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jjustinmeehan
05-14-2012, 01:33 PM
The International HunYuan Martial Arts Competition Push Hands competition was savage beyond belief. At one point I thought was told that International rules would apply only to find out (the night before the event) that there would be new rules allowing dangerous techniques such as neck attacks (resulting in one competitor being taken to hospital for extremely serious neck injury), double arm grabs, sudden arm bars, grabbing around the waist, tripping, throwing, sweeping, disengagement and sudden strikes just to name a few. But, in the end, there were no rules at all. Incredibly, the contest began the moment the referee said go! (like in the Bruce Lee movie Enter the Dragon) with no preparatory arm circles so that contact could possibly lead to the traditional Push Hands practice of Ward Off (Peng), Roll Back (Lu), Press (Gee) and Push (An). The one new rule announced by Feng's oldest daughter based on suggestions from past competitions was that if a competitor thought his or her injuries were sufficient or likely serious and that they were in physical danger, that they should feel to withdraw at any time. This was not very comforting information.

In the semi Final match 21 year old student, Zhardana Tiger was matched with a savage competitor who outweighed her in both weight and experience, and with all the warmth of Jade Fox in Crouching Tiger. Although Tiger (that's how they now refer to Jardena in Beijing) was a US Push Hands Champion, she had never competed under rules allowing striking, grabbing, pulling, wrestling, throwing, cursing and clawing. Despite the last minute change of rules she had not traveled all the way to Beijing in order to withdraw. She entered the ring before a packed house of ardent Chinese rooting for the hometown competitor. She quickly fell behind a point after being thrown to the ground and body slammed by her opponent. Although Zhardena Tiger did not come to fight, she had been a private student of Sifu Justin since she was only 15 years old. They battled back and forth for 2 minutes, got a one minute rest and then had another 2 minutes of all out street fight. As the fight went on the crowd started rooting for the underdog American. Zhardena refused to be pushed, dragged or forced out of the ring without a fight and used her determination and fighting techniques to turn the tide as the fight wore on. Both combatants were exhausted as the second bout wore on. Zhardena's opponent actually drew 3 or 4 warnings for illegal head locks, throat strikes, arm snaps, etc, but not a single point was deducted. In the end her Chinese woman said something disparaging to Zhardena that was obviously disrespectful and Jardena's inner Tiger came out and she came from behind to win the match. When the judges announced the final decision awarding Zhardena the match a roar of approval went up in the crowd. She had won the crowds and judges approval and managed to survive with only a torn elbow tendon (from an illegal arm technique) which had to be taped up for her final match..

I never thought I would witness such a savage Push Hands Competition. Fortunately Master Feng was not feeling well and was not witness to the brutal competition in an Art designed to overcome force with non force using Taoist yin yang Taiji theory. Feng's major admonition from his Principles of Practice to "emphasize the gentle over forceful" lay littered on the floor like "straw dogs". Everything except Push Hands was allowed. Competitors routinely separated from each other to avoid contact in order to better rush into each other, like Sumo wrestlers. I honestly thought about asking my student to withdraw from further competition both to avoid further injury and to protest what I saw as an insult to HunYuan Taiji theory and practice.

For her final match Zhardena drew the Russian Champion. Zhardena and her Russian competitor met beforehand and, with the encouragement of both their teachers, decided to make a statement using their final match to trade a gold medal for a chance to protest all they had experienced and witnessed and to use their opportunity to express their commitment to traditional Taijquan philosophy and martial virtue (Wu De). Zhardena and her opponent at the start of their match did double hands Push Hands for 3 revolutions and a thunderous roar of approval went up in the crowd and brought big smiles from the older Taiji dignitaries witnessing the event from the head dias. The 2 girls then did a kind of non competitive free style Push Hands display with the ultimate goal to be a 0-0 score which they achieved to the great delight of the crowd and even the judges. It was what no one expected, but everyone wanted in their hearts. Even GrandMaster Feng's daughter was smiling from the dias along with all the other HunYuan dignitaries. During their 1 minute break, instead of sitting down, they practiced Gathering Qi and Standing Meditation. In their own way they traded their gold medal opportunity for the opportunity to demonstrate their loyalty and commitment to the higher level of Taiji theory and respect for Grand Master Feng and HunYuan Taijiquan. The crowd went wild and many old school teachers came up, some with tears in their eyes, to share their congratulations and appreciation. Zhardena was later honored with a special award of "merit" before Grand Master Feng (although much older and not actively teaching anymore) whose smile and nod of recognition was worth all the gold in China.



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Vajramusti
05-14-2012, 02:43 PM
The International HunYuan Martial Arts Competition Push Hands competition was savage beyond belief. At one point I thought was told that International rules would apply only to find out (the night before the event) that there would be new rules allowing dangerous techniques such as neck attacks (resulting in one competitor being taken to hospital for extremely serious neck injury), double arm grabs, sudden arm bars, grabbing around the waist, tripping, throwing, sweeping, disengagement and sudden strikes just to name a few. But, in the end, there were no rules at all. Incredibly, the contest began the moment the referee said go! (like in the Bruce Lee movie Enter the Dragon) with no preparatory arm circles so that contact could possibly lead to the traditional Push Hands practice of Ward Off (Peng), Roll Back (Lu), Press (Gee) and Push (An). The one new rule announced by Feng's oldest daughter based on suggestions from past competitions was that if a competitor thought his or her injuries were sufficient or likely serious and that they were in physical danger, that they should feel to withdraw at any time. This was not very comforting information.

In the semi Final match 21 year old student, Zhardana Tiger was matched with a savage competitor who outweighed her in both weight and experience, and with all the warmth of Jade Fox in Crouching Tiger. Although Tiger (that's how they now refer to Jardena in Beijing) was a US Push Hands Champion, she had never competed under rules allowing striking, grabbing, pulling, wrestling, throwing, cursing and clawing. Despite the last minute change of rules she had not traveled all the way to Beijing in order to withdraw. She entered the ring before a packed house of ardent Chinese rooting for the hometown competitor. She quickly fell behind a point after being thrown to the ground and body slammed by her opponent. Although Zhardena Tiger did not come to fight, she had been a private student of Sifu Justin since she was only 15 years old. They battled back and forth for 2 minutes, got a one minute rest and then had another 2 minutes of all out street fight. As the fight went on the crowd started rooting for the underdog American. Zhardena refused to be pushed, dragged or forced out of the ring without a fight and used her determination and fighting techniques to turn the tide as the fight wore on. Both combatants were exhausted as the second bout wore on. Zhardena's opponent actually drew 3 or 4 warnings for illegal head locks, throat strikes, arm snaps, etc, but not a single point was deducted. In the end her Chinese woman said something disparaging to Zhardena that was obviously disrespectful and Jardena's inner Tiger came out and she came from behind to win the match. When the judges announced the final decision awarding Zhardena the match a roar of approval went up in the crowd. She had won the crowds and judges approval and managed to survive with only a torn elbow tendon (from an illegal arm technique) which had to be taped up for her final match..

I never thought I would witness such a savage Push Hands Competition. Fortunately Master Feng was not feeling well and was not witness to the brutal competition in an Art designed to overcome force with non force using Taoist yin yang Taiji theory. Feng's major admonition from his Principles of Practice to "emphasize the gentle over forceful" lay littered on the floor like "straw dogs". Everything except Push Hands was allowed. Competitors routinely separated from each other to avoid contact in order to better rush into each other, like Sumo wrestlers. I honestly thought about asking my student to withdraw from further competition both to avoid further injury and to protest what I saw as an insult to HunYuan Taiji theory and practice.

For her final match Zhardena drew the Russian Champion. Zhardena and her Russian competitor met beforehand and, with the encouragement of both their teachers, decided to make a statement using their final match to trade a gold medal for a chance to protest all they had experienced and witnessed and to use their opportunity to express their commitment to traditional Taijquan philosophy and martial virtue (Wu De). Zhardena and her opponent at the start of their match did double hands Push Hands for 3 revolutions and a thunderous roar of approval went up in the crowd and brought big smiles from the older Taiji dignitaries witnessing the event from the head dias. The 2 girls then did a kind of non competitive free style Push Hands display with the ultimate goal to be a 0-0 score which they achieved to the great delight of the crowd and even the judges. It was what no one expected, but everyone wanted in their hearts. Even GrandMaster Feng's daughter was smiling from the dias along with all the other HunYuan dignitaries. During their 1 minute break, instead of sitting down, they practiced Gathering Qi and Standing Meditation. In their own way they traded their gold medal opportunity for the opportunity to demonstrate their loyalty and commitment to the higher level of Taiji theory and respect for Grand Master Feng and HunYuan Taijiquan. The crowd went wild and many old school teachers came up, some with tears in their eyes, to share their congratulations and appreciation. Zhardena was later honored with a special award of "merit" before Grand Master Feng (although much older and not actively teaching anymore) whose smile and nod of recognition was worth all the gold in China.



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Wow- thanks for the detailed report.

joy chaudhuri

omarthefish
05-14-2012, 04:14 PM
This was back last year sometime? I tried to find some info about the event but all I came up with was this article dated December 2011:

http://www.examiner.com/article/an-overdue-tai-chi-push-hands-champion

Is this it:

http://www.kungfuchampionship.com/

ride57
05-15-2012, 11:19 PM
Wow, I think it took more courage to do what they did, than to actually fight. What conviction to principles.

a_tomita
05-16-2012, 06:50 AM
This was back last year sometime? I tried to find some info about the event but all I came up with was this article dated December 2011:

http://www.examiner.com/article/an-overdue-tai-chi-push-hands-champion

Is this it:

http://www.kungfuchampionship.com/

This was posted on Chen wired back in Nov of 2011.

This article talks about the event.
http://www.examiner.com/article/to-fight-or-not-to-fight

jjustinmeehan
05-25-2012, 02:05 PM
www.scanews.com/2011/11/s1109/110912/