mantisboxing.com interviews

[B.Tunks]

G'day all,

I've started a series of interviews posted on my site with Tanglang practitioners and masters, both well known and relatively obscure. I have several more for release shortly but have kicked it off with my first Tanglang teacher Dr Wang Xiaohua and Slawomir Milczarek of the Polish Praying Mantis Kungfu Society. Yep, I interviewed mates, but I'm open about that up front so hopefully it doesn't come across too much like intra-family propaganda. I had to start somewhere so first up I've gone to those who could give me the time and were willing to share their stories. I'm planning to interview masters and practitioners from all families (QX, MH, TJMH, LH, TJ etc) and lineages coming out of/based in Hong Kong, Taiwan, PRC, SE Asia and the West. I post this here not only as spam to pump up my Taoist praying mantis ghost busting business, but so any questions, discussion or commentary can follow.

http://www.mantisboxing.com/interviews/index.html

I hope you get something out of it. Basically I'm trying to speak with people about stuff I would be keen to read but would otherwise not be able to find in the English language martial media (KF Magazine aside).

Cheers,

BT

[mooyingmantis]

Brendan,
Thank you for sharing this with us! Very interesting article!

[B.Tunks]

Thanks for the feedback M.

Apparently the headers don't stand out enough. In case anyone missed it both articles are tabbed at the top of page. May have to change that.

BT

[Michael Dasargo]

G'day all,

I post this here not only as spam to pump up my Taoist praying mantis ghost busting business, but so any questions, discussion or commentary can follow.

http://www.mantisboxing.com/interviews/index.html

Cheers,

BT

More like Spam Moco...cuz it's sall gravy! Pho real tho, it's much appreciated. Keep em comin'!

Mike D.

[Keng Lee]

I think Shaolin Golden Monkey is better

[B.Tunks]

Mmmm, spam with gravy...

@ Keng, Shaolin Golden Monkey is definitely number one! Look for my Shaolin Golden Monkey series to follow (as soon as I find out what the f*ck it is and can identify anyone teaching or practicing it)

BT

[B.Tunks]

Hi all.

Here's another interview for your reading pleasure. This time it's Shifu Arnold Buenviaje of Manila, tudi of Zhong Lianbao. Arnold has had a long and distinguished career, studying various Chinese systems and has been a long time promoter of Tanglang in his country. Please feel free to discuss the content or ask any questions in this thread.

http://mantisboxing.com/interviews/arnold-buenviaje-interview.html

I had originally planned on splitting up the Seven Star interviews (or at least alternating with some Meihua, Liuhe etc) but I'll most likely just be posting them as they are completed as I have several sets of questions out at once and the process can be quite lengthy.

We've made a few changes to the banner and the interview selection menu. Hopefully this makes things a little more user friendly.

Cheers,

BT

[B.Tunks]

Here's another one for your reading pleasure. It was really interesting for me to speak with Carl for many reasons and I think you will enjoy this interview a lot.

http://www.mantisboxing.com/interviews/carl-albright.html

Post any follow up discussion/questions etc in this thread.

Please stay tuned for another interview (completely different family of Tanglang) to be uploaded in coming weeks. I hope to release these at more consistent intervals next year.

Cheers all.

BT

[Tainan Mantis]

I have wondered how my life would have been different if my parents had the thought to get me started in kung fu when I lived in NY.
Thanks for sharing, it was fascinating to hear so much of Carl and the early days.


One thing is that the Tai Mantis form Siu Wan Kuen (small circular fist) is a form passed down by Chan Tai San’s roommate Ma Gim Fung disciple of Sun Yu Fung
Sun Yu feng is who?

I got this video years ago and often womdered where it came from, nice to get an answer Kam Yuen - Small Circular Fist (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GnIf9FaktY)

[Howard]

Sun Yu-feng (孫玉峰) was a native of*Shantung Province, a north-eastern province with*a rich martial art heritage. Through a combination of the forces of nature*causing numerous floods and other*hardships, as well as successions of wars, Shantung’s history*was particularly colourful,*producing many great northern kung fu masters, warlords, revolutionaries*and bandits*over the centuries. Indeed, the setting of famous martial art novel “108 Heroes of The Marshes” was in Liangshan, Shantung Province.

Born into a poor peasant family, Sun Yu-feng was known for his prodigious strength and was powerfully built. Together with his siblings he worked in the fields to help their parents. As they could not afford a buffalo to plough the fields, Sun Yu-feng would drag the plough himself like a buffalo while his brothers would push and direct the plough.

At a very young age, Sun Yu-feng enjoyed learning wrestling which was popular in Northern China both as a sport and a martial art.* Being of very large build and possessing a natural aptitude for martial arts, the young SunYu-feng became very proficient in wresting and won many local contests.

When he was in his early teens, Sun Yu-feng travelled to Beijing*to look for work and hoped to find someone who would teach him quan fa (fist skills). In Beijing, Sun Yu-feng met a Shaolin master by the name of Yuan Dong Zhan, who specialised in Lohan Quan.

Lohan Quan was noted for its powerful long hand techniques and chin na techniques. This style of kung fu was especially suited to a person of Sun Yu-feng’s build and he flourished under the tutelage of Yuan Dong Zhan. Sun Yu-feng continued to learn Lohan Quan under Yuan Dong Zhan for several years in Beijing.

Sun Yu-feng was barely sixteen years old when he joined the Zhen Wei Biao Ju, a security escort company. The life of a security escort in those days was fraught with danger. Over long journeys by horse back through rugged terrain and areas controlled by bandits, those who worked as security escorts have to be good fighters. The success of a security escort business depended more often than not, the reputation of the chief of the escort bureau. A fierce reputation as a top-notch fighter is the foremost quality required as a deterrent for would-be trouble makers. It was equally important to have friends in all the far corners of the country.* A reputation as a righteous master respected by influential people on either side of the law was pre-requisite to be head of a security escort convoy.

During this period while working in the security escort industry, Sun Yu-feng learnt of a famous broadsword specialist by the name of Da Dao Zhang Jien Hui (Broadsword King Zhang) who was in turn the disciple of the legendary Da Dao Ma Xiang. Ma Xiang was an enigmatic character as not much was documented about his life. He was one of those legendary figures of Chinese martial arts but at the same time not famous in a mainstream sense because he did not establish a martial art style or school. His life bordered on fighting for justice for the poor and being an outlaw. It was said at that time, there were two giants in the world of Chinese martial arts: the Southern Bull and the Northern Horse. In the South, there was Huang Niu; in the North you have Ma Xiang.

Sun Yu-feng sought out Da Dao Zhang Jien Hui, who was the head of another security escort group called the Xing Lung Biao Ju (Prosperous Dragon Security Escort) and begged to be his student and at the same time serve in his security convoy.

SunYu-feng soon proved himself in the many dangerous journeys escorting convoys of precious goods throughout China. Da Dao Zhang Jien Hui, later accepted Sun Yu-feng as his disciple and taught him the exquisite broadsword skills passed down by Ma Xiang.

When Zhang Jien Hui retired, the security escort business was handed over to Sun Yu-feng as Zhang did not have an heir. In his travels throughout China as head of the security escort convoy, Sun Yu-feng’s reputation became known to all kung fu masters and bandit chiefs alike. His fierce mastery of the northern broadsword earned him the moniker “Broadsword King of The Five Provinces” (五省刀王).

It was common in China in those days for close friends in the martial arts world to become sworn blood brothers. Sun Yu-feng was a member of the brotherhood of The Thirteen “Feng’s” or Thirteen Peaks (十三峰). He was called the Seventh Master. Each of the thirteen brothers had a last name called “Feng” and each was a master of the highest calibre, specializing in his own particular style or weapon. The first of the thirteen sworn blood brothers was Yu I-feng (Yu the First Peak) , whose martial art was said to border on the realms of the supernatural. He would defeat his opponents even before they fought because his eyes would emit a cold, frightening glare that struck pure fear into the hearts of ordinary men. Another of the Thirteen Feng’s was Zhou Hai-feng who mastered the art of qing gung (weightless kung fu); witnesses claimed that he could run along the walls of buildings.

After the death of Huo Yuan-jia in 1910, the newly established Chin Wu Athletic Association in Shanghai was in desperate need to regain the initiative to carry on Huo’s dream of establishing physical education centres throughout China to encourage young people to be healthy and strong. The Chin Wu Athletic Association invited the top martial artists in Northern China to teach there. As the momentum* gathered, the association spread to other parts of the country* with a new branch in Canton (Guangzhou) to be opened. The support of four top masters was enlisted: Sun Yu-feng of Lohan Mern, Chen Zi-zeng of Eagle Claw , Luo Guang-yu of Praying Mantis* and Yan Yuan-shan of the Six Harmonies Fist.

On their arrival in Guangzhou (Canton), the southerners respectfully referred to them as the Four Northern Tigers. Sun Yu-feng was assisted by his only son, Sun Wen-yong. During this time, not a few southern kung fu men came to test the skills of the new comers. As some of these tests of skill were actually challenges in those days, anyone wishing to open a new kung fu school either had to be a top notch master or had extensive patronage and support in the community. As a northerner, Sun Yu-feng had to accept these challenges and before long had established himself firmly in Guangzhou. Sun Yu-feng later left the Chin Wu Athletic Association to form his own kung fu school called Chiang Hua Athletic Association (Strong Chinese Athletic Association).

[Hebrew Hammer]

Fantastic interview...I have no experience with Mantis, always love to watch it though. Great aggressive style and with superior trapping.

[mooyingmantis]

Howard,
Excellent post! Thank you!

[B.Tunks]

Cheers Hebrew Hammer.

Thanks for that info Howard. What was the source, if you don't mind me asking.

BT

[B.Tunks]

No worries. Found it...

[Howard]

No worries. Found it...

Cool. PS: love the interviews each different flavor each very interesting...Thanks!

[B.Tunks]

Thanks. I hope the quality is improving a little. Starting to get a diverse range of subjects too, which will make it a lot more interesting. Hopefully i don't run out of willing participants.

BT

[B.Tunks]

This interview was one of the most interesting so far. Gao Jian (tudi of the late Ma Hanqing) is a very progressive thinker and discusses in detail some important aspects of the practice and mastery of Chinese martial arts in today's world. Enjoy:

http://www.mantisboxing.com/interviews/gao-jian.html

Cheers,

BT

[Howard]

Nice one....not as deep but interesting all the same. Regarding the Dongbei thing, One of my martial brothers went to Harbin to study for a few years because the Beijing Ma style was not so practical ...

[mooyingmantis]

Brendan,
Fascinating article!
I thought this quote in particular was interesting:

"Master Ma has told me that Meihua is better for showing and Liuhe is better for fighting (梅花好看，六合好用.)."