Another Mystery concerning Da Tongbi Quan!
This was pointed out to me by my KF friend Johan:
This video labeled - Shaolin Luo Han Pu Shen Shi Ba Shou - Arhat Protect Body 18 Hands :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAaj0_r85mM
is basically the same set as the Shaolin Da Tongbei Quan.
Some movements are a little different, some missing and ends much sooner.
Compare to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSNB4ZNfs6k
This made me think:
If maybe this were the original version of it (as preserved in this lineage), then it should be shorter, 18 postures, which it is. It is should be missing the postures added from Ape-Monkey Boxing and other sets incorporated into Da Tongbi Quan.
Maybe this was the Luohan Quan core from which Da Tongbi Quan was developed from?
But, I remembered I had another video of the Luohan Pu Shen set, and it is different:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYQKuio8mVs
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New development:
This set from the video link is embedded in the first third of Liu Zhenhai's Tongbi Quan Erlu set, which is shown in his Shaolin Da Lu book!
So, that would mean that his Er Lu is a more detailed Da Tongbi Quan set?
Liu's set from the book has a different salute that happens before the salute shown in Shi Yongxin's Da Tongbi Quan yellow book.
Man! This was like finding a skeleton key and it opening a bunch of hidden doors!
Once you start at the right place, Liu's Tongbi Quan Er Lu set is for sure the Da Tongbi Quan set, but with missing movements that fill in between the Shaolin and Tagou version's postures.
Liu's has 32 postures, and 46 movements!
Shaolin's has 27 postures and much less movements.
Well, another mystery solved, as far as what the Tongbi Quan sets in Liu's Shaolin Da Lu book are.
Xiao Tongbi Quan (74 postures / 100 movements!) = Yi lu Tongbi
and Da Tongbi Quan (32 postures / 46 movements) = Er lu Tongbi
I, at this point, feel that his book routines are the most complete.
You can easily see how they contain the necessary transition movements between the postures. Routine after routine.
Thanks Liu Zhenhai (from wherever you are watching).