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Tainan Mantis
12-13-2001, 11:05 PM
The thread called QUESTION FOR WAH LUM PEOPLE is changing to a Tan Tui thread so...

There are three characters to represent TAN in the style tan tui.

1. Tan means deep pool or pond.
This character is used because the style was from a monk who lived in DRAGON POND TEMPLE -LONG TAN SZ. The oldest reference point I have for this character is from a book published in 1918, although there are several other books that use this character.

The Chinese Wu Shu Encyclopedia calls it 12 roads of Tan Tui and includes a 7 character poem for each road. Confusion arises because one of the kicks in the poem is also called tan tui(same sound) but means SPRING KICK.

2. Tan means spring- a type of energy and a type of kick.
It would seem that this character was used because at some point someone learned the style without the characters. Later when he passed it on to his students and they wanted to write it down they chose the most logical character, which is this one.

But that same encyclopedia has the 10 Roads of Tan Tui using this character. It also includes a poem of 7 characters for each road.

Another reason some people may chose to use this character is because of a famous Ming general named Tang Hsun and his book Wu Bien.
In the book he uses this character when explaining how to practice this kick.

"Stand on one leg. With the other leg lift a bench off of the floor and balance it on your one leg while keeping your leg parallel to the floor..."

Sounds like hard work to me. Has anyone tried this yet?

3. Tan means seeking. I have only seen this character used in WLPM.
NorthernMantis brought up that Lee Kwan Shan may have been a Muslim. I have also heard this before.
If so, it would stand to reason that he learned this famous Tan Tui Style. Especially since it is called 10 Roads of Tan Tui.
Most likely the character was changed along the way by a student. Maybe Lee Kwan Shan's teacher, since he was at Wah Lum Temple and not Long Tan temple.

On a related note. The 14 roads of Tan Tui as taught by Luo Guang Yu of 7* is not the same style, but his own creation for students in HK.

norther practitioner
12-14-2001, 03:12 PM
It is my understanding that Tan Tui is from the Chinese Muslims. Them being the largest minority in China...anyway, the muslims introduced Tan Tui to many different groups, one being Shaolin, the monks liked how much Tan Tui empahsized strong stance work, then incorporated into their own system and added another two lines. I am learning the 10 roads or lines version. I think this is one of the best forms/drill to learn for anyone doing any northern style. A number of different styles use this now and it has been modified to fit the system that it is in. I have seen a few different versions now, all pretty cool.

Tainan Mantis
12-19-2001, 08:14 AM
Has an excellent article on the history of Tan Tui under the Tan Tui thread

Roc Doc
12-26-2001, 01:55 PM
last night we watched living legends of kung fu volume 1. (about ten times) what a slammin thrill to see grandmaster chan go through several sets. if anyone has any questions about wah lum, watch this tape before you pass judgement..........
this is real kung fu at it's finest......
roc doc