Creatures and People in the Name

[Tainan Mantis]

Names of techniques

What animals or people are used for the description of techniques in your branch of Mantis?

I am thinking of how different schools have a different name for the same technique. Specifically, where one of the techniques is named after a person or creature.

Here are some examples from the older era:

White tiger washes his face
Master Chen Tuan dozes for eighteen years
Yellow dragon shakes its tail
The Yecha Demon probes the sea
Swallow dives to the bottom of the well

Defining what these above technques are is difficult.
Seeing how they were written about in past times it would be nice to make connections between technique names and exactly what they are.

[Paul T England]

Nice idea for discussion :)

We use "white tiger washes face" - in Dai Fan Che and Siu Fan Che

We also use "hiding flower under leaf" in several forms including Dai Fu Yan.

Paul
www.moifa.co.uk

[mooyingmantis]

Swallow dives to the bottom of the well= descend to cut the inguinal artery. It may also refer to the change of qian to kun.


Different classifications of techniques may have different images in them that tie them together to let you know where they fall on the relative spectrum. Its a system that allows for advancement and simplification.


If you have 2 techniques, they have their place and time, if you have 8, 108 or 360 they also have their arrangments according to yin and yang.

Here is a brief description of Sparrow Dives into the Well from the Zhai Yao Yi Lu form of TJMHTLQ, along with the preceeding and following technique for context:

Movement Twenty-two
偷 展 斜 身 盘 肘
tōu zhǎn xié shēn pán zhǒu
Steal Open, Slant Body with Coiling Elbow

Step the left foot to the East forming a right Twist step. Leak the left arm from underneath the right arm to grab the opponent's wrist. Step the right foot to the rear (East) and execute a coiling elbow strike to the West to throw the opponent over the outstretched right leg.

Movement Twenty-three
急 打 燕 子 投 井
jí dǎ yān zi tóu jǐng
Quick Strike, Swallow Dives into the Well

Execute a quick right crashing strike. Lift the left leg and block downward with the left palm. Then drop the left foot, crouch low and strike downward with the right fist.

Movement Twenty-four
起 身 鳌 鱼 侧 身 脚
qǐ shēn áo yú cè shēn jiǎo
Raise the Body, Aoyu Leans it's Body Kick

Pivot 180 degrees to defend against an opponent attacking from the rear, capture the opponent's wrist with the right hook hand and kick the opponent in the groin with the right leg.

Note: The áoyú is a mythological creature that has the head of a dragon and the body of a fish. It is featured in Chinese art and festival parades.