s Chan Feng You Miao (Binding Seal Especially Clever)
4. Wen Tian’s Duan Quan Geng Ji (Short Fist More Unusual)
5. Ma Jie‘s Duanda Zui Jia (Close Strikes Best [Most Fine])
6. Kong Heng‘s Hou Quan Qie Sheng (Monkey Fist Also Flourishes)
7. Huang Hu's Kao Shen Nan Jin (Leaning Body Difficult To Approach)
8. Jin Sheng's Mian Zhang Ji Fei (Face Palm Swiftly Flys)
9. Jin Xiang's Ke-Zi Tong Quan (Knocking Through Fist)
10. Liu Xing's Gou Lou Cai Shou (Hook Pulling/Embracing Picking Hand)
11. Tan Fang's Gun Lie Guan Er (Rolling Thunder Piercing Ears)
12. Yan Qing's Nian Na Yue Bu (Sticky Hold Leaps Not)
13. Lin Chong’s Yuan Yang Jiao (‘Mandarin Duck’ Kicks)
14. Meng Huo's Qi Shi Lian Zhang (Seven Forces/Postures Linking Palms)
15. Cui Lian's Wo Guo Pao Chui (Nest Confining Cannon Hammers)
16. Yang Gun's Kun Shou Lu Zhi Ru (Tying Hand Capture Vertically Enters)
17. Wang Lang’s Tang Lang Ke Di (Praying Mantis Subdues Enemy)
18. Gao Huai De's Shuai Liu Ying Beng (Throwing Grab Hard Collapse)

In the Praying Mantis Boxing Manual (Tanglang Quanpu) recorded the late 1700s, the unknown author provides this list (as one can see, some of the names are different from the Shaolin version and they are told in a different order. Also in the Shaolin version Wang Lang’s is just another technique, nothing is said about it being the culmination of all the others, as in the Praying Mantis version.):

1. In the beginning there was "Long-range Boxing" (Chang Quan) style of emperor Taizu.
2. "Through the Back" (Tongbei) boxing of Master Han Tong's considered parental.
3. Hand technique "Rap Around and Seal" (Chan Feng) of Master Zhang En is especially profound.
4. "Close-range Strikes" (Duanda) boxing of Master Ma Ji is the most remarkable.
5. It is impossible to come close to Master Huang You who knows the "Close Range Hand Techniques" (Kao Shou).
6. The technique "Blocking Hands and Following Trough Fist" (Keshou Tong Quan) of Master Jin Xiang.
7. The hand techniques of "Hooking, Scooping and Grabbing Hands" (Gou Lou Cai Shou) of Master Liu Xing.
8. The "Methods of Sticking, Grabbing, and Falling" (Zhanna Diefa) of Master Yan Qing.
9. The "Short Boxing" (Duan Quan) of Master Wen Yuan is the most extraordinary.
10. The style "Monkey Boxing" (Hou Quan) of Master Sun Heng is also flourishing.
11. The "Cotton Fist" (Mien Quan) technique of Master Mien Shen is lightning fast.
12. The "Throwing-Grabbing and Hard Crashing" (Shuailue Yingbeng) technique by Master Huai De.
13. The technique of "Ducking, Leaking and Passing through the Ears" (Gun lou guan er) of Master Tan Fang.
14. The strongest leg kicking technique is "Mandarin ducks kick” (Yuanyang Jiao) of Master Lin Chong.
15. The "Seven Postures of Continuous Fist Strikes" (Qishi Lianquan) techniques by Master Meng Su.
16. "Hand Binding and Grabbing" (Kunlu Zhenru) techniques of Master Yang Gun attack instantly.
17. The techniques of "Explosive Strikes into the Hollow Parts of the Body" (Woli Pao Chui) by Master Cui Lian.
18. “Praying Mantis (Tanglang) boxing of Master Wang Lang absorbed and equalized all previous techniques.

The problem is that before the Ming era, there is an empty gap of 800 years where there is little information available about martial arts. With the Jin invasion during the later Song Dynasty (and the Song house moving south) and then the Yuan Dynasty Mongol invasion soon after, there were much war time and much moving around and much hiding out. Many temples were burned down, between the invaders and the big fights between Taoists and Buddhists, there was lots of turmoil. Also much information was lost during the many periods of temple burning, book burnings, and the events of the Cultural Revolution, all destroying much valuable information.

Some people believe that the Luohan Duanda material as a martial art belongs to Shandong as a folk fighting art rather than the Henan Shaolin temple. But, in various areas of China, there is the persistent idea that Ba Fan Quan was originally a form of Shaolin Luohan Duanda martial arts. In the Henan Shaolin area, there exist two sets that exhibit similar theory to that of the Luohan Xing Gong Duanda book, namely the ‘Shaolin Duanda’ (containing 19 sections) and the’ Jiao Shou Shiliu Shi’ (Crossing Hands in 16 Positions).

The Luohan Xing Gong Duanda Tuo Pu makes a point of saying that the foundational material is based on the Taizu Long Fist (which was also then called ‘32 Shou Duanda’ – ‘32 Hands Close Strikes’) and the Tongbi of Han Tang (who was an army general stationed at the Shandong gate that died in the battle against Zhao Kuangyin’s rebel forces that made him become Song Dynasty Emperor ‘Taizu’). The book has key text on how this long fist is short strike and vice versa. In the Shandong area, Taizu Hong Quan was a popular Ming Dynasty martial art. In the more ancient Henan Shaolin tradition it is related to, the Song Taizu Chang Quan also is a long fist style that fights in the short range, using a flowing fist (Hong Quan) method that overwhelms the opponent. The actual name for the Shaolin Song Taizu Chang Quan set is ‘San Er Shou Duanda’ – ‘32 Hands Close Strikes’.

Shaolin Taizu Chang Quan, Shaolin Lao Hong Quan, and Shaolin Rou Quan are based on using double weapons (such as the Double Sword, Double Knives, and Double Short Sticks) techniques for flowing empty hand fighting. Tang Lang Quan’s empty hand techniques appear to be based on those of the Double Short Sticks. Coincidentally, the book Chang Shi Wu Ji Shu (Chang's Pugilist Volume), published in Henan during the Chien Long reign (1736-1795) of the Qing dynasty, references a Wang Lang and his double sword techniques. Note: Short stick chops crush and pound, while the knife and sword chops cut and slice. Henan area Shaolin also has a Ba Fan Quan set that uses the Fanche and Lulu technique seen in Tang Lang Quan. The original name for this Shaolin set was Xing Quan, Traveling Boxing (which was part of the Wen Family system).

[Tainan Mantis]

The article covers a broad scope of information.
I tend to get caught up in very monor details.
For example, I can't accept the 1700's as the origination of Mantis Boxing without any solid proof.

It may be correct, but I would like to see some definitive dates.
There is a history book called Ming Shi (History of the Ming) Which may mention Mantis.

On the 7* step...




a distinct advancing hooked stance (Seven Star or Sitting Tiger Stance) that is known to be their classic signature leg technique, which is also seen in Henan Xinyi Liuhe Quan. All three styles have the same description for the stance: ‘Back leg bent front leg straight, lift the front foot up and turn it in.’ One of the sets of Tang Lang Quan is called “Hooked Step Jade Ring Hands”;



This article talks about that and I have included an example of Hooked Step Jade Ring Hands

http://www.plumflowermantisboxing.com/Articles/hooked%20step.htm

[Tainan Mantis]

As for the dates that you list for manuscripts I would like to know what the reference material is for that.

About the other arts you mention I do not know much about them.

Most of my work is in the Short Strikes manuscripts that you mention.

As for the people mentioned in the 18 Surnames of Masters.
I suspect that this comes from popular novels of the Qing Dynasty.

Historical information on figures such as Han Tong is scarce, but within old novels he is a big figure.

As far as I know none of these novels have been translated into English and that is outside the scope of my language skills.

Are you familiar with the "7 Long" of Han Tong?

The "7 Maneuvers of Meng Su" within the 18 Surnames of Masters?

Or any of the other material within 18 Surnames of Masters?

[Tainan Mantis]

Here is a portion of the Short Strike manuscript. I would be interested to know where else besides mantis that this turns up.
If other styles have the same manuscript then they should have this fighting method within their style.

Within the Shaolin that I have seen I don't see anything like this.


Fanche Lulu Fist Six Six Thirty-Six

As for the word che; it is a cart's wheel ever turning.
As for the word lulu; it is like a windlass flowing endlessly.
To speak of both fanche and lulu; the single hand is lu and both hands make a wheel.
A cart is like lulu. Adding the "fan" character means to turn this way and return that way, falling without end.

Fanche lulu interconnects with the hands of collapsing, smashing, adhering (nian) and grasping along with the maneuvers of pasting (tie) and leaning (kao). Adding the fists and elbows as well as applying the knees and feet constitutes mantis striking (da).
Fanche stays afar while mantis approaches.
Fanche is distant while mantis is close.
Actually fanche is not distant, it only seems that way when compared to mantis.
When using fanche your opponent has no place to hide.
When using mantis your opponent has no way to defend.
Adopt yourself to the changing circumstances using the entire body* for hitting.
This is the profoundness of short strikes, the highest extreme of technique.

Mantis has a blade, it is the fists and elbows. Therefore, it is also called "warding off blade (jufu)".
For those looking to relieve boredom (hao shi zhe) and use a twig to provoke a mantis, it will display the movements of adhering (nian), striking (da), collapsing (beng), beating (pu), dodging, deceiving, opening and shutting. It is an entirely unknown subtlety.
Therefore, the hands of mantis are the invincible method of short strikes.

The following combination


Fanche stays afar while mantis approaches.
Fanche is distant while mantis is close.

Can be found within the 8 Elbows form. A form of almost no punches.

[Sal Canzonieri]

The article covers a broad scope of information.
I tend to get caught up in very monor details.
For example, I can't accept the 1700's as the origination of Mantis Boxing without any solid proof.

It may be correct, but I would like to see some definitive dates.
There is a history book called Ming Shi (History of the Ming) Which may mention Mantis.

On the 7* step...



This article talks about that and I have included an example of Hooked Step Jade Ring Hands

http://www.plumflowermantisboxing.com/Articles/hooked%20step.htm

It only says that the style came out of Shandong (as in 'became known to others') during the 1700s, the origin is from way earlier than that. I have also read of the mention of Mantis Boxing in the Ming Shi.
Thanks for the article link.

[Sal Canzonieri]

On the 7* step...

This article talks about that and I have included an example of Hooked Step Jade Ring Hands

http://www.plumflowermantisboxing.com/Articles/hooked%20step.htm

What is very interesting to me is that the earliest set I have seen that features a move that goes the (left) hook step while doing a (left) hook mantis hand movements is a set called Shaolin Rou Xing Chui, it is supposedly from the early Tang Dynasty.

[Sal Canzonieri]

Here is a portion of the Short Strike manuscript. I would be interested to know where else besides mantis that this turns up.
If other styles have the same manuscript then they should have this fighting method within their style.

Within the Shaolin that I have seen I don't see anything like this.


Fanche Lulu Fist Six Six Thirty-Six

As for the word che; it is a cart's wheel ever turning.
As for the word lulu; it is like a windlass flowing endlessly.
To speak of both fanche and lulu; the single hand is lu and both hands make a wheel.
A cart is like lulu. Adding the "fan" character means to turn this way and return that way, falling without end.

Fanche lulu interconnects with the hands of collapsing, smashing, adhering (nian) and grasping along with the maneuvers of pasting (tie) and leaning (kao). Adding the fists and elbows as well as applying the knees and feet constitutes mantis striking (da).
Fanche stays afar while mantis approaches.
Fanche is distant while mantis is close.
Actually fanche is not distant, it only seems that way when compared to mantis.
When using fanche your opponent has no place to hide.
When using mantis your opponent has no way to defend.
Adopt yourself to the changing circumstances using the entire body* for hitting.
This is the profoundness of short strikes, the highest extreme of technique.

Mantis has a blade, it is the fists and elbows. Therefore, it is also called "warding off blade (jufu)".
For those looking to relieve boredom (hao shi zhe) and use a twig to provoke a mantis, it will display the movements of adhering (nian), striking (da), collapsing (beng), beating (pu), dodging, deceiving, opening and shutting. It is an entirely unknown subtlety.
Therefore, the hands of mantis are the invincible method of short strikes.

The following combination


Fanche stays afar while mantis approaches.
Fanche is distant while mantis is close.

Can be found within the 8 Elbows form. A form of almost no punches.

Well, the "Short Strike" - "Duan Da" is a major part of the Shaolin martial arts of the 1500s-1600s.

It is important to note that by the 1600s, some Shaolin based styles in Henan and Shandong practiced a set called ‘Yuejia Duanda Chui’ – ‘Yue Family Close-Range Strikes’. This set was written about in some early Qing era Shaolin books that researchers consider being two versions of one work, identically sharing half the text and illustrations. These books are:
Quan Jing - Quan Fa Beiyao (Hand Combat Classic, Hand - Combat Method Collection), containing a preface from 1784 written by Cao Huandou; and
Xuanji Mi Shou Xuedao Quan Jue (Xuanji's Secret Transmission of Acupuncture Points’ Hand Combat Formulas), which carries an undated preface written by Zhang Ming.

These 18th century books were annotated versions of an even earlier 17th century book (dating from about the 1600s) that was first written by Zhang Kongzhao (also called Zhang Hengqiu), who studied his Shaolin method with Zhang Ming (the author of the preface to Xuanji’s Secret Transmissions book). Both books identify the same Shaolin monk, Xuanji, as the original source of this late Ming-Qing transition era material.

Researcher Meir Shahar notes in his book, The Shaolin Monastery: History, Religion, and the Chinese Martial Arts, that a monk named Xuanji is indeed mentioned on a 1631 Shaolin stele inscription as being a “dutidian” ("superintendent"), a term that was commonly applied to military appointees in the monastery's internal administration. These Qing era manuscripts were eventually published in Shanghai during the Republican era (1912 -1949).

Both previously mentioned Shaolin books discuss that "close-range hand combat can overcome long-range hand combat" (duan da sheng chang quan), for “short-range makes it easier to reach the adversary's body”. The Hand Combat Classic book contains a text titled "Comprehensive and Original Treatise of the Shaolin Monastery's Close - Range Fist Body Method" (Shaolin Si Duan Da Shen Fa Tong Zong Quan Pu) that is devoted to his topic. As Shahar’s book shows, this text is missing from the other manual; instead the Xuanjis Acupuncture Points discusses the ‘Yue Family Close-Range Strikes’ (Yuejia Duanda), which is another short -range style. Shahar’s book says that other “Sixteenth and seventeenth century military experts allude to various short -range styles including "Cotton Zhang's Close - Range Fist" (Mian Zhang Duanda), "Ren Family Close - Range Fist" (Renjia Duanda) and "Liu [Family] Close - Range Fist" (Liu Duanda).”

Thus, in the late Ming Dynasty, if not even earlier, the Yuejia Duanda Chui was practiced at Shaolin (perhaps also in one of the other branches of the main Henan Province location). This Yuejia Chui set is what eventually developed into the Yue Shi Ba Fan Shou set as it eventually spread into Shandong and then north into Hebei province, where this set is most prevalent now.

At some point during the Ming-Qing transition era, Shaolin monks traveling in the Yingkou area of Liaoning province, in northeastern China, passed on a system of what appears to be sets from Mi (Zong) Quan and Shaolin Wu Quan to Cheng (Sheng) Lixian (盛力先) of Shandong province. The system he brought home and practiced in the Laizhou (莱州) village was later named as the ‘Shaolin Meihua Men’.

Some of the sets that they practiced were:
Taizu Quan – Great Ancestor Boxing, 太祖拳
Tang Lang 13 Zhao – Preying Mantis 13 Provocations, 螳螂十三招
Xiao Hu Yan – Small Tiger Swallow, 小虎燕
Yuejia Chui – Yue Family Strikes, 岳家捶
Heihu Quan – Black Tiger Boxing, 黑虎拳
Meihua Quan – Plum Flower Boxing, 梅花拳
Da Hong Quan – Big Flood Boxing, 大洪拳
Zui Ba Xian Deng - 8 Drunken Immortals, 醉八仙等; among others.
The weapon sets were Taizu and Plum Flower based implements: 梅花刀, 梅花剑, 行者棍, 梅花枪, 梅花叠鞭, 虎尾三节棍 (即宋太祖盘龙棍), 八卦游龙剑, and 虎头双钩等.

By the late 1700s to early 1800s, Monk Liquan (麗泉) of Shandong province learned Yuejia Chui and other sets and passed it on to Monk Fa Cheng (法成). Note: some researchers think that Liquan might not be the name of an individual but a religious order with Shaolin Sect. The location of their temple is believed to be the one in Hebei Province where Fa Cheng was in residence.

--------

Please note that these are earliest mention of Mantis Boxing appearing in Shandong. If someone would do the research, I think that connections will be discovered between what I have posted above and "Sheng Xiao" and Li Bingxiao, and the Mei Hua Shou / Tang Lang Shou material.

Also there is another Shaolin connection:

In Tanglang the first of 12 principles is:
"Gou, also known as Tong Guo Gou (pass through/back hook): Attach or deflect by hooked hand or ‘Mantis Claw’. In the case of Tong Guo Gou; pulling back by hooked hand."

There was another style from shaolin that included a Tong Guo Gou set, which they also called Mantis Claw (Tang Zhao?) and it left Shaolin around 1735 and went to the Shandong area.

[Sal Canzonieri]

This article talks about that and I have included an example of Hooked Step Jade Ring Hands

http://www.plumflowermantisboxing.com/Articles/hooked%20step.htm

Okay, on reading what you showed of the Hooked Step Jade Ring Hands, it is identical to the movements in the Rou Xing Chui set, which are called "Green Dragon Shows Claws".
Also, it is identical to movements in various Fanzi Quan sets, especially in the Nine Jade Ring Mandarin Duck Fanzi style, and in Cuffed Hands Fanzi.
Fanzi originates out of Shandong province.

[Tainan Mantis]

For your Tang Lang 13 Zhao – Preying Mantis 13 Provocations, 螳螂十三招
We have something that is either called 13 gate strike (13 men da) or tang lang 13 da.
Here is one version, this one comes from Li Kunshan.

Thirteen Gates Strikes
Carrying strike dai da
Provoking strike jiao da
Raising strike ti da
Binding strike kun da
Clinging strike nian da
Grasping strike na da
Intercepting strike jie da
Just strike jiou da
Sealing strike feng da
Empty strike kong da
Dodging strike shan da
Closing strike bi da
Continuous strike xu da

[Tainan Mantis]

I understand that Shaolin has short strikes.
But is there any form or technique named after fanche or lulu?

Sometimes the move is called tai shan ya ding.

In the book you mention, quan jing quan fa bei yao, there is Tai shan ya ding plus an illustration. But nowhere in that book is fanche or lulu mentioned.

One of the things that Quan Jing does have in common with Mantis are the 8 short strikes.
Mantis calls it ba duan, but in that Quan Jing it is called Ba Feng. As in 8 sharps.

[Sal Canzonieri]

For your Tang Lang 13 Zhao – Preying Mantis 13 Provocations, 螳螂十三招
We have something that is either called 13 gate strike (13 men da) or tang lang 13 da.
Here is one version, this one comes from Li Kunshan.

Thirteen Gates Strikes
Carrying strike dai da
Provoking strike jiao da
Raising strike ti da
Binding strike kun da
Clinging strike nian da
Grasping strike na da
Intercepting strike jie da
Just strike jiou da
Sealing strike feng da
Empty strike kong da
Dodging strike shan da
Closing strike bi da
Continuous strike xu da

Interesting, thanks.

Well, the Mei Hua Men schools in Shandong would be the place to see the Tanglang 13 Zhao set and compare.

[Sal Canzonieri]

I understand that Shaolin has short strikes.
But is there any form or technique named after fanche or lulu?

Sometimes the move is called tai shan ya ding.

In the book you mention, quan jing quan fa bei yao, there is Tai shan ya ding plus an illustration. But nowhere in that book is fanche or lulu mentioned.

One of the things that Quan Jing does have in common with Mantis are the 8 short strikes.
Mantis calls it ba duan, but in that Quan Jing it is called Ba Feng. As in 8 sharps.

No, I have never seen the terms Fanche or Lulu except associated with Tanglang Quan. Nothing so far exactly using those terms in Shaolin material.
Once the Shaolin Hong Quan stuff reached the Shandong area it began to be mixed with local Shandong martial arts, of which there was Ba Shan Fan (today called fanzi), Hua Quan, Mei Hua Zhuang, Cha Quan, and others, all were Muslim martial arts.
So, Fanche / lulu might be from non-Shaolin source originally.

The Shandong Mei Hua Men and other shaolin derived Shandong styles all do a set called Ba Feng. Feng also has another meaning besides "sharps".
Ba Feng comes originally from two sources Plum Flower Poles system, and before that the Shaolin Wu Quan system of Bai Yufeng.